Size & fit
How to Measure for a Wedding or Occasion Dress Ordered Online
A step-by-step measuring checklist for bust, waist, hips and length, including the mistakes that make online sizing harder.
Prepare a repeatable measurement session
Ask someone to help if possible, especially with length and keeping the tape horizontal across your back. Stand naturally, breathe normally and avoid pulling the tape tightly. Measuring over a thick outfit, holding your breath or twisting toward a mirror can change the result.
Keep one unit throughout the session and label it clearly. Write “inches” or “cm” beside the figures rather than sending a bare list of numbers. If you convert measurements, use 1 inch = 2.54 cm and keep the original figures so that rounding does not become a new source of uncertainty.
Measure the main points
| Measurement | How to take it | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Bust | Around the fullest part, tape level across the back | Using a bra size instead of a circumference |
| Natural waist | Around your natural waist, usually the narrowest torso point | Measuring where low-rise trousers sit |
| Hips | Around the fullest hips and seat, feet together | Measuring only across the front |
| Hollow to floor | From the hollow at the base of the neck to the floor, without shoes | Starting at the shoulder or measuring along another dress |
| Height | Top of head to floor, without shoes | Including heels without saying so |
The diagram below is the measurement reference already used in Ada’s measuring guide. Use additional arm or belly measurements only when requested for your chosen style or by customer care.
Ada product examples illustrate visible design details. Check the selected product for current options, construction and sizing.
Read the correct chart before selecting a size
Where a product supplies a style-specific chart, use that chart first. Adult, flower girl, junior bridesmaid and infant charts are separate systems. An age label, a J-size and an adult dress size are not interchangeable. Check every relevant measurement instead of choosing from the bust alone.
If the chart shows a different best match at the bust, waist and hips, send the figures and the product link to customer care. Include the event date and destination country if timing matters. Do not subtract a guessed allowance or add extra inches “just in case” unless the product instructions explicitly tell you to.
Save a clear record
- Record the date, units and undergarments used.
- Repeat each measurement once to catch a tilted tape or transcription error.
- Keep height and hollow-to-floor as separate entries.
- State heel height separately from barefoot measurements.
- Flag any uncertainty before submitting Custom Size details.
Body measurements are not the same as a finished garment’s dimensions. A dress needs appropriate ease, construction and length, and those decisions belong to the maker and the specific design. Measuring another dress is not a substitute for the requested body measurements.
When your order arrives, inspect it and try it on carefully before removing tags or making alterations. Measurement accuracy reduces avoidable uncertainty, but it does not guarantee a garment will need no local fitting adjustment. Compare the size charts and ask for help whenever the selected style’s instructions differ from a general guide.
Common questions
Should I add extra room to my body measurements?
Provide the measurements requested by the product instructions. Do not add or subtract a guessed fitting allowance; ask customer care about any uncertainty.
Should hollow-to-floor include my heels?
Ada’s current measuring guide specifies barefoot hollow-to-floor. Tell the team your planned heel height separately and follow any additional instructions for your selected style.