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Pomeroy's fit guide

Measure once. Order with confidence.

Use this guide to record the body measurements that matter for dress shirts, suit coats, and dress slacks. Sizes vary by garment and brand, so measurements are the beginning of a good fit—not a substitute for trying clothing on.

Before you measure

A better measurement takes five quiet minutes.

  • Use a soft cloth measuring tape.
  • Wear a thin shirt and empty your pockets.
  • Stand naturally. Do not puff your chest or hold in your stomach.
  • Keep the tape level and comfortably close, never pulled tight.
  • Ask another person to help whenever possible.

Dress shirts

Collar and sleeve

Dress-shirt sizing is based on actual body measurements, not the size printed inside a casual shirt.

How to measure neck size Front view of the head and shoulders with a measuring tape around the base of the neck.
1

Neck / collar

  1. Wrap the tape around the base of the neck where a shirt collar sits.
  2. Keep the tape level and place one finger beneath it.
  3. Record the measurement without rounding down.

Comfort check: You should be able to button the collar and breathe normally.

How to measure shirt sleeve length Proportional back view of a person in a shirt with one arm slightly bent. The measuring tape begins at the center back of the neck, crosses the shoulder, and follows the outside arm to the wrist. START WRIST
2

Shirt sleeve

  1. Begin at the center back of the neck.
  2. Run the tape across the shoulder and down the outside of a slightly bent arm.
  3. Finish at the wrist bone where the cuff should end.

Do not measure shoulder to wrist only. Dress-shirt sleeve sizing includes the center-back portion.

Suit coats

Chest, overarm, and proportion

Chest is the starting point for coat size. Overarm and height help us catch athletic builds and choose an appropriate coat length.

How to measure chest size Front torso with a horizontal measuring tape around the fullest part of the chest beneath the arms.
3

Chest

  1. Relax both arms at your sides.
  2. Wrap the tape beneath the arms and around the fullest part of the chest and shoulder blades.
  3. Keep it level and take the reading after a normal breath.

Do not inflate your chest or pull the tape tight enough to compress clothing.

How to measure overarm size Front torso with a measuring tape around the chest and the widest point of both upper arms.
4

Overarm

  1. Keep both arms relaxed at your sides.
  2. Measure around the chest and the widest point of both upper arms.
  3. Keep the tape horizontal across the back.

Why it matters: A larger chest-to-overarm difference may require an athletic cut or extra fitting attention.

Dress slacks

Waist, seat, and inseam

Measure the body where dress trousers will actually sit. Do not copy the number from a pair of jeans.

How to measure trouser waist Front torso with measuring tape level around the point where dress trousers sit.
5

Trouser waist

  1. Place the tape where you intend to wear dress trousers.
  2. Keep it parallel to the floor.
  3. Stand naturally and record after a normal breath.
How to measure seat and hips Rear view of a person wearing dress trousers. A level measuring tape circles the fullest point of the seat and hips. FULLEST POINT
6

Seat / hip

  1. Stand with feet naturally together.
  2. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of the seat and hips.
  3. Check from the side that the tape remains level.
How to measure inseam Front view of trousers with a measuring line from the crotch seam down the inside leg to the desired hem.
7

Inseam

  1. Begin at the crotch seam where the trouser legs meet.
  2. Measure straight down the inside leg.
  3. Finish where you want the trouser hem to sit.

A well-fitting pair of dress trousers can also be measured flat from the crotch seam to the hem.

Optional worksheet

Record your measurements

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