Have you ever looked at female clothing and been bewildered by the array of numbers used for different measurements? As femboys, we were probably raised with male clothing, and therefore their associated measurements. But when it comes to looking at women’s clothes there are some differences that are worth noting and understanding.
In this article we’ll discuss how best to accurately measure yourself – the parts of your body that are key to ensure you buy cloths that fit how you want and the differences between between boys and girls clothing. There’ll be some generalisations, but it’s important to remember that one size does not fit all and that each person has their own individual desires as to how they want their clothes to fit and feel on them. And hopefully there’ll be some tips along the way that will help you understand what all the numbers and codes mean.
In order to get a reasonably accurate measurement of your body, you’ll need a tape measure – a soft fabric style one – not the metal one you use when you’re putting shelves up. You might also want a mirror, a length of non-stretchy string and a pen/pencil. It’s also worth noting the measurements down in both metric (centimetres) and imperial (inches).
Collar
Starting at the top and working down, the first part of your body we may want to note is your collar size. This is only ever used for shirts, but if you’ve ever bought a size too small and had to spend all day at work wearing it, it’s uncomfortable. Quite simply, run the tape around your neck and pinch the tape at the point it meets. You will want to add an inch or so onto this because no one wants a shirt so tight it restricts breathing. A trick tailors often use is to add a finger, thus leaving a little extra in the measurement you get.
Shoulders
The next area to review are the shoulders. Boys tend to be more broad than girls. As we grow we develop more upper body mass. It isn’t true of everyone but generally speaking this is what happens and why men aren’t as petite or dainty as women. Boys start out wide at the top and get narrower as we go down, girls are more curvy and shapely.
To measure the distance from shoulder to shoulder is perhaps the hardest area to do if you are on your own. Our arms don’t bend in the way we need them to. But if you can manage, hold the end of the tape measure at the outer edge of one of your shoulders and run it across your blades and lower neck and pinch the tape at the outer edge of your opposing shoulder. This is a point-to-point measurement, not a circumference measurement.
If you’re struggling with the tape it might be easier to use a length of string as it offers a little more flexibility. Pinch the string as you would with the tape measure and then, on a flat surface, measure the length.
Another method is to use a pencil and a mirror. Stand with your back flat against a wall and align the mirror so you can see your shoulder. With your opposing arm put a dot on the wall. Do the same for your other shoulder and then measure the distance between the dots with your tape.
Shoulder width is important for shirts and jackets.
Arms
It isn’t a common quoted measurement for clothing retailers, but arm length crops up from time to time. Generally speaking though, arm length is proportionate to the rest of your body, which is why it is relatively uncommon. But if you did want to measure, place the end of the tape at the mid-point of the curve of your shoulder and run down the outside of your straight arm until you reach the point where your cuff normally is, typically on your wrist.
Not often used but arm length could be seen on shirts, sweaters, jackets – anything long-sleeved.
Chest
Your chest is a key area to get an accurate measurement of and is taken from the widest point of your upper abdomen, typically around your nipples. Make sure the tape is straight, don’t let it sag below your shoulder blades or twist up because this will result in an inaccurate figure. Place the end of the tape on the front of your chest and run it around your body – where the tape meets is your chest size.
The chest (along with the waist/hips) is a key measurement that will define you in terms of clothing sizes. The chest is used for anything that is worn on your upper body.
Top Length
The length of a top relates to how far down your body the item will come. Most casual jackets tend to stop at the hips. A winter style jacket may come down a bit further over your bottom. And anything cropped will be from your navel or higher. Casual shirts that aren’t generally tucked will stop at the hips, but more formal shirts that are designed to be tucked will have a longer front and back. This is to emable it to be tucked, but avoid visible lines and scrunches around the tighter hip area on the sides.
To see where an item of clothing will be on yourself, simple measure down from the top of one of your shoulders. You can put a dot on your abdomen/hip at the stated length and then give yourself a twirl in a mirror to see where this is.
Underbust & Bras
The chest measurement is also, for boys at least, typically the underbust (or band) figure on bras. You may want to lower the tape a little if you have particularly muscular pecs, but boys’s abdomens tend to be quite straight.
Bra measurements can seem to be quite complicated, but in reality once you’ve got your head around the alphanumeric code they aren’t too bad.
Example:
32D
This means the underbust (chest) is 32 inches. The letter gives you the bust size, or how prominent the breasts are. This is derived from taking a second measurement around the fullest part of a woman’s chest – so as with guys, around the nipples. The difference between the two then relates to a code:
- 1 inch = A
- 2 inches = B
- 3 inches = C
- 4 inches = D
- 5 inches = DD (or E)
Size A would be for small breasts, going up in size with the letters to DD or even larger. If you are a femboy and do not have breasts, you can obviously decide for yourself how large you want your bra to be. I tend to go with D because I don’t have breasts to fill the bra, so under shirts or sweaters it tends to lie flatter against my chest. In order to get a visible shape, I find it better to go for a larger size.
