Common measuring mistakes, and how to avoid them

Tape and posture mistakes

• A tape that tilts: at the bust and hips the tape must stay level all the way round. It usually dips at the back, where you cannot see it, which adds a centimetre or two. Check side-on in a mirror.
• Pulling in or holding your breath: breathe normally and stand as you usually do. A waist measured with your stomach held in gives a kameez that feels tight after lunch.
• Too tight or too loose: the tape should sit flat against the body without pressing in. Ease for movement is added in the cutting, so do not add your own by leaving the tape slack.
• An old, stretched tape: fabric tapes stretch with age. Check yours against a metal ruler; a few millimetres out at 30 cm becomes a real error over a bust measurement.
• The wrong layers: measure over a thin top, not a jumper, in the bra you plan to wear with the outfit. A different bra can change the bust measurement noticeably.
• Looking down: tilting your head to read the tape shortens any length taken from the shoulder. Stand straight and read the tape in a mirror, or ask someone to read it for you.

Mistakes with the numbers

Some errors happen after the tape is put away.

• Mixing units: a bust in inches and a length in centimetres is more common than you would think. Pick one unit for everything; our guide to inches or centimetres explains how the form handles both.
• Rounding up every time: rounding each number up a little adds up across a whole kameez. Write down what the tape says, to the nearest half centimetre or quarter inch.
• Garment numbers sent as body numbers: if you measured a kameez rather than yourself, say so, because a garment already includes ease. Our guide to using a kameez that fits as a template explains the difference.
• Half measurements: a kameez laid flat shows only half its width. Double the number, or tell us it is a flat measurement.
• Old numbers: measurements from a previous order, or from last year, may no longer be right. Re-measure at least the bust, waist and hips.

Lengths, shoulders and armholes

Lengths are personal, and a wrong length is one of the most noticeable mistakes. Kameez length is taken from the highest point of the shoulder beside the neck, not from the outer edge of the shoulder, and the difference can be several centimetres. Trouser length is taken from wherever you actually wear your waistband; our size guide assumes the natural waist, so tell us if you wear trousers lower. Measure lengths with the shoes you wear most. Our length guide helps you choose the length itself.

The shoulder and armhole trip people up too. The shoulder is measured across the back, from one shoulder bone to the other, and it is almost impossible to take on yourself; our guide to measuring without help suggests a workaround. Measured across the front instead, it often comes out smaller. The armhole is optional on our size guide: if you are unsure, leave it blank rather than guess. Our armhole and shoulder guide explains why both matter.

A five-minute check before you send

Run through these before you submit. They catch most slips.

• Measure twice: take each circumference twice, and a third time if the first two differ.
• Look at bust, waist and hips together: for many figures the waist is the smallest of the three. If yours is not, double-check it, though plenty of bodies genuinely have a fuller waist.
• Compare with a kameez you like: measure it flat across the chest and double it. It should be a few centimetres more than your bust, never less.
• Add a note: if any number felt uncertain, say which one. We check the key measurements with you before cutting.
• Still unsure? Choose “Help me measure” on the form and we guide you through it on WhatsApp, or offer a garment that fits; we confirm how to send it to us in Pakistan before you post anything. The custom stitching page explains the rest.