How to measure a bodysuit
Every point, drawn on the garment so there is no guessing where the tape goes.
Quick answer
Lay the bodysuit flat and measure ten points in fit order: chest, waist, hips, length, inside length, upper sleeve, lower sleeve, arm, forearm and cuff. Chest leads, but the inside length, the gusset run that sets the rise, decides whether a one-piece pulls down. Tap each diagram step to place the tape. Sizely builds a chart buyers trust.
A bodysuit fastens at the crotch, so it has to fit the torso top to bottom in one piece. A buyer checks the chest first, but the make-or-break number is the inside length: too short and it digs in, too long and it sags. Generic guides treat a bodysuit like a top and skip the rise entirely. This page draws all ten points, the gusset run included.
- A
Chest
The first thing a buyer checks, so it leads. Lay the bodysuit flat and run the tape across just below the armholes, edge to edge. Tap this step for the exact line. On a snug knit one-piece this number sets the whole fit.Double it for the full chest circumference.
- B
Waist
Across the body at its narrowest, usually mid-torso. A bodysuit pulls in here more than a regular top, since it is cut to sit close to the body.Double it for the full waist circumference.
- C
Hips
Across the widest part of the lower body section, above the leg openings. Tap the step to find the line. On a one-piece this works with the inside length to decide how the bottom sits.Double it for the full hip circumference.
- D
Length
A single vertical run from the high shoulder straight down to the crotch seam. This is the torso length, the front rise of the body part, and it sets how much the suit has to stretch from shoulder to gusset.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- E
Inside Length
The run along the inside, from the gusset up the back to the same reference, the rise that makes or breaks a one-piece. Tap the step to see exactly where it sits. Too short and it pulls down; too long and it sags.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- F
Sleeve A
The upper sleeve run, from the shoulder seam toward the elbow. The chart splits the sleeve so a long bodysuit arm is not buried in one rounded total.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- G
Sleeve B
The lower sleeve run, from where the upper sleeve ends to the cuff. On a long-sleeved bodysuit this is usually the longer section.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- H
Arm
Across the widest part of the sleeve near the top, the bicep line. On a fitted bodysuit the sleeve is close to the arm, so a buyer with fuller arms reads this number.Double it for the full arm circumference.
- I
Forearm
Across the sleeve lower down, toward the wrist. Tap the step to find the spot. It shows whether the sleeve tapers to the cuff or stays loose.Double it for the full forearm circumference.
- J
Cuff
Across the very end of the sleeve, the opening the hand passes through. On a stretch cuff measure it relaxed, since that is the size at rest.Double it for the cuff circumference.
Measure flat and never stretched. Most bodysuits are stretch knit that springs back narrow, so let it settle, smooth it without pulling, and read the relaxed numbers. The across points, chest, waist, hips, arm, forearm and cuff, double for a body circumference; length, inside length and the two sleeve runs are recorded exactly as measured.
Bodysuit size reference
| Size | Chest | Waist | Hips | Length | Inside Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 14 | 12.5 | 15 | 24 | 26 |
| S | 15.5 | 14 | 16.5 | 25 | 27 |
| M | 17 | 15.5 | 18 | 26 | 28 |
| L | 19 | 17.5 | 20 | 27 | 29 |
| XL | 21 | 19.5 | 22 | 28 | 30 |
Frequently asked
What is the inside length on a bodysuit and why does it matter?
The inside length is the run along the crotch gusset that sets the rise of the one-piece, from the gusset up the back to the waist or shoulder reference. It is the single most important number on a bodysuit, because the suit has to span the whole torso. Too short and it pulls down on the shoulders and digs in; too long and it bags at the body. Record it as a single pass, not doubled.
Do I double the chest measurement on a bodysuit?
For the flat chart number, no, record it as measured. To estimate the body circumference, double the across points: chest, waist, hips, arm, forearm and cuff. The length, inside length and the two sleeve runs are single passes, so the flat number is already the real one. On stretch fabric the relaxed flat number is the one a buyer can reproduce at home.
How do I measure a stretchy bodysuit without overstating the size?
Lay it flat and let the knit relax fully before the tape touches it. Do not pre-stretch any edge, and read the rib at the leg openings and cuffs at rest. A stretch bodysuit can read several inches narrower relaxed than worn, so note on the listing that it stretches. That way a buyer reads the small flat number as give, not as a tight suit.
What size am I in a bodysuit?
Match by chest and inside length together, not the tag letter, since a one-piece can fit the chest and still fail on the rise. Measure both on a bodysuit that fits you well and compare to the seller's flat numbers. For converting between US, UK and EU labels, see our women's international size chart or the men's international size chart.
Should I measure a bodysuit in inches or centimeters?
Either works, as long as you stay consistent and label the unit. Sellers shipping internationally do best showing both, since a buyer in one market thinks in inches and another in centimeters. Sizely lists both on every chart so no buyer has to convert in their head.
Related size charts & tools
Women's international size chart
Men's international size chartSources: Sizely garment engine, spec #252 (Long-Sleeved Bodysuit), ten named measurement points. ISO 8559 body-measurement reference (representative ranges only). Last verified June 2026.
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