How to Measure a Sweatshirt?

Steps to Measure a Sweatshirt

4 min readJul 30, 2016

First Things First: Before we start with the measuring, lay down the garment on a flat hard surface and smooth out any wrinkles.

Neck to Shoulder: Measure from the middle of the neck to end of shoulder (where the sleeve starts).
Sleeve length: Measure from the shoulder to the wrist.
Shoulder to Shoulder: Measure this length from one shoulder to another.
Chest: Measure around the fullest part, place the tape close under the arms and make sure the tape is flat across the back.
Front Length: Measure from the highest point of the shoulder to the desired hemline.
Hem: Measure from one side to another, but it is vital to take this measurement from above the elastic area (If sweatshirt have any).
Sleeve cuff: At the widest point of the wrist, measure its circumference. Leave enough room for watches or jewelry worn often. Take this measurement from above the elastic area same as Hem length measurement.
Done!

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If you’re to buy a new sweatshirt but can’t try it on, how will you know that it will fit you? This is when the measurement part comes in. Sweatshirts are cut differently from T-shirts and dress clothes. Your usual size may not provide the best fit for you, especially if you are a woman because sweatshirts often use men’s sizes. So to make it sure that it will fit you need to measure your sweatshirt. To measure a sweatshirt, you just need a tape and 2 minutes of your time.
For Sellers, its always recommended to list measurements in your listings, this will help buyers to find their perfect fit, reduces questions and of course time.
If you are curious about how to measure a hoodie, this guide can also be used for it since the measurement areas are not different compared to a sweatshirt.

Tips for Taking Measurements:

Take all measurements lying flat. Lay the sweatshirt out on a flat surface. The front should be facing up. Hanging clothes can stretch as you measure and if you have them on a dress model of a different size this can skew your measurement.
Use a flexible tape measure at least 36″ long. Don’t try to take clothes measurements with a standard 12″ ruler you’ll end up with an inaccurate measurement. If you have no tape measurement handy and this is somewhat of an emergency, you can always download a printable measuring tape online.
Measure twice! If you don’t get the same measurement both times try again.
Record measurement to the nearest 1/4 inch. Anything more specific is irrelevant but remember lying flat measurements are generally doubled (e.g. lying flat waste of 12.5″ can be understood as a 25″ waist) so a 1/4 inch could make a difference.
Take measurements when you’re taking photos. Trying to measure as your listing at your desk ends up taking a lot more time and energy moving back and forth between tasks.
Some sweatshirts are sold by chest size only. These tend to be roomy, unisex styles that may swamp a petite woman.
Not all manufacturers make their clothes to the same specifications. Always check the size chart before you buy online.

For visual learners, please check out the YouTube video below:

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