where do i measure my waist

You measure your waist at your natural waistline: roughly midway between your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone, usually around or just above the level of your belly button.

Quick Scoop: Where to Measure Your Waist

• Stand up straight with your feet about hip‑width apart.

• Find your lowest rib and the top of your hip bone on one side; the right spot is the midpoint between those two.

• This point will usually line up with, or sit slightly above, your belly button and is often the narrowest part of your torso.

• Wrap a soft measuring tape around that point, keeping it level all the way around and snug but not digging into your skin.

• Breathe out normally (don’t suck in your stomach) and read the number right after you exhale.

Think of it as measuring the “true middle” of your midsection, not just wherever your jeans sit.

Extra tips

• Measure over bare skin or very thin clothing so fabric doesn’t add extra centimeters/inches.

• Don’t use your belly button alone as a reference; navels can sit higher or lower on different people, so use the rib–hip midpoint first.

• If you’re doing it for clothing, most brands call this the “natural waist” for size charts.

TL;DR: Use a flexible tape around the midpoint between your lowest rib and hip bone, keep it level and snug, and read it after a normal exhale.