Picking up a measuring tape before buying clothes is the best way to ensure the garment fits and to avoid unnecessary returns. We’ll now explain how to take your measurements correctly so you can make the best choices when shopping.
Kai-kai? Shoulder to hem? When buying commonly used clothes, we often come across different measurements. These are useful pieces of information, but to make use of them, you need to know how and from where they are measured.
Especially in online stores, shopping can be challenging if you don’t know your own measurements.
The mindset “my size has always been 38” rarely brings the right-sized purchase into your wardrobe. Picking up a measuring tape before buying clothes is the best way to ensure the garment fits and to avoid unnecessary returns.
We’ll now explain how to take your basic measurements correctly so you can make the best choices when shopping.
Before taking measurements, it’s good to remember that our body shapes are different and beautiful in their own way, and you shouldn’t get hung up on the size number. With one brand, your size in the size chart might be 38, and with another, 42, and that’s completely normal. Sizes can vary by several numbers depending on the manufacturer and model. The only thing that matters is that the garment fits properly and you feel great wearing it!
Bust circumference (BC) -> when choosing a garment, can be compared to the armpit-to-armpit (kai-kai) measurement
Measure at the fullest part of your bust. For women, it’s recommended to measure while wearing a bra to get a realistic measurement for when the garment is in use.
Waist circumference (WC)
Measure at the narrowest part of your waist. We recommend holding the measuring tape so that it doesn’t squeeze while measuring. This way, you’ll get a measurement that ensures your purchased garment isn’t too tight and fits well.
Hip circumference (HC)
Measure at the widest part of your hips. Measuring at the fullest part of your buttocks is an easy guideline. Some brands may specify both upper hip and lower hip measurements. In this case, lower hip means the widest part of the hips, and upper hip is the measurement just below the navel, around the hip bones.
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Emmy provides the critical measurements for each product for sale, as well as whether the garment is made of non-stretch or stretch fabric. This makes it easier to know if your unique secondhand find is the right size for you. It’s important to remember, if the product is non-stretch, to leave enough “ease” in the garment. For outerwear, it’s good to consider leaving a 5–10 cm allowance, depending on whether it’s summer or winter outerwear. Emmy uses the Emmy size in product information, which helps you estimate your size more easily when shopping secondhand at Emmy more often.
Emmy measures clothes as follows (measurements are taken with the garment laid flat, so compare these to a similar garment of your own):
Tops and dresses:
Armpit-to-armpit (kai-kai)
The product is measured from armpit seam to armpit seam.
Shoulder to hem (when measuring yourself, measure from the middle of the shoulder at the point where the shoulder seam starts)
The product is measured from the middle of the shoulder seam to the bottom hem.
Armpit to hem
The measurement is taken from the armpit seam to the bottom hem of the product.
Trousers:
Waist circumference
The product is measured at the top band of the trousers from side seam to side seam.
Inseam
The trousers are measured from the highest point of the crotch seam to the leg opening.
Skirts:
Waist circumference
The product is measured from one side seam of the waistband to the other.
Length
The product is measured from the top edge of the skirt to the bottom hem.
An example from Emmy of how to take the armpit-to-armpit and shoulder-to-hem measurements of a blazer!
So grab your measuring tape and happy secondhand shopping!