I couldn't find a better place to post this, forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm a newbie.

To the question. I wonder how I should measure my hip, I can't post links yet, but I wonder if it's supposed to be "top of hip" (that would go around my belly) or "full hip" (this would not go around my belly).

Or just the "fullest part", wherever that might be? (in my case top of hip)


Thanks for reading.


ETA: Full hip and top of hip

I don't know but want to know too! For me, I wonder is it at the hip bone or around the rear? There's a good three inches difference there for me. The hip bones seem right to me, but I think it's supposed to be around the rear, which is really not my hip at all.

Thanks for joining in, Eliana!

To buy pants/figure out dress size I measure the biggest part (top of hip bone) or wouldn't fit.

For me a good 5.5 inches difference! Yikes.

But I want to learn the "proper way", if there is one.

What about waist?

I have a very high natural waist line. Should I measure it way up there? One inch above belly button or across the belly button?

Along the top of the pelvic bone (or at the line where hair begins to grow) and around the rear is how I was taught for measuring patterns to alter before dressmaking. This does imply that you are leaving enough room for the waist to hip ratio, I have a large curve there that would take up more fabric.

Weird, because the top of my hip bone is NARROWER than lower down, where goodforme suggests we measure. Interesting.

do I have hip bones?

The waist is where your curves go inward. Mine is high up there, too! About 2 inches above my belly button.

The thing about hip is that my belly circumference is bigger than my butt's. So where the post above says, is 5.5 inches less! I think this way of measuring is not meant for overweight people.

...o <- face
..OO <- breasts
...| <- waist
/....\ <- hips
.| | <- thighs and butt

I think you are just how it's "supposed to be", bigger hips are only on overweight people I think. But some overweight people can keep their "natural forms" (whr?) somewhat! Not my case, I think!

I've always been this way (and overweight) since I was a little kid. I just grew boobs, everything else is the same, lol!

I think the more important thing is to make sure you are measuring the same part every time! For me that's my waist at my belly button, the widest part of my hip and the wides part of my thighs.

Anne... Thanks.

I have the same problem. My belly has been the same size or a bit bigger than my butt. -- Actually, today, first time in years, it is smaller (by like 1 cm ); I have lost just about 10 pounds.

Yay. Congratulations!! That's awesome, I think. To have a smaller mid section than "other areas" above and below. I have a shapelly smaller waist, but such big hips!! Oooo!

It doesn't bother me that much when wearing clothes because I can emulate an hourglass figure in dresses. But I do hope to be in your shoes someday!

Yes, yes, yes you do. And you'll find them again! I remember when I did not have hip bones!

I can't see my hip bones either, but I have an estimate of where they are! Buying pants according to my "love handles" measure made a lot of difference.