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Salwar suit and kurti measurement chart: every measurement a tailor needs

Published 28 October 2026

A salwar suit looks simple next to a blouse, and that is where tailors get caught. The kameez is easy to make loose, but loose is not what most customers ask for. They want it to sit at the shoulder, skim the bust and fall cleanly over the hip. Then the bottom is a different garment every time: a salwar, a churidar, a patiala, a palazzo or a sharara, each needing its own numbers.

This guide lists every measurement for the kameez or kurti and for each kind of bottom, how to take them, how much ease to add, and which measurement to check when a suit comes back from the trial not fitting.

Before you start

• Customer standing straight, feet together, arms relaxed. Ask her to breathe normally, not hold her stomach in.
• Measure over thin clothing. A fitted kurta or the innerwear she will wear under the suit. Never over a sweater or a loose top.
• Hold the tape snug, not tight. You should be able to slip one finger under it.
• Write the unit. Inches or centimetres, on the card, every time.
• Write down the style first. Straight, A-line, anarkali or kalidar for the top; which bottom; which sleeve. The style decides which measurements matter.

Kameez and kurti measurements

For a fitted kurti with darts, also take apex length (highest shoulder point to bust point) and apex to apex (one bust point to the other), the same way you would for a blouse. For an anarkali or an A-line, write down the flare (ghera) you want at the hem.

Which measurements matter for each style

Not every measurement carries the same weight for every cut. Check these first:

• Straight kurti: shoulder, chest and hip. If the hip is short, the side slits pull open.
• A-line: shoulder and chest. The hip comes from the flare, so it rarely pulls.
• Anarkali: shoulder, chest and waist length. The bodice is fitted and the skirt starts at the waist, so a waist length that is out by an inch puts the seam in the wrong place.
• Kalidar kurta: chest and the flare at the hem. The number of panels (kalis) and their width at the bottom set the ghera.
• Fitted with darts: chest, waist, apex length and apex to apex.

How much ease to add

Ease is the room you add to the body measurement so the customer can sit, move and breathe. There is no fixed rule, and the customer's preference decides, but these are sensible starting points:

Two things to remember:

• Cotton shrinks. If the fabric has not been washed, either pre-wash it or allow a little extra, especially in length.
• Taking in is easy, letting out is not. An inch can be taken in at the side seam in minutes. Letting out needs seam allowance you may not have left. When in doubt, cut slightly generous and fix it at the trial.

Kurti lengths

Length depends on the customer's height, but most shops work around these:

• Short kurti: around 30 to 34 inches, sitting at the upper thigh.
• Knee length: around 38 to 40 inches.
• Calf length and anarkalis: 44 inches and longer.

Write the exact number, not "knee length". Knee length on a tall customer is a different number from knee length on a short one.

Bottom measurements

Take the bottom measurements standing, then ask her to sit for a moment if the style is close-fitting, like a churidar or cigarette pant.

Crotch depth is the measurement most often skipped and most often blamed for a salwar or pant that feels wrong when she sits. Take it with the customer seated on a flat chair: from the side of the waist down to the seat.

How much fabric to ask for

Customers often bring fabric and ask if it is enough. These are rough figures for 44-inch wide fabric and a medium to large size. Narrower fabric needs more. Always lay it out before you promise anything.

A large print, a border that has to sit at the hem, or a fabric with a direction such as velvet will all need more.

When a suit does not fit: what to check

Notes to write next to the numbers

• Top style: straight, A-line, anarkali, kalidar, with or without darts.
• Neck design: round, U, V, boat, collar or a sketch or photo.
• Sleeve style: sleeveless, cap, elbow, three-quarter or full.
• Slit: side slits, front slit or no slit.
• Lining: full, half or none.
• Bottom style and the footwear she will wear with it.
• Opening: side zip, back zip or front buttons.
• Reference garment: if she brought a kurta that fits well, measure it too and note what she wants changed.

Keep the measurements, not just the order

Most suit customers come back. If her measurements are on the slip that went to the cutter, the next order starts from zero, and small changes, such as an inch at the hip after a year, go unnoticed until the trial.

In Tailoring App you set up a Kurti piece and a Salwar or Churidar piece once, with the fields from this chart in inches or centimetres. Each measurement is saved against the customer with the date, with up to three photos of the neck design or a reference kurta, and with both the body measurement and the finished size you cut to. The next time she orders, the old numbers are there to compare. Measurement screens are available in Hindi as well as English, and the karigar sees the numbers for the job without seeing her name or phone number.

A blank card you can copy