Which waist measurement is more accurate?

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gamerkuro
gamerkuro Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Something that has confused me for awhile now is how to measure my waist, or to be more exact which way is the correct way to measure my waste. I'm recently a costume design graduate and as such, I've had to measure a lot of people when it came to clothes. My teacher told me that to measure someone's waist, you need to have them tip over "like a little teatop" and wherever that dip is on that side of there waist is where you need to put the measuring tape.

However, in fitness, I know a lot ppl measure where their belly button is, which my teacher told never to do.

So when I measure my teacher's way, my waist is 27in but when I do it by belly button my waist is 29in.

Which one is accurate?

Replies

  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
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    When I measure, I do so at my natural waist (where it is most concave)
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement

    ^^This.

    Within 1/2-2 inches above the hip bone. Not touching.

    PS: I've been told that if you're "short waisted" it can be difficult to find a point between your ribs and hip bone.
  • jesspen91
    jesspen91 Posts: 1,383 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement

    ^^This.

    Within 1/2-2 inches above the hip bone. Not touching.

    PS: I've been told that if you're "short waisted" it can be difficult to find a point between your ribs and hip bone.

    I am short waisted and the way the OP was taught (bending to the side and measuring where the crease is) was the best way for me to find a consistent spot to measure.

    I think measuring at the belly button is more accurate for men than women as there tends to be less variety in waist lengths.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement

    This ^^

    It depends on the reason for the measurement. Measuring for clothing may not be the same as measuring for health factors.
  • michellerhunt7
    michellerhunt7 Posts: 2 Member
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    For most women, your natural waist is slightly above your navel where your waist nips in (or where it should). However, for clothing, it depends on how you want the clothing to lie. For example, if you read descriptions of jeans, you can see that some sit higher (they will say something like "sits at natural waist") and some, like low- or mid-rise jeans, sit lower (just above the hip). Medically, I think your actual waist is above the navel in the area that your teacher told you the waist lies.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Go by the area where you are smallest?
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Go by the area where you are smallest?

    For me that's at the floating ribs, which isn't correct for either heath measurements or fashion -- unless I want to wear my pants like my grandfather. ;)

  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
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    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Go by the area where you are smallest?

    For me that's at the floating ribs, which isn't correct for either heath measurements or fashion -- unless I want to wear my pants like my grandfather. ;)

    You're not going for the Ed Grimley?

    egrimley500x700.jpg
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Go by the area where you are smallest?

    For me that's at the floating ribs, which isn't correct for either heath measurements or fashion -- unless I want to wear my pants like my grandfather. ;)

    You're not going for the Ed Grimley?

    egrimley500x700.jpg

    Do I have to wear my hair like that?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement

    ^^This.

    Within 1/2-2 inches above the hip bone. Not touching.

    PS: I've been told that if you're "short waisted" it can be difficult to find a point between your ribs and hip bone.

    Yes, it is, and as someone else already said the best place would be where I bend over (which also seems to be my natural waist). If I were to measure at the belly button it would get my hips in the measurement.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    I measure all 3, above navel, at navel and just below navel. OCD what can I say...
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I measure for my waist about belly button height, which is about the top of my hip bone area.

    Are you comparing body measurements to show progress or trying to figure waist to hip ratio or trying to fit clothes?
    If it is a progress measurement just pick one and take it in the same place every time. Or track the change in both places.
    If it is waist to hip ratio you want just above your hip bone I guess.

    I don't think measurements taken for sewing are the same purpose. If you are buying or making a pattern for use by multiple people you will use average measurements and later adjust parts to fit the particular person you are sewing for. If you were designing or sewing a maternity garment you have to account for the largest part of the belly not just the smallest I would think. Did your teacher cover taking measurements in a situation like that or is it just figured all maternity wear will be super stretchy or loose so it doesn't need accurate fit?
  • gamerkuro
    gamerkuro Posts: 9 Member
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    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I measure for my waist about belly button height, which is about the top of my hip bone area.

    Are you comparing body measurements to show progress or trying to figure waist to hip ratio or trying to fit clothes?
    If it is a progress measurement just pick one and take it in the same place every time. Or track the change in both places.
    If it is waist to hip ratio you want just above your hip bone I guess.

    I don't think measurements taken for sewing are the same purpose. If you are buying or making a pattern for use by multiple people you will use average measurements and later adjust parts to fit the particular person you are sewing for. If you were designing or sewing a maternity garment you have to account for the largest part of the belly not just the smallest I would think. Did your teacher cover taking measurements in a situation like that or is it just figured all maternity wear will be super stretchy or loose so it doesn't need accurate fit?

    To answer your first question a little bit of both. I'm want to know my progress but also know which clothes would fit me when I do online shopping. This also makes me kind of curious if most clothes online go by the natural waist or bellybutton waist measurements.

    For your second question, yeah basically what you said. If one of the characters an actor was playing was meant to be pregnant, we would put a baby bump on them and then measure around the largest part of the belly.

    But a lot of ppl so far, have said the natural waist is the one to go with, so I'm going to be going by that one for now on. I was just curious by which measurements most ppl went with. You see a few month back when I was bigger, I got measured by a personal trainer, who measured me at my belly button and read my waist as being 4 inches bigger than what I originally thought I was since I was going by my natural waistline. So, I've just always been confused as to which measurement I should go with.
  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,568 Member
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    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Go by the area where you are smallest?

    For me that's at the floating ribs, which isn't correct for either heath measurements or fashion -- unless I want to wear my pants like my grandfather. ;)

    The waistband doesn't necessarily sit at your waist. This is significantly more noticeable with women's clothing, though, since women usually have a higher hip to waist ratio.
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement

    This ^^

    It depends on the reason for the measurement. Measuring for clothing may not be the same as measuring for health factors.

    THIS. To the OP: if you're measuring for progress, what's more important than where you measure is being consistent with where you measure.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    clicketykeys wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Go by the area where you are smallest?

    For me that's at the floating ribs, which isn't correct for either heath measurements or fashion -- unless I want to wear my pants like my grandfather. ;)

    The waistband doesn't necessarily sit at your waist. This is significantly more noticeable with women's clothing, though, since women usually have a higher hip to waist ratio.
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    For health measurements it's just above the top of your hip bone https://www.webmd.com/diet/waist-measurement

    This ^^

    It depends on the reason for the measurement. Measuring for clothing may not be the same as measuring for health factors.

    THIS. To the OP: if you're measuring for progress, what's more important than where you measure is being consistent with where you measure.

    No, my pants usually sit just above the hips. Women have a more curvy shape? I've never notice! :blush:
  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
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    I’m glad you asked this, it has been puzzling me my whole life.

    My belly button sits at the same height as the top of my significant sized hip bones. “Hip hugger” style pants partially or fully cover my belly button. My waist (natural bend point and narrowest part of my torso) is 4* inches higher.

    For clothes it doesn’t matter, I have yet to find any off the rack clotting that fits my waist AND hips (13+ inch difference from my waist to widest part of hips).

    For health measurements I’m splitting the difference (I’ll measure 1/2 way between my waist and top of hips). My waist to height ratio measures that way still says I’m on the low end of normal weight. But my BMI places me as slightly overweight. Caliper readings suggest I’m ok on bodyfat ( about 23.5). I don’t think these standard measurements work very well for my body type.

    But if someone asks? I’m going with the small natural waist measurement! Lol.

  • Katiebear_81
    Katiebear_81 Posts: 719 Member
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    I measure across my belly button because it's a metric I can hit every time.

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