How to Take Clothing Measurements Without Measuring Tape

Co-authored by David Pew

Last Updated: March 1, 2024 Fact Checked

Whether you’re determining your clothing size from a sizing chart or you’re making clothing for yourself or another person, taking precise measurements is key for a good fit. A flexible cloth measuring tape is best for this, but if you don’t have one on hand, there are a few other ways to take clothing measurements using simple household objects.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding What to Measure With

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1
Look for flexible material. Find a common item in your home that is flexible, meaning that it bends so you can use the length of it to measure curves on your body.
- Try common materials like string, yarn, a piece of scrap fabric, or a cable.
- Make sure the material you use isn’t precious, as you will be marking it up, cutting it, or otherwise potentially damaging it for use in taking measurements.
2
Try to find an object with a known length. Look for an object that you have on hand that has an even, known length to allow for easy measuring. Depending on the object, you can either use it to directly measure on your body, or to measure the length of another material like string.
- For instance, a standard American printer paper size is 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long. An American dollar bill is 2.5 inches wide by 6 inches long.^{[1]
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- You can also look up the size written on the bottom of a baking pan, a box, or another object that you can easily find the exact dimensions of.
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3
Mark increments on the material. If you don’t already know the exact length of the material you’re using in place of measuring tape, use a flat ruler to mark increments on it.
- If you use a material that is long, you can mark off every 6 or 12 inches on it to measure longer lengths of the body, like inseam. On shorter material like a piece of paper or dollar bill, you can simply use it to measure one length at a time, or fold it in halves to measure smaller increments.
- If you don’t have a ruler, you can measure lengths with standard objects like printer paper or a dollar bill. Or, approximate lengths using your hand and arm. The distance from your first knuckle to the end of your fingertip is about 1 inch, the distance across your palm underneath the fingers is about 4 inches, and the distance from elbow to fingertips is about 18 inches. However, these approximations vary on each body.
4
Lay the material on the body for measurement. Place your material across or around the part of the body you want to measure to find its length based on your marks or understanding of the material’s length.
- If your material is too short to span the length of the area, place your finger as precisely as possible where the material ends and begin there with another length of the material, doing this as many times as you have to to reach the full length of the area.
- If you want to find the length of an area of your body beforehand and then measure it afterward, place it on the area of your body you want to measure and carefully take hold of the material (or even cut it if it is a material like string) where the length of your body ends. Then use a ruler or approximate measurements from your hand to determine the length.
- Make sure you write down all numbers and label them with the body measurement they correspond to.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Taking Clothing Measurements (Women)

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1
Measure bust size. Find the size of your or another woman’s chest by wrapping your measuring material around the back over your shoulder blades, under the armpits, and across the fullest part of the bust.^{[2]
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- Ensure that you do not pull whatever material you’re using to measure too tightly around the chest.
- To measure for a bra, bathing suit, or other garment that calls for it, you will use this bust measurement along with the circumference just below the bust to find the cup and band size.^{[3]
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2
Take a waist measurement. Use your measuring material to find the length around your or another woman’s torso at its smallest point, which is your natural waist.^{[4]
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Expert Source

