A sleeve that is 2 cm too long looks borrowed and one that is 2 cm too short looks outgrown, which is why sleeve length is measured with more ceremony than any other length. There are two accepted methods that give different numbers, and both are correct; the trick is knowing which one your tailor or your shirt label means.
No measuring tape? Prop your phone, turn around twice, and the Silai scanner takes every measurement on this page in about two minutes, free, for men and women. Try the scanner
Use a soft tape over thin clothing. Give body measurements only; the tailor adds ease for the style you choose.
| Sleeve | Women (shoulder to hem) | Men (shoulder to hem) | Where it ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap or short | 12 to 25 cm (5 to 10 in) | 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) | upper arm |
| Elbow | 30 to 36 cm (12 to 14 in) | 33 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) | just above the elbow |
| Three-quarter | 40 to 46 cm (16 to 18 in) | 44 to 50 cm (17 to 20 in) | mid forearm |
| Full | 55 to 62 cm (22 to 24 in) | 60 to 67 cm (24 to 26 in) | wrist bone |
| Shirt label (neck to wrist) | 76 to 84 cm (30 to 33 in) | 81 to 91 cm (32 to 36 in) | wrist bone |
Shoulder point to hem for the common lengths, plus the neck-to-wrist figure that shirt labels use. Arm lengths vary widely for the same height; measure rather than pick from the chart.
Sleeve length is the most visible length on the body: it sits next to the hand, which everyone looks at. It also depends on where the shoulder seam falls, which is why a tailor measures the shoulder width at the same time. A dropped shoulder needs a shorter sleeve; a set-in sleeve needs the full length.
The two measuring methods exist because ready-made shirts are sized by neck and sleeve, and the sleeve is measured from the centre back so that the shoulder width of the shirt does not matter. Tailors, who cut the shoulder to you, measure from the shoulder point. Mixing the two produces a sleeve 20 cm out.
Ease in a sleeve comes from the bicep and the elbow. A fitted saree blouse sleeve carries 2 to 4 cm over the bicep; a kurta 6 to 10 cm; a jacket more. Send the body girths and the arm length and let the tailor decide the room.
Scan yourself with your phone camera on Silai: about 2 minutes, free, no tape and no second person. You get every measurement on this page, and you can see your own sheet right now, no account needed.
For a tailor: at the shoulder point, the bony tip where a set-in sleeve seam sits. For a shirt label: at the centre back of the neck, across the shoulder. The second is 18 to 22 cm longer, so always say which one you took.
Yes, slightly, with the hand resting on the hip. Sleeves are worn on moving arms; a measurement taken with a straight arm gives a sleeve that rides up every time you reach.
Whatever the style asks for, measured from the shoulder point: a cap sleeve is 12 to 15 cm, an elbow sleeve 30 to 36 cm, a full sleeve to the wrist bone. Give the bicep as well; blouse sleeves are fitted.
For a kurta or sherwani, shoulder point over the bent elbow to the wrist bone, usually 60 to 67 cm. For a ready-made shirt, from the centre back of the neck, usually 81 to 91 cm; that is the number on the label with the neck size.
Arm length is the body: shoulder point to wrist bone. Sleeve length is the garment, which the tailor sets from the arm length plus the style. When a tailor says sleeve length, they mean your arm length.
Yes. Arm length, shoulder width and bicep all come from the Silai scan, which is why an A-pose with the arms slightly away from the body is part of the instructions.
Body measurement chart: what size am I? · 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 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?