How to measure chest circumference above, below the chest. Sizes

To sew clothes, you need to know the parameters of the chest circumference. Moreover, you need to measure correctly, following the recommendations of experts. This is an important indicator, without which you will not be able to make a quality product or buy it.

Taking measurements

To measure your chest circumference, stand on a flat surface. The body position should be relaxed, not tense. If a person is uncomfortable, the measurement data will be distorted.

To avoid making mistakes, it is enough to adhere to the following rules:

• You should not inhale deeply before taking measurements, because this will cause your chest to expand and will not correspond to the actual measurements.

• The person being measured should have their arms held along their body in a relaxed position.
• The measuring tape is applied lightly, without pressure - it should not interfere with breathing.
• Measurements are taken on the naked body. If this is not possible, then measurements are taken over underwear. Any tight tops or bras should be removed. If the underwear has a push-up, then it should be taken out.
• The body position for taking measurements should be straight, without bent knees.
• For a reliable result, it is worth using the help of a person who will take measurements.

To calculate the size, you need to take 2 measurements: under the chest and at its protruding points. Then, knowing the difference in these indicators, you determine the natural parameters of the person.

To take measurements you will only need a soft measuring tape. If you take measurements yourself, you should use a mirror to be able to see your body from behind.

In the case when there is no centimeter tape to take measurements, you can use a life hack. Any thick thread or long fabric belt will do for measurements, as well as a regular ruler or a construction tape measure. Using the improvised means, take a measurement by holding the area where it converges on the body with your finger. Then, using a ruler, measure the resulting segment.

Standing Underbust Circumference

It is easiest to measure chest circumference while standing, because the person is standing in a relaxed position, which means the results will be reliable.

Measurements are taken according to the following rules:

1. The tape is placed under the chest.
2. The measuring instrument is held tightly, but without squeezing the body. It should feel like a bra is being worn (for women).
3. The tape measure should be in a horizontal position around the entire circumference of the body.
4. Record the readings on a shallow exhalation, focusing on the lowest points under the chest line.

This method is intermediate, because you still have to measure the chest circumference.

Chest girth standing

Measuring chest circumference while standing is easy if the person being measured follows these brief recommendations:

• You should stand with a straight back.

• The head is neither lowered nor raised.
• It is necessary to maintain a natural posture when taking measurements.
• The arms are lowered down so that the extended fingers touch the thighs on their outer side.
• The heels of the feet are pressed together, and the toes are spread apart to a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.

Measurement algorithm:

1. Measured by the most prominent areas on the chest. Not always the nipples. It is worth considering individual body parameters.
2. The tape is passed from behind along the shoulder blades and then through the armpits.
3. The tape is closed at the front on the protruding area of ​​the chest.
4. Record the result.

Then, when the underbust and protruding points are known, you should determine the size according to the table. In order not to get confused in the readings, it is worth writing everything down on a piece of paper. This will help you to subtract correctly in the future. It is difficult to keep a large number of numbers in your head, and even a small error of 2-3 units can be critical.

Chest circumference in a tilt

You can measure the chest circumference in a bent position, and this will not be an erroneous method. To do this, the person being measured bends their back at a right angle - it should be parallel to the floor. For a reliable result, you need to use a mirror to track the position of the body or simply ask another person for help.

The measuring tape is drawn along the back along the shoulder blades and closed at the protruding points of the chest. An important point: women must wear a bra when taking measurements in this position. Without it, the breasts may sag, which makes it impossible to determine the correct size. At the same time, the breasts do not need to be pulled into a tight corset.

Calculation

Once all measurements have been taken, you can calculate your individual size. However, it is worth considering that the manufacturer can set its own parameters, and therefore it will be difficult to buy something through an online store. Only trying on will help you choose the right size.

Measurements are a guideline by which a person does not examine the entire size range, but chooses the most suitable one. Knowing the girth dimensions, you can significantly narrow the scope of your search. You will need a calculator for calculations.

Evaluation of indicators

When a person has 2 results: measurements under the chest and at its protruding points, then a calculation is made to help find out the size of the chest. To do this, do the following: subtract the data for the circumference under the chest from the indicator of the protruding points.

For example:

1. The girth at the most prominent points is 90 cm.
2. Under bust measurement is 75 cm.
3. We calculate: 90 – 75 = 15.
4. The difference between the readings is 15 cm.
5. In the corresponding table, a difference of 15 cm corresponds to size 2 (B).

