Measurements, taken with you rather than sent to you
Twenty minutes on a WhatsApp video call, a tape measure and someone to hold the other end. Here is what to have ready, and what gets taken.
Most fitting problems are not sewing problems. They are a tape measure held by one person, alone, in front of a mirror.
That is the whole reason this is done on a call. A measurement form sent by email is a guess written down neatly — nobody sees how the tape was held, and the first anyone learns of it is at the fitting, when the cloth is already cut.
On a video call Nirali names each measurement, watches where the tape is sitting, and asks for it again when it looks wrong. It takes about twenty minutes and it is the step the fit actually rests on.
What to have ready
- A tape measure A soft dressmaker’s tape, not a builder’s. If there is not one in the house, a length of string and a ruler will do — measure the string afterwards.
- Someone to hold the other end This is the one that matters. Measuring yourself pulls the tape out of true every time, and the numbers come out small. A friend, your mother, your sister — anyone who can stand behind you.
- Close-fitting clothes A fitted top and leggings, or whatever you would wear under a blouse. Loose kurtas add inches that are not yours.
- About twenty minutes Somewhere with room to stand back from the phone, and enough light that the tape is readable on the call.
What gets taken
You do not need to arrive with these. They are here so you know what the call involves, and so you can see there is nothing mysterious about it.
| Blouse | Bust, at the fullest part |
|---|---|
| Under-bust, directly beneath | |
| Waist, at the narrowest point | |
| Shoulder, across the back from one shoulder point to the other | |
| Sleeve length, and the width where the sleeve ends | |
| Armhole, all the way round | |
| Blouse length, from the shoulder down to where you want it to sit | |
| Ghagra | Waist, where the skirt will actually be tied |
| Hip, at the fullest part | |
| Full length, from the waist to the floor | |
| Height, and the heel you plan to wear with it |
Where it usually goes wrong
- Measuring over the wrong clothes A padded blouse or a thick kurta adds an inch that nobody will see until the fitting. Measure over what you would actually wear underneath.
- Pulling the tape tight The instinct is to pull, and a pulled tape gives a smaller number than your body. It should sit flat and level, touching without pressing.
- Forgetting the shoes The floor length of a ghagra depends entirely on the heel. Tell us the shoes, or better, stand in them.
- Sending numbers from an old outfit A tailor’s notes from a garment made three years ago describe that garment, not you. They are useful as a cross-check and no more.
- Holding your breath Stand as you stand. A waist measured on a held breath belongs to a person who cannot sit down at the reception.
Questions
How do you take measurements for a lehenga over a video call?
On WhatsApp, in about twenty minutes. You need a tape measure and someone to hold the other end; Nirali does the rest. She names each measurement in turn, watches where the tape is sitting, and asks you to do it again if it looks off. It is not a form sent to you to fill in — the numbers are taken together, which is why the mistakes get caught while the tape is still in your hand.
What measurements are needed for a lehenga?
For the blouse: bust, under-bust, waist, shoulder, sleeve length and width, armhole, and blouse length. For the ghagra: waist, hip, full length from waist to floor, and your height with the heel you intend to wear. We take them with you on the call, so there is no need to arrive with a list.
Do I need to send my measurements before the call?
No. Bring nothing but the tape and a helper. If you already have measurements from a tailor you trust, keep them to hand — they make a useful cross-check — but we would rather take our own.
Can my local tailor take them instead?
Yes, and some brides prefer that. Send us what your tailor records and we will still go through them with you on a call, because a number written on a slip does not say how the tape was held.
What if a measurement turns out to be wrong?
Hand-embroidered pieces are built with seam allowance for adjustment, which is the second reason remote fitting works. Between measurements taken together and cloth left to let out, overseas brides get the same fit as anyone who walks into the studio.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It is the same WhatsApp thread you have been messaging on — no app to download, no appointment system, no link to click.
Should I measure in inches or centimetres?
Either. Say which you are using and stay with it for all of them; the mistakes come from switching halfway, not from the unit.
I am buying for someone else as a surprise. What then?
Tell us — this is common, and there are ways round it. A garment they already own and wear well can be measured flat instead of measuring them, which gets us close enough to work with.
Arrange the call.
Bridal orders run about twelve weeks, so the measurement call is early in the conversation, not at the end of it.
WhatsApp +91 98256 64994 →Ordering from outside India? How that works, in full — or, for Navratri, chaniya cholis for garba.