Body measurements

Body measurements are taken on the person: around the fullest part of the chest, around the natural waist, around the fullest part of the hips, along the inside of the leg. A chart of body measurements says "if you measure this, take this size".

They make the easiest charts for shoppers, because people can measure themselves and nobody has to know what ease is. The brand's room is already built into the ranges: an M range is the bodies the M is made for.

How to measure

1. Use a soft tape, the tailor's kind, over bare skin or a thin layer.
2. Stand naturally, without holding your breath or pulling in.
3. Keep the tape level all the way round, and check it in a mirror.
4. Snug, not tight: the tape lies flat without pressing in.
5. Read to the nearest half centimeter or quarter inch, and write down the unit.

The steps for each measurement are in how to measure your chest and how to measure your waist.

On a size chart

Body charts give a range per size. Ruban Size's women's tops template:

For the same size, body measurements are smaller than the garment's own, except on stretch pieces cut to fit close. Comparing one kind with the other is the quickest way to a wrong size.

In Ruban Size

Find my size asks for the body measurements the chart uses and compares them with each range. On a body chart, the shopper's "Fit I like" moves the measurement by only half the gap between their fit and a regular one: for a top, 1.35 cm down for snug and 2.55 cm up for loose. Measurements are saved on the shopper's device only, never sent, so "Your size" shows on every product.