Ordering a wedding dress online can feel like a leap of faith. You won’t try it on before it’s made, and you won’t stand in front of a seamstress with pins in her mouth. But a perfect fit doesn’t depend on being in the same room. It depends on good measurements.
Here’s how to take them at home in about fifteen minutes.
What you’ll need
A soft measuring tape, a mirror, and ideally someone to help. Wear the bra you plan to wear on your wedding day, or one close to it. It changes your bust measurement more than you’d think.
Bust
Measure around the fullest part of your bust, keeping the tape level across your back. Don’t pull it tight: you should be able to breathe comfortably.
Waist
Find your natural waist, the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button. Bend to one side: the crease that forms is where to measure.
Hips
Stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips and bottom.
Hollow to floor
This one decides the length of your dress. Stand straight, barefoot, and measure from the hollow between your collarbones down to the floor. If you’ll wear heels, tell us their height and we’ll add it.
A few honest tips
Measure twice. If the numbers differ, measure a third time. Don’t round down, even if you plan to lose weight before the wedding: it’s much easier to take a dress in than to let it out. And if something feels unclear, send us a photo. We check every set of measurements before we start cutting.
What happens next
Once we have your numbers, we review them, ask questions if anything looks unusual, and draft a pattern for your figure, not for a standard size. That’s what makes a made-to-order dress fit differently.