How to Measure Hips, Waist & Pants Size (Chart)
Your hip measurement is taken around the fullest part of your hips and seat, which is the widest point of your buttocks. Keep the tape level and parallel to the floor, and pull it snug but not tight. Measure twice and write the number down in both centimeters and inches.
Below we also cover your waist, inseam and rise, how to measure the waist of a pair of pants, and how to use those numbers on a size chart. EastLyst charts list garment measurements in centimeters, and many also show inches.
| Measurement | Where to put the tape | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Hips | Around the fullest part of your hips and seat | Keep the tape level, parallel to the floor |
| Waist (clothing) | Around the smallest part of your waist | Snug, not tight; breathe out normally |
| Thigh | Around the fullest part of one thigh | Useful for slim and straight-leg pants |
| Inseam | Inside leg, from the crotch down to the ankle | Easier to measure on pants that already fit |
| Rise | On the pants: crotch seam up to the top of the waistband | Tells you if a pair is low, mid or high rise |
Where to Measure Your Hips
You measure your hips around the widest portion of the buttocks, with the tape level and parallel to the floor. The World Health Organization (WHO) expert consultation found that every protocol it reviewed uses that same widest-portion landmark. The Levi's US size guide calls it the fullest part of your hips and says to keep the tape as horizontal as you can.
Clothing brands use the fullest hip point for pants and skirt fit. Health checks use the same hip landmark, but they measure the waist differently, so do not mix a health waist number with a clothing waist number.
How to Measure Your Hips
Use a soft tailor's tape or a string and a ruler. Measure in light clothing or underwear, and write down both centimeters and inches. The goal is to catch the widest circumference of your hips and seat, not the point where a waistband sits.
- Stand with feet close together, arms at your side, weight evenly distributed, and stay relaxed.
- Slide the tape up and down over your hips and seat until you find the widest point.
- Keep the tape level and parallel to the floor, snug but not tight or constricting.
- Read the number in centimeters and inches. A mirror helps you confirm the tape stays level if you are measuring alone.
- Measure twice. If the two readings are close, average them before checking the size chart.
If you own pants that already fit the way you like, measure those too. Comparing garment to garment is often easier than guessing how much room you want.
How to Measure Your Waist
Clothing waist and health waist are different numbers. Check which one the chart you are following expects, because the two landmarks sit in different places.
Natural Waist for Clothing
The Levi's US size guide says to measure around the smallest part of your waist, not too snug and not too loose. That is the number to compare with EastLyst garment waist measurements on pants and skirts.
Waist for Health Checks
The WHO protocol measures the waist midway between the lower edge of the last palpable rib and the top of the iliac crest, or hip bone. Keep the tape snug but not constricting. Stand with feet close together, arms at your side, weight even, wearing little clothing and relaxed. Take the measurement at the end of a normal breath out. Repeat it twice; if the two numbers are within 1 cm of each other, average them. This is a body-fat protocol, not a clothing size protocol.
How to Measure Pants Size
Pants sizing usually comes down to waist, hip, inseam, and rise. You can measure your body and compare it to a size chart, or measure a pair you already own flat and compare garment to garment. Either way, have your numbers ready before you browse women's pants or men's pants, then check them against each product's chart.
Waist and Hip
Use the body methods above for your waist and hip. When your waist and hip point to different sizes in non-stretch pants, the larger measurement is usually the safer pick. Remember that a size chart describes the garment, not your body. A garment hip is usually a little bigger than the body hip it fits; that extra room is called ease, and it's what lets you sit down. Wide-leg cuts carry more of it, which is part of why they're forgiving (we cover how to wear them in how to style wide-leg pants with low-profile sneakers).
Inseam
The Levi's US size guide describes inseam as the inside leg measurement straight down from the crotch to the ankle. On a pair of pants, the Levi's GB fit guide says to measure from the crotch to the hem. Inseam controls where the hem falls, and styles like the Paint-Splatter jeans come in short and long lengths.
Rise
Rise is the distance from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband. It shows whether a pair of pants is high rise, mid rise, or low rise. Two pairs in the same size can have very different rises. If you like your waistband at your navel, or well below it, this is the number to check.
How Do You Measure the Waist of Pants?
The Levi's GB fit guide says jeans sizes are given in inches as waist then leg length, so a 32x32 jean has a 32 inch waist and a 32 inch inseam, sometimes labeled 32W 32L. To check a pair you already own, lay it flat, measure the waistband edge to edge, and double that number. This flat-lay method is for the garment waist, not your body waist.
