Fit, measuring and alterations · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read

How to take measurements without a tape measure

How to measure without a tape measure: string or ribbon against a ruler, a sheet of A4 as a stand-in, a printed paper tape, and when to send a garment instead.

Inspiration

String and a ruler will do

You can take body measurements without a tape measure: wrap a piece of non-stretch string or ribbon round the body, mark the point where it meets, then lay it flat and measure it against a ruler. Done with care, it is close enough for a kameez, though it is slower than a tape and easier to get wrong.

Lengths are often simpler still. Stand with your back against a wall or a door frame, have someone put a sticky note level with the point you need, and measure the wall or the frame with a ruler or a metal tape from a toolbox.

What you can use

Something that bends but does not stretch: cotton string, parcel twine, satin ribbon or a long strip of woven fabric. Avoid wool, elastic and anything knitted.
Something to mark it: a pen, a pencil, a dab of chalk or a clothes peg clipped where the ends meet.
Something to read it against: a 30 cm school ruler, a metre stick, a metal tape or a long spirit level with markings.
No ruler at all? A sheet of A4 paper is 29.7 cm (11.7 inches) long and 21 cm (8.3 inches) wide. US Letter paper is 11 by 8.5 inches.
A printed paper tape. Printable tape templates are easy to find. Print at actual size or 100 per cent, never “fit to page”, then check one span against a ruler or the edge of an A4 sheet before you trust it.

Taking a round measurement with string

Bust, waist and hips all work the same way. Follow our size guide for where each one goes, and then:

Wrap the string round, level and snug, exactly as you would a tape.
Pinch the string where the loose end meets it, or mark that point with a pen. Keep hold of the pinch as you slip it off.
Lay the string straight on a table without pulling it.
Measure it in sections, drawing a small pencil line or sticking a scrap of tape at the end of each ruler length so nothing is counted twice or missed.
Do it again. If the two results differ by more than about half an inch (1 cm), take a third and use the two that agree.

Where the errors creep in

Small slips add up. Moving a 30 cm ruler along a 100 cm string means four placements, and a few millimetres lost at each one becomes a centimetre or more. A longer stick or a metal tape cuts the number of steps, and so does the long edge of an A4 sheet.

Watch for these as well:

String that gives a little when pulled, which reads short on the body and long on the table.
Marking the wrong side of the pinch, which adds the width of your fingers.
A twisted ribbon or a knot in the string, both of which steal length.
Rulers with inches on one edge and centimetres on the other. Write the unit beside every number; inches to cm for kameez measurements has a table if you need to convert.
Going without a helper for the back. The usual measuring mistakes apply just as much with string.

When a garment is the safer route

Some measurements are awkward with string even with help: shoulder width across your back, the armhole and the sleeve length all depend on finding exact points on the body. A kameez that fits you is easier, because it lies flat and a ruler works well on a flat garment. Our guide to measuring clothes that fit you shows how.

If you would rather not measure at all, you can send a sample kameez to us in Pakistan once we have confirmed how to send it, or choose Help me measure. And if you expect to order more than once, a soft dressmaker’s tape is widely sold and worth having in a drawer.

Sending string measurements

Enter the figures on the quote form as usual, write the unit beside each, and mention in the notes that they were taken with string and a ruler. That is no problem; it simply means that if a figure looks out of line, we can raise it with you before anything is cut. Custom stitching explains how the final measurements are agreed in writing.

Common questions

Can I measure my body with a phone app?

Some phone apps estimate lengths through the camera, but they are designed for rooms and objects and are not reliable enough for body measurements. Use one, if at all, only as a rough cross-check.

Is a sheet of A4 paper accurate enough as a ruler?

Its size is fixed at 21 by 29.7 cm, so it makes a fair stand-in. Use the long edge to keep the number of steps low, and mark each sheet length on the string as you go.

Is a soft tape better than a metal one?

For round measurements, yes, because it bends around the body. A metal tape is fine for lengths against a wall and for reading a string laid flat on a table.

More guides