A Guide to Measuring Yourself For A Wedding Dress

When it comes to finding the perfect wedding dress it may feel like an impossible task. So it is important to know your body sizing prior to making a purchase online or before going dress shopping. A guide to measuring yourself for wedding dresses can provide essential information on the proper way to obtain measurements and ensure that the dress fits properly. This guide will provide an overview of the steps necessary in order to obtain accurate bridal sizing and measurements for a wedding dress. With this comprehensive guide, readers can confidently measure themselves for their dream wedding dress and make any necessary adjustments before wearing it on their special day.

How to measure yourself

To start, you should take off any clothing you are wearing, and only wear your underwear. In order to relax your body, it will be easier if someone can help you take the measurements. Keep your head straight and don’t slouch, and don’t breath in as you want the natural waist size. You should maintain your usual posture, with your arms down and free along your body. It is important to make sure that the measuring tape fits comfortably on the body, without being too tight. To ensure you have accurate measurements, always double-check them.

It is important to consider everything when fitting a dress: the bust, waist and hips. If you want to wear an A-line or ball gown, you need to measure your bust and waist. Taking your hollow to hem measurement is also important when ordering a custom dress. Even nylon tights and bras can add volume, so make sure you wear nothing but the undergarments you plan on wearing on your wedding day. Make sure the tape is tight enough to hold the area in place.

Bust

At the fullest part of your bust, wrap the tape around your back, then up to the front. The tape should be level and snug enough to hold a finger between it and your body, allowing you to fit a finger between it and your body. Relax and breathe normally rather than holding your breath.

Waist

The waist is the smallest part of your torso, located between your belly button and hip bones. Pass the measuring tape along your waist just as you did for your bust. Make sure the tape fits your waist comfortably, breathing normally while doing so. The tape measure should be held the way you would like the dress to fit so give a bit of breathing space.

Hip

You should pull the tape across the widest part of your hips and the fullest part of your bottom while standing straight. If you want to sit comfortably in your wedding dress, you shouldn’t make it too tight. You should be able to fit your finger between the tape and your hips.

Hollow to Hem

The most common use of this is when ordering a custom dress length. Measure from your collarbone (hollow) to your bottom (hem)in a vertical straight line. To get proper measurements, wear your bridal shoes or shoes with the same height.

Our Women’s Dress Size Guide

This is the most common measurement range for women from size 4 up to a size 26 with a height of 5’6″ (168cm). They are exact for brides that are wearing a traditional wedding gown, as well as if you are in a two-piece wedding gown that has a separate skirt and top.

As you know, a number of factors determine the fit, including the cut, fabric, style and brand of the garment, and therefore these measurements should only be used as a guide for wedding dress sizes.

As a result, petite sizes (normally recommended for women under the height of 5’3″) and tall (usually recommended for women over the height of 5’9″) will differ proportionally depending on your height, so never forget to be cognizant of your height when choosing your correct size.

How to use the women’s dress size chart

You should not only have your own measurements on hand, but your wedding dress shop should also be able to measure you. If you are planning to order a dress online or in-store, it is important to call ahead and find out if there is a sample dress in stock in your exact size, so that you know what sizing you need to order, as well as tell a seamstress what adjustments you require.

It is possible to convert your dress size into inches by using this size chart or vice versa. However, each bridalwear designer has a different rule-of-thumb when it comes to converting.

We recommend choosing a size 16 dress if you measure a size 14 bust, a size 12 waist in inches, and a size 16 hips in inches. The rest of the dress can be tailored to your body. In order to feel comfortable on your wedding day, it’s important to wear something that flatters your body type so check out our guide on wedding dress styles.