Separate body measurements from garment measurements
A body measurement and the same measurement on a finished garment answer different questions. State which your guide uses. A shirt laid flat across the chest is a width; it is not automatically a customer's chest circumference.
Choose centimetres or inches and label every value. If you give both, check each conversion and use one consistent rounding rule. Explain where the tape starts and ends, especially for length, rise and shoulder measurements.
Measure the pieces you actually sell
Labels such as medium or UK 12 can differ between suppliers and garment styles. Build the guide from the relevant item or supplier specification, then check it against your stock. Do not reuse a dress chart for trousers simply because the labels match.
For a one-off thrift item, provide its own measurements and condition. For made-to-measure work, agree how measurements will be taken and checked before cutting. Keep the customer's measurements private and confirm permission before sharing them with anyone helping fulfil the order.
Explain fit alongside the numbers
Tell the customer whether the garment is intended to be fitted, relaxed or oversized. Describe stretch, lining and adjustable features when they affect fit. If you publish a measurement tolerance, establish it from your own process rather than choosing an unexplained allowance.
Example wording: ‘Finished garment measurements in centimetres, taken flat. Length is measured from the shoulder seam to the hem.’ Add the actual measurements for the piece; this example does not supply a universal size chart.
- Body or finished garment is stated.
- Every number has a unit and a defined measurement point.
- Fit, stretch and relevant adjustments are explained.
- Customers have a way to ask about fit before ordering.
Put it to work
Ask someone unfamiliar with your clothes to follow the guide. Rewrite any measurement they cannot take consistently.