Measurements

Before you start

• Measure over light clothing or underwear, not over a jumper.
• Keep the tape level all the way round — check the back in a mirror.
• Snug, not tight. You should be able to slide one finger under the tape.
• Breathe normally. Do not hold your breath or pull your stomach in.
• Write them down in one unit and stick to it. Mixing them up is the commonest error, and it is the one our forms are designed to catch.

For a stitched blouse

Bust

Around the fullest part, tape level and not pulled tight.Accepted range 60–160cm (24–63in)

Under bust

Directly under the bust, snug.Accepted range 50–150cm (20–59in)

Waist

At your natural waist, the narrowest point.Accepted range 50–160cm (20–63in)

Shoulder to shoulder

Across the back, from one shoulder bone to the other.Accepted range 28–55cm (11–22in)

Blouse length

From the shoulder seam to where you want the hem to sit.Accepted range 30–60cm (12–24in)

For a ready-to-wear conversion

Waist

Where you want the saree waistband to sit.Accepted range 50–160cm (20–63in)

Hip

Around the fullest part of the hip.Accepted range 60–170cm (24–67in)

Waist to floor

Measured barefoot, from your waistband to the floor. Add 2cm if you will wear heels.Accepted range 90–125cm (35–49in)

Size chart

These are body measurements, not garment measurements. Ready-to-wear sarees and stitched blouses add their own ease on top — 4cm at the waist for a saree, 4 to 5cm at the bust for a blouse.