How to take measurements for a men’s suit

If you are ordering a made-to-measure shirt or suit, and you want them to fit you perfectly you should create your custom fit by providing your body measurements. This small guide and our tutorial will show you how to take men’s body measurements in only 10-15 minutes and without making mistakes.

If you follow these simple rules, you will be able to take the sartorial measurements like a tailor and save them on your Lanieri profile. What do you need? A friend and a tailor’s tape measure, we’ll do the rest.

Some tips before you start

• During the measuring process you should be wearing a shirt or a t-shirt and empty the pockets of your trousers.
• When measuring the circumferences bear in mind to keep the tape measure horizontal, perfectly parallel to the floor.
• Don’t pull the tape measure tight, let it lie flat on your body.
• Make sure to hold your tape from the right end. It’s not that uncommon to be mistaken…
• Complete your profile with your measurements without adding or subtracting extra centimetres. Don’t worry about your fit, we’ll care it for you.
• Except for the back length, you should avoid using the measurements of garments that fit you, submit your body measurements only.
• Given your asymmetrical body shape, you will be asked to take the measurements of both limb circumference. This will ensure a more precise fit.

A guide to taking measurements for a men’s suit

Below is a full list of the 12 essential measurements and 5 build data that our tailors need to know. Take your time to read our tips first. Then access our tutorial page by clicking the discover button at the bottom of the page. At the end of the video you can save your body measurements and we can finally design your made-to-measure suit or shirt order.

1/18 Chest circumference

Measure the circumference around your chest, with the tape beneath your armpits, in line with your nipples. Make sure to hold the tape horizontally. Relax your arms at your sides and breathe normally, so as to get a correct chest measurement.

2/18 Neck circumference

Measure the circumference around your neck, with the tape slightly beneath Adam’s apple, making sure not to pull the tape measure tight. Don’t stretch your neck and don’t draw your chin downwards, stand relaxed.

3/18 Shoulder width

Measure your shoulder width from the outside edge of the left shoulder (basically where the sleeve of your shirt starts), to the outside edge of the right shoulder. The tape shouldn’t be perfectly straight, but it should follow the natural curve of your back, touching the most prominent bone below your neck.

4/18 Arm length

Relax your arms and measure them in two different sessions: start from where you ended the shoulder measuring, in other words the outside edge of the shoulder (where the sleeve of your shirt starts), and measure to your elbow. Continue to measure from your elbow to just below your wrist bone, hugging the shape of your arm.

5/18 Bicep circumference

Relax your arms at your sides and wrap the tape measure around the largest point of both of your biceps. Submit the largest value of the two.

6/18 Wrist circumference

Wrap the tape measure around your wrist, just below your wrist bone. Submit the largest value of the two.

7/18 Back length

Low your head a little and measure from the most prominent bone below your neck, to the back of your crotch (1 cm below your rear). Use the measurement of a jacket that fits you, if you feel like: just measure the centre back seam of your jacket, without including the collar.

8/18 Stomach circumference

Relax and don’t hold your breath (don’t suck in your stomach!). Wrap the tape around your stomach and in line with your belly button. Make sure to keep the tape measure horizontal.

9/18 Waistline

Measure four fingers down from your belly button, without holding your breath. Make sure to keep the tape measure horizontal and that your trousers don’t interfere with the measurement.

10/18 Hip circumference

Wrap the tape measure around your hips, at the widest point of your buttocks, usually slightly above the crotch line, keeping the tape measure horizontal.

11/18 Inside leg

Take off your shoes and stand with your legs slightly wide apart. Measure from the highest centre point of the thigh (below the crotch line) to the floor, following the natural shape of the inside leg. Pull the tape just taut enough.

12/18 Thigh

Wrap the tape measure around your thigh just below your crotch and submit the largest value of the two. Make sure to keep the tape measure horizontal.

13/18 Shoulder type

Choose your shoulder type: high, regular, low

14/18 Chest type

Choose your chest type: chiselled, regular, robust

15/18 Stomach type

Choose your stomach type: flat, regular, protruding. Don’t cheat!

16/18 Back type

Choose your back type: straight, regular, curved

17/18 Rear type

Choose your rear type: flat, regular, protruding

18/18 Fit

Choose the fit you like the most: comfort, regular, slim. This information is just to give our tailors an idea of your final fit. If you want to change it, just contact the Lanieri customer service.

Perfect fit

What if you didn’t take your measurements properly? You asked yourself this question at least twice while reading this post, right? Well, if you submitted wrong measurements, we will be able to quickly fix them.

When you have confirmed your data, our statistical algorithm – which is based on an accurate sartorial specification sheet and a sartorial men’s size table – verifies your measurements accuracy, both separately and as a whole.

If the algorithm and our tailors tell the measurements and your made-to-measure garment don’t match, we will contact you to double check and fix them together.

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