simple guide: how to measure yourself

When you buy clothes online without trying them on, it is very important to know your measurements. The easiest way to find out what will fit you is to measure your own clothes which has a perfect fit on you.

The only tool you need is an inexpensive seamstress tape measure made of vinyl or fabric. Please do NOT use inflexible tools such as metal retractable tape measure. If all you have is a ruler, don’t lay it directly on the garment. It’s hard to get accurate measurements this way. Instead, use a piece of string or ribbon to measure the garment, and then measure that with the ruler.

First of all, find one of your FITTED thin shirt/top (not jacket or blazer), with NO drop style shoulder or a raglan style sleeve.

Start by laying out the garment on a table or (clean) floor.

Shoulders -- Measure across the top in the back of the garment from outer shoulder seam(where connected to the sleeves) to shoulder seam. Shoulder measurement is very important when ordering shirts/jackets/sleeved dresses.


Sleeves/Arm length -- 1) from the outer shoulder seam to the end of the cuff. Or 2) from your shoulder tie to your wrist. But please let your designer know how you measure it (1 or 2) because extra length will be added when actual tailoring at 2).


Girth bicep Length -- The girth length of the biggest part of your upper arm.


Chest --1) measure straight across the back of the garment, from the armpit to armpit. Double this number to get the chest measurement. Or 2) measure it on yourself with bras on.


Waist -- measure it directly on yourself. It is about 1-2 inch above your belly button, normally the smallest point of your upper body.

Lower waist -- About 1-2 inch below your belly button where you normally have your pants/skirt on.

Hips -- measure directly on your body of the largest girth length of the hip.

Girth thigh length -- the girth length of the biggest part of your thigh:


Inseam -- This is the measurement from the crotch straight down to the end of the leg. It can be taken from your fitted long pants.


Outseam/length of pants -- This is the measurement from the waist down the outside of the leg. If the pants have an unusually large waistband, don’t include it in your measurements.


Rise -- The outseam minus the inseam gives you the seat area..


If you need more help please do not hesitate to contact me:) As your private designers it is my pleasure to make you a perfect fit!