So, one of the things I buy by the dozen are tape measures. Seriously. I have them in every bag, in every coat pocket, in every room of the house … not because I'm an undercover agent for the BIPM, but because I'm a huge proponent of the "measure twice, cut once" school of EVERYTHING. (Although you're supposed to do the "measuring twice" with the SAME tape measure, occasionally I switch it up a bit.)
I am also a proponent of the "measure it once standing in the aisle at the store and then you don't have to try it on!" school of shopping. With a convenient, pocket-sized tape measure, I can avoid struggling into things that fit at the waist but laugh at my hips, or that absolutely, positively, will be too long shoulder-to-waist. So I carry one all the time.
And now, thanks to the wonders of promotional merchandise, you can too! If you click on that image of the tape measure above, you can buy a handy Dress A Day branded tape measure, for only US$5 (including shipping, yep, even internationally! Illinois residents will be charged 6.5% sales tax). This offer good only on planet Earth.
Because I still haven't done anything about the t-shirts, this will be your only chance for a little while to have Official Dress a Day Merchandise. And I only ordered 300 of these, so grab 'em while they're hot!
A Dress A Day 
It had never occurred to me to measure the clothes at the store before trying them on. That’s so obvious it’s brilliant. I’ve been dreading having to find a new pair of jeans, but I’ll try your tape measure trick and hopefully I won’t want to hang myself with a pair of Levi’s by the end of the day.
LikeLike
Ordered!I’m assuming these are the standard 60″ tape measures. If you do this again, could you think about getting the 120″ tape measure that are marketed as “quilting” tape measures? I don’t know if they make them in the same style though.For some of us 60″ isn’t long enough to go around parts of our bodies! 😦
LikeLike
Thank you! Yes, they’re 60″ … I’ll see if I can get 120″ next time!
LikeLike
I though I was the only one that carried a tape measure around with them. People think I’m weird. You neve know if you see something you want to coppy and you need to measure it.
LikeLike
That is brillant! I can’t wait to get mine.
LikeLike
I love the idea of not having to try something on! Can’t wait for mine to arrive.
LikeLike
I too am in the ‘measure up’ camp, and ordered one of yours to add to my stash. Any chance you or someone knows where I can find a tape measure with inches on EACH side? Mine is worn around my neck sometimes all day, and I would love to be able to have ‘0’ at whichever end I grab.
LikeLike
i have a random question. yesterday while at the beach and around I saw three different women in a mini dress that looked like a muu muu cut off at the thigh. What i was not expecting was the cuteness of this dress! and while I don’t wear minis I thought it might not be a bad maternity top…. I’ve tried to find a pattern off and on today with no luck. Everybody has suddenly gone to Fall. *sigh* Anyone know where I can find it off the top of their head?
LikeLike
Ohhh I can’t wait till mine comes!! I keep one in my purse at all times(unless it gets left with my knitting). Now I can have one in both places. This works better for me than a t-shirt too.
LikeLike
Kristen, are you looking for something like this? That would probably work as a maternity top if one were so inclined, and it has sleeves, even!Speaking of which, you all should know that Hobby Lobby has Simplicity patterns on sale for 99 cents this week. Less money spent on patterns = more cash for DressADay measuring tapes.
LikeLike
Erin, are these in imperial and metric? I sew in imperial a lot because of the vintage thing, but we are metric in Australia…
LikeLike
I so just ordered one, because I do not doubt their awesomeness. But what, exactly, makes a Dress A Day Tape Measure a DAD one, and not another kind?Sorry- I have never had a logoed tape measure before. Mine are bog-standard yellow or white!
LikeLike
Hey Erin, perfect timing! I’ve been needing a new tape measure. I even used a metal carpenter’s tape measure the other day I was so desperate. Ouch! Those things are murder on the neck! ;->Looking forward to getting the DAD tape measure.
LikeLike
I *try* to have tape measures everywhere but they all vanish. I’ll give this one a month before it’s gone to wherever all the others live.
LikeLike
I’ve carried a tape measure in my purse for years and the last one was confiscated when I showed up for jury duty. Apparantly, a prisoner could hang themselves with it. I argued that it was just a tape measure and I wasn’t assisting in any suicide, just a seamstress with tools. Yes, multiple measures are required!
LikeLike
oh dear, even though I love measuring things, I can’t really imagine measuring clothes rather than trying them on. My waist and the dress’s waist may be in different places and there’s only one way to be sure!Meanwhile, I felt I should correct a typo: it’s the BIPM, not the BPIM. The latter acronym works for several investment managing groups, but not for “poids et mesures.”
LikeLike
moggy, these are both imperial and metric, or, as we say here, “regular” and metric. Anonymous 1:42Thanks for the fix on BPIM, I’ll edit! And I don’t buy things JUST after measuring them (that is, without trying them on) I use the measuring to triage what IS worth trying on. Which I hope makes sense.
LikeLike
My tape measure came last week. 1. Love the look of it 2. Enormously handy thing to have around!
LikeLike