National Bureau of
Standards
Body Measurements Tables
The average body measurements for Babies, Children, Misses,Women and Men, given here are based on the National Bureau of Standards. These measurements will help you plan garment sizes and are especially helpful when knitting a gift. Be sure to add ease to make sure that the garment fits comfortably. Use the Sweater Ease Allowance Chart below to determine how much ease to add to achieve the fit you want. The measurements are given in inches with centimeters in parentheses.
Size |
Newborn | Six Months | Twelve Months |
|---|---|---|---|
Chest |
to 18 |
to 20 |
to 22 |
Waist |
18 |
19 |
20 |
Hip |
19 |
20 |
21 |
Back length |
6 1/8 |
6 7/8 |
7 1/2 |
Back width |
7 1/4 |
7 3/4 |
8 1/4 (21) |
One shoulder |
2 |
2 1/4 |
2 1/2 |
Waist to underarm |
3 |
3 3/8 |
3 3/4 |
Wrist to underarm |
6 |
6 1/2 |
7 1/2 |
Armhole depth |
3 1/4 |
3 1/2 |
3 3/4 |
Upper arm circumference |
6 1/2 |
7 |
7 1/4 |
Wrist circumference |
5 |
5 1/8 |
5 1/8 |
Head circumference |
15 |
15 |
16 |
| Size | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 21 (53.5) |
23 (58.5) |
25 (63.5) |
27 (68.5) |
28 1/2 (72.5) |
30 (79) |
| Waist | 20 (51) |
21 (53.5) |
22 (56) |
23 (58.5) |
24 (61) |
25 (63.5) |
| Hip | 22 (56) |
24 (61) |
26 (66) |
28 (71) |
30 (79) |
32 (81.5) |
| Back length | 8 1/2 (21.5) |
9 1/2 (24) |
10 1/2 (26.5) |
12 1/2 (31.5) |
14 (35.5) |
15 (38) |
| Back width | 8 3/4 (22) |
9 1/2 (24) |
10 1/4 (26) |
11 (28) |
11 1/2 (29) |
12 (30.5) |
| One shoulder | 2 3/4 (7) |
3 (7.5) |
3 3/8 (8.5) |
3 5/8 (9) |
3 3/4 (9.5) |
4 (10) |
| Waist to underarm | 4 (10) |
4 (10) |
4 1/2 (11) |
6 1/4 (16) |
7 1/2 (19) |
8 (20.5) |
| Wrist to underarm | 8 1/2 (21.5) |
10 1/2 (26.5) |
11 1/2 (29) |
12 1/2 (31.5) |
13 1/2 (34.5) |
15 (38) |
| Armhole depth | 4 1/4 (11) |
5 1/2 (14) |
6 (15.5) |
6 1/4 (16) |
6 1/2 (16.5) |
7 (17.5) |
| Upper arm circumference | 7 1/2 (19) |
8 (20.5) |
8 1/2 (21.5) |
9 (23) |
9 3/8 (24) |
9 3/4 (24.5) |
| Wrist circumference | 5 1/4 (13.5) |
5 1/2 (14) |
5 1/2 (14) |
5 3/4 (14.5) |
6 (15) |
6 (15) |
| Size | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bust | 30 1/2 (77.5) |
31 1/2 (80) |
32 1/2 (82.5) |
34 (86.5) |
36 (91.5) |
38 (96.5) |
40 (101.5) |
| Waist | 23 (58.5) |
24 (61) |
25 (63.5) |
26 1/2 (67) |
28 (61) |
30 (76) |
32 (81.5) |
| Hip | 32 (82.5) |
33 1/2 (85) |
34 1/2 (87.5) |
36 (91.5) |
38 (96.5) |
40 (101.5)) |
42 (106.5) |
| Back length | 15 1/2 (39.5) |
15 3/4 (40) |
16 (40.5) |
16 1/4 (41) |
16 1/2 (42) |
16 3/4 (42.5) |
17 (43) |
| Back width | 13 1/2 (34) |
13 1/2 (34) |
14 (35.5) |
14 1/2 (37) |
15 (38) |
15 1/2 (39.5) |
16 (40.5) |
| One shoulder | 4 3/4 (12) |
4 3/4 (12) |
5 (12.5) |
5 (12.5) |
5 (12.5) |
5 1/4 (13.5) |
5 1/4 (13.5) |
| Waist to underarm | 8 1/2 (21.5) |
8 3/4 (22) |
8 3/4 (22) |
8 3/4 (22) |
8 3/4 (22) |
8 3/4 (22) |
9 (23) |
| Wrist to underarm | 16 3/4 (42.5) |
16 3/4 (42.5) |
17 (43) |
17 1/2 (44.5) |
17 3/4 (45) |
18 (45.5) |
18 1/4 (46.5) |
| Armhole depth | 7 (18) |
7 (18) |
7 1/2 (19) |
7 1/2 (19) |
7 1/2 (19) |
8 (20.5) |
8 (20.5) |
| Upper arm circumference | 9 3/4 (24.5) |
9 3/4 (24.5 ) |
10 1/4 (26) |
10 1/2 (26.5) |
11 (28) |
11 1/5 (29) |
1230.5 (28) |
| Wrist circumference | 6 (15) |
6 (15) |
6 1/4 (16) |
6 1/4 (16) |
6 1/2 (16.5) |
6 1/2 (16.5) |
