How to measure
Your suit is cut from your numbers, not a size chart. After you order, your account guides you through measuring one number at a time, with a picture for each. Here's what to expect, so you can get ready.
Measuring happens in your account, after you order.
There's nothing to type in on this page. Prefer someone local to help you? Where available, a partner tailor near you takes every measurement instead. It's included in your suit price.
Before you pick up the tape
Every measurement starts and ends at a spot you can find again, like the bone at the edge of your shoulder, your belly button or your wrist bone. Never measure to where you'd like a sleeve, jacket or trouser leg to end. You choose lengths and fit separately, and we apply them for you.
Enter exactly what the tape says. Don't add room — we add the right amount for your fit. Keep the tape flat, snug and level, without pulling it tight.
You can take the easy numbers on your own. Shoulders, sleeves, back length and trouser length are much more accurate with someone holding the tape. On your own? We'll ask you to measure a jacket and trousers that fit you well to check those numbers.
Measure twice, then enter the number. Taking each one twice is the easiest way to catch a slipped tape. If a number looks unusual for your size, we'll ask you right there for a second reading: within ½ inch of the first, we use the average; more than 1 inch apart, we'll suggest asking a helper and we take a closer look.
What to expect
First come a few easy questions: your height, approximate weight (only used to estimate your sizes), the sizes you usually buy, seven body-shape pictures, and your fit preferences, like where your trousers should sit. Then you measure. Tap any measurement to see where the tape goes.
Can't take one of the helper numbers on your own? You can skip it, and we confirm it from your photos and any clothes you measured.
We work these out from your answers and your other numbers, and label them “Estimated — we'll confirm it”. We confirm them before your suit is cut, so there's nothing for you to do here. If we'd like one of them measured, we'll ask you and add it to your steps.
Measuring with a partner tailor? They take all 23.
Our suit maker works in inches, so that's what we use. Round to the nearest quarter inch and type it as a decimal or a fraction. Only have a metric tape? Switch to centimeters while you measure and we'll convert for you. If a number looks like it was taken in centimeters, we'll ask before converting it.
| On the tape | Type |
|---|---|
| 15¼″ | 15.25 or 15 1/4 |
| 15½″ | 15.5 or 15 1/2 |
| 15¾″ | 15.75 or 15 3/4 |
Optional, and recommended on your own
Have a suit jacket or trousers that fit you well? A few numbers from them help protect the parts of a suit that can't be altered later, like the shoulders, sleeves and rise. We compare them with your body numbers.
Lay the piece flat on a table, buttoned, and smooth out any wrinkles. Measure in inches, as described below. Then tell us how it fits: just right, a bit tight or a bit loose. For a jacket, also tell us whether the sleeves are the right length, a bit long or a bit short.
Lay the jacket flat, buttoned. Measure straight across the back from one shoulder seam to the other, where the sleeves are sewn on.
From the shoulder seam, measure along the top of the sleeve to the end of the cuff. Let the sleeve lie flat; don't stretch it.
From the seam where the collar meets the back, measure straight down the middle to the hem.
Buttoned and flat, measure straight across the front, just below the armpits, from side to side. We double it.
From the crotch seam, measure down the inside leg seam to the hem.
From the crotch seam, measure up the front seam (along the zip) to the top of the waistband.
Buttoned and flat, measure straight across the top of the waistband, from side to side. We double it.
Private, and from the neck down
If you're 18 or older, we'll ask for three photos at the end. They let us check your posture and spot a tape that slipped, which numbers alone can't show. At a partner tailor appointment, the tailor takes them with your OK.
Photo 1
Stand straight facing the camera, arms relaxed at your sides, feet hip-width apart.
Photo 2
Turn to your right. Stand naturally — don't straighten up more than usual.
Photo 3
Turn your back to the camera, arms relaxed at your sides.
The picture guide below covers all 23 measurements. Your account only asks for the 13 numbers above, one at a time. The rest are here so you can see where a partner tailor measures, and in case we ask you to measure one of them.
Step 0
Gather these few things first. It takes about 20 minutes with a helper.
