How To Measure Guide

Coats & Jackets

General Tips for Measuring:

Before measuring a jacket, make sure that it is as smooth and flat as possible, without any major wrinkles or creases. You may wish to steam or iron the jacket before measuring it, if necessary.
To prepare the jacket for measuring, make sure it is laying on a flat surface and fully spread out, with the collar and lapels popped up and the front buttons buttoned. For a jacket with a 3-roll-2 button closure, you only need to button the middle and bottom buttons. Leave the top button unbuttoned.
If you are unsure of any measurement, always round up to the nearest quarter-inch.

Chest: Lay the jacket face-up on a flat surface. Start by buttoning up the front buttons of the jacket, and pop up the collar and lapels as well. Smooth out the jacket so it is laying as flat as possible, making sure there are no major folds or wrinkles. Flip up the jacket’s sleeves so you can see the armpits of the jacket. Start your tape measure from the left armpit of the jacket, right at the edge of the chest, and then measure straight across the chest to the same point under the right sleeve of the jacket. Multiply this measurement x2 to determine the jacket’s chest measurement. If you are unsure of your measurement, always round up to the nearest quarter-inch.

Waist: Lay the jacket face-up on a flat surface. Start by buttoning up the front buttons of the jacket, and pop up the collar and lapels as well. Smooth out the jacket so it is laying as flat as possible, making sure that there are no major folds or wrinkles. From there, find the narrowest portion of the jacket’s waist, which is usually at the top button on a 2-button jacket, or the middle button on a 3-button jacket. Take your tape measure, and measure straight across this area of the jacket, from left to right. Multiply this measurement x2 to determine the jacket’s waist measurement. If you are unsure of your measurement, always round up to the nearest quarter-inch.

Shoulders: To measure the shoulders on a jacket, start by popping up the jacket’s collar & lapels, and then lay it face-down on a flat surface. Smooth out the jacket so it is laying as flat as possible, making sure that there are no major folds or wrinkles. From there, find the points at the top of the shoulder seam on both shoulders, and then measure straight across the shoulder line between these 2 points to determine the jacket’s shoulder measurement. If you are unsure of your measurement, always round up to the nearest quarter-inch.

Sleeve Length: To measure the sleeve length on a jacket, start by hanging it up on a hanger (or have someone put it on). Position the tape measure at the top of the shoulder seam, where the sleeve meets the shoulder. From there, measure straight down the length of the sleeve all the way to the end. If you are unsure of your measurement, always round up to the nearest quarter-inch.

Back Length: To measure a jacket’s length, start by fully buttoning up the jacket, and then pop up the collar & lapels. Lay it face-down on a flat surface. Smooth out the jacket so it is laying as flat as possible, making sure that there are no major folds or wrinkles. Find the seam where the jacket’s undercollar meets the shoulders, and then measure from this point straight down the centre seam of the jacket all the way to the bottom to determine its length. If you are unsure of your measurement, always round up to the nearest quarter-inch.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact our Customer Service team at: info@spierandmackay.com