6 1/2 (16.5) |
| Size | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bust | 42 (106.5) |
44 (112) |
46 (117) |
48 (122) |
50 (127) |
52 (132) |
54 (137) |
| Waist | 35 (89) |
37 (94) |
39 (99) |
41 1/2 (105.5) |
44 (112) |
46 1/2 (118) |
49 (124.5) |
| Hip | 44 (112) |
46 (117) |
48 (122) |
50 (127) |
52 (132) |
54 (137) |
56 (142) |
| Back length | 17 1/2 (44) |
17 3/8 (44) |
17 1/2 (44.5) |
17 5/8 (44.5) |
17 3/4 (45) |
17 7/8 (45.5) |
18 (45.5) |
| Back width | 16 1/2 (42) |
17 (43) |
17 1/2 (44) |
18 (45.5) |
18 (45.5) |
18 1/2 (47) |
18 1/2 (47) |
| One shoulder | 5 1/2 (14) |
5 1/2 (14) |
5 3/4 (14.5) |
5 3/4 (14.5) |
6 (15.5) |
6 1/4 (16) |
6 1/4 (16) |
| Waist to underarm | 9 (23) |
9 (23) |
9 1/4 (23.5) |
9 1/4 (23.5) |
9 3/8 (24) |
9 1/2 (24) |
9 3/4 (24.5) |
| Wrist to underarm | 18 1/4 (46) |
18 1/4 (46) |
18 1/4 (46) |
18 1/4 (46) |
18 1/4 (46) |
18 1/4 (46) |
18 1/4 (46) |
| Armhole depth | 8 1/4 (21) |
8 1/4 (21) |
8 1/4 (21) |
8 1/2 (21.5) |
8 1/2 (21.5) |
8 3/4 (22) |
8 3/4 (22) |
| Upper arm circumference | 13 (33) |
13 1/2 (34.5) |
14 (35.5) |
15 (38) |
15 3/4 (40) |
16 1/2 (42) |
17 (43) |
| Wrist circumference | 6 1/4 (17) |
7 (17.5) |
7 1/4 (18.5) |
7 1/2 (19) |
7 3/4 (19.5) |
8 (20.5) |
8 (20.5) |
| Size | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 34 (86.5) |
36 (91.5) |
38 (96.5) |
40 (102) |
42 (107) |
44 (112) |
46 (117) |
48 (122) |
| Waist | 28 (71) |
30 (76) |
32 (81) |
34 (86.5) |
36 (91.5) |
39 (99) |
42 (107) |
44 (112) |
| Hip | 35 (89) |
37 (94) |
39 (99) |
41 (104) |
43(109) | 45 (114) |
47 (119.5) |
49 (124.5) |
| Back length | 22 (56) |
23 (58.5) |
24 (61) |
25 (63.5) |
26 (66) |
26 1/2 (67.5) |
27 1/2 (70) |
28 1/2 (72.5) |
| Back width | 15 1/2 (39.5) |
16 (40.5) |
16 1/4 (42) |
17 (43) |
17 1/2 (44.5) |
18 (45.5) |
18 1/2 (47) |
19 (48) |
| One shoulder | 5 (12.5) |
5 1/4 (13) |
5 1/2 (14) |
5 1/2 (14) |
5 1/2 (14) |
6 (15) |
6 (15) |
6 (15) |
| Wrist to underarm | 17 1/2 (44.5) |
18 (46) |
18 1/2 (47) |
19 (48) |
19 1/2 (49.5) |
20 (51) |
20 (51) |
20 1/2 (52) |
| Waist to underarm | 14 (35) |
14 1/2 (37) |
15 (38) |
15 1/2 (39) |
16 (40.5) |
16 (40.5) |
16 1/2 (42) |
17 (43) |
| Armhole depth | 8 (20) |
8 1/2 (21.5) |
9 (23) |
9 1/2 (24) |
10 (25.5) |
10 1/2 (26.5) |
11 (28) |
11 1/2 (29) |
| Upper arm circumference | 13 (33) |
13 1/2 (34.5) |
14 (35.5) |
14 1/2 (37) |
15 1/2 (39.5) |
16 (40.5) |
16 1/2 (42) |
17 (43) |
| Wrist circumference | 6 1/4 (16) |
6 1/2 (16.5) |
6 3/4 (17) |
7 (18) |
7 1/4 (18.5) |
7 1/2 (19) |
7 3/4 (19.5) |
8 (20.5) |
| Size | Finished Bust/Chest Measurement | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bust /chest | Body Hugging minus 5-10% |
Close fitting plus 0-5% |
Normal fitting plus 7-10% |
Loose fitting plus 12-15% |
Oversized plus 16-20% |
| 31-33 (79-84) |
30 (76) |
32 (81) |
34 (86.5) |
36 (91.5) |
more than 36 (91.5) |
| 33-35 (84-89) |
32 (81) |
34 (86.5) |
36 (91.5) |
38 (96.5) |
more than 38 (96.5) |
| 35-37 (89-94) |
34 (86.5) |
36 (91.5) |
38 (96.5) |
40 (101.5) |
more than 40 (101.5) |
| 37-39 (94-99) |
36 (91.5) |
38 (96.5) |
40 (101.5) |
42 (106.5) |
more than 42 (106.5) |
| 39-41 (99-104) |
38 (96.5) |
40 (101.5) |
42 (106.5) |
44 (112) |
more than 44 (112) |
| 41-43 (104-109) |
40 (101.5) |
42 (106.5) |
44 (112) |
46 (117) |
more than 46 (117) |