How to Measure Your Waist for a Jacket

To measure your waist for a jacket, wrap a soft tape around your waist at the point your size chart names. Keep it level and snug without pressing in, and read it while you stand relaxed and breathe normally. The usual target is the natural waist between your lower ribs and the top of your hip bones, but charts do not all use the same point, so check yours first.

This page is part of our jacket fit and size guide.

Key takeaways- Jackets are sized by chest; waist is the second number that confirms the row.- "Waist" means different points on different charts, and even Leather Collection's own pages give three.- Snug, level, relaxed belly, normal breath.- If your belly measures more than your chest, size for the belly.

Why the waist matters for a jacket

Men's jackets are labelled by chest girth, with waist and height as secondary measurements. Size charts list a waist for each size, so your waist tells you whether the row your chest points to will close comfortably.

It matters most if your waist is close to or bigger than your chest. In that case, size for the belly rather than the chest. For made-to-measure, the waist is one of the measurements the jacket is cut to.

Which waist? The points charts use

There is no single waist. This table shows the points you will meet, and who uses them.

Even the store pages we link to disagree with each other. Leather Collection's size chart says about 2 in (5 cm) below the navel, the how-to-measure page says natural waist, and the made-to-measure page says the top of the hip bones. If you order there, ask which point they want, or send two numbers and say where you took each.

What you need

• A soft cloth or plastic tape measure
• A second person to hold and read the tape
• A piece of string, if you want to mark the waist line before measuring
• A pen and paper to write the numbers down

On clothing, the store's pages also disagree. The made-to-measure page says measure on bare skin, not over clothes, while the biker jacket page says wear a thin shirt. Either way, never measure over a sweater or a belt.

How to measure your waist, step by step

Step 1: Stand relaxed

Stand tall with your feet together and your muscles relaxed. Look straight ahead rather than down at the tape, and let your helper move around you.

Step 2: Find your landmarks

Press your fingers into your side to find the top of your hip bone, then feel upward for your lowest rib. The natural waist is the band between the two. Leather Collection's made-to-measure guide suggests tying a level string at the top of the hip bones to mark the line.

Step 3: Wrap the tape level

Put the tape around your body at the point your chart names. Check in a mirror or have your helper check that it sits level all the way round, like the string line.

Step 4: Breathe out normally and read the tape

Breathe normally with a relaxed belly; do not pull your stomach in. The tape should fit snugly without pressing into the skin. You should only just feel it.

Step 5: Write it down and check it

Write the number down straight away, along with which waist point you used. If a number looks odd next to your other measurements, take it again.

Measure a jacket's waist flat

If you own a jacket that fits well, its waist is a useful cross-check. Lay it flat and closed, find the narrowest part of the waist, measure straight across from side to side, and multiply by 2. On a two-button jacket that is usually at the top button, on a three-button at the middle one.

Measure the chest the same way: straight across from under one armpit to the other, doubled. If you are unsure of a reading, round up to the nearest 1/4 in.

Compare these flat numbers only with a garment chart. A body chart, like Leather Collection's, lists your body measurements, so a jacket's own measurements will read larger.

Bomber jackets: the waist is the hem band

On a bomber, the waist fit is set by the ribbed hem. It should sit snug at your waist without being stretched tight. A visible dent means it is too tight, and a gap means it is too loose.

Where that hem lands is disputed, from the waistband to the hip. So take the waist at the point your chart names, then check the hem in person. If you carry weight at the front, our guide to bomber fit for men with a belly covers what to adjust.

Turn your waist into a jacket size

Find your chest row first, then check the waist on that row. This is the waist column from Leather Collection's men's chart (body measurements):

The women's chart runs from a 22.8 in waist at US 6 to 33.9 in at US 20 (58-86 cm). All rows, with sleeve and height, are in our motorcycle jacket size chart.

If your chest and waist land in different rows, one size calculator advises taking the larger size. When the gap is wide, made-to-measure removes the trade-off. Leather Collection custom leather jackets are cut to your sleeves, waist, length and chest, or come in standard sizes US 32-50.

Common waist measuring mistakes

For chest, sleeve, shoulders and length, follow how to measure for a jacket size.

FAQ

How do I measure my pit to pit?

Lay the jacket flat and closed, then measure straight across from under one armpit to under the other. Double it for the jacket's chest circumference.

How do I measure for a women's jacket size?

Take the waist the same way, and add two chest numbers: chest under the bust, and bust at the fullest part. Leather Collection's women's chart lists all three for each size.