Welcome to Lights of All! We are a small, slow & sustainable fashion brand based in Toronto :) This blog post will help you understand how to read measurements laying flat.
On our site, you may see a size chart for every garment with the breakdown of Bust, Waist, Hip and Length from Shoulder on their product page. Here is how to read it.
Bust:
We measure the bust just below the armhole. The measurement you see in the chart refers to the width of the chest when lying flat. So the entire front + back will be double what you see. For example, if the measurement in the chart if 42cm, the entire front + back when lying flat is 84cm. When comparing the measurement to your body, measure at the apex (largest point) of your breasts and around your back at the same level.
Waist:
The waist measurement is the smallest part of the waist. The same goes, we are measuring the garment flat, so if you wish to know the complete front and back measurement simply double the amount. Compare at the narrowest part of your waist.
Hip:
The hip is the widest part of your lower body. Aim for the apex level of your butt. We measure the widest part of the lower half of the dress. Typically the bust and hip are at equal distance to the waist, so your waist will most likely be in the middle of both. As usual, we measure the garment laying flat so we are only measuring the front width. For the entire measurement, double the length listed.
Length from shoulder:
The length of each style is measured from the highest point of the shoulder to the hem of the garment when lying flat.
For best results when comparing these measurements to yourself we highly recommend that you compare not to your body but to a garment you already have that fits you well. Lay your garment flat and measure each level (bust, waist, hip and length) as shown above and that will give you the best idea. When a garment is laying flat vs. when it is on you gives out different results so it's usually best to try and compare it to something you know fits you that is also laying flat.
If you have any questions or need help figuring out how something will fit, please do not be shy to contact us at info@lightsofall.com.