Eco-chic Formal Wear - Taking Measurements

We make it easy to measure for your green wedding dress.

Most dressmakers, even eco friendly dressmakers, assign a size to a set of measurements and call it a day. We've found that not only can this be frustrating, it can also be inaccurate. Few of us are a perfect size anything.

Taking measurements can be confusing and we do understand. If you have any questions about taking measurements, just Contact us and we'll be happy to help you.

Unsure of your skills? Can't be bothered to deal with measurements? Our Personal Fitting Service can save you the trouble and we can come right to your door. We'll make certain, before your gown fabric is even cut, that the design and fit are right for you. Contact us for details.

Easy photos for a fabulously fitting frock :

	1) Upper Chest Circumference - Measure around the chest under the armpits.
	2) Chest Circumference and Between the Nipples (there are 2 parts to this) a) Measure around the fullest part of the chest, and b) then measure from nipple to nipple, straight across your chest.
	3a) Shoulder to Waist Length (front) - Measure from the top of your shoulder, down your front to your natural waist (2" above your navel).
	3b) Shoulder to Waist Length (back)- Measure from the top of your shoulder, down your back to your natural waist.
	4) Upper Chest to Waist Length - With arms at your sides, measure from below your armpit (above your bra if you plan to wear one), down your side to your natural waist.
	5) Waist Circumference - Measure the circumference at 2 inches above your navel. If you'd like the waist of your gown to be a little higher or a little lower, let us know that too.
	6) Hip Circumference - To measure the hips, wrap the tape around the fullest part of your pelvis, including your derriere.
	7) Waist to Floor Length - Measure from the natural waist to the floor. It helps to let the zero-inch/cm end touch the floor and read the measurement at the waist. If you know the shoes that you will be wearing, wear them or wear a similar heel height, but note that wearing different shoes later might affect the accuracy of the final hem length.

For sleeved gowns only:

	8) Shoulder to Elbow Length - Measure from top of shoulder to elbow, along the outside of the arm.
	9) Arm Length (shoulder to wrist) - On the outside of the arm, measure from the shoulder bone to your elbow, then continue down to your wrist. Keep your arm bent and fingers relaxed.
	10) Armseye (also called armscye) - Measure from under the arm, over the shoulder to under the arm again. For reference, you can use a close-fitting t-shirt and measure around where the sleeve joins the shirt. Hold the tape comfortably snug.
	11) Bicep Circumference: Measure around the fullest part of the bicep with your arm flexed.

Try to be exact, since the more accurate the numbers, the better the fit. Remember that your measurements are only numbers and will not be made public.

The fact is that it's rare for most gowns to fit exactly on the first attempt. Though our lace-up bodice is extremely helpful in addressing many figure variations, we can't guarantee your fit if we don't take the measurements ourselves. In that case, we expect that fine-tuning, if needed, would be completed locally.

Very Important! We cannot emphasize these strongly enough!

1. When taking your measurements, wear the undergarments that you plan to wear on your special day. This is extremely important!

    

2. ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE STRAPLESS DRESSES: Be sure that your chosen undergarments give you sufficient support. If you are greatly concerned about such a problem but you love a normally strapless design, we can add straps easily at no extra charge.

    

3. When taking your measurements, have someone help you. The numbers will come out distorted if you try to take them yourself.

    

4. Stand up straight and keep your eyes and head level. Don't look down; this is a very common cause for incorrect measurements. Keep your weight evenly on both feet.

    

5. Please measure to the closest half-inch or half-centimeter. Lay the tape measure flat against your skin; don't pull it tight or let it fall loosely.

    

NOTES:

• It's always easier to take in a garment rather than letting it out. If you must estimate at all, then try to err on the larger side. Remember that the lace-up bodice will help in a lot of the fine-tuning; you don't need to guestimate the size you hope you'll be when the Big Day comes.
  

   

• Please note: even with a clear waist-to-floor measurement, it's very difficult to get a correct hem length from numbers alone and we cannot be certain of accuracy without a final fitting. If you are concerned about the hem-length and can't have a final fitting with us, then you can request to have your wedding gown arrive to you partially hemmed: the lining will be fully hemmed and the outer shell edge simply finished, for someone local to hem. This will preserve the fabric and save you the bother of taking out a wrong hem. Children's dresses will arrive to you completely finished unless requested otherwise.
  

   

• You will need a newish cloth or plastic tape measure (old tape measures can stretch or shrink and metal tape measures aren’t flexible enough).
  

   

• If your sides are significantly different (such as from sports, nature, or fiddle-playing), give us the measurements of both sides, noting both right and left.

Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.