Zev Explains How to Measure Yourself

binders101:

Hello, dear readers. We’ve gotten a lot of questions lately and always that basically say, “This is my bra size, what size binder should I get?”

Guys, we can’t do everything for you. Even if we were willing to tell all 251 of you exactly what size binder to get (which we aren’t), your bra size is actually not enough information. 

We are here to give you the information that you need to answer these questions yourself. We can’t tell you what binder to get, but we can give you the plusses and minuses of different models so that you’re informed enough to decide yourself.

And because that is what we do, I am going to explain, very clearly, how to find and use the size charts at underworks, t-kingdom, lesloveboat, esha, and peecockproducts. 

Let’s go.

1. Underworks: Their instructions for measuring are on this page: http://ftm.underworks.com/ but I’ll explain it for you anyway.

• get one of those cloth measuring tapes. If you only have a yardstick or a crunchy carpentry measuring tape, get a long piece of string to wrap around yourself and then measure the string.
• measure the top of your ribcage, under your “bust.” Measure carefully, keeping the tape straight and flat against you, right in the spot where the band of a bra would go. Keep the tape snug but it shouldn’t be super-tight. You want an accurate measurement.
• measure the widest part of your chest. This part is different places on different people. Do your best. Be as careful as you were in step 2.
• Take the average of the two measurements. That means add them together and divide by two. If your first measurement is 30 and your second measurement is 40, the average is 35. 
• Go, on the underworks site, to the specific binder that you want. You’ll see something that looks like this: “ Size - fits Chest:  x-small 29-31 / Small  32-34 / Medium 35-39 / Large 40-44 / X-large 45-48 / 2X 48-52  / 3X 53-56”  
• Your average measurement should be within the range of your size. When I measure like this, I get a 37. That means I’m a medium. 
• Remember that, as it says on the underworks site, “Each item has a different scale based on the elasticity of the fabric used and the cut of the garment, so please pay attention to the sizing scale for each style.“ 
• The Underworks site uses INCHES!

2. Lesloveboat: here are lesloveboat’s instructions for measuring: http://www.lesloveboat.com/shop/sizechart.php?osCsid=1e08af4f24c5c470d3c86d2fd9f2e702 But of course I’ll explain it for you, too, because I’m nice.

• get one of those cloth measuring tapes. If you only have a yardstick or a crunchy carpentry measuring tape, get a long piece of string to wrap around yourself and then measure the string.
• Measure the widest part of your chest, snugly and carefully. The widest part is on different places for different people.
• Go to the specific binder on the lesloveboat site that you want. There’s a drop-down menu for size, pick the size that contains your measurement.
• If you don’t feel comfortable measuring yourself, the lesloveboat site gives an alternative way of finding your measurement using your bra size. Scroll down on the sizing page that I linked to the section called "measuring from your bra size.” There’s a table of band sizes and a table of cup sizes. Simply add the number of centimeters given for your band size to the number of centimeters given for your cup size, and that’s your measurement. I don’t recommend this method. I don’t recommend it because bra sizing is inconsistent, because many people wear the wrong bra size, and because a tape measure never lies.
• for god’s sake, remember that the lesloveboat site uses CENTIMETERS.

3. t-kingdom Here’s your link to the size chart: http://www.t-kingdom.com/shopping/english/size.htm And this one is actually so convoluted that I don’t mind explaining it to you.

• get one of those cloth measuring tapes. If you only have a yardstick or a crunchy carpentry measuring tape, get a long piece of string to wrap around yourself and then measure the string.
• Measure the widest part of your chest, following the rules of carefulness as specified above. The t-kingdom site says to measure “over your nipples” but I think that they’re assuming perkiness, which isn’t fair to the fact that there are many kinds of bodies.
• Scroll down on the size chart page.
• Find a row on the column that is true to your height, weight, and chest size. 
• But here’s the thing: your height and weight don’t actually matter- all the mediums are for chests 31-33 inches, all the larges are for 34-36. So just find a row on the column that’s true to the width of your chest.
• T-kingdom is super nice and uses centimeters AND inches. So just know which one you’re using. Don’t measure in centimeters and then try to use the size chart in inches. That’d be dumb.

