When you order a wearable product from Violet Leather Co., the order isn't considered complete until you send an email with your relevant measurements to VioletLeatherCo @ gmail.com. While this can add some extra hassle to the ordering process, I decided to ask for exact measurements instead of providing a traditional size range to choose from in order to make my products as size-inclusive as possible.
While this approach allows me to make products with a more exact fit, I also understand that not everyone knows how to take their measurements accurately, and this may also make the process more intimidating. To help make it a little easier, I made this quick guide to taking your own measurements!
How to take your own measurements
To take your measurements, all you need is a tailor's tape measure. If you don't have one of those, you can use a length of twine or string, or anything else you can wrap around yourself in a similar way (as long as it doesn't stretch), and then measure it against a ruler. You should take your measurements wearing lightweight, fitted (but not compressive) clothing - clothing that won't get in the way of taking measurements or add extra size to your measurements.
When you take your measurement, you want to make sure the tape (or string, twine, etc.) fits snug against you, but doesn't dig into your skin. You should be able to fit one finger underneath the tape, but no more than that. You should also make sure that the tape is level around your body - in most cases, it should run parallel to the floor. It can help to measure yourself in front of a mirror, or have someone help you get the tape placed properly. Where relevant, try not to hold in your breath, suck in your gut, or tense your muscles, as these all may make your measurements inaccurate.
Measurements you might need
Neck: Needed for all collar orders. If you know roughly where on your neck you want to wear the collar, take the measurement there. If not, take the measurement at about the midpoint between where the neck joins your head and your torso.
Chest: Needed for the Bulldog harness. Take the measurement just below the armpits. If you wear a bra, binder, or other chest compression, take the measurement when you're not wearing these unless you expect to wear the harness primarily over that garment.
Bust: Needed for the Anu chest harness. Take the measurement at the widest part of your chest. For those with larger chests, this should be where your chest is the fullest or extends out the most. For those with flat or small chests, this is likely close to your nipples. If you wear a bra, binder, or other chest compression, take the measurement when you're not wearing these unless you expect to wear the harness primarily over that garment.
Underbust: Needed for the Anu chest harness. This measurement is where the lowest straps on the harness will circle around your torso. For those with larger chests, take this measurement just below the point where your chest no longer extends out much past the rest of your torso. For those with flat or smaller chests, the measurement may not be much different from your bust measurement, but you can take this measurement a little below your nipples, or wherever you plan to wear the lower straps on the harness.
Waist: Needed for both Castina hip harnesses and for belts. In a measurement sense, the waist is considered the narrowest part of your torso. The Castina harnesses' upper row of straps is meant to sit around this part of your body. For belts though, everyone has their own preferences for where on their body they wear their belts. When you order a belt and the listing asks for your waist measurement, take the measurement wherever you expect to wear the belt most of the time.
Hip: Needed for all hip and strap-on harnesses. If the waist is the narrowest part of the torso, the hip is the broadest part. I find people get confused when their hips aren't measured close to their hip bones - on most people it's a bit lower than that, usually going partly over your butt.
Thigh: Needed for all hip and strap-on harnesses. Take this measurement around one thigh, just below the point where your thigh meets the rest of your body at the crotch. It doesn't matter which thigh you measure, but if there is much of a difference between the two, include both numbers in your order.
Others: Some of our products are made to fit body parts that are less commonly measured for clothing fit. The cock ring, for example, requires a measurement taken at the base of the penis, where the testicles separate from the rest of the body. If you intend to wear the product differently, measure whatever you'll wear it around - just the shaft of the penis instead of the testicles; your wrist if you'd rather wear is as a bracelet. The nipple pasties ask for an areola measurement when you order. I've gotten a lot of feedback from people with larger nipples/areolas that they struggle a lot to find pasties that fit them, so now I ask for a measurement to make sure the pasties fully cover your areolas. For those with roughly circular areolas, just measure from one side to the other. For those whose areolas are more of an oval shape, or any other shape, do your best to take the measurement wherever it will be the farthest across.
I hope that helps clear up some confusion and makes the process a little bit smoother for you! If you're confused about any of this, please reach out with any questions! I want to make sure everyone is thrilled with the way their pieces look and feel on them!