Skirt Sizes and Lengths: Waist, Hip and Waist-to-Hem Charts

Skirt size chart

Ready-to-wear skirts follow women's dress sizes. The waist below is the natural waist, the narrowest part of the torso, and the hip is the fullest part of the seat, usually 7-9 in (18-23 cm) lower.

Brand charts differ by up to 1 in either way. The full range, from 00 to plus sizes, with bust measurements and Italian equivalents, is on the dress size chart.

Which measurement to size by

A skirt only needs to fit where it touches the body. If your waist and hip fall in different sizes, the cut tells you which one wins.

Skirt lengths: waist to hem

Skirt length is measured from the top of the waistband straight down to the hem. The figures below assume a skirt sitting at the natural waist on someone about 5 ft 5 in (165 cm). The hem position is the reliable part; the inches scale with your height.

To adjust for your height: a knee-length skirt changes by about one third of an inch for every inch of height, and a floor-length skirt by about 0.6 in per inch. So a woman of 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) needs roughly a 23-25 in skirt for knee length and 42-45 in for the floor. The simplest method is to stand in the shoes you will wear and measure from your waist to the target spot on your leg.

How to measure for a skirt

1. Waist. Around the narrowest part of your torso, or at the height the waistband will sit. Keep one finger under the tape.
2. Hip. Around the fullest part of the seat, feet together, tape level all the way round. Use a mirror to check the back.
3. Waist-to-hip depth. The vertical distance between the two. Most women measure 7-9 in (18-23 cm); a longer distance means fitted skirts need room lower down, so check the brand's hip position if one is listed.
4. Length. From the waist down the side of the leg to where you want the hem.

Ease: how much room a skirt needs

Ease is the difference between the garment and your body. Without it, a woven skirt cannot be sat in. Use these allowances to read the flat garment measurements that many retailers list.

• Waist: 0.5-1 in (1-2.5 cm) larger than your body, so the waistband does not dig in when you sit.
• Hip, fitted woven skirt: 1.5-2 in (4-5 cm) larger than your hip. Less than that and the skirt rides up and the side seams pull.
• Hip, stretch skirt: zero to 1 in. Knit tube skirts are often cut smaller than the body.
• Walking room: a straight skirt that ends below the knee needs a slit or kick pleat, usually 6-8 in (15-20 cm) deep, to allow a normal stride.

Flat measurements double to circumference: a skirt that measures 19.5 in across the hip flat has a 39 in hip, which suits a body hip of about 37-37.5 in in a woven fabric.

Sewing pattern sizes vs store sizes

The main US pattern companies use body charts that have changed little since the late 1960s, while store sizes have grown larger for the same number. The gap is about three to four sizes, which surprises most people sewing their first skirt.

For a skirt, pick the pattern size by your hip if the style is fitted and by your waist if it is gathered or flared, then blend between sizes at the side seam if needed.

Girls' skirt sizes

Girls' skirts follow children's sizes by age (4-6X, then 7-16), with elastic or adjustable waists so the length decides the size. School uniform skirts are often sold by waist and length instead, for example a 24 in waist with a 15 in length. European children's sizes use height in centimeters, such as 128 for about age 7-8 and 152 for about age 11-12.

Many pregnant women keep wearing stretch skirts below the bump; the maternity clothes size guide covers when that stops working. For pants and shorts sized on the same chart, see the pant size chart; one-piece options with a skirt-like top are in jumpsuit sizes, and stretch underlayers in the leggings size chart.

Frequently asked questions