Body measurement chart for clothing sizes: women and men, cm and inches

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Take the six core measurements first

Bust or chest: wrap a soft tape around the fullest part of the chest, level all the way round, snug but not tight. Women measure in the bra they will wear under the garment; men measure with arms relaxed at the sides.
Waist: find your natural waist by bending sideways, the crease is usually 2 to 3 cm above the navel. Measure there with the stomach relaxed. If you are buying trousers, also measure where the waistband actually sits.
Hips: feet together, tape level around the fullest part of the seat, usually 18 to 23 cm below the waist. Check in a mirror that the tape has not dropped at the back.
Shoulder width: across the back from one shoulder bone to the other. Easier with a helper; alone, lay a well-fitting shirt flat and measure seam to seam.
Sleeve or arm length: from the shoulder bone over a slightly bent elbow to the wrist bone. For dress shirts, brands measure from the centre back of the neck instead; the guide below explains both.
Inseam: from the crotch to where the hem should fall, in the shoes you will wear. A pair of trousers that fits, laid flat and measured from the crotch seam to the hem, gives the same number.
Write every number down with its unit, measure anything that surprised you a second time, and re-measure every six months or after a weight change of more than 3 kg.

Women's body measurement chart

Size	Bust	Waist	Hips	US	UK	EU
XS	78 to 82 cm (31 to 32 in)	60 to 64 cm (24 to 25 in)	84 to 88 cm (33 to 35 in)	0 to 2	4 to 6	32 to 34
S	83 to 87 cm (33 to 34 in)	65 to 69 cm (26 to 27 in)	89 to 93 cm (35 to 37 in)	4 to 6	8 to 10	36 to 38
M	88 to 93 cm (35 to 37 in)	70 to 75 cm (28 to 29 in)	94 to 99 cm (37 to 39 in)	8 to 10	12 to 14	40 to 42
L	94 to 99 cm (37 to 39 in)	76 to 81 cm (30 to 32 in)	100 to 105 cm (39 to 41 in)	12 to 14	16 to 18	44 to 46
XL	100 to 106 cm (39 to 42 in)	82 to 88 cm (32 to 35 in)	106 to 112 cm (42 to 44 in)	16 to 18	20 to 22	48 to 50
XXL	107 to 114 cm (42 to 45 in)	89 to 96 cm (35 to 38 in)	113 to 120 cm (44 to 47 in)	20 to 22	24 to 26	52 to 54

Typical international ready-to-wear ranges. Brands drift by a full size in either direction, so always check the brand's own chart against these numbers rather than trusting the letter. Custom stitching removes the guesswork entirely: the tailor works from your numbers, not a range.

Men's body measurement chart

Size	Chest	Waist	Hips	Neck	Kurta or shirt label
S	86 to 91 cm (34 to 36 in)	76 to 81 cm (30 to 32 in)	88 to 93 cm (35 to 37 in)	37 to 38 cm (14.5 to 15 in)	36 to 38
M	92 to 99 cm (36 to 39 in)	82 to 88 cm (32 to 35 in)	94 to 100 cm (37 to 39 in)	38 to 40 cm (15 to 15.5 in)	38 to 40
L	100 to 107 cm (39 to 42 in)	89 to 96 cm (35 to 38 in)	101 to 107 cm (40 to 42 in)	40 to 42 cm (15.5 to 16.5 in)	40 to 42
XL	108 to 115 cm (42 to 45 in)	97 to 104 cm (38 to 41 in)	108 to 115 cm (42 to 45 in)	42 to 44 cm (16.5 to 17.5 in)	42 to 44
XXL	116 to 124 cm (46 to 49 in)	105 to 114 cm (41 to 45 in)	116 to 124 cm (46 to 49 in)	44 to 46 cm (17.5 to 18 in)	44 to 46

Chest sizes on Indian kurta and sherwani labels are the chest measurement in inches (a 40 kurta is cut for a 100 to 102 cm chest with ease added). Trouser waist labels are the waistband in inches and usually sit below the natural waist.

