posted on March 29, 2003 05:44:38 AM new
Can someone direct me to a website which explains this, in particular womens blazers. Someone is asking for bust, back, waist and length measurements. I just want to make sure I am placing the tape measure at the correct places. Thanks.
What I do is measure the back from armpit to armpit. Sleeve length from the underarm to the wrist. Maybe give them two measurements on the waist size. One around the bottom and one where you button the lower button as the blazer overlaps to button.
When I say armpit it is where the sewing from the side seam meets with the sewing from the sleeve.
We had a thread awhile ago but I can't find it on how to measure clothes. Maybe some clothes sellers will come in and answer you.
posted on March 29, 2003 10:55:03 AM new
Here's what I learned in sewing classes and working in apparel stores. I hope this helps!
For measuring PANTS WITH SOME GATHERING OR ELASTIC IN THE WAIST:
To get the waist measurement, lay the pants flat on the floor or a table with the zipper face up and zipped closed if there is one, and the button buttoned if there is one. With the waist flattened, measure all the way across the waistband from one side edge to the other. Take the measurement and multiply times 2 (you are measuring 2 layers of fabric). This is the measurement for the "unstretched waist measurement." If there is elastic in the waist, it will fit a person usually much larger than that. So next stretch the waist band out all the way from side to side, still trying to keep it pretty flat and measure from side-to-side again. Multiply it times 2 and this is the "stretched waist measurement." This is easier with a second pair of hands, but one person can manage. This measurement lets a person know, not only will the pants fit on the body, it will let them know if they will be too tight or too loose feeling.
For measuring PANTS WITH NO GATHERING OR ELASTIC IN THE WAIST:
To get the waist measurement, just follow the first few steps on the above instructions. There is no "stretched waist measurement."
TO GET THE LENGTH OF ANY PAIR OF PANTS: you measure the "inseam".
Inseam is a shortened version of "inside seam of the leg". This lets the person know if it will properly cover the entire leg, or if they will be waddling around with folds at the ankle, or look like they are going crabbing. (A local joke in my home town, used when people wear pants that are noticeably too short! The idea is that when you go to the seashore to catch crabs, you wear short pants that won’t get wet if you happen to step in the water!) Anyway, you measure the seam running down the inside of the leg on one only leg from the crotch seam to the bottom edge of the pants. (The bottom edge is called the hem, and the stitched thread that holds it in place has the same name.) Different styles of pants ride higher or lower on the waist, so the only sure way to know how long they will be on your legs is to measure the inseam. Some sellers give the measurement on the outside seam from the top of the waist to the hem, but this does not tell one how long the legs actually are.
TO GET THE HIP MEASUREMENT FOR ANY PAIR OF PANTS: Place pants again on a flat surface. For small ladies, juniors or petite sizes, measure across the pants again but 7" below the waistband. (unless they are hip huggers with a lowered waist) Multiply times two for the complete hip measurement. For Women's Plus sizes, measure in the same fashion, but 9" below the waistband and multiply times two.
Please note - do not measure across the crotch area and call this the "hip measurement". That I believe would be the "seat measurement" and is less useful to a buyer trying to figure out if the pants fit. The hips are the widest part of the lower portion of torso of the body.
How to Measure Ladies Blouses, Shirts, Tops:
For the bust measurement: first lay the blouse out flat, face up on a table or the carpet. Make sure the item is laid out fairly flat, buttons all done up, and any major wrinkles smoothed out. About two inches below the armpit, measure across the front of the blouse and multiply that measurement by 2 (you are measuring two thicknesses of fabric). That is the bust measurement. This is the only measurement for purchasing a blouse many prospective buyers will need or want.
To get the length of the blouse, measure down from the shoulder to the bottom of the blouse. Start right next to the collar on one side of the neck, measure down from there. That is the length.
To get the sleeve length measurement, measure from the top of the sleeve where it attaches at the seam to the shoulder of the blouse, all the way to the very end of the sleeve, including any cuff if it is long-sleeved.
Some women want to know how big around the sleeve opening is, especially on Plus sizes as some manufacturers cut this a bit close. With the sleeve flat, measure sideways across the sleeve about 6 to 8 inches below the seam where the top of the sleeve attaches to the shoulder of the blouse. This lets a Plus sized woman know if her upper arm will fit in the sleeve. With today's loose fitting styles, this is not much of an issue anymore in many cases.
To get a hip measurement (some of us are bigger in the hips than in the bust.) Measure straight across the blouse at the bottom, or on an extremely long blouse, about 28-30 inches down from the top of the blouse. Follow the same directions given above for measuring the bust.
On the "back" measurement your buyer is asking for, get her to clarify. I've never heard a measurement called that unless she means the back length of the garment. That would be measured from the base of the collar
where it attaches the the middle of the back down to the bottom of the garment.
A few sellers will put the measurements of a top, blouse or jacket across the shoulders. It is measured from where one sleeve attaches to where the other one does at the top of the garment. I am not sure if this is measured in a straight line. I have not seen this very commonly used though.
