How to measure for a maxi dress: length, hem and fit

Measuring the full length

Stand straight on a hard floor in your shoes, looking ahead. Your helper places the end of the tape at the shoulder point beside your neck and runs it down the front, over the fullest part of the bust and down to the floor. Over the bust is important: a tape that drops straight from the shoulder can make the front of the dress short by a few centimetres.

Take the same measurement down the back, from the shoulder point to the floor. If the two are different by more than a little, give us both. That usually means a fuller bust or a more upright posture, and the dress is cut to allow for it.

Choosing the clearance above the floor

Once you have the full length, decide where the hem should actually stop. Subtract that clearance from the full length and give us the result, or give us both numbers and say which you want.

• Just skimming the floor: dramatic, and best for evenings indoors. Not ideal for stairs, wet pavements or long days.
• About a finger’s width above the floor: looks floor-length but lets you walk freely. The most practical choice for most people.
• At the ankle bone: easy for every day and travelling, and shows off your shoes.
• Two pairs of shoes? Measure in the lower heel. A dress cut for heels drags when worn with flats; one cut for flats still looks intentional with a small heel.

The waist seam and tiers

Many maxi dresses have a seam at the natural waist or just under the bust. Tell us which you prefer, and give the length from your shoulder to that point so the seam lands in the right place. Our article on measuring for a made-to-measure dress explains how to find it with a ribbon tied at your waist.

For a tiered maxi, the full length is shared between the bodice and the tiers, so the overall number matters most. Our tiered maxi dress can be ordered in a standard size from S to XL or made to measure, and the same length method applies.

Hem width, walking and sleeves

A long dress has to let you walk. Flowing shapes and tiers give plenty of room, but a slimmer maxi that follows the hips needs either enough width at the hem or a slit. If you like a narrower line, take a normal stride and ask a helper to measure around both legs just above the knee and again at the calf; add those to the notes so we can judge the hem.

Sleeves change the look of a long dress more than you might expect. Full sleeves give a more covered, elegant line, while elbow or short sleeves feel lighter in summer. Give your sleeve length and, for fitted sleeves, your upper arm.

Fabric, lining and ordering

A maxi uses more fabric than a kameez, and light fabrics such as chiffon usually need a lining to be opaque. If you are sending your own fabric, we confirm that there is enough for the length and fullness you want before you post it. If you would rather we supply it, ask for a Fabric + Stitching quote; the Fabric + Stitching service explains how fabric is agreed.

Long, light dresses suit gatherings and travel in Gulf heat too; the Dubai page explains ordering from there. Production takes 5 to 7 working days from approval and full payment, with shipping time on top.