David Pew
Professional Tailor

Expert Interview. 5 January 2021.} Find this point by observing where the torso creases when bending side to side, and note that it will fall above the bellybutton and below the ribcage.
- Note that there is a difference between the natural waist and where the waistband may be worn on pants, skirts, or shorts. When clothing measurements call for a waist size, it refers to the narrowest part of the torso, the natural waist. You may want to take another measurement below the natural waist where you know you will wear a garment.
- Be sure to exhale and relax, or have the woman you’re measuring do so, before you take a waist measurement. The abdomen shouldn’t be enlarged with air, sucked in smaller, or otherwise in an unnatural or unrelaxed state.^{[5]
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3
Measure hip size. Wrap your measuring material around your own or another woman’s hips at their fullest point to determine hip size.
- The fullest point of the hips is generally about 8 inches below the natural waist, but of course the distance varies from person to person. Take a few different measurements if you need to ensure that you find the widest point.
- If you’re taking the measurement on yourself, make sure your measuring material is level across your hips and rear end by observing yourself in a mirror.
4
Find the inseam. Take the measurement of the inseam for a pair of pants by measuring along one leg from groin to ankle with the leg remaining straight.
- This is best done on another person or with help from someone else to take a measurement on you. If you don’t have someone to help, you can also measure the inseam on a pair of pants that fits you well.^{[6]
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- The proper inseam for a pair of pants may vary depending on the style of pants and the height of the heel on the shoe worn with them.
5
Take any other measurements necessary. Use your measuring material to take any other measurements that a sizing chart or clothing pattern calls for.
- Make sure that you always take a measurement from the fullest part or longest extension of a body part. Measure around the widest part of your arm or thigh, for example, and measure for the length of a sleeve with your arm bent to accommodate movement.^{[7]
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- It may be helpful to keep a piece of string or elastic tied around the natural waist, as it will be used as an endpoint for other measurements like front waist length, back waist length, and rise.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Clothing Measurements (Men)

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1
Measure the neck. Use your measuring material on your own neck or the neck of another man to measure the circumference at the base of the neck.
- The measurement should be taken about an inch below the Adam’s Apple.^{[9]
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- Place a finger underneath your measuring material to accommodate extra room and comfort for a fitted shirt collar.
2
Find a chest measurement. Measure around your own chest or another man’s chest by wrapping your measuring material around the back over the shoulder blades, under the armpits, and across the fullest part of the chest.^{[10]
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Expert Source

David Pew
Professional Tailor

Expert Interview. 5 January 2021.}
- The chest should not be flexed or sunken in but rather comfortable and relaxed, with the measuring material held snugly against the skin while exhaling.
- Sport coat or suit jacket measurements will also include a letter after the chest size number. A Regular (R) typically fits men 5’7” to 6’, while a Long (L) fits 6’1” to 6’3”.^{[11]
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3
Take a sleeve measurement. Measure the length from the shoulder joint to the wrist bone to find the right length for a shirt or jacket sleeve.
- For a shirt measurement, bend the elbow to accommodate for movement.
- For a jacket measurement, measure from the outside edge of the shoulder down a straight arm to where you want a jacket sleeve to end.
4
Measure the waist. Take a waist measurement by holding your measuring material around your or another man’s torso, just above the bellybutton.
- Make sure that you are in a relaxed posture and breathing out, not flexing or sucking in the abdomen when taking this measurement, or you are instructing the man you are measuring to do so.
- Note that you may want to take a measurement at the hip, closer to where a waistband would come to, if you are measuring for trousers.
5
Find the inseam. Measure from crotch to ankle along the inside of one leg to find the inseam on yourself or another man.
- If you cannot receive help taking this measurement on yourself, find the length on a pair of pants that fit you very well.
- Typical men’s pants sizes list two numbers: the first is the waist measurement and the second is the inseam.^{[12]
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6
Take any other measurements necessary. Find any other measurements that a sizing chart or clothing pattern calls for using your measuring material.
- Make sure you take measurements from the fullest part of the body where you are measuring.
- You may need more measurements like wrist size, shoulder width, seat, and shirt/jacket length to fully fit a custom-made suit.

Community Q&A

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Question

How do I find out the size of a garment? Is there a chart?

Community Answer

There should be. If not, just ask the salesperson. He/she should be able to help you.

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What is the size of a dollar?

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An American dollar bill is 2.5 inches wide by 6 inches long. Dollars used by other countries vary.

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Tips

If possible, take measurements on yourself or others while wearing no clothing or only undergarments.

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If you do decide to buy a tape measure for taking clothing measurements, make sure that it is a flexible cloth one, bought at sewing or craft stores, rather than a metal one meant for construction or home improvement.

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When in doubt, add more length to a measurement instead of less. It’s easier to alter something with more fabric than with too little fabric.

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Warnings

Clothing measurements taken with household materials will not be precise or as accurate as with a proper cloth measuring tape and should not be used to make exact fitting choices without expecting some error.

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