How to Measure Yourself for a Lehenga or Shalwar Kameez

Sizes like S, M and L mean very little in desi clothes. One tailor's medium is another tailor's large. A bridal lehenga made for someone else was cut to her body, not to a size chart.

So the only way to know if a pre-loved outfit will fit is to compare numbers: your numbers against the outfit's numbers. This guide shows you how to measure your bust, waist, hips, shoulder and lengths at home in inches, how to turn them into your own size chart for a lehenga, blouse or shalwar kameez, and what to ask a seller before you go to see an outfit.

Is there a standard lehenga or Pakistani dress size chart?

Not really. Ready-to-wear brands each publish their own size chart in inches, and the same "M" can differ by an inch or more from one brand to the next. Pre-loved and custom-stitched outfits often have no size label at all. If a listing names a brand size, check that brand's own chart, but always ask for the actual measurements too. The most reliable size chart is the one you make from your own body, using the steps below.

What you need

• A soft measuring tape (the cloth or plastic kind tailors use, in inches)
• A well-fitting bra, the kind you will wear with the outfit
• The heels or khussas you plan to wear on the day
• A mirror, and ideally a sister, friend or ammi to help
• A pen and paper, or the notes app on your phone

Keep the tape snug, not tight. You should be able to slide one finger under it. Stand straight and breathe normally. Do not hold your breath or pull your stomach in.

How to measure bust, waist and hips at home

1. Bust

Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest. Keep it level all the way round, including across your back. Check in the mirror that it has not slipped down behind you.

2. Underbust

Measure right under the bust, where a bra band sits. This matters most for fitted blouses and cholis.

3. Waist

Find your natural waist. It is the narrowest part of your middle, usually a little above the belly button.

A lehenga often sits lower than your natural waist. If you like to wear it lower, take a second waist measurement where you want it to sit, and write both down.

4. Hips

Stand with your feet together. Measure around the fullest part of your hips and bottom.

Blouse and shalwar kameez measurements

5. Shoulder

Measure across your back, from the edge of one shoulder bone to the other. Your helper should do this one.

6. Armhole

Wrap the tape around the top of your arm where it joins your body, going up and over the shoulder and under the armpit. A tight armhole can make a shirt uncomfortable even when the bust fits.

7. Sleeve length and bicep

For sleeve length, measure from the shoulder edge down to where you want the sleeve to end. For bicep, measure around the fullest part of your upper arm.

8. Blouse or shirt length

For a blouse or choli, measure from the top of your shoulder (near the neck) down over the bust to where you want it to end. For a kameez or long shirt, measure from the same point down to where you want the hem: knee, mid-calf or ankle.

9. Lehenga length

Put your heels on. Measure from your waist (the spot where you want the lehenga to sit) straight down to the floor. This is an easy one to get wrong. Measure barefoot and the lehenga will sit too short once you put on your baraat heels.

10. Trouser or shalwar length

Again in your shoes, measure from your waist down to your ankle, or wherever you like your trousers to end. For a cigarette pant or straight trouser, also measure around your ankle (the bottom opening) and your thigh.

Your personal size chart (in inches)

Copy this list into your phone and fill it in. You will use it every time you shop.

• Bust: ____
• Underbust: ____
• Natural waist: ____
• Lehenga waist (where you wear it): ____
• Hips: ____
• Shoulder: ____
• Armhole: ____
• Bicep: ____
• Sleeve length: ____
• Blouse length: ____
• Shirt or kameez length: ____
• Lehenga length (in heels): ____
• Trouser length (in shoes): ____
• Trouser bottom opening: ____
• Height (feet and inches): ____

Measure twice. If the two numbers are different, take the bigger one.

How to compare your numbers with a pre-loved outfit

Body measurements and garment measurements are not the same thing. A shirt with a 36 inch bust will not fit a 36 inch body comfortably. Clothes need some room so you can move, sit and eat at the walima.

When a seller gives you a garment measurement, it should be taken with the outfit laid flat. For a flat measurement across the chest, double it to get the full round number. Ask the seller which one she is giving you so there is no confusion.

As a rough guide:

• Fitted blouse or choli: the garment bust should be close to your body bust, with only a little extra. Blouses are made to fit snugly.
• Shirt or kameez: look for a few inches more than your body bust, depending on whether you like it fitted or loose.
• Lehenga waist: should match the waist where you will wear it. Many lehengas have a drawstring or hooks that give a little play.
• Lengths: compare against your in-heels numbers. A lehenga that is an inch or two long can be hemmed. One that is too short is much harder to fix, especially with a heavy border.

These are general guides, not rules. If unsure, show the seller's numbers to your own tailor.

Ask about seam allowance before you decide

This is one of the most useful questions you can ask, and it is easy to forget.

Seam allowance is the extra fabric left inside the seams. If there is enough, a tailor can let the outfit out by an inch or two. If there is none, the outfit can only be taken in, never made bigger.

Ask the seller:

1. How much margin is left inside the side seams of the blouse or shirt?
2. Is there extra fabric at the lehenga waist or in the back panels?
3. Has the outfit already been altered? If yes, was it taken in or let out?
4. Is there spare fabric or extra border that came with the outfit?

A heavily worked piece with zardozi, sequins or a can-can lining is usually harder to alter than a plain one. The work can run right up to the seams, so a tailor may not be able to open them neatly. Taking in is usually easier than letting out, so an outfit slightly bigger than you is often a safer buy than one slightly smaller.

Shopping from abroad or another city

Buying from the UK or the Gulf for a wedding back home? Measurements are everything.

• Send the seller your list and ask for her garment measurements in inches, point by point.
• Ask for a clear photo of the tape laid against the outfit at the bust and waist.
• Ask for photos of the inside seams so you can see the margin yourself.
• Ask a family member in Pakistan to go and see the outfit in person before any money changes hands.

That last point matters. See the outfit before you pay, or have someone you trust see it for you, and never send an advance to someone you have not met. There are more tips on the safety page.

Searching listings by your measurements

Once you have your numbers, you do not need to scroll through every listing hoping something fits. Skip listings with no measurements, or ask for them first. Look for outfits within an inch or two of your bust and waist, and favour sellers in a city where a relative can go and see the piece.

On MyKlozt you can start with pre-loved lehengas or shalwar kameez and narrow by bust, waist and city.

If you are selling, add as many measurements as you can to your listing. Buyers who can see the bust, waist and lengths up front ask fewer questions and decide faster. You can list an outfit here.

Keep your list handy

Bodies change a little over the year, so measure again before a big event like your own nikkah. Keep the list on your phone, and you will be ready the next time a shaadi invitation arrives.