Difference in cm	Size
From 10 to 12	0, AA
12, 13	1, A
From 13 to 15	2, B
From 15 to 17	3, C
From 18 to 20	4, D
From 20 to 22	5, DD
From 23 to 25	6, E
From 26 to 28	6+, F

If these indicators do not match according to the table, then they do it differently: they take the size of the underbust circumference and compare it according to the following table:

Bra band size
Circumference in cm under the chest	Belt size
From 63 to 67	65
From 68 to 79	70
From 73 to 77	75
From 78 to 82	80
From 83 to 87	85
From 88 to 92	90
From 93 to 97	95
From 98 to 102	100
From 103 to 107	105
From 108 to 112	110

If a woman needs to know the volume of a bra cup, then it is necessary to measure the chest circumference in a standing position and in a bend. Again, the difference is calculated.

For example:

• Chest circumference, standing – 85 cm.
• Chest circumference when bending over – 91 cm.
• The difference is 5 cm.

If a woman's difference exceeds 5 cm, then the average value is calculated and the result obtained is used to determine the cup size. The circumference under the chest in a standing position is subtracted from this number.

To find out the cup size, the resulting digital difference is found in the table and the indicators are looked at. When the result is between two values, it is worth taking a closer look at each of them.

Bra cup sizes
Difference in cm	Size EU or RUS
From 0 to 1.3	AA
1.3 – 2.6	A
5.1	B
7.6	WITH
10.2	D
12.7	E
15.2	F
17.8	G
20.3	H
22.9	J
25.4	K
28	L
30.5	M
33	N

For clarity, you can do it using the following example.

Measurement data:

1. 79.3 cm was obtained as a result of measuring under the chest while standing.
2. The standing chest circumference is 88.9 cm.
3. The result obtained in the tilt was 93.3 cm.

It is clear that the difference between the data in points No. 2 and No. 3 is less than 5.

This means that the chest circumference in an inclined position is used in calculations:

1. 93.3 cm – 79.3 (underbust) = 14 cm.
2. Compare the result in the table. The difference value of 14 corresponds to 2 cup volumes: F and E.

Another example to help you do the calculation correctly:

1. 80 cm – circumference under the chest.
2. 94 cm measurement in standing position.
3. 101.6 cm – girth when bending over.

The difference between indicators No. 2 and No. 3 exceeds 5 cm. For the calculation, the average indicator between these values ​​is taken - 97.8 cm.

After this, subtract:

1. 97.8 – 80 (indicator No. 1) = 17.8 cm.
2. They check the table. According to it, this number fits a G cup.

Many people do not trust such calculations, relying on their feelings. This is a little wrong. After all, the volume of the bra cup is not static. It depends on the length of the band and its size. In addition, the chest can change throughout life.

The final size can be determined by combining the cup size and the band length, for example:

• The belt size is 80 cm.
• Cup size: E or F.
• Size: 80 E/F.

It may happen that the size is between two values. In order not to make a mistake, choose both for trying on and decide by personal feelings which of these 2 fits better.

How to determine clothing size

Knowing the chest circumference indicator, you can easily choose clothes that fit well. This is especially true if you buy items remotely without the opportunity to try them on. However, relying only on the chest circumference characteristic is not reasonable.

This value is the main one when calculating the size of clothes, but it is worth considering the waist, wrist, and neck circumferences. It is especially important to consider this factor for those people who have a non-standard figure. Otherwise, you can get a perfect fit in the chest and a small volume in the waist.

The modern size range consists of the parameters of an average person. Therefore, if there are any peculiarities of the figure, buying clothes without trying them on first, knowing only the chest circumference, is not the best decision.

For a woman

You can determine your clothing size using only your chest measurement using the following table:

Size range		Chest circumference in cm
In Europe	In Ukraine
S	42	81-86
M	44 and 46	86-94
L	48 and 50	99-102
XL	52	99-107
XXL	54 and 56	107-117
One Size	42 and 50	86-102

The size range in Russia has differences due to GOST. Its parameters have not changed for more than 10 years. The basics of sewing, laid down in Soviet times, have firmly entered the sewing world of the CIS countries.

According to them, all products are divided into a large number of sections depending on the parameters of the figure. This can be considered a plus, because a large variety of measurements contributes to a good fit of the item on the figure.

Russian size	Chest circumference in centimeters
40	From 74 to 80
42	From 82 to 85
44	From 86 to 89
46	From 90 to 93
48	From 94 to 97
50	From 98 to 102
52	From 103 to 107
54	From 108 to 113
56	From 114 to 119
58	From 120 to 125
60	126-131
62	132-137
64	138-143
66	144-149

Every year, the popularity of clothes made in China is growing. This is facilitated by the low cost of products and their wide range. However, when ordering things from Chinese online stores, it is worth considering an error of 2-3 cm.

