How to Measure for a Suit

Chest

1. 1Wear a thin dress shirt or undershirt (do not measure over bare skin).
2. 2Stand with your arms relaxed at your sides.
3. 3Wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your chest, just under your armpits.
4. 4The tape should pass over your shoulder blades in the back.
5. 5Keep the tape snug but not tight. You should be able to breathe comfortably.
6. 6Read the measurement without expanding your chest.

Waist

1. 1Stand naturally and find your natural waist. This is the narrowest part of your torso, typically just above the navel.
2. 2Wrap the tape measure around your natural waist.
3. 3Do not suck in your stomach. Stand as you normally would.
4. 4The tape should be snug enough to stay in place but loose enough to slide a finger underneath.
5. 5Note: suit pants often sit slightly below the natural waist, but the natural waist measurement is still used for sizing.

Shoulder Width

1. 1This measurement is best taken by a helper.
2. 2Stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
3. 3Place the tape measure at the point where your shoulder meets the top of your arm on one side. This is the bony ridge at the edge of your shoulder.
4. 4Run the tape across the back of your neck to the same point on the opposite shoulder.
5. 5The tape should follow the natural curve of your upper back.
6. 6Make sure the tape does not dip down your back. It should stay along the top of your shoulders.

Sleeve Length

1. 1Stand with your arm relaxed at your side, elbow bent very slightly (about 10 degrees).
2. 2Have someone place the tape at the center back of your neck, right at the top of the spine where it meets the base of the skull.
3. 3Run the tape across the top of your shoulder, down the outside of your arm.
4. 4Continue to your wrist bone (the bony knob on the outside of your wrist).
5. 5The end of the tape at your wrist is your sleeve length. A properly fitted suit sleeve should show about half an inch of shirt cuff.

Jacket Length

1. 1Stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
2. 2Have someone place the tape at the most prominent bone at the base of your neck (where a shirt collar would sit).
3. 3Run the tape straight down your back to the point where you want the jacket to end.
4. 4A standard suit jacket should cover your backside and end at approximately the same level as your knuckles when your arms hang naturally at your sides.
5. 5Short jackets end slightly above the knuckles. Long jackets end slightly below.

Inseam

1. 1Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. 2Place the tape at the highest point of your inner thigh where the seam meets your crotch.
3. 3Run the tape straight down the inside of your leg to your ankle bone.
4. 4Wear the shoes you plan to pair with the suit for the most accurate measurement.
5. 5For more detail on this measurement and a height-based reference chart, see our dedicated inseam guide below.

Measurement Tips