Where & How To Measure Your Hips
Let's be honest: isn't it so much easier to shop online than it is to shop in person? Whether you're looking for gender-neutral underwear or a new spatula, ordering online from a brand you trust can save you time and make the whole experience more fun.
Online shopping is a blast, and it's also the most low-maintenance way to get new clothes. However, there are a few small pieces of info that you need to make the online shopping experience as easy as possible. First and foremost, you'll have to be prepared with some measurements before buying clothes online.
Why You Need Your Hip Measurements
Let's set the scene: You've fallen in love with the perfect pair of high-waisted leggings that you found online. How can you guarantee that the pants you ordered are going to fit? Is it worth the risk to get a size and hope for the best?
Well, it doesn't have to be this way, and it's a lot easier than you may think. We provide a size guide for all of our items, which makes finding the right fit for you super simple — all you have to do is measure your hips.
By learning your body's measurements, you'll find that online shopping (or shopping in general) gets a lot easier. So, how do you do this? Just wrap the measuring tape around your waist?
No stress — we'll teach you everything you need to know. Here's where and how to measure your hips.
What Do You Need To Measure Your Hips?
Using a flexible measuring tape is the best way to measure your hips. This type of measuring tape is used worldwide by tailors. It’s been the industry standard for decades.
Flexible measuring tape not only ensures the accuracy of the measurements due to its limber design, but it also feels a lot better on your body than other forms of measurement would. You won't regret using the flexible measuring tape.
Where Do You Measure Your Hips?
To ensure the most accurate results on your hip measurement, you should measure your lower body at its widest part.
All you have to do is find this point, which is located where the pointed tops of your hip bones are.
As a starting point for hip measurement, if you can't find your hip bones for whatever reason, we recommend measuring six to eight inches down from your natural waist to get an accurate measurement. Remember to keep your feet together while you are measuring and that you are standing with your everyday posture.
When it comes to the actual act of measuring, this may be easier said than done, as everybody's body is unique, and the "widest part" may be different for different people.
Taking this detail into account, body types have different sizes and shapes to them: That is 100% true.
So, no matter your body shape or type, measuring your hips is fully possible and shouldn't be something that makes you uncertain or even anxious about how your body looks. Your measurements are yours, and they are perfect.
There are multiple ways to measure. So, if you find yourself confused about the accuracy or process of measuring, there is more than one way.
If you are struggling to find your hip bones or even map down from your waist for whatever reason, we recommend measuring yourself in a full-body mirror to get an accurate reading right there on the spot.
If you have a safe friend or family member nearby willing to help, let them. While this isn't a difficult task, sometimes having someone else there to help with the little things can make it easier to do. Have this person stand a few feet away to get an accurate read on your measurements if you find the mirror still isn't doing the trick.
How To Measure Your Hips
Now that we have everything we need and know where to start, what do we do?
Here's a quick guide on how to measure your hips:
Wear Form-Fitting Clothes (or No Clothes)
For this first step, you'll want to either wear tight, form-fitting clothes or roll up your current clothes to get the most accurate reading on your natural body. It’s best to avoid measuring if you have a big fluffy coat on, but hey — you do you.
Position Your Body Naturally
Next, position your body, feet together, and shoulders back in a natural organic way. Stand the way you usually stand, don't focus too much on your posture if you normally don't.
Locate the Widest Part of Your Hips
Next, locate the widest part of your hips and the widest part of your bottom. This would be a good time to ask that safe person in your life for help with the reading of the measurements to make sure you got it correctly. Or you can mark the measuring tape with a washable marker.
Make sure you know the difference between the measurement of your natural waist versus that of your hips. The smallest part of your torso, where the body dips in, is going to be your waist. Your hips are below that point and are commonly wider than your waist.
Remember that both your butt and your hips are included in this hip measurement.
Tape the Tape
Using fabric tape, tape down the start of the tape measure on your hip. Then, wrap the tape measure around your butt and then back around to the other hip and then back to where you started.
Ensure that the tape is secure and held snugly on the skin to get an accurate measurement. The tape should be level and not twisted up anywhere.
Pinch
Use your other hand to pinch both ends of the measuring tape together where they meet after circling your body. Move the tape up and down a little on your hips to ensure that you have found the widest part of your lower half.
Pen + Paper
Write down your hip measurement so that you don’t forget it five minutes later when you spot a new pair of pants that catch your eye. Voila.
What If I Don't Have Measuring Tape?
If you can't get your hands on some measuring tape or have a friend available who can spot your measuring, there are a few other things that you can do to get an accurate measurement.
Use String
If you don’t have a measuring tape, you’re still in luck! Pull out a flat ribbon or string or similar. This might be a bit trickier than the method above, but it’s totally doable.
Simply repeat the steps above with a spool of string. Instead of reading the measurements, you’ll mark the string with a marker. Then, lie the string down on a hard measuring tape or yardstick, seeing where the ink mark lands — that’s your measurement!
Measure Pre-Existing Pants
Sizing: Key Points
If you have a pair of pants you love, it’s time to pull them out of your wardrobe. Maybe these pants have been with you for a while, heading in and out of the washing machine and on countless adventures.
It would seem easy to simply read the tag and pick that option as you add the new pair to your cart, but it’s just… too easy. This isn’t the best option for a few reasons:
One, pants can shrink in the wash, so even if you’re trying to buy an exact duplicate, you might find the pants that arrive on your doorstep don’t fit like you want them to. Two, pants also can become looser with wear. Three, not all brand sizes are the same, and a specific brand might resize over time. So those vintage jeans in a size ten might actually be a different size by today’s standards.
You’ll need to measure.
If you have a pair of pants that you know fit you perfectly, you can easily use them to obtain measurements for future clothes.
Keep in mind that most pants won't have a skin-tight fit, so consider adding an inch or so more to your final measurements if that is a concern of yours.
Here's a quick guide on measuring your hips using a pair of pants.
Lay them Out
For this first step, simply lay out the pair of pants on a flat, hard surface like a table or the floor.
Locate the Widest Part of the Pants
Like the first method, locate the widest area of the hips on the pair of pants. For most pairs of pants, this generally falls between one-and-a-half to two inches below the zipper.
Suppose you’re measuring a traditional pair of "women's" pants. In that case, they may naturally already have wider hips considered in the design of the pants themselves, which might make this job easier.
Measure
For the last step in this process, measure straight across this wide point on the pants, then go ahead and double this measurement to take into account the front and back of the pants.
Hip, Hip, Hooray
Measuring your body doesn't have to be a Project Runway-level task. It's pretty easy when you get down to it. Soon you’ll be measuring bra sizes, shoe sizes, and more!
Whether you find yourself shopping online, thrifting, or even creating your own pair of pants from scratch, it's essential to know your measurements rather than learning company sizing. Every place is different, and everybody is different.
It's crucial to know your body inside and out so you can be your true authentic self. This is always true, no matter where you are shopping or what you are wearing!
Sources:
What Is Body Positivity? | Verywell Mind
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | HelpGuide.org