How to measure yourself
How to measure yourself
This takes two minutes and it is the single thing that decides whether the
piece you order fits. Do not work from the size on a dress you already own —
sizing is not consistent between brands, and Indian sizes are not the same
as US sizes.
You need a soft tape measure and, ideally, someone else to read it. Measure
over underwear, not over clothes.
The three that matter
Bust. Around the fullest part of your chest, tape flat across your back
and level all the way round. Do not pull it tight. This is the number that
decides the choli — the fitted short blouse worn with a lehenga.
Waist. Around your natural waist, which is the narrowest point, usually
about an inch above your belly button. Not where your jeans sit — that is
lower. Keep one finger under the tape.
Hip. Around the fullest part of your hips and seat, usually seven to
nine inches below your natural waist. Feet together.
Two more, if you want the length right
Waist to floor. From your natural waist straight down to the floor, in
the shoes you plan to wear. Compare this to the skirt length on the product
page. A lehenga should clear the floor by about half an inch.
Shoulder to waist. Useful if you are shorter than 5'2" or taller than
5'9", because the choli length may need adjusting.
How to read our size charts
Indian sizing is a published convention: **the India size number is the bust
measurement in inches**. India 38 means a 38 inch bust. Waist normally runs
about six inches under that and hip about three inches over, and US sizes
sit thirty below the India number — India 38 is US 8.
Where a product page shows a measurements table, those are the numbers it is
using, and the page says so. Where a piece is sold free size, there is no
table: it has a drawstring or elastic waist meant to cover a range, and we
give the skirt length so you can check it against your waist-to-floor.
If you fall between two rows:
- Ready to wear — take the larger row. A finished garment can be taken
in locally; it cannot be let out.
- Semi-stitched — take the smaller row. These are left open at the seams
so a tailor can set the waist.
Common mistakes
- Measuring over jeans or a thick top. Adds two inches, costs you a size.
- Using your US dress size to pick an Indian size. Indian sizing runs one to
two sizes smaller for the same body.
- Pulling the tape tight. Measure your body, not your intentions.
- Guessing the hip. It is the measurement most often wrong and the one that
decides whether the skirt zips.
Still unsure? Email your three numbers and your height to
cedarstonestore@gmail.com and we will tell you which size to
take.