If you have googled "how to measure myself for a wedding dress" at eleven at night, you are in good company.
For a made-to-measure gown these five numbers are the whole thing. Get them right and the dress arrives close enough that there is little left to do. Get one wrong and you are paying a tailor to undo it. The reassuring part is that it takes about ten minutes, a soft tape, and someone willing to hold the other end.
Here is how, step by step, the way Shany talks each bride through it.
Before you start
- A soft fabric tape measure. Not a metal builder's tape.
- A mirror, and ideally a second person. Self-measuring is where almost every error comes from.
- The underwear you actually plan to wear on the day.
- Bare feet and your normal posture — stand tall, but do not hold yourself unnaturally straight.
The five measurements
1. Bust
Around the fullest part of your chest, tape parallel to the floor. Do not pull it tight. Leave enough ease that the gown will sit rather than grip.
2. Waist
Around your natural waist, which is the narrowest part of your torso — usually an inch or two above the belly button, not where your jeans sit.
3. Hips
Around the fullest part of your hips and seat, generally seven to nine inches below the natural waist.
4. Height
Barefoot, back against a wall, from the top of your head straight down to the floor.
5. Hollow to hem
From the hollow at the base of your throat down to the floor. This sets the length of the gown, so take it in the shoes you will wear. If you plan to go barefoot or in flats, measure that way. This is the number that most often causes a hem to drag.
What happens next
Once you have all five you can order. Every dress in the made-to-measure collection is cut to these numbers, and any gown in the full collection can be made the same way.
Shany also asks for a few extra details before production — things that do not show up in five numbers but change how a gown sits. And she reads every set herself, checking each figure against the others. If something does not add up she writes to you before anything is cut, which happens more often than brides expect and is exactly the point of the step.
Not sure about a number? Send it anyway and ask.
Questions
Do I need a professional to measure me?
No. With a soft tape and someone helping you, home measurements are accurate enough. If you would rather be certain, a local tailor will do it in ten minutes. Either way Shany reviews them before your gown goes into production.
How precise do they need to be?
As precise as you can manage, because the gown is built to these exact numbers. Measure twice. If the two attempts disagree, send us both and say so.
Can the dress still be customised?
Yes. Beyond fit you can change the neckline, sleeves, back coverage, lining and slit, or combine elements from two different gowns.
How long until it arrives?
Five to six weeks to sew, plus three to seven business days by express courier, fully insured. Duties and taxes are prepaid where they are shown at checkout.
With the five numbers in hand the hard part is over. Look at the made-to-measure gowns, or write to Shany if you want a second pair of eyes on your measurements first.
