Model Measurements: How to Measure Yourself for a Comp Card

Why accurate measurements matter

A booker who reads your card is picturing you in specific clothes. If the numbers are off, the clothes will not fit on the day, and everyone loses time. That reflects on you, not the clothes.

It also affects trust. An agency that finds your measurements are honest assumes the rest of the card is honest too. An agency that finds they are not starts doubting everything. Accuracy is cheaper than any other way of looking professional.

You are also not competing on the numbers. Different markets and different work need different sizes. A card with true numbers helps you get the jobs that suit you, which is better than getting a job that does not.

What you need

You do not need special equipment. Gather:

• A soft tape measure, the flexible kind used for sewing, not a metal builder's tape.
• A wall and a flat book for height.
• A mirror or a friend, so that you can check that the tape is level.
• Fitted clothes or underwear. Measuring over loose clothes adds bulk and gives the wrong number.
• Pen and paper, to write each number down immediately.

Measure at a calm time of day, not straight after a large meal, and not when you are bloated. Many people measure in the morning, and then use the same time of day for later updates.

How to measure height

Take off your shoes and stand with your back against a wall, heels, seat and shoulders touching it, and your chin level. Place the flat book on your head, level with the wall, and mark the spot. Measure from the floor to the mark.

Do it twice, and if the numbers differ, take the average. Height is the first number a booker reads, so check it carefully, and do not round up. A small difference shows when you stand next to another model.

How to measure bust or chest

For the bust, stand straight with your arms relaxed by your sides. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest, across the nipples and under the arms, across your shoulder blades at the back. The tape should be level all the way around and snug but not tight.

For a man's chest, measure in the same way, around the fullest part of the chest, with your arms relaxed.

Breathe normally. Do not take a deep breath, and do not hold it in. Read the number at the end of a normal breath out.

How to measure your waist

Your natural waist is the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the navel and below the ribs. Bend sideways and the crease that forms is a good guide.

Stand straight and relax your stomach. Wrap the tape around the narrowest point, level all around, and read the number without pulling in. If you pull in to look smaller, the number will not match the clothes.

For men, some bookers use the waist where trousers sit, a little lower. If you are unsure, take both, and use the one that matches your trouser size.

How to measure your hips

Stand with your feet together. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your hips and seat, which is usually about twenty centimetres below the waist. Look in a mirror to check that the tape is level at the front and back.

The tape should be snug without pressing into the skin. Read the number and write it down.

Extra measurements for men

Men's tailoring needs a few more measurements.

• Inseam. From the top of the inner thigh to the floor, along the inside of the leg. A friend can help.
• Neck or collar. Around the base of the neck, where a collar sits, with one finger's room.
• Sleeve length. From the centre back of the neck, across the shoulder and down the arm to the wrist, with the arm slightly bent.

If you are not sure, take a well-fitting shirt and trousers and use their labels as a guide.

Dress, suit and shoe sizes

Sizes are different from measurements. Measurements are in units. Sizes are labels that change by brand and country.

Write the size you usually buy, and say which system it is in, such as US, UK or EU. A dress size 8 means different things in different countries, so a booker who guesses wrong may order the wrong clothes. Do the same for shoes.

If you are between sizes, give the one that fits you best in most clothes, and keep your measurements accurate beside it.

Centimetres or inches

Most of the world uses centimetres. The United States mostly uses inches, and feet and inches for height. An inch is about two and a half centimetres, so a waist of 24 inches is about 61 centimetres. If you work across markets, it is useful to give both.

The important thing is to state the unit. A bare number is ambiguous, and a booker who misreads it by that much will think your card is wrong.

On FYND you can keep your measurements in centimetres or inches, as an account setting. The card shows the numbers the way you wrote them, so nothing is silently changed.

Common mistakes

These are the errors that make a set of measurements unreliable.

• Measuring over clothes. Bulky fabric adds to the number. Use fitted clothes or underwear.
• Pulling the tape too tight, or leaving it loose. It should lie flat against the skin without squeezing.
• A tape that is not level. A tape that slopes gives a longer number. Check in a mirror.
• Measuring at the wrong place. Waist and hips are easy to place too high or too low.
• Flattering yourself. Rounding down, or pulling in, gives a number that will not match in person.
• Never updating. Bodies change. A card that is a year old may not describe you.

How often to re-measure

Re-measure every few months, or after any change that matters: a new fitness routine, weight changes, pregnancy and recovery, or a growth spurt in younger people. Update your card at the same time, so the numbers and the photos agree.

If you are working, measure before every busy season. Some agencies will also measure you in person, and a card that matches theirs shows you are reliable.