How to take measurements for a custom suit online

The scariest part of ordering a bespoke suit online isn't choosing the fabric or the price. It's this: taking your own measurements, without a tailor present, with the fear of getting something wrong and ending up with a suit that doesn't fit.

This fear is understandable. But it's also quite unfounded, if you know what to do. With a tailor's tape measure, someone to help you hold it, and five minutes of concentration, you can get measurements as precise as a tailor's. Perhaps even more precise — because you take them on yourself, in your normal posture, not in the one you think you should have.

Before you start: what you really need

A soft, flexible tailor's tape measure. Not the rigid metal one from DIY stores — it doesn't follow the body's curves and will give inaccurate measurements for almost everything. You can find a tailor's tape measure in any haberdashery for a few euros.

Wear something thin. A t-shirt, a light shirt. Not a wool sweater, not a padded jacket. Measurements taken over layers of fabric are inaccurate measurements.

Stand naturally. Not pulled up like during a military check-up, not relaxed with slumping shoulders. Your normal everyday posture — the one you have when you walk down the street or stand talking to someone.

And write down every measurement immediately. Don't rely on memory.

Measurements for the jacket

Chest. Go under your armpits, around the fullest part of your chest. The tape measure should be snug against your body without being tight — if you feel resistance, it's too tight; if it slips, it's too loose. Keep your chest in its normal position, not puffed out as if you were posing for a photo.

Shoulders. From one edge to the other, from one rotation point to the other. This is perhaps the most critical measurement of the entire jacket: if the shoulder is wrong, no tailor can fix it afterward without redoing half the garment. Take it carefully.

Sleeve length. From the shoulder's rotation point to the wrist, with your arm slightly bent — not straight, not bent at 90 degrees. Bent as when your arm hangs relaxed at your side. The correct sleeve ends about 1.5 cm from the wrist, showing the shirt cuff.

Jacket length. From the base of the collar to where you want the hem to fall. The classic reference is the first knuckle of the thumb with your hand at rest by your side — but this is a preference, not a rule. If you prefer a slightly shorter or longer jacket, mention it in the order notes.

Measurements for trousers

Waist. Around the narrowest part of your torso, above your hips. Note: this is the anatomical waist, which doesn't necessarily correspond to where you usually wear your trousers. If you're ordering a high-waisted model, the measurement should be taken higher. If it's a regular model, a couple of centimeters below the navel is the right spot.

Hips. The widest measurement around your glutes — about 20 centimeters below the waist. Crucial if you have developed hips or a pear-shaped body. Ignoring or approximating it is the quickest way to end up with trousers that won't pull up.

Inseam. From the crotch to the floor, standing with your legs together. If you find it difficult to take this yourself, instead measure the inseam of a pair of trousers you already wear and that fit you well: from the intersection of the central seams to the hem. Same thing, identical result.

Leg length. From the crotch to the ankle bone, on the inside of the leg. Again, an existing pair of trousers that fit you well is your best reference point.

The trick almost no one uses

Take measurements twice. Not in the same session — wait a few days and retake them, possibly with the same person helping you. Compare the numbers. If they are the same or nearly the same, you can proceed with confidence. If they differ by more than a centimeter on any measurement, that measurement needs to be retaken more carefully.

It costs five extra minutes. It's worth double.

What to do if you are between two sizes

When in doubt between two close measurements, always choose the larger one. You can take it in, but you can't let it out. A slightly loose suit can be adjusted with minimal alterations. A tight one cannot be adjusted — it's thrown away.

For Carillo Moda's bespoke service — which covers suits, jackets, trousers, and shirts — each garment type has its specific measurements indicated on the product page. It's worth reading the instructions before starting, because for a shirt, for example, a neck measurement is also needed, which is not necessary for a jacket.

One last thing

If you have an asymmetrical build — one shoulder higher than the other, one hip more developed — write it in the order notes. This is not an uncommon problem; it's more common than you might think. A tailor working on bespoke garments handles it without difficulty, but they need to know before cutting the fabric. Afterward, it's too late.

With the right measurements, ordering bespoke online stops being a risk and simply becomes the most precise way to buy a suit. Which is exactly what it should be.