The measurements that your wedding salon should be taking according to Darius Cordell Fashion Ltd - darius_cordell's Blog

If you are thinking about having custom wedding dresses made the proper measurements are so incredibly necessary.  Doing it properly could save you from ultimately having to get your costly dress tailored by your costly seamstress or incurring even more cost.  Giving your garment designer the true measurements will simply insure the best fit possible for your bridal gown.

Most individuals (brides especially) normally want to trim down a bit prior to their black tie social affair or wedding.  This is normal for our type of clients.  But it can make measuring very tricky.  We always like to take exact counts (just in case the craved weight is not lost at the end of production).  But if your clients insist on providing you with the smaller dimensions then there is not much more you can do on the matter.  Here at Darius Cordell Fashion Ltd we prefer not to do that and instead just take the exact measurments of that time.

BUST - Most of us are used to the regular measurements of bust, waist and hip.  But to make sure your item fits as best as possible there are others to consider as well.  Let’s begin with how to take a proper bust measurement.  First your measurements need to be taken in the undergarments (or similar) that you plan to wear with this item.  Then for the bust measurement take your tape measure and wrap it around the fullest part of the front (which is usually at the nipple) then wrap the measuring tape around to the back center at the fullest part.  At our design firm we always ask the client to take a deep breath when taking this dimension so we can have the full space and to help make it to where the item will be comfortable as you move, breath and socialize in your formal evening wear or wedding gown.

WAIST – For the waist you can actually take it a number of ways .  There is the natural waist line.  Or you can go from the high waist line.  When creating an empire waist gown that measurement is usually taken from just under the bust near the widest part of the rib cage.

HIP – The hip measurement is also one that could have multiple counts.  There is the widest part of the hip, the high hip and the low hip.  Taking each of these would be more important in a mermaid fitted garment more so than an a-line dress – which is used in general for bridal gowns & pageant dresses .  For those who have wide or large hips it is a good thing to take all three just to be certain.

LENGTH – There are many ways to take the length measurement.  But what we have found as the actual gown designers is that to start from the top of the shoulder, to over the center bust and then straight down to the proposed hem is most accurate .  There are some alterationist that tend to go from edge of shoulder straight down but we have found that does not provide an as accurate length.

HOLLOW OF NECK TO BUST LINE – This measurement is just as important as the others especially when you are concerned about revealing too much skin with an open neck line or a strapless bridal gown.  The hollow of the neck is that part of your neck (at the base) where it indents moderately.  We then measure straight down to the lowest part of where you want the bust line to hit.  Most people are comfortable with this measurement being around 5 to 8 inches depending on your bust size.

TOP OF SHOUDLER TO NIPPPLE – This is not one of the more popular but can be important when working with beaded dresses and the design needs to lay correctly in a certain place or area.  You could find that if this measurement is not taken for beaded gowns that you may have a bit of beading or embroidery that is in an unsightly place.

FRONT WAIST – This one is simple and takes into account ones torso.  We start this one from the top of the shoulder as well, to over the bust and then down to where you want your waist to be – usually the natural waist.

BACK WAIST – For those who lets just say have a very high booty this is am important length to know as it will insure the design will curve in accordingly just above your bum.  This is taken from the back base of the neck directly downward to just above where your bum begins.

WIDTH OF BACK – The width of the back could be complicated .  This is also one where we ask the client to take a deep breath.  We like to take this measurement from just under the arm pit and from side seam to side seem.  Others tend not to go all the way over to the seam.

ARM LEGNTH – from experience we have learned many people who submit their measurements to us sometimes do not take this one properly.  We like to start from the outside edge of shoulder with the arm being straight down and then go all the way to the bump of a persons wrist – just before the hand/thumb joint begins.  Another way to make sure this one is correct is to ask the consumer to bend their arm slightly to a 45 degree angle then take the measurement of the arm bent from the edge of shoulder all the way to the wrist again.  This will give your figure makers a good feel for just how long the arm panel should be cut.

BICEPT – Most mature women tend to tell us they want to screen their arms.  Knowing this measurement makes a huge difference.  For instance you could have two shoppers try on a size 16 mother of the groom gown that is off the rack.  It could fit one female in the arms and another may not.  So when making items like these that are expensive it is best to know areas like this one as some women who are a standard off the rack size may have smaller or quite larger arms.  Take this from the fullest part of the upper arm to insure they can slither their arm though with ease.

WRIST – A unique measurement that most would not think to take but it comes into play with long sleeve dresses.  Having it also makes sure you do not have a coat type end of sleeve.  That may be the desired effect but usually a fitted wrist is the norm.

FIST – Another important but sometimes unnoted portion is the fist.  We have seen it all and sometimes people have larger hands than others and you want to make certain that the individual can get their entire hand through the wrist opening.  We usually use a hook and eye or small zipper enclosure to make sure the wrist is fitted after the fist has entered.

SHOULDER – Bizarre as it may seem but most people are not even from side to side.  This shoulder account we like to use again for long sleeved dresses and is taken from the base side of neck all the way over to the outside edge of the shoulder.  You would be surprised how many people (especially those with wide shoulders) truly appreciate that we ask for this one.

ELBOW - You can take this one with the arm straight or with the elbow bent for more accuracy. 

ARM HOLE – This is basically from under your arm pit and around to the top part of your shoulder.  It insures a proper fit under the arm so there is not a lot of spare fabric.

TRAIN – The length of this one it soley up to the individual .  We like to fit this from the back of the heel to the train hem.  You will find some bridal shops take this from the back waist to the hem.  We do not feel that is the most accurate way.

By taking all of these very important measurements you can insure that your plus size bridal gowns and other wedding attire will fit properly.  This will surely help you avert costly alterations and multiple fittings.

Just recollect when there is a doubtit is best for your formal wear attire to be too long or a little loose rather than too tight or a bit too short.  You can take away but you can not add fabric.  So in all cases it is better to leave some seam margin .