Size Guide for Indian Sarees and Dresses
All sales are final, so fit is worth ten minutes with a tape measure. This guide covers both halves of the collection: sarees, which are one drape length with an unstitched blouse piece to be made up to your measurements, and dresses, which are sold in ready-to-wear letter sizes. Every number below is in inches.
Start Here: Two Different Systems
- Sarees carry one size option, listed as Custom. There are no S to XXL sarees. You need your blouse measurements, plus your height for the petticoat.
- Dresses, gowns and suits are sold in ready-to-wear letter sizes, S through XXXL, and the size selector lists the sizes that piece is actually in stock in. You need bust, waist, hip and height.
- Pieces with no size listed - some pieces, mostly sarees and occasionally a dress, show no size selector at all. Read the Dimensions line in the product specifications; many listings do not carry one, and if there is no Dimensions line, ask us for the measurements before ordering.
Stock is one piece per size, so a listing showing only L and XL is not hiding an M - that size is not available on that piece. L, XL and XXL are the sizes most pieces are carried in, and nothing in the collection is stocked in XS today. Some descriptions name a wider range - "sizes XS to XXL", "free size, fits S to XL" - which describes what the style can be made in, not what we hold. Where a description and the size selector disagree, the selector is what exists; ask us before ordering rather than assuming the wider range.
Dress Sizes: Body Measurements
This is a body chart. Measure yourself and find the row your numbers land in - do not compare these to the measurements of a garment you already own.
| Size | Bust (in) | Waist (in) | Hip (in) | Closest US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 34 | 28-30 | 36-38 | 4 |
| M | 36 | 30-32 | 38-40 | 6-8 |
| L | 38 | 32-34 | 40-42 | 10-12 |
| XL | 40 | 34-36 | 42-44 | 14 |
| XXL | 42 | 36-38 | 44-46 | 16 |
| XXXL | 44 | 38-40 | 46-48 | 18 |
The US column is for orientation only. US sizing drifts by up to two sizes between US brands, so the inch values are the numbers that decide the fit.
Three things this chart does not tell you
Ease. Indian garments are cut with roughly 2 to 4 inches of room over the body measurement. That is why a finished garment measuring 38 inches around the bust fits a 34 to 36 inch body. If a product page quotes a bust number, check whether it is describing you or the garment before you size off it.
Shoulder. Shoulder width grows only about half an inch per size - roughly 13.5 inches at S to 16 inches at XXXL. Sizing up does not fix a shoulder that is too narrow; it just adds a loose bust. If your shoulders are broad, size to the shoulder and have the body taken in.
Hip drop. The chart above grades the hip 2 to 4 inches above the bust, which is the usual Indian grade. A bust-dominant or athletic build sits outside that grade and reads tight at the bust and loose at the hip. Size to the bust and shoulder and have the hip taken in - sizing down to close the hip leaves you short at the bust.
Length: The Number Tall Buyers Miss
Anarkali and gown lengths in this collection run from about 35 to 50 inches, most often 45 to 48, and in most Indian charts length is the same at every size - a XXXL gown is the same length as an S. The grade is drafted for a 5'3" to 5'5" wearer, so height is a separate input from your size, not something the size number solves. Fifty inches is the longest piece we carry, so if you need more than that, ask us before you order rather than hoping a listing runs long.
| Your height | What that length does |
|---|---|
| Under 5'3" | Most lengths in this collection will need hemming. Check the Dimensions line before ordering. |
| 5'3" - 5'5" | The height this grade is drafted for. A 45 to 48 in gown reads as pictured. |
| 5'6" - 5'8" | A 45 to 48 in gown reads ankle-length, not floor-length. Choose the longest length listed. |
| 5'9" and above | Nothing here reaches the floor on you - even a 50 in gown sits mid-calf. Ask us for the length before ordering. |
Measure your own from the mid-shoulder straight down to the hem you want, standing straight in the shoes you will wear, and compare it against the length printed in the product specifications. Shortening a hem is routine; adding length is usually impossible.
