How to find your kurta size
4 min read
Measure yourself, not an old label
Sizes are not standard across brands: a medium from one label can match a large from another. Measure your body with a soft tape over light clothing, and compare the numbers with each brand's own chart every time.
The three measurements
Bust: around the fullest part, with the tape level across the back. Waist: around the narrowest part of the torso. Hip: around the widest part, usually about twenty centimetres below the waist. Write them down in both inches and centimetres.
Body size or garment size
Check whether the chart lists body measurements or garment measurements. A garment measurement already includes room to move. If the chart shows garment sizes, choose one where the bust is about five to eight centimetres more than your own for a regular fit.
Length and sleeves
Kurta length is measured from the shoulder seam to the hem. Hold a tape at your shoulder and see where the listed length ends on you; a few centimetres makes the difference between knee and calf length. For sleeves, measure from the shoulder point to where you want them to end.
When you are between sizes
For straight and fitted kurtas, take the larger size; a tailor can take in the sides in a few minutes. For A-line and flared styles, the smaller size usually works because the extra flare gives room at the hip. Cotton can shrink slightly, so allow for that.
More guides
- Cotton, rayon, chanderi or silk: choosing a kurta fabricWhich fabric suits which weather and occasion, and how each one washes.
- Straight, A-line or anarkali: kurta shapes explainedWhat each cut looks like, what it pairs with and when to wear it.
- How to wash printed cotton so the colours lastFirst-wash steps for block prints and dark colours, and how to dry and iron them.
- Bandhani, leheriya, ajrakh and block print: Indian prints explainedHow four well-known textile crafts are made and how to recognise them.
- How to choose a chaniya choli for garbaFabric, flare, weight and length: what makes a chaniya choli comfortable to dance in.
