Good measurements are the most important part of getting a suit that fits, whether you are choosing a ready-to-wear size or ordering made-to-measure. This guide covers two kinds of measurements:
- Body measurements, taken around your body with a tape measure
- Garment measurements, taken from a jacket, pants, or vest that already fits you well
Our size charts and our made-to-measure order form use the same measurements described on this page, so once you have your numbers, you can use them for either.
Before You Start
- Use a soft measuring tape, not a metal one.
- Measure over lightweight clothing or underwear, not over a sweater or jacket.
- Stand in a relaxed position. Do not hold your breath or pull in your stomach.
- Keep the tape level and snug, but not tight.
- Ask someone to help. Chest measurements are hard to take accurately alone.
- Write every number down in inches, and measure twice.
Part 1: Body Measurements
Body chest. Measure around the fullest part of your chest, with the tape under your arms and across your shoulder blades. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides and outside the tape. Do not include your arms in the measurement.
Body waist. Measure around your natural waistline, where you usually wear your dress pants, keeping the tape level and comfortably snug.
Body hip. Measure around the fullest part of your hips and seat, keeping the tape level.
Height and weight. Note these too. They help us check that your other numbers make sense together.
Use your body chest, waist, and hip to find your ready-to-wear size in our Size Guide.
Part 2: Measuring a Jacket That Fits You
Choose a suit jacket or blazer that fits you well. Button it and lay it flat on a table, smoothing out any wrinkles.
Chest. Measure straight across the jacket from underarm to underarm, then multiply by two.
Waist. Measure straight across the narrowest part of the jacket, then multiply by two.
Shoulder. Turn the jacket over and measure across the back from one shoulder seam to the other. Do not multiply this one.
Upper arm. Measure across the widest part of the sleeve, then multiply by two.
Sleeve length. Measure from the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff.
Jacket length. Measure from the highest shoulder point beside the collar to the bottom hem.
Part 3: Measuring Pants That Fit You
Choose a pair of dress pants that fit you well. Button and zip them, and lay them flat.
Pant waist. Measure straight across the waistband, then multiply by two.
Pant hip. Measure straight across the widest part of the pants, then multiply by two.
Thigh. Measure straight across one leg just below the crotch, then multiply by two.
Leg opening. Measure straight across one bottom hem, then multiply by two.
Total rise. Measure from the front waistband, through the crotch seam, to the back waistband.
Inseam. Measure from the crotch seam to the bottom hem along the inside leg.
Your inseam is also useful for hemming. Our ready-to-wear pants arrive unhemmed with a 35 inch inseam, so knowing the inseam of pants that fit you well tells your tailor exactly how much to shorten them.
Part 4: Measuring a Vest That Fits You
Button the vest and lay it flat.
Vest chest. Measure from underarm to underarm, then multiply by two.
Vest length. Measure from the highest shoulder point to the bottom hem.
How to Compare With Our Size Chart
- Compare body measurements with the body ranges in our chart, such as "fits body chest 40 to 42".
- Compare garment measurements with the garment measurements in our chart, such as jacket chest or pant waist.
- Do not compare a body measurement with a garment measurement. A 40 inch body chest needs a jacket chest larger than 40 inches so you can move.
Filling In Your Made-to-Measure Order
Our made-to-measure product pages ask for the same measurements shown on this page. Here is how to fill them in:
- Body chest, body waist, and body hip: measure your body, as shown in Part 1.
- Jacket, pants, and vest fields: these are the finished measurements you want your suit to have. The easiest and most reliable way is to measure a jacket, pants, and vest that already fit you well, as shown in Parts 2 to 4.
- If you do not have a well fitting suit: start from our Size Guide. Find the size closest to your body measurements, use its garment measurements as a starting point, and adjust only what you know needs to change. For example, if 42R fits your chest but sleeves are usually too long for you, keep the 42R numbers and shorten the sleeve length.
After you order, we email you a summary of your measurements to confirm before production starts. If any number looks unusual to us, we will ask about it in that email. If you are unsure about any field, email us before you order. It is much easier to fix a number before production than after.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Pulling the tape too tight. This makes the suit too small. You should be able to slide one finger under the tape.
- Measuring over bulky clothes. A sweater or jacket can add an inch or more.
- Forgetting to multiply by two. Flat width measurements on a garment must be doubled.
- Entering body measurements in garment fields. A garment field such as jacket chest needs the measurement of the finished jacket, which is larger than your body.
- Guessing from another brand's size. A 40R from one brand may not match a 40R from another. Measure instead.
- Rounding down. If a number falls between two marks, round up to the nearest half inch.
Measuring a Wedding Party
Ask each groomsman and father to measure himself using this guide, with someone helping, rather than guessing from his usual size. Collecting everyone's measurements in one place early makes it easier to order around the same time, so the fabric is more likely to come from the same batch.
Need Help?
Send us your height, weight, and measurements, and we will help you check them or suggest a size. Email service@etevvu.com or visit our Contact Us page. We reply within 24 hours on business days.