BWH is an abbreviation of bust, waist, and hip measurement. Also informally called vital statistics, these measurements are a common method of specifying body proportions for the purpose of fitting clothes. It is also often used in women's personal ads or Internet profiles to indicate their appearance. In human body measurement, the three sizes are the circumferences of bust, waist and hips; usually rendered as three sizes: xx-yy-zz in inches (though centimeters can be used). The three sizes are used mostly in fashion, and almost exclusively in reference to women.[1]
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Breast volume will have an effect on the perception of a woman's figure even when BWH measurements are nominally the same. Brassiere band size is measured below the breasts, not at the bust. A woman with measurements of 36A-25-38 will have a different presentation than a woman with measurements of 34C-25-38. These women have ribcage circumferences differing by 2 inches, but when breast tissue is included the measurements are the same. The result is that the latter woman will appear "bustier" than the former due to the apparent difference in bust to hip ratios (narrower shoulders, more prominent breasts) even though they are both technically 37-25-38.
Height will also affect the presentation of the figure. A woman who is 36-24-36 at 5'2" tall looks different from a woman who is 36-24-36 at 5'8" tall. Since the latter woman's figure has greater distance between measuring points, she will likely appear thinner than her former counterpart, again, even though they share the same "measurements."
Many store mannequins which were traditionally tall and thin in proportion, are being replaced with more shapely models, with biologically appealing BWH ratios.[2]