Body measurements: does this make sense? - YouLookFab Forum

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Body measurements: does this make sense?

catgirl

Veteran

Okay, my interest in this issue was revived by Vix's link on Anne's short legged thread. I could not for the life of me figure out exactly how to measure myself according to Imogen's string video. So instead, I figured that she is saying women are about 7.75 x head length. So I divided my height (61") by 7.75 and came up with 7.8. Using that on a measuring tape as my ideal measurement for the 8 segments of my body (head, chin to bust, bust to waist, waist to leg break, leg break to mid knee in two parts, mid-knee to floor in two parts), I am proportionate except that I am short-waisted, in that my so-called waist sits higher than it should. And my legs are a wee bit long but not much.

Does that make sense or am I missing something? Could I be proportionate height-wise?

Body Type

22 replies

Latest reply was from Yolande

anne

Veteran

That makes sense (though I am having trouble understanding exactly where the breaks are too). And you can be proportionate - I think Angie is, for example!

Aziraphale

Veteran

I answered your question in some depth over on Vix's thread, but yes, the more mathematical approach would work too!

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, I think this may actually be a *better* way to do it, Una. I don't remember my measurements exactly, but I have a giant head. I think I am like only about 7 head lengths. This makes everything else on me except for legs appear short when measured against my head. If using your method, you are comparing everything including your head to the "platonic ideal" length so it's not biased by having a large or small head.

FWIW, I found the easiest way to do the original Imogen method was to use a full length photo and draw lines on it (I used photoshop but you could also just print it out and use a pen).

Kiwichik

Veteran

Ok I started to look at this and even got as far as measuring my head length and then the fact that I had to do a mathematical calculation totally killed my interest - maybe I'll get my son to work it out he's good at maths.

catgirl

Veteran

I actually woke up in the middle of the night recalculating this. My new thought is that according to the ideal, a 5'4" woman would be 8" x 8 length units. Using Diana's idea, you woudl adapt this to your own proportions as follows:

height in inches divided by actual head measurement in inches = actual # of units and ideal unti length for you

But I'm still not sure this works the way it is supposed to... Where are our math experts?!

rae

(website)

Veteran

Ooh, I'm with Diana in thinking that dividing your height by 8 works *better* than using head measurement. I will have to go home and try it your way!

I had the same problem with my giant head throwing off all my body proportions - at one point I tried using my visible face instead, since I know I use my bangs to make my head appear smaller.
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....r-big-head

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Ok I haven't done life drawing in close to 15 years. But the I think the standard was 8:1, however in fashion illustration they use like 11:1.

catgirl

Veteran

Rae, that makes sense as it would give you your "ideal" unit measurement for your body height, if you're using 8 units.

I always thought I was short-legged, but it turns out I'm just *short*.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Hey, me too! I'm short in the upper leg, but long in the shins, so it balances out.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I can't wait to get home and try this with my fabric tape measure. Too difficult to do it here. My big head threw everything off, I suspect. I would like to get a more accurate measure.

Rae, I'm the opposite of you, with my short calves. Ugh.

Anonymous

Body proportions are really interesting. In mammals that are cold-adapted, you tend to see shortening of the distal extremities, like the forearms and shins. Human populations that are heat adapted tend to have long extremities to facilitate heat transfer (think Masai) and cold adapted populations tend to be shorter and mass more in the torso for heat conservation (think Inuit as an example).

We have invented this great thing called culture and that has given us technology like houses and clothing and the like, but it is so cool that our past habitats and existence in some ways are still encoded in our bodies.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Ceit, that is so interesting! Half of my heritage is Pacific Islander, but clearly those people must have originated somewhere colder, since Hawaiians aren't exactly known for being long-limbed.

Diana

Veteran

Ceit, that's fascinating! Evolution is so cool!

I suspect also that head size has absolutely no correlation to height anyway. I think it's been shown (and maybe Imogen mentions this) that the 8 head lengths thing is more suited for men, who are on average taller, than women. Therefore it would make more sense to use una's method and leave off the head altogether!

