How to measure your waist

Short answer: The waist is measured at the narrowest point between the ribs and the hip. For most people it sits around navel height, but it varies from person to person, so find the spot on your own body.

Find the narrowest point

The waist is not necessarily where your trousers sit. It is the narrowest point between the lower ribs and the hip. Bend slightly to the side, and the crease that forms shows exactly where it is. Place the tape there. The measurement helps with close fitting pieces like a bamboo boxer, where the waistband should sit well without pressing.

The tape must be level

A tape that tilts down at the back gives a measurement that is too large. It is the most common mistake, because you cannot see your own back. Keep the tape at the same height all the way round and check it in a mirror, or ask someone to look. A level tape gives a figure you can trust.

Measure on bare skin or a thin layer

Even a thin belt or a thick waistband adds centimetres. Measure on bare skin or over a thin T-shirt, and take the belt off first. Empty your pockets too if you measure over trousers. It only takes a moment and gives a figure that fits the body, not what you are wearing.

Do not hold your stomach in

Stand relaxed and breathe normally while you measure. If you hold your stomach in, the figure is smaller than it really is, and clothes will feel tight when you sit down or move. Measure after a normal breath out. Clothes should fit the body you have all day.

Without pulling tight

The tape should lie flat on the skin without pressing in. You should be able to slide a finger under it without effort. If you pull it tight, the figure is too small, which can mean a size too small. Measure twice and use the figure that repeats. If they differ, measure a third time.

Waist and waistband are not the same

Many trousers and boxers sit lower than the waist, often just above the hip. So the waist measurement does not always match the waistband you wear. Read the size guide on the product page and check whether it uses waist or hip measurements. That way you compare the right figure.

Use it for tops as well

The waist measurement is not only for trousers. It also says something about how a sweatshirt falls at the hem and whether a top feels tight around the stomach. See men's bamboo sweatshirt, where both chest and waist play a part. Knowing both makes it easier to choose right first time.

Write the measurements down

Once you have measured, write the figure down somewhere you can find it, along with chest and hip. Then it is ready next time you shop, even for small things like bamboo socks for men. Measure again now and then, because bodies change and an old figure can mislead.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the waist

At the narrowest point between the ribs and the hip. Bend to the side, and the crease that forms shows exactly where it is and where the tape goes.

Should you hold your stomach in

No. Measure relaxed with normal breathing, otherwise the clothes will not fit when you sit down or move during the day.

Why is the measurement often too large

Because the tape tilts down at the back. Ask someone to check it is level all the way round, or measure in front of a mirror so you can see it yourself.