Centimetres to inches, the values that come up

cm	inches	cm	inches	cm	inches
60	23.6	85	33.5	110	43.3
65	25.6	90	35.4	115	45.3
70	27.6	95	37.4	120	47.2
75	29.5	100	39.4	125	49.2
80	31.5	105	41.3	130	51.2

One inch is 2.54 cm. Indian tailors and most size labels think in inches; European charts and every Silai measurement sheet use centimetres. Write both down and you will never send the wrong unit.

Why the letter on the label is not enough

There is no standard behind S, M and L. Two brands can cut a medium 6 cm apart at the bust, and the same brand often changes its block between seasons. Vanity sizing pushes the numbers further: a garment labelled 32 in the waist frequently measures 84 to 86 cm at the band, not 81. The only stable language between your body and a garment is the measurement itself, which is why every serious size chart lists body measurements, and why a tailor never asks what size you are.

The chart also tells you which number to trust when you sit between sizes. Tops and dresses are sized from the bust; if your hips land a size larger, choose by the bust and expect the hips to be snug, or order stitched to both numbers. Trousers and skirts are sized from the hips first and the waist second, because a waistband can be taken in and a seat cannot be let out.

Custom clothing skips the chart completely. A tailor adds ease on top of your body measurements according to the garment: about 2 to 5 cm on a fitted blouse, 8 to 12 cm on a kurta, 10 to 15 cm on a shirt and 12 to 18 cm on a jacket or sherwani. So a tailor wants the body numbers, never a garment size, and never a number you have already added room to.

Mistakes that ruin the fit

Mixing units: a 36 sent without a unit is a bust in inches to one tailor and a child's measurement in centimetres to another.
Measuring over a sweater, a padded bra or jeans. Thin, fitted clothing or none.
Reading the chart with a measurement taken years ago. Bodies change; six months is a sensible interval.
Comparing your body measurement to a garment measurement. A shirt laid flat includes ease; a size chart lists the body it was cut for.
Rounding to the nearest inch or 5 cm. Keep the half centimetre; fitted garments notice it.
Sizing a top by the hips or trousers by the bust. Each garment has a lead measurement; use it.

Or skip the tape entirely

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Common questions

What size am I with a 36 inch bust?

A 36 inch (91 cm) bust sits in a women's M on most international charts (88 to 93 cm), a US 8 to 10, a UK 12 to 14 or an EU 40 to 42. Check the waist and hips columns too; if either lands in L, the safer online order is L and the better answer is a stitched piece to your own numbers.

How do I convert my measurements to a US, UK or EU size?

Measure bust, waist and hips in centimetres, find the row where all three fit, and read the US, UK and EU columns on that row. When the three measurements land on different rows, use the bust for tops and dresses and the hips for skirts and trousers.

Why does a medium fit differently between brands?

Because sizes are set by each brand's fit model and target customer, not by a standard. The body measurement chart on this page is the average of many brands; individual charts can sit a full size either way.

Is it better to measure in centimetres or inches?

Centimetres are finer (a half inch is more than a centimetre) and every Silai sheet uses them. Indian tailors are fluent in inches, so write both. Whichever you use, never send a number without its unit.

How often should I measure myself?

Every six months, and after any change of about 3 kg or more, a pregnancy, or a new exercise routine. Before a wedding outfit, measure again in the month of the final fitting.

Can the phone scan replace all of this?

For most people, yes. The Silai scan reads bust, underbust, waist, hips, shoulder width, arm length, thigh and the lengths in about two minutes, within about 2 percent of a careful tape on average. Keep a tape for confirming one number a tailor asks about.

More body measurement guides

How to measure your bust or chest · How to measure your waist · How to measure your hips · How to measure your inseam and trouser length · How to measure sleeve length and arm length · How to measure shoulder width

Measuring for a garment? Saree blouse measurements · Kurta size chart, sizing and measurements · Lehenga measurements · Salwar kameez measurements · Gown and anarkali measurements · What measurements does a tailor need?