How to measure leggings
Every point, drawn on the garment so there is no guessing where the tape goes.
Quick answer
Lay the leggings flat and relaxed and measure eight points: waist, inseam, hip, rise, length, thigh, knee and hem, in fit-impact order. Waist leads, taken relaxed and never stretched, the step most listings get wrong. Tap each step on the diagram to see where the tape sits. Sizely turns those numbers into a size chart buyers trust.
Someone buying leggings online checks the waist first, then how stretchy the fabric reads, and there are eight points in all. Most listings post a stretched number, which always disappoints once the package arrives. This page draws every point on the relaxed garment, so your buyer sees the honest fit, not a tape pulled tight.
- A
Waist
Across the top of the waistband with the leggings flat and the elastic relaxed, not pulled out. Tap this step to see the exact line. On stretch fabric this is the number sellers most often inflate, so let it rest before you read it.Double it for the full relaxed waist circumference.
- B
Inseam
Straight down the inner leg seam, from the crotch point to the bottom hem. Tap the step to see where the run starts and stops. Inseam decides whether these read as full length, 7/8 or capri.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- C
Hip
Across the widest point of the seat with the garment flat. This is where leggings cling, so the relaxed flat number matters more here than on a woven bottom.Double it for the full relaxed hip circumference.
- D
Rise
From the crotch seam up to the top of the waistband. A high rise sits at the natural waist; a mid rise lands lower. Tap the step for the exact vertical line.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- E
Length
The full outside run from waistband to hem. Read alongside the inseam so a buyer can place exactly where the leg ends on them.Recorded as-is. Do not double.
- F
Thigh
Across the leg at its widest, just below the crotch, with the fabric relaxed. On compression leggings this is the snug zone, so the at-rest figure is the honest one.Double it for the full relaxed thigh circumference.
- G
Knee
Across the leg at the knee. It tells a buyer how the leg tapers between the thigh and the ankle opening.Double it for the full relaxed knee circumference.
- H
Hem
Across the leg opening at the ankle. A narrow hem reads fitted; a wider one falls looser over the foot.Double it for the full relaxed ankle opening.
Measure flat and relaxed, never stretched. Smooth the leggings out and let the fabric sit at rest before the tape touches it, because a stretched figure reads larger than the leggings the buyer receives. The four across measurements, waist, hip, thigh, knee and hem, double to a body circumference; inseam, rise and length are single runs recorded exactly as measured.
Leggings size reference
| Size | Waist | Inseam | Hip | Rise | Thigh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 11 | 27 | 16 | 9.5 | 9 |
| S | 12 | 28 | 17 | 10 | 9.5 |
| M | 13 | 28.5 | 18.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 |
| L | 14.5 | 29 | 20 | 11 | 11.5 |
| XL | 16 | 29.5 | 21.5 | 11.5 | 12.5 |
Frequently asked
Should I measure leggings stretched or relaxed?
Always relaxed. Lay them flat, let the elastic settle, and read the tape at rest. A stretched waist or thigh number looks bigger than the leggings actually are, so the buyer who trusts it gets something tighter than expected. The relaxed flat figure is the one they can check against a pair they already own.
Do I double the waist measurement on leggings?
For the body circumference, yes. Waist, hip, thigh, knee and hem are taken across one flat layer, so the full circumference is roughly double the flat number. A 13 inch flat waist is about a 26 inch relaxed waist. Inseam, rise and length are single runs, so the flat number is already the real one. Keep the waist relaxed before you double it.
What size am I in leggings?
Compare a relaxed pair you own to the listing's flat numbers rather than guessing from a body size. Match the waist and inseam first, since those decide fit and length. For the wider US, UK and EU picture, see our pants size chart, then confirm against the seller's actual measured chart.
Why do my leggings fit differently than the size label says?
Stretch fabric and waistband construction vary a lot between brands, so two pairs labeled medium can feel a size apart. A high-spandex pair compresses more than a cotton blend at the same flat width. Measured numbers cut through the label confusion, which is why a flat chart beats a generic size guide.
Should I list leggings in inches or centimeters?
Either works as long as you label the unit and stay consistent. 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
Pants sizes (men & women)
Women's international size chartSources: Sizely garment engine, spec #103 (Leggings), eight named measurement points. ISO 8559-1 body-measurement definitions (representative ranges only). Last verified June 2026.
Make the right size obvious.
Join 85,000+ sellers showing measurements buyers trust. Free to start, no card needed.