How to Take Body Measurements for Sewing: The Complete Tailor's Guide (Men and Women)

Step-by-step guide to taking accurate body measurements for sewing — every measurement a tailor needs for gowns, blouses, trousers, senator and agbada, with…

Published September 2026 · Skills · by Skillnaija Team

Most fitting disputes between Nigerian tailors and customers begin with a bad measurement, not a bad seam. A garment cut from accurate numbers fits at the first fitting; one cut from guesses is adjusted twice and still disappoints. This guide sets out every measurement a tailor needs for women's and men's wear, how to take each one, and the habits that make a measurement card something another tailor could cut from.

Before you start

Use a soft tape that has not stretched (replace it yearly), measure over light clothing or the undergarments the client will wear with the outfit, ask the client to stand naturally with feet together and arms relaxed, and tie a cord or elastic around the natural waist so every vertical measurement starts from the same line. Write every number immediately on a card with the client's name, the date and the style; take photographs of the client (front and side) with permission — they settle many later arguments.

Women's measurements

1. Bust: around the fullest part, tape level, snug not tight.
2. Under-bust: directly beneath the bust, for corsets and fitted bodices.
3. Waist: at the cord, the narrowest point.
4. Hips: around the fullest part, usually 18 to 23 cm below the waist; note the distance.
5. Shoulder: from the neck base to the shoulder bone (one shoulder); and across-shoulder from bone to bone across the back.
6. Nipple point (bust point) and bust separation: shoulder to bust point; and distance between points — essential for darts.
7. Front length (shoulder to waist) and back length (nape to waist).
8. Round arm (bicep), round elbow, round wrist; sleeve length from shoulder bone to wrist with the arm slightly bent; and armhole depth.
9. Full length: shoulder to hem for a gown; waist to hem for a skirt; note the shoe height the client will wear.
10. Round knee and round ankle for fitted skirts and trousers; thigh for trousers.
11. Neck circumference and neck depth for the chosen neckline.

Men's measurements (shirts, senator, agbada, trousers)

1. Neck: around the base, with a finger's ease.
2. Chest: around the fullest part under the arms, tape level.
3. Stomach and waist: at the belt line; note which one is larger.
4. Hips/seat: around the fullest part.
5. Shoulder: across the back, bone to bone.
6. Sleeve length (shoulder to wrist, arm slightly bent) and round arm, round wrist; short-sleeve length if needed.
7. Top length: shoulder to hem — senator tops typically to mid-thigh, kaftans longer, agbada to the calf or ankle; confirm with the client.
8. Trouser length: waist to ankle (outseam) and crotch to ankle (inseam); crotch depth seated; thigh, knee, bottom circumferences.
9. Agbada extras: full width (fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched, or as the style demands) and the inner top length.

The habits that prevent disputes

• Measure twice; if the two numbers differ, measure a third time.
• Record ease separately from body measurement — the card holds the body; the pattern adds the ease for the style.
• Ask about posture and preference: some clients want fitted, some want comfortable; write it down.
• For clients who send measurements by WhatsApp, send them a diagram and a video of how to measure, and always allow for a fitting.
• Keep a measurement book or a phone note per client; repeat customers should never be re-measured for every outfit unless their body has changed.
• Do a fitting before finishing — it costs an hour and saves a remake.

A simple measurement card

Name, phone, date, style, fabric and price at the top; the measurements in a fixed order down the page; the shoes and undergarments noted; fitting date and collection date at the bottom. Photograph the card and keep it on your phone. When a customer disputes a fit, the card and the photographs are the evidence.

Learn the whole craft

Measuring is the first lesson of the free Fashion Design & Tailoring course, followed by pattern drafting from those numbers, cutting, sewing, finishing and pricing, and a graded finished outfit. How much tailors charge covers the pricing side.

Frequently asked questions

What measurements do I need to sew a gown?

Bust, under-bust, waist, hips and waist-to-hip distance, shoulder and across-shoulder, bust point and separation, front and back lengths, arm, elbow, wrist and sleeve length, armhole depth, full length to hem, and neck circumference and depth for the chosen neckline.

What measurements are needed for senator or agbada?

Neck, chest, stomach, waist, hips, shoulder, sleeve length and arm circumferences, top length, trouser outseam and inseam, crotch depth, thigh, knee and bottom, plus the agbada full width and inner top length.

Where is the natural waist for measuring?

The narrowest part of the torso, usually just above the navel. Tie a cord or elastic there so every vertical measurement starts from the same line.

How much ease should a tailor add?

Record the body measurement on the card and add ease in the pattern according to the style — fitted garments need little, comfortable ones more. Keeping the two separate prevents confusion on the next outfit.

How do I measure a client who is far away?

Send a measurement diagram and a short video showing how to take each measurement, have them measure twice, and always plan a fitting or a slightly larger allowance for adjustment.