Measure your chest, waist, hips, shoulder width, and sleeve length with a soft tape measure, then compare those numbers directly to the brand’s size chart.
For the full breakdown, see our best 5T Winter Coat guide.
Buying a winter coat online is a gamble when you skip the measuring tape.
The Essential Measurements You Need To Take
Take these five measurements against your body while wearing a thin base layer, not a bulky sweater. A soft tailor’s tape measure is the right tool, and keeping it level but not tight is the core trick.
- Chest: Wrap the tape under your arms, across the fullest part of your chest and shoulder blades. Keep it level all the way around.
- Natural waist: Find the narrowest part of your torso, usually around belly-button height, and keep the tape loose enough for a finger to slip under.
- Hips: Measure around the fullest part of your hips with the tape parallel to the floor.
- Shoulder width: Ask a friend to measure straight across your back from the point of one shoulder to the other.
- Sleeve length: Start at the shoulder point and run the tape to your wrist bone, with your arm slightly bent.
Add a sixth number if you like a longer coat: the back length, measured from the base of your neck down to your desired hem point. For a coat you’ll wear over heavy sweaters, it’s smart to take these measurements over the thickest layer you plan to wear underneath, since winter coats need a bit of ease beyond your bare body size.
How To Measure A Coat You Already Own
If you have a coat that fits well, measuring the garment itself is the most reliable route. Lay it flat on a table, zip or button it fully, and smooth out any wrinkles before you start. Then measure straight across:
- Chest: From one armpit seam to the other, doubled.
- Shoulder width: Straight across the back from shoulder seam to shoulder seam.
- Sleeve length: From the shoulder seam to the cuff end, measuring along the outside of the sleeve.
- Back length: From the collar seam at the base of the neck down to the hem.
Body measurements and flat-garment measurements are not interchangeable, and mixing the two is one of the most common sizing mistakes.
Brand Fit Guides And What They Add
| Measurement | How To Measure On Your Body | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | Tape under arms, across fullest part | Decides binding across the shoulders |
| Natural waist | Tape around narrowest torso point | Prevents a too-tight or too-loose mid-section |
| Hips | Tape at fullest point, parallel to floor | Ensures the coat closes over the lower body |
| Shoulder width | Straight across back, shoulder point to shoulder point | Must match exactly or sleeves ride up |
| Sleeve length | Shoulder point to wrist bone, arm slightly bent | Keeps wrists covered when reaching forward |
| Coat length | Base of neck to desired hem point | Sets coverage for warmth and style |
Common Mistakes That Ruin The Fit
References & Sources
- The North Face. “Ensure Your Coat Is the Perfect Fit.” Official brand guidance for measuring chest, waist, hips, and arm length.
- adidas. “How Should a Winter Jacket Fit?” Official fit guide covering arm-overhead and sleeve-coverage checks.