Use a bendy cloth or plastic tape measure, the kind used for sewing. A metal tape from the toolbox won't follow your body.
Ask a friend or family member to hold the tape. It's hard to measure your own back, shoulders and arms accurately.
Wear a thin, fitted T-shirt and thin trousers or shorts. Take off belts, jackets and bulky clothes, and empty your pockets.
Tie a piece of string or ribbon snugly around your middle, level with your belly button. Several measurements start from it.
Stand up straight but natural, arms at your sides, looking ahead. Breathe normally. Don't suck in your stomach or puff out your chest.
Take each measurement twice. If the two numbers are more than ½ inch apart, measure a third time.
Enter exactly what the tape says. Don't add room — we add the right amount for your fit.
Record in inches, to the nearest ¼ inch. A decimal or a fraction both work: 15.5 or 15 1/2.
Step by step
Go in order. Jacket measurements come first, then trousers. Each picture shows exactly where the tape goes.
Step 1 of 23 · Jacket
Wrap the tape around the base of your neck, just below the Adam's apple, where a shirt collar sits.
Tip: Look straight ahead. Keep the tape snug, not tight, and don't slip a finger under it: we add collar room for you.
Common mistake: Don't measure higher up your neck or tip your head down.
Expected range: 12″ to 24″. Write it down to the nearest ¼ inch, as a decimal or a fraction (15.5 or 15 1/2).
Get it right the first time
These are the slip-ups we see most often when people measure themselves.
Your jacket waist is your natural waist, level with your belly button. That's usually a few inches higher than where you wear your belt or trousers. Measure it at the waist string, and measure your trouser waist separately.
Your hip (seat) is the fullest part of your backside, so it's almost always the larger of the two. If yours came out smaller, the tape was probably too high or tilted. Stand with your feet together and measure both again.
This one is short: straight down from the waist string to the fullest part of your seat. It's usually 6 to 10 inches. If you wrote something like 30 or 40, that's a length down your leg. Please measure again.
Neck to waist (back) ends at the waist string, level with your belly button. Your belt line and your tailbone are lower and add inches.
The tape should lie flat and snug against your body without pressing in. Don't slip a finger under it or leave a gap. We add the right amount of room for your fit.
For measurements that go around you, keep the tape level all the way around. A helper can check the back, or use a mirror.
Enter exactly what the tape says. The jacket fit and leg shape you chose already decide how much room we add, so extra inches just become extra fabric.
Jeans, belts, phones and wallets can add inches. Measure over a thin, fitted T-shirt and thin trousers or shorts only.
The worksheet is in inches: write it however you like, 15.5 or 15 1/2 — both are accepted when you type your numbers in. If a number looks about two and a half times too big, it was probably measured in centimeters. When you enter your numbers in your account, you can switch to centimeters and we'll convert them.
Print and fill in
Print this page, write down each measurement twice as you go, then type the numbers into your account.
All measurements in inches, to the nearest ¼ inch (write 15.5 for 15½).
Name
Date
Helper
Before you start: soft tape, a helper, thin fitted clothing, string tied at your belly button, stand relaxed, measure each one twice, and write down exactly what the tape says.
