To measure for a suit at home, use a soft tape and a helper. Measure your chest at its fullest point under the arms, your trouser waist where you wear your pants, your seat, and your inseam. Your chest sets the jacket size, your height sets the length (S, R or L), and your inseam sets the hem.
What do you need before you start measuring?
- A soft tape measure. A metal toolbox tape won't wrap around a body.
- Thin clothes. Wear a dress shirt or T-shirt and empty your pockets. A sweater adds an inch or more to the chest.
- A helper. Stand straight, breathe normally and let the helper read the tape.
- Your height and shoe size. You'll use both later for jacket length and as a backup for hemming.
How do you measure your chest for a suit jacket?
Raise your arms, let your helper pass the tape under your armpits, then drop your arms to your sides. The tape goes around the fullest part of the chest and across the shoulder blades in back. Keep it level all the way around.
Slip one finger under the tape and read the number in inches. That number is your jacket size: a 40" chest is a 40 jacket. Don't add extra room, because the size already allows for it.
Now pick the length from your height. Short (S) is under 5'8", Regular (R) is 5'8" to 6', and Long (L) is over 6'. A man with a 42" chest who stands 5'11" wears a 42R.
Should you measure overarm or shoulders too?
It's optional, but useful if you have broad shoulders or big arms. With your arms relaxed, measure around the widest part of your shoulders and upper arms. If this number is much bigger than your chest compared with most men, look at a classic or portly fit, which gives more room through the chest with a proportioned shoulder.
How do you measure your waist and seat for suit pants?
Measure the waist where you actually wear your dress pants, usually just below the navel and an inch or two above the hip bones. Keep one finger under the tape.
Suit trousers usually come with a 6" drop from the jacket. A 42 jacket comes with 36" trousers, and a 40 with 34". If your waist is far off from that, a separate pair of men's dress pants sized by waist may suit you better.
For the seat, stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips and backside. It tells you whether flat front or pleated pants will sit better; a seat much fuller than the waist usually likes a pleat.
How do you measure your inseam for hemming?
The easiest way is to use a pair of dress pants that already break right on your shoe. Lay them flat, fold one leg back, and measure along the inside seam from the crotch seam to the bottom of the hem. That is your inseam.
To measure on the body, stand in your dress shoes and have your helper run the tape from the top of the inside leg down to where the hem should land, just touching the top of the shoe.
Suit trousers ship with an unfinished hem, and we hem suits and dress pants free before shipping: add your inseam in the order notes. If you don't know it, write your height and shoe size instead. Hemmed trousers can't be returned for wrong size or change of mind, so double-check the number first.
How do you measure neck and sleeve for a dress shirt?
Dress shirts are sized by two numbers, neck and sleeve, written like 16 34/35.
Neck: wrap the tape around the base of your neck, where a collar sits, with one finger under the tape. Add 1/2" to the reading, so 15" means a 15 1/2 shirt.
Sleeve: stand with your arm slightly bent and your hand on your hip. The helper starts at the center back of your neck, runs the tape across the top of the shoulder, down the outside of the arm, and stops at the wrist bone. That one number is your sleeve length.
If you can't measure, use height as a guide. Sleeve 32/33 fits up to about 5'10", 34/35 fits 5'11" to 6'2", and 36/37 fits men above that.
Does your shoe size matter when ordering a suit?
Yes, for two reasons. First, shoe size plus height is the backup we use to hem trousers when you don't have an inseam. Second, measure your inseam in the shoes you'll wear with the suit, since a heel or thick sole changes where the hem lands.
If you're buying dress shoes at the same time, go by the size you wear in your current dress shoes rather than your sneakers, since athletic sizing can differ.
What are the most common measuring mistakes?
- Pulling the tape tight. A snug tape takes an inch or two off the chest and the jacket comes out too small.
- Measuring over a sweater or jacket. Thick layers add inches that aren't you.
- Using your jeans waist size. Measure where your dress pants sit instead.
- Measuring yourself alone. Turning to read the tape changes the number, especially on the chest and sleeve.
- Going a size down when in doubt. Between two sizes, take the larger chest. Waist and sleeves are easy alterations for a local tailor; a tight chest isn't.
Which measurement sets which part of the suit?
| Measurement | How | What it sets |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | Under the arms, fullest part, one finger under the tape | Jacket size (40" chest = 40) |
| Height | Barefoot, against a wall | Jacket length: S under 5'8", R 5'8"–6', L over 6' |
| Overarm (optional) | Around shoulders and upper arms, arms relaxed | Whether a classic or portly fit is worth a look |
| Waist | Where your dress pants sit | Trouser waist (usually jacket minus 6") |
| Seat | Fullest part of the hips, feet together | Flat front or pleated, slim or classic leg |
| Inseam | Crotch seam to hem on a good pair of pants | Free hem length in the order notes |
| Neck | Base of the neck, then add 1/2" | Dress shirt collar size |
| Sleeve | Center back of neck to wrist bone | Dress shirt sleeve (32/33, 34/35, 36/37) |
| Shoe size | Your usual dress shoe size | Dress shoes, and backup for hemming |
What should you do once you have your numbers?
Write them down, then pick your jacket size and fit from our men's suits, add the inseam in the order notes, and match a shirt by neck and sleeve.
Orders of $60 or more ship free within the U.S. ($5.95 under $60) and leave in 1–2 business days. Unworn items with tags can be returned within 30 days; see the shipping and returns FAQ.
Not sure about a size? Email support@bohorads.com with your numbers for a reply within one business day.
FAQ
How do I measure my chest for a suit jacket?
Wrap a soft tape under your armpits, around the fullest part of your chest and across your shoulder blades, with your arms relaxed at your sides. Keep one finger under the tape and read the number in inches; that number is your jacket chest size.
What size suit pants come with a 42 jacket?
Suit trousers usually have a 6" drop, so a 42 jacket comes with a 36" waist. The hem is left unfinished so it can be cut to your inseam.
Where do I put my inseam when I order?
Write the inseam in the order notes for any suit or dress pants and the trousers are hemmed free before shipping. If you don't know it, give your height and shoe size instead. Hemmed trousers can't be returned for wrong size or change of mind.
How do I find my dress shirt neck size?
Measure around the base of your neck where the collar sits, with one finger under the tape, then add 1/2". A 15" measurement means a 15 1/2 shirt.
How do I measure sleeve length for a dress shirt?
Start at the center back of your neck, run the tape over the top of your shoulder and down a slightly bent arm to the wrist bone. If you can't measure, sleeve 32/33 fits up to about 5'10", 34/35 fits 5'11" to 6'2", and 36/37 fits taller men.
What if I'm between two suit sizes?
Take the larger chest size. Waist and sleeves are easy alterations for a local tailor, but a jacket that is tight across the chest can't be fixed.