A retractable rule assembly comprises a housing, a reel, an elongated blade, a hook, a coil spring, and a blade advancer. The reel is rotatably mounted in the housing. The elongated blade is wound on the reel and is constructed and arranged to extend outwardly through an opening in the housing. The hook is positioned on a distal end of the blade. The coil spring is configured to rotate the reel in the housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of the housing. The blade advancer is constructed and arranged to be manually engaged and moved relative to the housing and into contact with the blade and/or the reel. The blade advancer is movable against a bias of the coil spring to advance the blade in a direction that extends the blade outwardly from the housing.

A tape measure includes a housing with first and second housing portions; a reel configured to be secured between the first and second housing portions, the reel containing a tape blade wound thereon and partially extending therefrom terminating in a hook portion; and an integral component coupled to the first and second housing portions, including an aperture defining a finger brake, the finger brake exposing the tape blade for engagement by a user. The tape blade is biased to retract into the housing, winding around the reel, such that in a fully retracted position the hook portion abuts the portion of the mouth of the tape measure. In an extended position the tape blade is unwound from the reel such that the hook extends away from the integral component. An integral component including an aperture defining a tape measure mouth and a light emitter receiving slot is also disclosed.