4. Esha So, on the esha site, if you click on “size chart” in the left sidebar, it brings you here: http://www.esha-taipei.net/en/?artlist-137.html This is a list of the binders available at esha. Once you’ve perused the site to pick the model you want, click on that model and follow the sizing on that site.

Now, there are no instructions on this site for measuring, just a table with a list of “chest width,” along with height and weight. I’m going to assume that this means you should measure the widest part of your chest. I’m assuming this because it matches up with weight better (obviously that’s a big assumption) and because the standard measuring systems for lesloveboat and t-kingdom seem to stick to a single measurement, whereas US-based companies use two measurements. 

5. Peecockproducts: The size chart is here: http://www.peecockproducts.com/images/uploads/Binder/sizing_chart_400x600_updnov2010.jpg and quite seriously looks like it was lifted straight off of the t-kingdom site. The sizes vary slightly from those of the t-kingdom site but the self-measuring is so similar that I encourage you, if getting a peecock binder, to scroll up to part three and follow those instructions.

6. sohoeva: 

• Every binder at this site has a different size chart. Pick the binder you want, then click on the size chart. You’ll find the button to get to the chart down near the bottom of the page, where there are other pictures of the binder for you to click on and enlarge. One of those pictures is the size chart.
• Got your size chart? Good. Follow the instructions that I gave you for the lesloveboat site. Match your chest size to your size. If you’re on the cusp of two sizes, go for the underbust size that matches. If you’re still on the cusp, match by weight.
• remember: centimeters and kilograms!

~~

I hope that’s enough information for you to find out for yourself. I know that measuring yourself sucks. It can cause dysphoria and it can be confusing, but you need to do it if you want a binder that fits. The suckiness now will pay off in the long run. You’ll be safe, and comfortable and have a great binder. 

If there are any other sites you’d like us to include in this how-to guide, let us know and we’ll add them. I hope that we’ll keep this post updated to fit any changes in sizing at various sites so that people can continually link back to it.

Stay excellent,

Zev

Lee says:

If you’re in-between sizes on any binder site, get the larger binder! Trust me, it’s way more comfortable and will work as effectively. I went from a M gc2b to a L and the L works just as well for me and I can wear it longer because it doesn’t chafe near my armpits.

If you can’t get a measuring tape, How to Take Clothing Measurements Without Measuring Tape!

gc2b

gc2b explains how to measure for a gc2b binder on their site, https://www.gc2b.co/pages/sizing! It’s super helpful and has diagrams, so I copied it all below:

For all chest measurements, the measuring tape will go all the way around your torso (wrap it around your back and chest).

TIP: Don’t look down at the tape to take your measurement. Find a mirror to view your reading to; looking down may cause the tape to slip.

1. Under arm measurement: the goal is to find the measurement for your chest where your breast tissue begins (this is usually above the nipples).. Ideally, the tape should be at the beginning of your breast tissue and just below your arm pits.

2. Largest part of chest: the goal here is to get the measurement around the torso and chest where the most breast tissue is (usually around the nipples).

3. Under chest: the goal here is to get the measurement around your sternum; measure directly under the breast tissue, as high up as possible.

TIP: Always round up if your measurement reads at a fraction greater than ¼”.
EXAMPLE: If your measurement reads 36 2/4", round up to 37". Do not round down.

• Shoulder width: Place the measuring tape at the point of one of your shoulders. Then stretch the tape to the point of your other shoulder. Don’t wrap the measuring tape all the way around your shoulders for this measurement–just point-to-point.

TIP: Try to stand up straight, and adjust your posture so that your shoulders aren’t hunched, but are still relaxed.

