What measurements does a tailor need? The master list

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.

Height: Head to feet against a wall, no shoes. Anchors every length on the garment.
Bust: Around the fullest part of the chest, tape level.
Underbust: Around the ribcage under the bust; your bra band number.
Waist: Natural waistline, the narrowest point.
Hips: Fullest part of the hips and seat.
Shoulder width: Across the back, seam point to seam point.
Arm length and bicep: Shoulder to wrist with the arm slightly bent; around the fullest upper arm.
Armhole: Around the shoulder joint.
Thigh and hip-to-ankle: Around the fullest upper leg; hip bone straight down to the ankle bone for bottoms.

Quick reference

Garment	Uses
Saree blouse	bust, underbust, shoulder, armhole, sleeve, bicep, blouse length, neck depths
Kurta / kurti	bust, waist, hips, shoulder, armhole, sleeve, kurta length
Lehenga	waist, hips, length to floor, plus the blouse list
Salwar kameez	kameez list plus salwar length, thigh, mohri
Gown / anarkali	bust, underbust, waist, hips, shoulder, sleeve, length to floor, flare start

Which numbers each garment actually uses.

Mistakes that ruin the fit

Adding looseness yourself; tailors add ease on top of whatever you send, so it doubles.
Using inches for some numbers and centimetres for others; pick one unit and label it.
Reusing numbers from years ago; re-measure after any change of about a size, or once a year.

Or skip the tape entirely

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, saved as your naap for any tailor on the platform, in any city or country.

How the scan works Try it on the Pre-Loved rack

Common questions

Should I send measurements in inches or centimetres?

Either works if you label them, but centimetres are finer grained and what Silai uses everywhere. One inch is 2.54 cm.

How do I give measurements to a tailor in another city?

Scan yourself once on Silai with your phone camera and your full naap travels with any order you send, to any tailor on the platform, in any country.

How accurate does home measuring need to be?

Within a centimetre or two on girths. If a friend can hold the tape, accuracy roughly doubles; if not, the camera scan avoids the solo-taping problem entirely.

More guides

Saree blouse measurements · Kurta and kurti measurements · Lehenga measurements · Salwar kameez measurements · Gown and anarkali measurements