Sarees: Drape, Blouse Piece and Blouse
The drape is one length for everyone. Sarees in this collection list their length in the Dimensions line of the product specifications, typically 6.3 to 6.5 metres including the blouse piece - a standard saree without one runs about 5.5 metres. Width is what sets the drape height, usually 44 to 48 inches, but almost no listing publishes it. If you are 5'7" and above, or wearing heels, ask us for the width before ordering - the wider end of that range drapes better on a taller frame.
"Blouse piece included" means fabric, not a blouse. It is a flat length of cloth, usually 0.8 to 1.0 metres at the saree's own width, meant to be cut off and stitched. It is not wearable as it arrives. A short-sleeve blouse fits comfortably in 0.8 metres in most sizes; fuller sizes, long sleeves or a high-neck or longline design generally want 1.0 to 1.25 metres, which means extra fabric.
The blouse is the only part that is sized - that is what the Custom option refers to. It does not mean a finished blouse arrives stitched to your measurements: the blouse piece ships flat, and a tailor makes it up. Take the measurements below to your tailor, or sign in and save them to your account so they are on file when you inquire.
Fall and pico are finishing steps, not part of the weave. Fall is a cotton strip stitched inside the lower hem so the pleats hang straight and the hem survives heels; pico is a fine rolled edge that stops the lengthwise edges fraying. Lightweight chiffon, georgette and thin silks really need fall to drape. If a product page does not say a piece has been finished, ask us before you order.
Petticoat: Sized by Hip, Chosen by Height
We do not sell petticoats, so this is for whichever seller you buy one from. The waist is a drawstring, so it adjusts. Size the petticoat by your hip measurement plus about 4 inches so the saree pleats sit smoothly. Length is what actually goes wrong: the hem should sit about half an inch to an inch off the floor - never visible below the saree, never underfoot.
| Your height (barefoot) | Petticoat length |
|---|---|
| Under 5'2" | 36 - 38 in (usually needs hemming) |
| 5'2" - 5'5" | 38 - 40 in |
| 5'6" - 5'8" | 40 - 41 in |
| 5'9" and above | 42 in |
Those lengths assume flat shoes. Add your heel height on top: a 3 inch heel needs about 3 inches more length. The reliable version of this is to measure from your natural waist straight down to the floor in the shoes you plan to wear and use that number, treating the table as a sanity check.
How to Measure Yourself
Before you start
- Measure in close-fitting clothes or underwear — never over a kurta, sweater or the saree itself.
- Wear the exact bra you plan to wear with the outfit. Padded versus non-padded changes the bust by an inch or two, which is a full size.
- Use a flexible fabric tape, not a metal tape or a piece of string.
- Have someone else measure you if you can. Self-measuring under-reads the back, shoulder and armhole every time.
- Stand straight, feet together, arms down. Do not hold your breath or pull anything in.
- Keep the tape snug but not compressing — one finger should slide under it — and parallel to the floor all the way around.
- Measure twice, write the numbers down, and record everything in inches.
| Measurement | Where the tape goes |
|---|---|
| Bust (full) | Around the fullest part of the bust, level all the way around. Raise your arms to position the tape, then lower them before reading. |
| Underbust | Directly beneath the bust, where a bra band sits, snug. |
| Waist (natural) | The narrowest part of the torso, roughly an inch above the navel. Bend sideways - the crease is your natural waist. Do not use your jeans waistband. |
| Hip (full) | Around the fullest part of the seat, usually 7 to 9 inches below the natural waist, feet together. |
| Shoulder | Across your back, from the bony tip of one shoulder to the other. |
| Shoulder to full length | From the mid-shoulder, over the fullest part of the bust, down to where the blouse ends. The saved-measurements form asks for this separately from blouse length. |
| Front neck depth | From the hollow at the base of the throat straight down the front to the lowest point of the neckline you want. |
| Back neck depth | From the bony bump at the base of the neck straight down the back to the lowest point of the back neckline you want. |
| Sleeve length | From the shoulder bone down the outside of the arm, elbow slightly bent, to where you want the sleeve to end. |
| Sleeve (round) | Around the arm at the point where the sleeve will end, tape comfortably loose. This is a different number from the armhole. |
| Armhole (round) | Around the armhole and armpit, tape comfortably loose. Do not pull it tight. |
| Blouse length | From the mid-shoulder straight down the front to where you want the blouse to end. |
| Gown or kurta length | From the mid-shoulder straight down to the hem you want, standing straight. |
| Waist to floor | Natural waist to the floor, wearing the shoes you will wear. This is the number that sets petticoat and gown length. |
| Height | Without shoes. Every length decision on this page follows from it. |
Then size to the largest of the measurements that bind for that garment - bust and shoulder for a blouse or a flared Anarkali, hip for a salwar, petticoat or straight-cut kurta - and check the garment length against your own before ordering.
