Customer Care
How to Measure Yourself
Accurate measurements are the difference between a piece that fits and one that just about does. A few minutes with a tape measure now saves a back-and-forth exchange later.
What you'll need: a flexible tape measure, a mirror, and — if you can — a second person to help. Measure over light clothing, or just your underwear — not bulky layers.
Note: how tight or snug the tape sits is the real difference between a fitted and a free/loose fit — pay attention to this everywhere it matters, not just at the neck and chest.
01
The 8 Key Measurements
These cover almost everything we sell — shirts, trousers, footwear, and fitted native wear.
- 01Neck
Wrap the tape around the base of your neck, where a collar would sit. How much slack you leave depends on the occasion:
- Formal, requires a tie: no slack at all around the collar.
- Smart casual, closed collar, no tie: one finger’s width of slack.
- Traditional — buba, senator, or any loose-fit top: one to two fingers’ width of slack.
- 02Chest
Measure around the fullest part of your chest, under the arms and across the shoulder blades, tape level all the way round. The same slack rule as Neck applies — none for formal, one finger for smart casual, one to two fingers for traditional or any loose fit.
- 03Waist
Measure around your natural waistline with no slack at all — the tape should feel exactly like a trouser sitting tight around your waist without a belt holding it up.
- 04Hips
Measure around the fullest part of your hips and seat, keeping the tape parallel to the floor.
- 05Shoulder Width
Measure across your back from the edge of one shoulder to the edge of the other, where a seam would naturally fall.
- 06Sleeve Length
With your arm slightly bent, measure from the shoulder edge, down the outside of the arm, to just past the wrist bone.
- 07Inseam
Measure from the top of your inner thigh straight down to where you want the trouser to end at your ankle.
- 08Shoe Size
Your regular, comfortable shoe is your true size. Measure that shoe’s length in inches or centimetres — a universal measurement — then convert it to whichever country’s sizing system you need for an accurate fit.
02
General Size Chart
A starting reference, not a guarantee — sizing still varies by brand and cut. When in doubt, go with your actual measurements above rather than a size label.
| Size | Chest (cm) | Waist (cm) | Neck (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 90–96 | 76–81 | 36–38 |
| M | 97–102 | 82–87 | 39–40 |
| L | 103–109 | 88–94 | 41–42 |
| XL | 110–116 | 95–101 | 43–44 |
| XXL | 117–123 | 102–108 | 45–46 |
| 3XL | 124–130 | 109–115 | 47–48 |
| 4XL | 131–137 | 116–122 | 49–50 |
| 5XL | 138–144 | 123–129 | 51–52 |
| 6XL | 145–151 | 130–136 | 53–54 |
| 7XL | 152–158 | 137–143 | 55–56 |
Figures are approximate and rounded for general guidance — always give us your actual measurements when booking a service or ordering a fitted piece.
03
Traditional Wear Sizing
Agbada, kaftan, and senator pieces don't always follow the same sizing logic as Western wear — fit is often about drape and proportion as much as exact measurement.
Our recommendation: for agbada, kaftan, senator, or any fusion piece, give us your height alongside the 8 measurements above. A Wardrobe & Style Consultation or a Traditional Wear Consultation (Coming Soon) is the more reliable route for these pieces than self-measuring alone.
04
Still Not Sure?
If any of this feels like guesswork, that's completely normal — most people haven't measured themselves properly before. Home Fitting (via Personal Shopping's In-Person Fitting) or a Wardrobe & Style Consultation will get you accurate numbers with a real person doing the measuring.