A tailor is only as good as his measurements. The most skilled hands in the world cannot cut a jacket that fits if the numbers on the paper are wrong. This is why — at every atelier on Savile Row, at every great house in Naples and Milan — the process of taking measurements is treated as seriously as the cutting itself.

When a client visits in person, I spend as much time observing as measuring. I look at how he stands, which shoulder sits lower, whether he carries his head forward. I note posture, balance, and the particular way his body fills space. Then I write numbers.

When a client orders remotely, the numbers must carry all of that information. This guide will help you take measurements correctly. Read it in full before you begin.

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Before You Begin

The right preparation takes five minutes and prevents costly mistakes.

Wear a thin, fitted shirt or t-shirt. Never measure over a thick jumper or a suit jacket. Clothes add centimetres that do not belong to your body.
Empty all pockets. Phones, wallets, keys — remove them. A trouser pocket stretched with a phone changes your hip measurement.
Ask a friend to help. Measuring yourself accurately is nearly impossible. You cannot hold the tape level at your back, and reaching around distorts your posture.
Use a soft fabric tape measure. Hardware metal tapes are not designed for bodies. A tailor's tape — the kind that is flexible and 150 cm long — is available at any sewing shop.
Wear your normal shoes (or be barefoot for all measurements — just be consistent). Shoes affect how you stand and therefore your posture.
Measure twice, record once. Each measurement should be taken at least twice. If the two numbers differ by more than a centimetre, take a third and use the one that appears twice.

The golden rule of the tape: it should lie flat against the skin and be snug enough not to sag — but never tight enough to compress the flesh. You should be able to slide one finger underneath it. If it digs in, it is too tight. If it droops, it is too loose.

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Your Natural Posture

This is the step that most clients overlook — and the one that matters most.

Stand as you normally stand. Not taller. Not straighter. Do not puff your chest out or pull your shoulders back. Do not suck in your stomach. Your garment must fit the body that actually wears it, not an aspirational version of it.

A professional tailor observes these things during a fitting and accounts for them in the pattern. If you have one shoulder lower than the other — most men do — the jacket is cut to reflect that asymmetry, not to fight it. If you carry your head slightly forward or your hips tilt, these characteristics become part of the blueprint.

"The suit does not correct the man. It is cut to work with him exactly as he is."

When taking measurements at home, stand on a flat, hard floor. Look straight ahead. Let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Breathe normally. This is the posture your clothes will live in.

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Upper Body — Jacket & Shirt

Measurements 1 – 9

Chest

Wrap the tape around the fullest part of the chest — horizontally, passing directly under the armpits and across the nipple line. Arms relaxed at your sides. Breathe normally: do not inhale deeply and hold it. The number taken mid-breath is the correct one.

Keep the tape horizontal all the way around — it must not dip at the back. Ask your helper to check from the side.

Waist (jacket)

Find the narrowest point of the torso — this is typically 4–6 cm above the navel, not at the trouser waistband. Measure around this point with the tape snug but not compressing. Do not hold your stomach in. The measurement should reflect your natural waist at rest.

If you cannot feel the narrowest point clearly, bend slightly sideways — the crease that forms is your natural waist.

Hips (jacket/seat)

Stand with feet together. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of the hips and seat — usually 18–20 cm below the natural waist. This measurement is needed for jackets that are fitted through the hip and for waistcoats.

The tape must be perfectly horizontal. The back of the tape often rides up — check that it stays level across the fullest point of the buttocks.

Shoulders

This is the most critical measurement for a jacket. Measure across the back only — from the tip of the right shoulder bone to the tip of the left. The tip of the shoulder is the outermost bony point, not the side of the neck. The tape runs straight across, not following the curve of the shoulder.

If the shoulder seam of a jacket does not sit exactly at this point, no alteration can fully correct it. Take this measurement very carefully.

Sleeve Length

Start at the tip of the shoulder bone (the same point used for the shoulder measurement). Run the tape down the outside of the arm — following the slight natural bend of the elbow — to the wrist bone. The arm should be relaxed, hanging naturally, with a very slight bend at the elbow. Do not measure with the arm held straight out.

A straight arm gives a longer number than the arm will be in wear. The slight bend is the natural position of the arm when standing.

Neck

Place the tape around the base of the neck — below the Adam's apple, above the collarbone. The tape should sit comfortably: firm enough to touch the skin without pressing into it. This measurement is used for shirt collars and for determining the jacket's top button position.

You should be able to fit one finger between the tape and your neck. If you feel restricted, it is too tight.

Bicep

With the arm relaxed and hanging at your side, wrap the tape around the fullest part of the upper arm — this is usually halfway between the shoulder and the elbow. Do not flex. The sleeve must be comfortable when the arm is in its resting position, not when it is tensed.

For working men with larger forearms than biceps, also measure the forearm at its widest point and note which is larger.

Wrist

Measure around the wrist bone — the prominent bump at the end of the forearm. Keep the tape snug. This measurement determines the cuff opening of the jacket sleeve and the shirt cuff size.

