Step-by-step, complete instructions on measuring an actor for costumes. Includes downloadable form.

BEFORE YOU START...

• HAVE ONE RESPONSIBLE ADULT TAKE ALL MEASUREMENTS SO THERE IS CONSISTENCY
  • Do not let the actors measure themselves or each other, or guess!
• FILL OUT ALL INFORMATION ASKED FOR
  • We need all the information asked for to give our costume professionals the best possible picture of the size & shape of each person
• IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT HOW TO TAKE A PARTICULAR MEASUREMENT, CALL US
  • It’s much better to ask - this is the only information we have with which to make your show fit!
• DO NOT USE GARMENT SIZES INSTEAD OF MEASUREMENTS - they are never the same!
• PLEASE WRITE LEGIBLY IN INK: PENCIL WILL NOT FAX
• USE THE NOTES SECTION
  • Especially for information about a person that will explain over or undersized parts - eg: #4 lifts weights; # 8 is a swimmer, #5 has scoliosis, #2 wears a back brace and was measured with it on
• IF YOUR MALE ACTOR IS DRESSING AS A FEMALE
  • Or vice versa, measure the actor in the undergarments he or she will be wearing as the character, and put the measurements on the form that reflects the sex of the character. Also alert us to this in the notes section
• HAVE YOUR ACTORS WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT, WELL FITTING CLOTHING TO BE MEASURED IN
  • Have them take off bulky sweatshirts, and empty their pockets of bulky wallets & cell phone

Taking the Measurement

• STAND FACING THE ACTOR
  • Ask them their name, the character they’re playing, and their HEIGHT, WEIGHT, and AGE
• CHEST (male) BUST (female)
  • Reach around the upper torso with the tape measure and measure around the biggest part under the arms
• UNDER BUST
  • Female lower the tape to just under the bust
• WAIST
  • Lower the tape to the person’s natural waist. About midway between bottom rib and top of hip bone. It used to be the slimmest part of the torso.. If belly is larger than waist give both
• HIP
  • Lower the tape again to 7-9” below the natural waist, or around the largest part
• INSEAM - male
  • Ask the actor (male) to stand with feet about a foot apart, place the tape end at the comfortable top of the inside of one leg & measure to floor
• GIRTH - female
  • Ask the actor to stand with feet about a foot apart, place beginning of tape at the top of one shoulder midway between neck & upper arm, run tape down back to between legs & back up to starting point in front
• WAIST/KNEE
  • Place the tape to the side of the natural waist & measure down to the center of the knee
• WAIST/FLOOR
  • Continue measuring to the floor HAVE THE ACTOR TURN BACK TO YOU
• NECK/WAIST
  • Find the bony bump at the base of the neck - measure from there to the natural waist
• NECK/FLOOR
  • Continue to the floor
• SH-SH BACK (stands for shoulder to shoulder)
  • Place the tape at the edge of one shoulder, measure across back at base of neck to the edge of the other shoulder
• ACROSS BACK
  • Place the tape just above one underarm crease on one side, measure across the shoulder blades to the same spot above the other underarm - this is on a plane that is 7-9” below the base of the neck
• NECK
  • Measure just above base of neck
• SLEEVE
  • Ask actor to raise right upper arm away from body about 10” with elbow slightly bent. Start tape at bump at center of back neck, measure over shoulder, around elbow, and up to bump at outside of wrist
• BICEP
  • Measure around widest part of upper arm
• THIGH
  • Measure around widest part of thigh
• CALF
  • Male measure around widest part of lower leg
• HEAD
  • Measure around head above ears where a hat will sit If the actor is going to be wearing a wig, either measure head with wig on, or tell us it is head measurement without wig so we may adjust accordingly

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CALL AND ASK US!