How Do I Measure Myself for Clothes? The Stylist's Guide to Getting It Right

You need four measurements to shop for clothes accurately: bust, waist, hips and inside leg. Take them in your underwear (or a thin top), with a soft tape measure held snug against the body but not pulled tight, and keep the tape level with the floor all the way round. That's it — five minutes, and you never have to guess a size again.

I've been styling women for years and I'd say nine out of ten fitting-room disasters I see start with someone shopping by their "usual size" rather than their actual body. Sizes drift between brands, between countries and even between collections within the same shop. Your measurements don't.

What you'll need

A soft fabric or plastic tape measure. Not a builder's tape — I once measured a client with one because it was all we had in the flat, and the rigid edge added a good 3cm to her hips.
A mirror, so you can check the tape is level at the back.
Thin, close-fitting clothing or underwear, and the bra you'd normally wear. A padded bra can add two full centimetres to your bust.
Somewhere to write it down. Notes app, permanently.

The measurements that actually matter

Bust

Tape around the fullest part of your chest, usually across the nipple line, with your arms relaxed at your sides. Breathe out normally. If the tape dips at the back, you'll under-read by a size.

Underbust

Directly beneath the bust, where a bra band sits. Most people skip this one — don't. It's what tells you whether a fitted dress or a wrap top will actually close.

Waist

Your natural waist is the narrowest point of your torso, usually an inch or so above your belly button. Bend sideways: the crease that forms is your waist. Don't hold your stomach in. Clothes are worn by a body that breathes.

Hips

Stand with your feet together and measure the fullest part, which is normally 18–22cm below the waist — over the widest part of the bottom, not the hip bones. This is the single measurement people get wrong most often, and it's why trousers gape at the back.

Inside leg

From the top of your inner thigh to the floor, barefoot. Then note what heel height you actually wear with jeans, because a 3cm difference decides whether they puddle or float.

Worth having too

High hip (across the top of the hip bones) — the make-or-break number for pencil skirts and low-rise jeans.
Shoulder to shoulder — essential for blazers and coats, where the shoulder seam decides everything.
Height — brands with petite, regular and long ranges use it more than you'd think.

The mistakes I see constantly

Measuring over a jumper. A client of mine ordered a beautiful wool coat two sizes up after measuring over an Aran knit. It arrived looking like a duvet.
Pulling the tape tight. If it's leaving a mark, you're measuring your skeleton, not your size.
Measuring once, in 2019. Bodies change. Re-measure every six months, and after any significant weight change.
Ignoring garment measurements. Body measurements tell you your size; the garment's flat measurements tell you the ease. A 90cm bust in a fitted shirt is not a 90cm bust in an oversized one.

Where knowing your numbers pays off most

High street

M&S — the most detailed size guidance on the high street, with petite, regular and long options across most core lines.
Uniqlo — publishes flat garment measurements product by product, which makes it the easiest place to buy online blind.
Boden — three leg lengths on most trousers, so your inside leg measurement genuinely earns its keep.
COS — cut generously and architecturally. Measure first, then size down more often than not.
Massimo Dutti — Spanish sizing runs narrow through the shoulder and waist; brilliant tailoring if you know your numbers.
Hobbs — proper occasion tailoring with a defined waist, so the waist-to-hip difference matters more than the label size.
Seasalt Cornwall — relaxed, size-inclusive fits with consistent measurements season to season.
Whistles — clean, slightly narrow cuts; check the bust measurement before anything fitted.

Premium

Me+Em — designs for length and lists model heights, ideal if you're tall or long-bodied.
Cefinn — measurement-led workwear with a genuinely reliable fit block.
Sézane — French sizing that runs small through the bust; measure before you commit.
The Fold — tailoring built around real proportions, with petite and tall options.

Luxury and designer

Max Mara — Italian sizing on outerwear; shoulder measurement is the one that counts.
Totême — deliberately oversized, so your body measurements are a starting point, not the answer.
Joseph — precise, narrow tailoring where a centimetre either way is visible.

Two independents worth your time

Kemi Telford — the South London label behind those bold wax-print skirts and dresses, made in small runs with room built in at the waist.
Lucy & Yak — a Brighton independent that lists detailed garment measurements and multiple leg lengths on nearly everything it makes.

Measure once. Shop everywhere.

Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool: your body matched exactly to over 1,500 brands, instantly. Never look at a size guide again.

Measure once — bust, waist and hip, or just tell us your size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Always free — no downloads, works straight in your browser.

Then there's the Tellar Fashion Hub: a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Style advice, top picks, best brands. Honest, unbiased, independent and always free.

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