Kurta size chart and sizing guide, women and men, cm and inches

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The measurements, and how to take them

Use a soft tape over thin clothing. Give body measurements only; the tailor adds ease for the style you choose.

Bust: Around the fullest part of the chest, tape level front and back, over a thin layer. Even a relaxed kurta is cut from this number; the looseness is added by the tailor, so give the true measurement and let them do the adding.
Waist: Around the natural waistline, the narrowest point above the navel. Bend to one side and the crease that forms is your natural waist. Even for straight kurtas the tailor uses it to shape the side seams so the kurta skims instead of boxing you in.
Hips: Around the fullest part of the hips and seat, feet together, tape level all the way around. Decides whether a fitted kurta sits or rides up, and whether an A-line flares from the right point.
Shoulder width: Across the back, seam point to seam point, measured by a helper while you stand naturally. On a kurta the shoulder seam should end exactly at the joint: wider reads slouchy, narrower pulls the sleeve up the arm.
Kurta length: From the highest point of the shoulder, beside the neck, straight down to the hem: about 95 to 105 cm reaches the knee on most heights; kurtis run 60 to 80 cm. Check the number against your own body in a mirror, because where the hem cuts you matters: mid-thigh, knee and mid-calf each suit different bottoms.
Sleeve length: Shoulder seam to desired end, arm relaxed and slightly bent. Note the girth at the end point too, especially for elbow sleeves, so the opening neither grips nor gapes.
Armhole: Around the shoulder joint, arm at your side, tape passing under the armpit and over the shoulder. A kurta armhole is cut roomier than a blouse armhole, but the tailor still needs your true number to add the right amount.
Bicep: Around the fullest part of the upper arm. Worth adding whenever you want fitted or elbow-length sleeves; it is the difference between a sleeve that skims and one that strains.
Side slit length: From the hem up to where the slits should stop, usually just below the waist. Higher slits move easier and drape over contrast bottoms; lower slits read more formal.

Women's kurta size chart

Size	Bust	Waist	Hips
XS	81 cm (32 in)	66 cm (26 in)	89 cm (35 in)
S	86 cm (34 in)	71 cm (28 in)	94 cm (37 in)
M	91 cm (36 in)	76 cm (30 in)	99 cm (39 in)
L	97 cm (38 in)	81 cm (32 in)	104 cm (41 in)
XL	102 cm (40 in)	86 cm (34 in)	109 cm (43 in)
XXL	107 cm (42 in)	91 cm (36 in)	114 cm (45 in)

Typical ready-made kurta chart. A custom kurta uses your exact numbers instead.

Men's kurta size chart

Size	Chest	Shoulder	Kurta length
36 (S)	91 cm (36 in)	44 cm	96 cm (38 in)
38 (M)	97 cm (38 in)	45.5 cm	99 cm (39 in)
40 (L)	102 cm (40 in)	47 cm	101 cm (40 in)
42 (XL)	107 cm (42 in)	48.5 cm	104 cm (41 in)
44 (XXL)	112 cm (44 in)	50 cm	106 cm (42 in)
46 (3XL)	117 cm (46 in)	51.5 cm	109 cm (43 in)

Men's ready-made kurtas are usually labelled by chest size in inches. Measure the chest at its widest, tape level under the arms, and the shoulder seam to seam across the back. As with every chart on this page, a tailor working from your own numbers beats the nearest label.

Kurta length by height

Your height	Knee-length kurta (women)	Men's kurta
150 to 160 cm (4'11" to 5'3")	90 to 95 cm	92 to 97 cm
160 to 170 cm (5'3" to 5'7")	95 to 100 cm	97 to 102 cm
170 to 180 cm (5'7" to 5'11")	100 to 107 cm	102 to 107 cm
Above 180 cm (5'11")	107 to 112 cm	107 to 112 cm

Typical knee-length numbers; check where the hem lands on you in a mirror before ordering. Kurtis run 60 to 80 cm regardless of the chart.

Kurta sizing in three steps

Step one, the girth that sets the size: measure your bust (women) or chest (men) level around the fullest part, over thin clothing, tape snug but not tight. That single number places you on the size chart above: for women 86 cm (34 in) is an S, 91 cm (36 in) an M, 97 cm (38 in) an L; for men 97 cm (38 in) is an M and 102 cm (40 in) an L.

Step two, check the hip against the chart in the same row. A hip that sits one size larger than the bust means a ready-made kurta will pull at the side slits; order stitched, or size up and have the shoulders taken in.

Step three, choose the length from the height table below rather than from the size, and decide sleeve length by taste: size charts stop at the girths, and the two numbers people most often regret are length and sleeve.

Mistakes that ruin the fit

Ordering length by size label instead of your height; two women who both wear M need different kurta lengths.
Ignoring the hip number on a fitted cut.
Measuring the waist over jeans; use thin clothing or none.
Holding your breath or pulling in for the waist number; the kurta has to fit you eating dinner, not posing.
Forgetting to say which bottoms the kurta will pair with. A kurta over churidar, palazzo or jeans wants slightly different lengths and slit heights, and the tailor can only plan for what you mention.
Reusing last year's numbers because they are written down somewhere. Girths drift a few centimetres in a year; re-measure or re-scan before anything fitted.

Or skip the tape entirely

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Common questions

Kurta sizing: what size kurta am I?

Measure your bust (women) or chest (men) level around the fullest part, then read the size chart above: for women a bust of 86 cm (34 in) is an S, 91 cm (36 in) an M, 97 cm (38 in) an L; for men a chest of 97 cm (38 in) is an M and 102 cm (40 in) an L. If you sit between two sizes, or your hips are a size larger than your bust, order stitched to your own numbers instead of a label: length, sleeve and flare are set by you, not the chart.

What length kurta should I get for my height?

Knee length is roughly 60 percent of your height minus a few centimetres. Around 5'4" (163 cm) that lands near 98 to 102 cm. Give the tailor your height and where you want the hem, and they do the rest.

Fitted or straight: do the measurements change?

The body measurements stay the same; the tailor changes the ease. A fitted kurta carries roughly 5 to 8 cm over the body, a straight cut 10 to 15, and an A-line flares from the bust or waist regardless. Say which style you want when you order and let the tailor translate.

How much fabric does a kurta need?

About 2.5 metres of standard-width fabric for a knee-length kurta, 2 metres for a kurti, plus whatever the bottoms and dupatta need. Long sleeves, extra flare or pattern matching add a little; the safe move is to tell the tailor the planned length and let them quote metres before you buy.

Do I measure differently for an A-line or flared kurta?

No new numbers are needed beyond the standard list; the flare is a cutting decision. What helps is saying where you want the flare to start, bust or waist, because that line changes the whole silhouette.

How do men's kurta sizes work?

Men's ready-made kurtas are labelled by chest size in inches: a 40 fits a chest of about 102 cm. For a stitched kurta a tailor wants chest, waist, shoulder, sleeve and kurta length, taken the same way as the women's list above; the men's chart on this page shows what each label usually assumes.

More garment guides

Saree blouse measurements · Lehenga measurements · Salwar kameez measurements · Gown and anarkali measurements · What measurements does a tailor need? · Men's kurta pajama measurements · Punjabi suit measurements, with the Punjabi and Hindi terms

Measuring the body itself? 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 sleeve length and arm length