Traditional bras will have adjustable shoulder straps and a choice of hooks on the back so it can be tightened/loosened a little. Bras are also either wired or non-wired. Wired bras have a strip of metal or firm plastic running under the bust to allow for more support. It lifts the breasts and gives them a shape that is pleasing for some. However, if the bra is a little too small this can dig in and be uncomfortable. They can also leave temporary lines/indentations across your chest.
Waist & Hips
The quoting of waist and hip measurements by fashion retailers is a bit of an irritation of mine as it seems the tradition for boys at least to quote the waist as the hip. I have no idea why this is but it is technically incorrect. Men’s jeans generally sit on the hip, whereas women’s jeans are often designed with a high waist.
Your waist is above your hips, about halfway between your navel (belly button) and where the boney part on your sides begins. To find your waist, stand up straight and bend side-to-side. Where your body creases is your waist.
For girls, this tends to be the narrowest part of their abdomen. Hence the phrase ‘hourglass figure’. And when you look at ladies wearing corsets, it is the waist that is being pulled in to achieve an exaggerated curve on this area.
The hips, for girls at least, tends to be widest part of their body. It’s all about bearing children or something. Your hips are the boney part at the same level as your groin and bottom.
For boys, waist and hips tend to be closer together in size as we are more likely to go straight up-and-down. Girls have a larger disparity between the two. Evolutionary speaking, we don’t have to pass a baby through this area.
Measuring your waist is straight-foward, and just run the tape around the area a little below your navel and above your hips. To measure your hips, stand up straight and ensure your feet in line with your hips. Move the tape down a little until you get to the widest part. You’ll probably notice the tape goes around your backside and at the front, just above your penis.
It is worth mentioning here a couple of things when buying jeans/shorts. A lot of girl’s jeans have elasticated fabric – they stretch. If you are tempted to size down, it might be okay with stretchy denim, so always read the description in case they are not. And also, where do you want the jeans to sit; on your hips or on your waist? I prefer the waist so I usually go by the hip measurement. But if you prefer the waist then you will want to consider this as well.
Skirts/Shorts Length
The same applies to skirts when it comes to the waist or hips. You’ll also need to note if the waist band is elasticated, or if it is zipped/buttoned. In terms of length, you will need to measure from where the waistband will rest – either waist or hips – and measure down. A handy trick is to mark a dot on each side of your body. Then in front of a mirror, give yourself a twirl to see where the skirt’s lower hem line will be. You’ll easily be able to see if a skirt is going to be too short or too long.
Inner Leg/Inseam
Placing the end of the tape at the top of the inside of your leg – yes, you’ll need to move your balls out of the way – and running it down to your ankle. Obviously the leg measurement is used for trousers and jeans.
Thigh Highs
Often thigh highs come in just one or two sizes – standard and plus. This isn’t the most helpful, especially if you are shorter or taller than average. However, some manufacturers state the measurements which can be useful. Typically, the length is from the heel (or floor) up to the mid-thigh. You will know where you like your thigh highs to come up to. Where thigh highs are labelled plus size this refers to the circumference at the top, or the thigh. You can measure this yourself by wrapping the tape around the thickest part of your thigh, or where you prefer your over-the-knee socks to come up to.
Things To Note
The numbers system is, internationally speaking, useless. The numbers are equally as vague as Small/Medium/Large. This is because what 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12… means in the UK is different to the US, which is also different to China and other Asian countries. Ever seen the phrase Asian sizes, runs small, size up? So I wouldn’t just blindly click on size 8, I would double check the size guide which should give you the actual measurements.
My Measurements
Collar: 35cm / 14in
Shoulders: 40cm / 16in
Arms: 60cm / 24in
Chest: 83cm / 33in
Underbust: 81cm / 32in
Bust: 90cm / 35in (preferred)
Bra: 30D-32D
Waist: 74cm / 29in
Hips: 85cm / 33in
Inside Leg: 74cm / 29in
Thighs: 48cm / 19in
Height: 165cm / 5’4 / 64in
So as you can see, while I am quite short, my body fits the general rule in terms of proportions for a slim-build guy. My shoulders are a little broader than my hips. Obviously the shoulder measurement is straight across whereas for other areas the circumference is measured. But simply doubling the shoulder figure is inaccurate because it doesn’t accound for going around the shoulders. It is actually closer to 34in around the shoulders, and ~32in around my chest and hips. This gives me a generally straight up-down figure, often described as ectomorphic.
Getting the right size when you’re buying online can be tricky. Especially when you are not familiar with how clothes will fit on the body, or when retailers assign strange numbers to their items. But I hope the above will help you measure yourself with a reasonable degree of accuracy, and will give you a bit of confidence when you see that perfect skirt or bikini.
Header Image: Executive Femboy
