Fit
How to measure for a dress: bust, waist, hips and hollow-to-hem
How to measure for a dress comes down to four numbers: bust, natural waist, hips and the hollow-to-hem length. This page shows where each tape goes, why formal-dress sizes rarely match everyday ones, and how to choose a size from a maker's chart.
On this page
Before you start
- A soft tape measure in inches and centimetres, and a second person: measuring yourself twists the tape.
- The underwear you will wear with the dress, especially the bra — it changes the bust measurement. Never measure over clothes.
- The shoes you will wear, for the length measurement.
- Stand straight and relaxed, feet together, arms down. Keep the tape level all the way round, snug but not tight: one finger should slide under it.
The four measurements
| Measurement | Where the tape goes | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Bust | Around the fullest part of the bust, level across the back and under the arms | Wear the bra you will wear with the dress |
| Natural waist | Around the narrowest part of the torso | Bend to one side: the crease that forms marks the natural waist |
| Hips | Around the fullest part of the hips and seat, feet together | Usually about 7–9 in (18–23 cm) below the natural waist |
| Hollow-to-hem | From the hollow at the base of the neck, between the collarbones, straight down to where the hem should fall | Wear your shoes; let the tape hang straight from the bust, not around the curves |
Write the numbers down at once Measure twice, record both inches and centimetres, and note the date. If you are dieting, training or pregnant before the event, measure again before the final fitting.
Why formal-dress sizes rarely match your everyday size
US women's sizes were first built from body statistics gathered in the 1940s and 1950s, but makers always deviated from them, and through vanity sizing everyday labels have drifted far from that standard. Charts vary from maker to maker, sometimes by a full inch either way, and between styles from the same maker.
Bridal and many formal-wear makers still use their own, smaller-running charts, so a bride or bridesmaid is often one or more sizes up from her usual label — guides put the gap at one to three sizes. The number on the label means nothing; the measurements against the maker's chart are what count.
Sizing by a single measurement has failed before: an early-20th-century attempt to size women's clothes by the bust alone did not work, because women with the same bust can have very different waists and hips. That is why every formal-dress chart asks for all three.
Choosing a size from the chart
- Find each measurement on the maker's own chart — not a generic one.
- Order for the largest of the three. A fitted dress is ordered to fit the biggest of bust, waist or hips, then taken in elsewhere.
- Between sizes, go up. Taking a dress in is easy; letting it out depends on seam allowance that may not be there.
- Check the length separately. Compare your hollow-to-hem with the dress's listed length; long dresses are often cut long so they can be hemmed to you.
- Ask about made-to-measure. Some makers sew to your numbers; then accurate measuring matters even more, and you should read the return terms before ordering.
The silhouette also changes how forgiving a size is: an A-line or ball gown only has to fit the bodice, while a sheath, trumpet or mermaid must fit the hips and thighs too. Stretch crêpe or satin allows a closer fit than crisp taffeta.
Fittings and alterations
Even a dress ordered in the right size usually needs altering: hem, straps and the waist are the common changes. Bring the same underwear and shoes to every fitting, sit, walk and lift your arms in the dress, and leave the final fitting close enough to the event that your measurements will not change, but early enough to fix anything it shows.
Frequently asked questions
What is hollow-to-hem?
The length from the hollow at the base of the neck, between the collarbones, straight down to where the hem should fall, measured in the shoes you will wear. Makers use it to set the length of a long dress.
Do wedding dress sizes run small?
Usually, yes. Bridal size charts tend to run smaller than everyday labels — guides put the difference at one to three sizes — so order from your bust, waist and hip measurements against the maker's chart, not your usual size.
Which measurement decides the size?
The largest of bust, waist and hips relative to the chart. The dress is ordered to fit that one and taken in at the others.
Should I order a size up if I am between sizes?
Yes: a dress can be taken in more easily than it can be let out.
Keep reading
- Wedding dress silhouettes: ball gown, A-line, sheath, mermaid and moreWedding dress silhouettes compared: ball gown, A-line, sheath, Empire, trumpet and mermaid, plus waistlines, maternity and short wedding dresses.
- Wedding dress train lengths and dress hemlines explainedWedding dress train lengths from sweep to royal cathedral, in metres and feet, plus the named dress lengths from mini to floor and which suits which occasion.
- Bridesmaid dresses: matching, colours, fabrics and who paysBridesmaid dresses explained: the roles in a bridal party, matching or mix-and-match, silhouettes and fabrics that suit several bodies, swatches and who pays.
Formal Dress Guide is an independent reference. It does not sell, make, rent or alter dresses, has no connection with any designer, brand or shop, and has no connection with any earlier owner of this domain.