| # | Measurement | Where | 1st try | 2nd try |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neck | Wrap the tape around the base of your neck, just below the Adam's apple, where a shirt collar sits. | ||
| 2 | Chest | Measure around the fullest part of your chest, under your arms and across your shoulder blades. Keep the tape level all the way around. | ||
| 3 | Jacket waist | Measure around your body level with your belly button. Keep the tape level all the way around. | ||
| 4 | Upper hip | Measure around your body 4 inches below the waist string. | ||
| 5 | Hip (seat) | Stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your seat. Keep the tape level all the way around. | ||
| 6 | Waist to hip distance | Measure straight down your side from the waist string to the fullest part of your seat. | ||
| 7 | Shoulder width | Find the bony point at the outer edge of each shoulder, where the arm begins. Measure across your back from one bony point to the other, following the curve of your shoulders. | ||
| 8 | Sleeve length | From the bony point at the edge of your shoulder, measure down the outside of your arm, over the elbow, to the wrist bone: the bump on the little-finger side of your wrist. | ||
| 9 | Upper arm (bicep) | Measure around the widest part of your upper arm, about halfway between your shoulder and elbow. | ||
| 10 | Elbow | With your arm slightly bent, measure around the point of your elbow. | ||
| 11 | Wrist | Measure around your wrist just above the wrist bone. | ||
| 12 | Front chest width | Across your chest, measure from the front crease of one armpit to the other. | ||
| 13 | Back width | Across your back, measure from the back crease of one armpit to the other. | ||
| 14 | Neck to waist (front) | From the side of your neck, where a shirt's shoulder seam starts, measure down over your chest to the waist string. | ||
| 15 | Neck to waist (back) | Tie a string around your middle at your belly button. From the neck bone (the bump at the base of the back of your neck), measure straight down your spine to the string. | ||
| 16 | Jacket length | Let your arms hang relaxed. From the neck bone, measure straight down your back, over your seat, to the level of the knuckle in the middle of your thumb. |
| # | Measurement | Where | 1st try | 2nd try |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Trouser waist | Measure around your body where your trousers will sit: at your belly button for high rise, on your hip bones for mid rise, or just below them for low rise. | ||
| 18 | Trouser hip | Measure around the fullest part of your seat while wearing thin trousers, feet together. | ||
| 19 | Crotch (rise) | Start at the front, at your trouser waist height. Take the tape down between your legs and up your back to the same height. | ||
| 20 | Thigh | Measure around the widest part of one thigh, just below the crotch. Keep the tape level. | ||
| 21 | Knee | Measure around the middle of your knee with your leg straight. | ||
| 22 | Ankle (leg opening) | Measure around your ankle, just above the ankle bone. | ||
| 23 | Trouser length | Wearing the shoes you'll wear with the suit, measure straight down the outside of your leg from your trouser waist height to the top of your shoe's heel, where the heel meets the shoe. |
Height (inches)
Weight (lb)
Notes (posture, sloping shoulders, how you like your fit)
Questions
In your account, after you order. Open your order and choose how you'd like to be measured. The steps walk you through everything, one screen at a time, and your progress saves as you go.
Don't worry. You can change your numbers as many times as you like until you finalize. If a number looks very different from what we'd expect for your size, we'll ask you to measure it again right away.
After you finalize, we check your measurements before we cut. If something needs another look, we'll tell you exactly which number to re-measure and how.
For measuring, thin, close-fitting clothes. Take off belts, jackets and sweaters, and empty your pockets. For trouser length, put on the shoes you plan to wear with the suit. For photos, wear a fitted T-shirt and fitted trousers or shorts, never shirtless or in underwear.
We recommend one. You can take your neck, chest, waist, seat, upper arm and thigh on your own, but shoulders, sleeves, back length and trouser length are much more accurate with a second person holding the tape. If you're on your own, we'll ask you to measure a jacket and trousers that fit you well. Or, where available, a partner tailor near you can measure you instead.
Inches, to the nearest quarter inch. Type it as a decimal or a fraction — 15.5 and 15 1/2 both work. If you only have a metric tape, switch to centimeters while you measure and we'll convert for you.
They sit in different places. The jacket waist goes around you level with your belly button. The trouser waist goes where your trousers will sit, which you choose first: high (at your belly button), mid (on your hip bones) or low (below your hip bones). Mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes.
Only to estimate your sizes, so we can spot a number that looks off and fill in the measurements you don't take. We don't use it for anything else.
Measure your body first. If you also have a jacket or trousers that fit you well, measuring them gives our fit team a helpful check on shoulders, sleeves, rise and lengths, the parts that are hardest to alter later.
About 20 minutes with a helper, or about 25 minutes on your own. You can stop after any step and come back later.
Only the people on our team who check measurements, our administrators, and a partner tailor for photos they took at your appointment. Photos are never shown to the suit maker or a gift buyer, never sent by email, and deleted automatically 90 days after your suit is delivered, or when any fit case closes, whichever is later — or sooner if you ask. Read the details in our fit photos and body data policy.
Your account guides you through every step after you order and saves as you go. We check your measurements before your suit is cut.