I also remember a sort of related article (can't find it right now, as am on bus with my iPad) discussing thigh to shin ratio (as an explanation of ideal skirt lengths) where the author said that more women (not sure if this meant American only, or worldwide) have longer thighs/femurs, yet fashion models and fashion illustrations show a longer shin bias.

Anonymous

Diana, that is true -- it's one of the formulae we use when sexing skeletons. So yes, not only are we the product of our past environment, but also our sex, access to food, etc.

I was always fascinated with this stuff so it was a natural for me to end up a bioarchaeologist!

Kiwichik

Veteran

So I have just reread this and my mathematical ability can cope with dividing my height by 8 and surprise, suprise my body measurements conform with what you'd expect from a pear. Long waist & short legs although weirdly my knee to floor measurement is extra long but I have short thighs.

Meredith1953

Veteran

I was reading an article on measuring proportions that is similar to Imogens but with another variable. If you measure the length of your head (vertically) from the top of your forehead where the hairline is, down to your chin and then take that measurement and double it, the result is what the ideal measurement of your shoulder to shoulder measurement should be (measuring from your shoulder socket across to the other one). I measured my head length and it was 8" and then measure shoulder to shoulder (just the front NOT all the way around) and I came up with 16". My shoulders look little to me because they slope but it was interesting to know that they are not in fact small.

ManidipaM

Veteran

Ooh, I love this discussion!

Una, I too thought I must be short-legged, because I sit quite distinctly taller than my mother, who is half an inch taller when standing! But apparently I am only longer in the abdomen! My legs are actually overall the right length, though like Suz, I have short shins and longer thighs.

Although, this was with Imogen's method. So I need to try Una's to determine whether I have a big head!

Ceit, that is such an interesting bunch of stats! Because I recall the article Meredith's talking about too, just not well enough to find it :-/ However, one of the things it mentioned was that your arm span is supposed to be the same as your height. Now, I've always thought I had stubby arms and legs (I just feel stumpy; see above) --- but on measuring, it turns out my arm span is *longer* than my height be a few inches! My arms *are* proportionately long for my torse, And sure, I'm as tropical as they come!

Oh, I can't wait to try this at home (travelling just now, home only tomorrow)! Thanks, Una!

Kiwichik

Veteran

Just re-read what Ceit said about tropical vs cold climates. Clearly I take after my cold climate Irish father rather than my warm climate Polynesian/Maori mother who has extra long arms and legs.

Patty

Veteran

A few artist references to add --in a perfect world:
-Hand spam--bottom of palm to tip of middle finger is length of face from chin to hair line.
-sideways palm span--thru 4 fingers =chin to bottom nose and also eye brow to hairline.
-length of hand + a half =wrist to elbow
-link middle finger to thumb tip should wrap around your wrist
-2X finger nail = length to first knuckle--and in middle finger--that is where the next two fingers start, pinky starts at first knuckle of 3rd finger (except in me where my pinky starts at the top of the bottom knuckle LOL)
-palm length X2 equals length of hand

Kiwichik

Veteran

Well what a relief my face & hands are in propotion (artistically speaking). Shame about the rest.

jayne

Veteran

Oh I tried this. I just used a string to get my head length and then reused the same length to compare if longer or shorter than string from

chin to boobs
boobs to waist
waist to crotch
crotch to knee (expect 2?)
knee to floor (expect 2)

I was fascinated to find I have a super long chest and normal to waist and long waist to crotch which adds up to alot of length in my back

then short thighs and normal to floor - which explains why my thighs are heavy as the same muscle mass is bunched over a shorter distance.

I did my daughters and one is similar to me.

THe other one must have a dainty head because she was long long long in every measure and thus is like a lovely racehorse. FAscinating topic

Yolande

I think human body is not measurable, not symetrical in any way. each body is different and i think there is no one common-matching formula applicable