Woman Concept

Sheet 01
Proportion

Body Shape Calculator

Four measurements, taken the way a dressmaker takes them. The draft returns one of eight proportion classes, the arithmetic behind it, and what each class means when you are choosing a garment.

Measurement block Example
in
Around the fullest part, tape level at the back.
in
The narrowest point — bend sideways and the crease finds it.
in
The fullest point, usually 7–9 in below the waist.
in
Across the upper hip bone, about 3 in below the waist. This is the only measurement that separates a spoon from a bottom hourglass.

Drafted result —
Dress form drawn to the entered proportions

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The eight classes

Class 01
Hourglass
Balanced · defined waist
Class 02
Top Hourglass
Bust-dominant · defined waist
Class 03
Bottom Hourglass
Hip-dominant · defined waist
Class 04
Spoon
High-hip shelf · defined waist
Class 05 · Triangle
Pear
Hip-dominant · gentle taper
Class 06
Inverted Triangle
Shoulder- and bust-dominant
Class 07
Rectangle
Straight · balanced
Class 08 · Oval
Apple
Waist-dominant

How to take the four measurements

Accuracy matters more than you would think, because several classes are separated by a threshold of a few inches. Use a soft tape, keep it level all the way round, and measure over underwear rather than clothing.

  • Bust — around the fullest part, with the tape level across the back.
  • Waist — the narrowest point. Bend sideways and the crease finds it.
  • Hip — the fullest point, usually 7–9 in below the waist.
  • High hip — across the upper hip bone, roughly 3 in below the waist. This one is optional, and it is the only measurement that distinguishes a spoon from a bottom hourglass.

What the system actually measures

Classification follows the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT for Apparel, North Carolina State University), the system most ready-to-wear sizing research is built on. It compares your four measurements against each other rather than against a standard, which is why two people at the same dress size routinely draft to different classes.

Thresholds are evaluated in inches. Centimeter entries are converted first, so the boundaries sit in the same place either way.

Proportion is not a verdict

These classes describe where your measurements sit relative to one another, which is the only thing a garment pattern responds to. A pattern has no opinion about your body; it has a set of curves that either match yours or do not. Knowing which class you draft to tells you which alterations are worth paying for and which garments will fit off the rack.

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