Most size charts ask for two or three measurements, and they rarely say where to put the tape. These are the three that come up most often, and where each one sits on the body.
You need a soft measuring tape, the kind used for sewing. Work in centimetres, since most charts are written that way.
Your natural waist
The natural waist is the narrowest part of your torso. On most people it sits a little above the navel, usually two to three fingers above it, and it is often easier to find than to see: bend gently to one side and the crease that forms is close to it.
Stand upright, pass the tape around that narrowest point, and keep it level all the way round. Breathe out normally and read the number without pulling the tape tighter.
Your full hip
The full hip is the fullest part around your hips and seat, which is usually lower than people expect, often around 18 to 20 centimetres below the natural waist.
Stand with your feet together. Pass the tape around the fullest part, check in a mirror that it has not ridden up at the back, and read the number with the tape resting against you rather than pressing in.
Your upper thigh
The upper thigh is the fullest part of one thigh, just below where it meets the hip. Charts that cover longer garments often ask for it, and charts for shorter ones often do not.
Stand with your weight even on both feet, pass the tape around one thigh at its fullest point, and keep it horizontal. Measure the same side each time, since the two are rarely identical.
Tips for an accurate reading
- Keep the tape level the whole way round. A tape that slopes at the back adds centimetres that are not there.
- Snug, not pressing. The tape should sit against you without leaving a mark.
- Breathe out normally and stand upright rather than holding yourself in.
- Measure over thin clothing or bare skin, not over a thick layer.
- Write the numbers down as you go, in centimetres, and measure twice if a number looks surprising.
- If a measurement sits between two sizes on a chart, note both. Charts differ, and that is useful to know before you choose.
Using your measurements for shapewear and sarees
Size charts are written by whoever makes the garment, so the same number can fall into different sizes from one brand to the next. Read your measurements against the chart in front of you rather than against the size you usually buy.
For saree shapewear in particular, the hip measurement is often the one that decides the size, with the waist checked afterwards. The saree shapewear size guide sets out that method and the chart that goes with it.