HOW TO SIZE

1. Add the first two chest measurements together (under arms + largest part of chest).

2. Divide the total by 2 to get the measurement that will correlate best to the measurements on the sizing chart.

• If you are in between sizes, consider your shoulder measurements:

TIP: If your shoulders are larger (by 1.5 inches or more) than the shoulder width that corresponds to your chest measurement on the sizing chart, go with a larger size that…
• Best fits your shoulder measurement
• Is close to the measurement at the largest part of your chest

TIP: If your shoulder width is smaller than the number that correlates to your chest measurement, get the size that best fits your chest measurement.

TIP: Refer to the measurement under the breast tissue. If this measurement is smaller than your under-arm measurement, you may find the most comfortable fit in a tank binder, as they tend to compress better for individuals who are in between sizes / have a larger chest.

(Slightly larger version HERE at our FAQ)

•  Please keep in mind that these garments are sized and graded for compression purposes, so they are designed to fit snugly, in order to compress and flatten.

• Do not intentionally go down in size; you will not be able to put your binder on.

• In a correctly fitting binder, you should be able to breathe without trouble. Your binder should not cause excessive discomfort or dig into your skin. If you experience any of this, you likely have the wrong size!

visit our faq for more or contact us for personalized sizing assistance !

a crew member is happy to walk you through it! we will suggest a style / size we think will work best for you. if we get your suggestion wrong, we cover the cost of your exchange! :+)

Spectrum Outfitters

https://spectrumoutfitters.co.uk/pages/sizing

Shapeshifters Inc

MEASUREMENT GUIDE- CROP TOP

LENGTH – Lying down if possible, place the end of the tape measure at the top of your shoulder and let it drop down your chest. Note where the tape reaches the bottom of your chest tissue. Add 1 inch (2.54 centimeters).

BUST – Wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your chest. Inhale.

UNDERBUST – Slide the tape measure down until it’s wrapped around your rib cage, under the fullness of your chest. Inhale.

FULL LENGTH

LENGTH – Lying down if possible, place the end of the tape measure at the top of your shoulder and let it drop down your chest. Measure to where the tape reaches your waist line.

BUST – Wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your chest. Inhale.

UNDERBUST – Slide the tape measure down until it’s wrapped around your ribcage, under the fullness of your chest. Inhale.

WAIST – Slide the tape measure down again, until it’s where you want the binder to end. If you want a little midsection compression, suck your tummy in as you measure.

EXTRA-LONG

LENGTH – Lying down if you can, place the end of the tape measure at the top of your shoulder and let it drop down your chest, measure to where the tape reaches your hip line.

BUST – Wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your chest. Inhale.

UNDERBUST – Slide the tape measure down until it’s wrapped around your ribcage, under the fullness of your chest. Inhale.

WAIST – Slide the tape measure down again, until it’s at the narrowest point of your waist. If you want a little midsection compression, suck your tummy in as you measure.

HIPS – Wrap the tape measure around where you want the binder to end. Do not pull overtight.

IDs: 

1. Light blue background with text on the left side. In white bold text it says, “Chest Measurement”. And then in blue text underneath that it says, “ *[asterisk] All The Way Around”. Underneath this there is a pink line. Under the pink line it says, “Tip: #3 isn’t listed when consulting the size chart, but be sure to measure it anyways. It’s the key to selecting your best style & [ampersand] to settling uncertainty about in-between sizes.” On the right side of the image there is an outline of a person in dark blue with the numbers 1, 2, and 3 next to their chest showing one at the top of their chest, two right across their chest where the nipples would be, and three right underneath their breast. 

2. Light blue background with text on the right side. On the left side there is an outline of the back of a person in dark blue with a line across their shoulder width. The text on the right says “Shoulder Measurement” in bold white text. Underneath that it says ” *[asterisk] Point - To - Point” in bold blue text.

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ID in progress.]