Note whether you wear your watch on the left or right wrist — the watchband adds to the effective measurement on that side.

Back Length

From the prominent vertebra at the base of the neck — the bony bump that appears when you tilt your head forward — measure straight down the centre of the back to the waist level. This is not the total jacket length; it is the torso length from neck to waist, used to establish where the jacket breaks at the hip.

This measurement reveals the proportion of your torso to leg and is one of the most individual numbers on the form.

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Lower Body — Trousers

Measurements 10 – 16

For trouser measurements, stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Remove your shoes and wear well-fitted undergarments. The trousers will be cut for this position — it is the natural standing position and the one in which fit matters most.

Waist (trousers)

This measurement is taken at the point where you intend to wear your trousers — not necessarily your natural waist. High-rise trousers sit above the navel; classic trousers sit at or just below it; low-rise trousers sit at the hip bone. Tell me your preference: the waist measurement should be taken at that specific point.

Note your preference (high / normal / low rise) when submitting — the measurement alone is not enough without knowing the intended placement.

Hips / Seat

Stand with feet together. Measure around the fullest part of the hips and buttocks, keeping the tape perfectly horizontal. This is typically 20–22 cm below the natural waist. For trousers, this measurement is essential — it determines whether you can put the trousers on and how they will sit across the seat.

The tape must not dip at the back. Have your helper check from the side to confirm the tape is level all the way around.

Crotch Depth (Rise)

Sit on a firm, flat chair. Measure from the side waistband position straight down to the seat of the chair. This is the rise — the distance from the waist to the crotch seam. It determines how high the trousers sit in the crotch and how comfortably you can sit and move. This measurement cannot be estimated; it must be taken seated.

The firm chair is essential — a soft seat will compress and give a shorter reading. A dining chair is ideal.

Thigh

With feet shoulder-width apart, wrap the tape around the fullest part of the upper thigh — right at the crotch level, directly below the seat seam. This is the most critical measurement for trouser comfort when sitting. Keep the tape snug but not compressed.

Many men underestimate the thigh measurement. Take it at the very top of the thigh, not partway down.

Knee

Measure around the leg at the centre of the kneecap. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and the knee relaxed — not bent. This measurement shapes the trouser leg and determines the taper through the lower half of the leg.

Note whether you prefer a straighter leg or a more tapered silhouette — this will inform how I interpret the knee and bottom measurements together.

Trouser Bottom (width)

The measurement around the bottom opening of the trouser leg at the ankle. This is a style preference as much as a measurement — classic trousers typically have a bottom of 42–46 cm; a slimmer cut 38–42 cm. If you have a preferred trouser, measure its hem circumference and provide that number.

If in doubt, provide the measurements from a pair of trousers that fits you well. Existing garments are often the most reliable reference.

Trouser Length (inseam)

Remove shoes. Stand straight with feet shoulder-width apart. Measure from the crotch point — the highest point of the inner thigh — straight down the inside of the leg to the ankle bone. This is the inseam. Alternatively, you may measure the total outside leg length from the waistband position to the floor.

Provide both measurements if you can. Note what break you prefer: no break (trouser hem sits exactly at the ankle bone), half break, or full break.

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The Three Photographs

Measurements give me numbers. Photographs give me proportion, posture, and balance. A professional tailor reads a client's body visually before a tape is raised. When working remotely, three photographs replace that initial reading.

Photographs are required along with your measurements. They must be taken in fitted clothing — a t-shirt and fitted trousers or jeans — in good natural daylight, against a plain background. Ask someone else to take them.

Front

Arms at your sides. Look straight ahead. Full body from head to feet.

Back

Same posture as the front. This shows shoulder level, spine alignment, and seat shape.

Side

Arms hanging naturally. This reveals chest projection, stomach, and the curve of the back.

What I am looking for in photographs: whether one shoulder is higher than the other; whether you carry your head forward; whether your back is flat, curved, or swayed; whether your abdomen is flat or full; how your weight distributes across your feet. Each of these details informs how the pattern is drawn before the first cut is made.

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Common Mistakes

Measuring over thick clothing. Every layer adds centimetres that belong to the fabric, not to you. Always measure over a single thin layer.

Holding the tape too tight. The most common error. Clients tighten the tape unconsciously — they want smaller numbers. A compressed chest measurement will produce a jacket you cannot button. The tape should rest on the skin, not compress it.

Sucking in or puffing out. Your garments live in your body's ordinary state. A waist measurement taken with a held breath will produce trousers that fit only at that moment.

Measuring alone. The tape cannot stay horizontal at the back if your hands are in front. The shoulder measurement cannot be taken accurately by the same person being measured. Ask for help.

Using old measurements. Bodies change. A measurement taken two years ago — even from a previous bespoke commission — should not be reused without verification. If your weight has changed by more than three or four kilos in either direction, measure again.

"Give me honest numbers and I can build something extraordinary. Give me flattering numbers and I can build something that will not close."

Anton Masko · Custom Made Tailoring

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