How to Measure for a Pageant Dress
Pageant dresses are beautiful, expensive and meant to be form fitting. Gowns that are too tight or too loose can cost points from a judge; ensure that the garment fits accurately by measuring several different areas of the body before purchasing a gown. Dress measurements typically include only the hips, waist and bust; however, additional measurements may be required if the dress is being tailor-made.
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Instructions
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1
Stand naturally with your arms relaxed at your sides.
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2
Place tape measure around the fullest part of chest; measure with arms at sides. This is the bust measurement.
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3
Wrap tape measure around waist 1 inch above the belly button; relax thoroughly before taking the waist measurement.
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4
Obtain hip measurement by placing the tape measure over the fullest part of the hips.
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5
Measure shoulder width by extending the tape measure from the outer corner of the shoulder and across the back to the same spot on the opposite shoulder.
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6
Use a tape measure to measure from the crease under one arm, across the back to the opposite crease to calculate back width. Do not include arms in this measurement.
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7
Run the tape measure from the top of the inner leg down to the ground to indicate the inseam.
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8
Place the tape measure on the waist, 1 inch above the belly button, and measure down the back of the legs to the ground to get the floor-back length.
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9
Repeat Step 8, placing the tape measure on the tummy instead of the back, to determine floor-front length.
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10
Relax the neck and measure around the lowest part if the dress requires a neck measurement.
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11
Place the tape measure on the shoulder and measure down to your fingertips to get the sleeve length.
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12
Measure for a shorter dress by placing tape measure 1 inch above the belly button and measuring to the top of your knee.
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Tips & Warnings
Some areas may be hard to measure on yourself; consider asking a friend to help if you are measuring yourself.
Pick a pageant dress based on the largest measurements recorded.
References
- Photo Credit dress image by Gina Smith from Fotolia.com
