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How to Take Men's Measurements

Learn how to take measurements for men no matter your skill level. You don't want to miss this beginner guide on how to take body measurements for males.

By: Ashley Jones, Editor, AllFreeSewing.com

Make sure your husband or son has clothes that are stylish and flattering by learning how to correctly take measurements for males. If you're new to sewing, or you've never made men's clothing before, finding men's measurements can seem intimidating.

That's why AllFreeSewing has created a quick and handy guide on How to Take Men's Measurements. That way, it won't matter whether you're sewing for men or need to quickly get measurements for dress shirts or men's pants, you'll be completely prepared.

We've designed an easy-to-follow photo guide for taking basic men's measurements, from how to find a neck measurement for dress shirts to taking inseam measurements for jeans. You will be able to easily see where the measuring tape should be held when looking to find the sizes for various parts of the body.

And as a special bonus, we've rounded up our top 10 favorite sewing projects for guys, so that you can make an easy DIY shirt for your son or learn how to sew boxers as a quick gift idea.

No matter what sewing project you have in mind, our guide for taking men's measurements shows you how easy it is to create well-fitted and flattering clothes.

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Tips for Taking Men's Measurements

Our simple guide to taking measurements for men shows you how to correctly find the perfect sizes to make men's clothing (or to buy the right size). Accurately measure your husband's waist measurement or your nephew's sleeve length in just a few short steps. After you've decided what type of garment you'd like to sew, you'll need just a couple of items to get started:

  1. The person you'll be sewing for. If you're sewing for yourself, you'll need someone to help you take your measurements.
     
  2. Measuring tape (flexible with the preferred units and marks).
     
  3. A pen and paper to write down your measurements. Make sure you are writing down what the measurement is for each time.
It's also important to note that the person being measured should be wearing comfortable clothing i.e. no bulky sweaters and baggy sweatpants. Ready? Let's get started!
 

How to Find Men's Chest Measurements

To find the chest measurements, begin by lifting the arms and then measuring around the chest, underneath the arms. Make sure the measuring tape is laying flat against the body.
 

Measure around the fullest part of the chest. You want to make sure that the measuring tape is fitted to the body but is not too tight to the chest so that clothing will be fitted but comfortable.
 

How to Find Neck Measurements for Men

To find neck measurements for men, begin by taking your measuring tape and measuring around the lower part of the neck, about 1 inch below the Adam's apple.
 

When taking neck measurements, it's important to make sure that your garment will fit comfortably and isn't too tight against the neck. This is also applicable for buying men's dress shirts in which a collar or neck measurement is needed.

To ensure a comfortable fit at the neck, with your measuring tape in place, place two fingers between the neck and your measuring tape; this will ensure a fitted but breathable neckline.
 

How to Find Men's Sleeve Measurements

To find sleeve measurements, begin by placing your measuring tape in the center of the shoulders, just below the nape of the neck.
 

Taking the measuring tape, measure across the top of the shoulder and down to where the cuff or sleeve hem of the shirt should hit. The arm should be slightly bent so that the sleeve fit is not too tight or too loose.
 

How to Measure a Man's Waist

Finding the waist measurement for men is quite simple. For finding the natural waist measurement, begin by placing your measuring tape around the waist, starting at the naval and going around the body.

For a more relaxed or lower waist measurement (if the pants are meant to fit closer to the hips instead of the natural waist), place your measuring tape at where the waistband would normally sit, going around the body, with the measuring tape laying flat.
 

How to Find an Inseam Measurement

Inseam measurements are taken to find the inseam of a pair of pants. These measurements can be used when making or shopping for jeans or dress slacks. To find the inseam measurements, begin by placing the measuring tape at the top of the inner thigh and measuring down to the floor, making sure the measuring tape is parallel to the floor.

If a slightly shorter pant length is preferred (for example, a tighter fitting pair of skinny jeans), measure from the top to the inner thigh to the ankle hem.

Another part you may want to measure when making or buying pants is the seat (butt). Draw the measuring tape around the circumference at the widest part and that's the seat measurement.

If you're shopping for ready-to-wear clothing, be sure to round up to the nearest quarter inch.
 

BONUS! Top 10 Favorite Sewing Patterns for Men

Now that you've found your measurements, be sure to choose the perfect sewing project to make for your husband, son, nephew, or yourself. We've rounded up our top 10 sewing patterns for men so that you can create a thoughtful gift that the man in your life will love.

  1. Men's Fleece Hoodie
     
  2. Boxer Shorts
     
  3. Day On the Coast Sweatshirt Refashion
     
  4. Club Jacket
     
  5. DIY Men's Skinny Square Tie
     

Want More?

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What types of sewing projects for men would you like to see on AllFreeSewing?
Let us know below in the comments!

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