How to Measure Yourself for a Suit You Buy Online
Buying a suit or tuxedo online goes well when you know your numbers. You need a soft tape measure, a mirror and ideally a second person.
The five measurements
- Chest: wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest, under your arms and across your shoulder blades. Keep it level and breathe normally. This number is your jacket size: a 40-inch chest usually wears a 40 jacket.
- Waist: measure where you actually wear your trousers, usually just above the hip bones.
- Inseam: measure from the crotch to where you want the trousers to end. Most suit trousers ship unhemmed or long, so a tailor can finish them.
- Sleeve: from the shoulder seam to where your wrist meets your hand, with your arm relaxed at your side.
- Height: this sets your jacket length: short, regular or long.
Reading suit sizes
A size like 40R means a 40-inch chest and a regular length. S (short) usually fits men under about 5’8″, R (regular) about 5’8″ to 6’0″, and L (long) about 6’1″ and taller.
Many suits are sold with a 6-inch drop: the trousers’ waist is 6 inches smaller than the jacket’s chest, so a 40R jacket comes with 34-inch trousers. If your chest and waist differ by more or less than that, look for a listing that lets you choose jacket and trouser sizes separately.
What a tailor can and can’t fix
- Easy: hemming trousers, taking in the waist, shortening sleeves.
- Harder: slimming the jacket’s sides.
- Not worth it: the shoulders. If the shoulders don’t fit, choose a different size.
Before you order
Check each listing’s own size chart, because brands vary. Read the “Customer questions” section on Amazon for real-world notes on whether a suit runs large or small.