Picture this: you’re taking some well-deserved time to yourself and gone bush for a weekend to reconnect with nature. You’ve decided to switch your phone off and unplug, but just as you’re about to power it down … ding! It’s your agent. “Hey! I’ve just got word on that job you auditioned for six months ago–they loved you! I’ll need all your measurements before close of business today so the costume department can get to work. Congrats!”
Uh oh. The last time you took your body measurements was three years ago when you signed up to Casting Networks and even then, you only measured your height because what the heck is an “in-seam” measurement and who is going to need to know that?
This anecdote comes from personal experience – I get caught out with needing updated measurements at the exact moment I don’t have access to a tape measure more than I care to admit. So, stop whatever you’re doing and let’s take our measurements together right here, right now so we can enjoy our weekend away without having to race to the nearest op shop and pray they have a tape measure.
Things You’ll Need
- A soft tape measure. You can buy a soft-tape measure from just about any supermarket. A hard tape measure (the kind more at home on a building site) will wrap less easily around you for smaller measurements, but is best for checking y0ur height.
- Scales. Bathroom scales are perfectly adequate. If you lack a personal set, then you can usually find them at your local gym.
- A can-do attitude. Well … you’re reading this article. That’s a good start!
Imperial or Metric?
This question will largely depend on your location, but can change if the job in question is an international project. It’s good to have a record of your measurements in both the Metric and the Imperial system. Thankfully you only have to choose one and then convert it online later.
Final Tip
Record all of these measurements in your notes app so you always have them at hand, then put them into your online profiles. Don’t do what I did and write them down on a bit of paper then lose it. Analog is charming, digital is long-lasting.
All right: let’s get measuring!
Height and Weight
Using the hard tape measure, stand on the metal tongue and run it all the way up to the top of your head. Standing against a wall can help stop the measure from bending.
If you don’t have a hard measuring tape, your soft tape will do, but it might not be long enough. In that case, ask a friend to help mark where it goes to on your torso then move it up again so it reaches the top of your head.
For your weight… I don’t need to tell you how to stand on scales do I? Take your shoes and any heavy clothing off or, if you’re hardcore, take all your clothes off. Just make sure no one’s home when you do.
Weight is less asked for nowadays but it’s good to have in case you’re going for a role that involves horse-riding or bike riding or some such.
Head, Neck and Sleeve
Let’s start at the top and work our way down.
Head
Take the soft tape measure and wrap it around your head, across your temples and above your eyebrow ridge. Keep it firm and note down the number where it crosses back over itself. If you used centimetres, take that number and divide it by 2.54 (the number of centimetres to an inch) to get your hat size in universal terms.
Neck
Wrap the measuring tape around your neck, just below your Adam’s apple.
Sleeve
Run the tape measure from the nape of your neck to the top of your shoulder. Then start from the top of your shoulder and run it down to your wrist. Add these two numbers together to get your sleeve size.
Upper Body
Moving on down…
Chest
Wrap the measuring tape around your body, under your arms and above your breast. Keep it firm and resist the urge to flex your laterals like I do every time.
Bust
Keep the tape measure wrapped around you and move it down so that it is in-line with your nipples.
Underbust
As above, keep the tape wrapped around you and move further down still so that the tape measure is just below your breast.
Waist
Wrap the tape measure around the narrowest point of your torso, this will most likely be near your belly button – either just below or above it.
Hips
Poke around until you find your hip bones and wrap the tape measure around you, keeping them in line with the bone.
Lower Body
Now for your legs and feet.
Inseam
This one is a little complicated. Take a pair of pants that fit you well and fold them in half on a flat surface. Then, fold the top leg up over the waist. Now grab your tape measure and from the crotch seam all the way down to the bottom of the pant leg. That’s your inseam. (Not so complicated, actually.)
Shoe Size
Lastly, your shoe size. This will differ depending on whether you wear men’s or women’s shoes because for some reason, they have different measurements. (I’m not a cobbler, so who am I to question it but for real, why?)
Grab your favourite pair of shoes that fit well and look for a number. Be sure to note the regional sizing because, once again, England, Europe, North America AND Australia all have different sizing for shoes. Most shoes will list all of these measurements; check you’ve found the right number and write down which sizing you have on the casting form.
Sometimes your shoes will also have the width listed, too. If they don’t, just make a guess: how narrow or wide are your feet? Do you find shoes to be tighter or looser around the middle of your foot? That will help you decide if you have a narrow, average or wide shoe width.
Clothing Sizes
For this next step, go to your wardrobe.
T-Shirt
Take out a t-shirt that fits you well and look at the tag for the letters: XS, S, M, L, XL and so on. Bam, you’ve just figured out your T-shirt size.
Pants
Now take out a pair of pants that fit you well without the need for a belt and look at the tag for a number. That’s your pant size.
Cup Size
Now look for a tag on a bra that fits you well and look for the letters indicating cup size. Admittedly, I’m not much of an expert on this one.
Glove Size
Wrap the tape measure around your hand just below the knuckles. ]That’s your glove size.
Conclusion
So there you have it: the definitive low-down on all things body measurements for actors. You’ll want to do your measurements at least once a year because our bodies change, and that’s a fact.
I understand the matter of measuring your body can be difficult for some people, myself included, because it is a very personal thing. However personal it may feel though, remember that it isn’t. Casting directors and directors don’t ask for body sizes so they can get an idea of your proportions and what you look like—that’s what full body photos are for. These sizes are there to help the costume department put together a good fit for you when you land a role.
It’s about making you look good and feel good when you do your acting thing. It’s what you deserve.
Hope this helps. See you around the traps!