Using Your Measurements With Asian Size Charts
A size label like M or 28 means different things from brand to brand, and Asian and US labels don't line up neatly. That's why the measurements matter more than the letter. EastLyst product charts list garment measurements in centimeters, and many also list inches. Compare your body numbers to the chart and leave a little ease. Our Asian size to US size guide explains the label differences, and if you're buying shoes too, use the Chinese shoe size to US conversion chart.
Here's a worked example. The Paint-Splatter Washed Straight-Leg Jeans are a unisex, mid-rise pair in 75% cotton and 25% lyocell with slight stretch, sold in sizes 24 to 38 and in short and long lengths. Size 28 measures 78 cm (30.7") at the waist and 103 cm (40.6") at the hip.
| Size | Waist (cm / in) | Hip (cm / in) | Short length (cm / in) | Long length (cm / in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 70 / 27.6 | 95 / 37.4 | 98 / 38.6 | 100 / 39.4 |
| 26 | 74 / 29.1 | 99 / 39.0 | 100 / 39.4 | 103 / 40.6 |
| 28 | 78 / 30.7 | 103 / 40.6 | 102 / 40.2 | 105 / 41.3 |
| 30 | 82 / 32.3 | 107 / 42.1 | 103 / 40.6 | 107 / 42.1 |
| 32 | 86 / 33.9 | 111 / 43.7 | 105 / 41.3 | 109 / 42.9 |
| 34 | 90 / 35.4 | 115 / 45.3 | 107 / 42.1 | 111 / 43.7 |
| 36 | 94 / 37.0 | 119 / 46.9 | 109 / 42.9 | 113 / 44.5 |
| 38 | 98 / 38.6 | 123 / 48.4 | 111 / 43.7 | 115 / 45.3 |
Garment measurements for the Paint-Splatter Washed Straight-Leg Jeans, from the EastLyst product page (checked October 2026).
Say your waist is 76 cm (29.9 in) and your hips are 100 cm (39.4 in). Size 28 gives you about 2 cm at the waist and 3 cm at the hip, which suits a relaxed straight leg. Size 26 measures 99 cm at the hip, 1 cm under your own measurement, which is too tight for a pair with only slight stretch. Then pick the short or long length based on your inseam.
Fitted pieces leave less room, so the hip number does most of the work. The Textured Slit Pencil Skirt is a fitted, mid-rise pencil shape with a concealed front-side slit. Its chart reads: S waist 72 cm (28.3 in) and hips 92 cm (36.2 in); M waist 76 cm (29.9 in) and hips 96 cm (37.8 in); L waist 80 cm (31.5 in) and hips 100 cm (39.4 in). The model is 175 cm (5'9") with 81–60–89 cm (31.9–23.6–35.0 in) bust-waist-hips measurements and wears S for a fitted look or M for a regular fit.
On a high-rise pair, the waistband sits closer to your natural waist, so compare your clothing waist measurement there. The Fringed Belt Tailored Trousers, a high-rise straight leg in 80% polyester and 20% viscose, list S waist 69 cm (27.2 in) and hip 95 cm (37.4 in) through XL waist 78 cm (30.7 in) and hip 105 cm (41.3 in).
FAQ
Where do you measure your hips?
Around the widest portion of the buttocks, with the tape level and parallel to the floor. Levi's calls this the fullest part of your hips. The WHO protocols also describe the hip as the widest portion of the buttocks. For clothing, this is the point you compare with a garment hip measurement, not the smaller natural waist.
Is hip measurement the same as waist measurement?
No. Clothing waist is the smallest part of the waist, while hip is the fullest part of the hips and seat. A health-check waist uses the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, which is a different landmark. Because these points sit in different places, the numbers are not interchangeable.
How do I measure my hips by myself?
Use a soft tailor's tape; if you do not have one, use a string and a ruler. Stand with feet close together and relaxed, slide the tape up and down to find the widest point, keep it level, and read it snug but not tight. A mirror helps you check that the tape stays parallel to the floor.
How do you measure the waist of pants?
For a pair you already own, lay the pants flat and measure the waistband edge to edge, then double that number. Levi's uses this flat-lay method for jeans. For your body, measure around the smallest part of your waist, not too snug and not too loose.
How do I know my pants size?
Compare your body measurements with the product size chart. EastLyst charts list garment measurements in centimeters and usually inches. When your waist and hip point to different sizes in non-stretch pants, the larger measurement is usually the safer pick. Also compare against a pair you already like.
Should I measure over clothes?
Measure in light clothing or underwear. Thick or bulky clothing can add extra width and make the tape sit unevenly. World Health Organization health protocols also say to wear little clothing. For the most consistent clothing fit numbers, keep what you wear the same each time.