Fit, measuring and alterations · 8 October 2026 · 3 min read
How to measure your wrist for a sleeve cuff
How to measure your wrist for sleeves and cuffs: wrist against the widest part of the hand, slip-on and buttoned cuffs, and measuring a kameez sleeve opening.
InspirationTwo numbers, not one
Measure round your wrist, just over the wrist bone, and then round the widest part of your hand with the thumb tucked into the palm. The wrist figure sets a buttoned cuff; the hand figure sets a sleeve that has to slip on without opening. Most women’s wrists measure about 5.5 to 7 inches (14 to 18 cm), and the folded hand about 7.5 to 9 inches (19 to 23 cm).
That gap of two inches or so is why a sleeve that looks narrow on a hanger can still be impossible to get on. A sleeve opening cut to the wrist alone will not pass the knuckles unless it opens.
Taking both measurements
Use a soft tape and keep it flat. You can do this alone, but rest your arm on a table so the hand stays relaxed.
- Wrist: wrap the tape round the wrist right over the bone, snug but not tight.
- Hand: fold the thumb into the palm, bring the fingers together as if pushing your hand through a sleeve, and measure round the widest part, usually across the knuckles.
- Forearm: for a three-quarter or elbow-length sleeve, measure round the arm at the point where the sleeve will end instead of the wrist.
- Watch or bangles: if you wear them under the sleeve, measure over them.
Slip-on, slit or buttoned
Which figure matters depends on how the sleeve end is made:
- Straight slip-on opening: at least the hand figure, plus a little room so it slides easily. Most slip-on full sleeves on a kameez end up around 9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) round.
- Opening with a small slit: a short slit at the side lets the opening be narrower than the hand, closer to the wrist, with a hook, loop or button.
- Buttoned cuff with a placket: usually the wrist plus about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 4 cm), because the cuff opens fully to let the hand through.
- Elasticated cuff: relaxed, it sits near the wrist; stretched, it must clear the hand.
Measuring the opening on a kameez you own
The sleeve opening is sometimes called the mohri, a word many tailors also use for the trouser hem. To measure it, lay the sleeve flat with the opening smooth, measure straight across from fold to fold, and double the figure. If the sleeve has a slit or a cuff, measure it closed and note the type.
Do the same for a sleeve you find too tight or too loose, and say so. Two openings, one right and one wrong, tell a tailor a great deal.
Putting it on your order
Our size guide has a box for the wrist or cuff, measured round the wrist or wherever the sleeve ends, with room to slip the hand through. In the notes, say which of your figures you entered and the finish you want. The full sleeves and three-quarter sleeves pages show the usual lengths, and our abaya cuffs article covers the wider cuffs on abayas. With custom stitching the finish is agreed in writing before cutting; send it all with your quote request.
Common questions
Should I measure my wrist tight or loose?
Snug, with the tape flat on the skin and not pressing in. Give the body figure and let the tailor add the room for the cuff style you choose.
Can I push a buttoned cuff up my arm?
Only if the opening, unbuttoned, is wide enough for your forearm. If you like to push sleeves up to wash your hands or cook, ask for a longer placket or a wider cuff.
Why is my sleeve too tight at the hand but loose at the wrist?
The opening was cut close to the wrist without a slit or cuff, so it fits the wrist once on but has to stretch over the knuckles to get there. A small slit or a slightly wider opening solves it.