The Chinese industry takes European sizes as a basis for tailoring. However, due to the fact that the natives of this country have a small build, many products are smaller than the size indicated on the label by several centimeters.

You can choose the right size of clothing from China using the table, comparing the size range with others:

Correspondence table	Size range
	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58
Chest circumference in cm			88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116
China			S	M	M	L	L	XL	XL	XXL
Russia	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58
Europe	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52
USA	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
International	XS	Xs	S	M	M	L	XL	XL	XXL	XXXL

Knowing the chest circumference, you can choose the right size even in the Chinese market. However, for the reliability of the results, it would not be superfluous to write down the parameters of the hips and waist. If the clothes are to be sewn to order, in addition to the chest circumference, you need to know the standard size.

For such shoulder items as coats; blouses; dresses, the main size is selected based on the chest circumference, divided by 2. For example, the indicator is 84 cm, then divided by 2 it will be equal to 42. The result of the subtraction is the size.

Size	Chest circumference in cm
38	76
40	80
42	84
44	88
46	92
48	96
50	100
52	104
54	108
56	112
58	116
60	120
62	124
64	128
66	132
68	136
70	140

For a reliably created pattern, you should also measure the chest width. To do this, measure the horizontal distance of the line from the front corners of the armpits. Compare the result with the data in the table and look at the size to which the obtained data corresponds.

Chest width in cm	Size
30.6	38
31.4	40
32.2	42
33	44
33.8	46
34.6	48
35.4	50
36.2	52
37	54
37.8	56

The choice of clothing size for a pregnant woman is made according to 2 indicators: chest circumference and chest width. Everything is measured in the standard way using a measuring tape, and then the result is looked at in the table.

Readings in cm	Size
	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56
Chest circumference	85	89	93	97	101	105	109	113	117	121
Chest width	30.6	31.4	32.2	33	33.8	34.6	35.4	36.2	37	37.8

For pregnant girls, the waist circumference is also a mandatory indicator, which should be taken into account first of all.

For a man

For men, the chest size is measured at its most prominent points. This can also be the area just above the chest - the muscles.

Size	XS, 44	S, 46	M, 48	L, 50	XL, 52	XXL, 54	56	58	60	62
Chest circumference in cm	88	92	96	100	104	108	112	116	120	124

For men, you can choose outerwear based on the chest and neck circumference. It is also worth considering the waist size.

Size chart

Clothing parameters differ in each country.

There are generally accepted size charts that have the following values ​​for chest circumference:

Size
AU	UK	FR	US	IT	EU
6	28	75	28	00	75
8	30	80	30	0	80
10	32	85	32	1	85
12	34	90	34	2	90
14	36	95	36	3	95
16	38	100	38	4	100
18	40	105	40	5	105
20	42	110	42	6	110
22	44	115	44	7	115
24	46	120	46	8	120
26	48	125	48	9	125
28	50	130	50	10	130
30	52	135	52	11	135
32	54	140	54	12	140
34	56	145	56	13	145

International designations of bra cup volume:

AU	IT	FR	US	UK	EU
AA A B C D D E F FF G GG H HH J JJ		AA	AA	AA	AA
		A	A	A	A
		B	B	B	B
		C	C	C	C
		D	D	D	D
		E	DD/E	D.D.	E
		F	DDD/F	E	F
		G	G	F	G
		H	H	FF	H
		J	I	G	J
		K	J	GG	K
		L	K	H	L
		M	L	HH	M
		N	M	J	N
		O	N	JJ	O

Generally accepted size chart for women's clothing:

Size range		Waist circumference in centimeters	Height in cm	Chest circumference in cm	Hip circumference in cm
44	68-72	S	From 164 to 170	86-90	94-98
46	72-76	M		90-94	98-102
48	76-80	L		94-98	100-104
50	80-84	L	From 170 to 176	98-102	104-108
52	84-88	XL		102-106	108-112
54	88-92	XL		106-110	112-116
56	92-96	XXL		110-114	116-120
58	96-100	XXL		114-118	120-124

It is necessary to measure the circumference of the hips, chest and waist regularly. The parameters of the figure can change even in a short period of time. This will allow you to choose clothes or have them made to order without any problems.

Video about measurements

How to measure chest circumference: