Fit, measuring and alterations · 8 October 2026 · 3 min read
Side slit length in inches: how to work it out
Kameez side slit length in inches: take your shoulder-to-hip measurement away from the kameez length. Worked examples in inches and cm, and how to write it.
InspirationThe sum in one line
Slit length = kameez length minus your shoulder-to-hip measurement. On a 40 inch kameez for someone whose hip line sits 24 inches below the shoulder, that gives a slit of up to 16 inches (41 cm), measured up from the hem. Most people then take off an inch or two, so the slit opens just below the hip rather than right on it.
The answer is a maximum, not a rule. It tells you the highest a slit can start without opening over the widest part of your body. From there you choose how much coverage and movement you want.
Taking the shoulder-to-hip measurement
Start at the high point of your shoulder, right beside the neck, where a kameez shoulder seam begins. Let the tape fall straight down the front, over the bust, to the level of the fullest part of your hips. That level is usually 18 to 23 cm (7 to 9 inches) below your natural waist. For many women the result is 58 to 66 cm (23 to 26 inches), more if you are tall.
If measuring yourself is awkward, use a kameez instead. Put it on, place a pin at the side seam level with your fullest hip, take it off and measure from the pin down to the hem. That figure is the longest slit that kameez could have. Our guide to measuring yourself without help has more tricks of this kind.
Worked examples in inches and centimetres
Three common lengths, each with a typical shoulder-to-hip figure. The first number is the maximum; the second is what many people choose. Our page on kameez length for your height helps if you have not settled the length yet.
- Short kurti, 32 inches (81 cm), shoulder to hip 23 inches (58 cm): up to 9 inches (23 cm); 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) is usual.
- Knee-length kameez, 40 inches (102 cm), shoulder to hip 24 inches (61 cm): up to 16 inches (41 cm); 14 inches (36 cm) starts the slit just below the hip.
- Calf-length kameez, 46 inches (117 cm), shoulder to hip 25 inches (64 cm): up to 21 inches (53 cm); 18 to 19 inches (46 to 48 cm) is common.
Too high, too low
A slit that starts above the hip line parts over the widest part of you. When you sit, the side panels pull open and the waistband of your trousers can show. The top of a slit also takes strain every time you sit or bend, and higher slits take more of it.
A slit that is too short has the opposite problem. On a long kameez it limits your stride and makes the kameez ride up and bunch when you sit, because the fabric cannot spread around your thighs. As a rough check, a kameez that falls below the knee usually needs its slit to reach above the knee to walk freely.
How to state it on your order
Give the slit as a length measured up from the hem at the side seam, never from the shoulder. On a curved hem (gol daman), measure from the hem edge at the side seam, which is the shortest point. If the kameez is lined, the lining slits normally match. Our chaak guide covers the finishes for the edges and the top of the slit.
When you order custom stitching, add a line such as “side slits 14 inches up from the hem” to your design notes. We confirm the slit length, along with the kameez length it depends on, in your written quote before anything is cut.
Common questions
What is a chaak?
Chaak is the Urdu word for the side slits at the hem of a kameez or kurta. Some designs also have a slit at the centre front or back, measured the same way, up from the hem.
Does an A-line kameez need slits?
Often shorter ones, or none. An A-line kameez is already wider at the hem, so it moves without much help. A flared frock usually has no slits at all, because its hem is wide enough to walk in.
Should both slits be the same length?
Almost always, yes. The length is given once and used on both sides. If you want an uneven or asymmetric hem, describe it separately in your notes or send a reference photo.