The Four Mistakes That Cost People a Wear
- Ordering by your US letter size. A US Medium and an Indian Medium are not the same garment, and no two Indian labels grade alike. Match inches, not letters.
- Reading a garment measurement as a body measurement. With 2 to 4 inches of built-in ease, this puts you a whole size out, sometimes two. Ask which one a number describes if the page does not say.
- Ignoring height. Get the bust and hip exactly right and a 5'9" wearer still receives a mid-calf "floor-length" gown, because length is rarely graded by size.
- Trusting "free size". It is not one-size-fits-all. Some listings put a number on it - "fits up to 40 inches" - and others mean a narrow band around M to L. Ask for the inches before you order.
A realistic plan for non-stretch woven fabrics - cotton, brocade, tissue and most silks - is to order slightly generous and have a local tailor take it in. Most readymade blouses carry an inch to an inch and a half of seam allowance folded inside the side seams; ask your tailor to fold excess inward rather than cut it, so it can still be let out later. Stretch fabrics and princess-cut styles fit closest to the chart and can be taken true to measurement.
Sizing FAQs
Do Indian letter sizes match US letter sizes?
No. Indian letter sizing runs roughly one to two sizes smaller than US expectations, and there is no single Indian standard, so an L from one label fits like an M from another. Ignore the letters and match your measurements in inches to the chart on this page.
What does the Custom size on a saree mean?
A saree drape is one length for everyone, so there is no S, M or L to choose. Custom means the blouse is made to your own measurements instead of bought in a letter size. It does not mean a finished blouse arrives with the saree - the blouse piece ships flat and unstitched, and a tailor makes it up. Message us before ordering if you want stitching arranged.
Does "blouse piece included" mean I get a stitched blouse?
No. A blouse piece is a flat length of fabric, usually 0.8 to 1.0 metres at the saree's own width, attached to the end of the saree. It is not a wearable garment - a tailor turns it into one.
I am 5'8". Will a standard Anarkali be long enough?
Probably not. Indian ready-to-wear is drafted for a 5'3" to 5'5" frame and length is usually the same at every size. Gowns in this collection publish lengths of about 35 to 50 inches, most often 45 to 48, so a piece photographed as floor-length reads ankle-length or shorter on a taller wearer. Read the Dimensions line on the product page, or ask us, before ordering.
How do I choose a petticoat length?
Size the petticoat by your hip, not your waist, because the waist is a drawstring. Choose the length by your height measured barefoot: 38 to 40 inches from 5'2" to 5'5", 40 to 41 inches at 5'6" to 5'8", and 42 inches at 5'9" and above. Add your heel height on top of that. We do not sell petticoats, so check these numbers against your seller's own chart.
A product description mentions XS, but XS is not in the size list. Which is right?
The size selector. Descriptions sometimes name the range a style can be made in, such as XS to XXL or free size, while the selector lists only the one piece we actually hold. Nothing in the collection is stocked in XS today. If the two disagree, ask us before ordering rather than assuming the wider range.
Which measurement decides my size?
Size to the largest of the measurements that bind for that garment: bust and shoulder for a blouse or a flared Anarkali, hip for a salwar or petticoat, and height for anything with a fixed length. Taking a garment in is easy; letting one out is limited to the seam allowance.
Still between two sizes? Send us your measurements before you order and we will help you choose.