Measuring cuff size depends on whether you’re measuring your body for a new garment or measuring a garment you already own. For shirt cuffs, you need your wrist circumference taken just above the wrist bone. For trouser cuffs, you’re measuring the leg opening at the bottom hem. Both are straightforward with a flexible tape measure and a flat surface.
How to Measure Your Wrist for Shirt Cuffs
Wrap a soft measuring tape around your wrist just above the wrist bone. The tape should sit snugly against your skin without digging in. Measure on bare skin and stand relaxed with your arm at your side. Don’t add any extra room to the number you get; that raw wrist circumference is what shirt makers use to determine your cuff size, and they build in their own ease allowance.
If you wear a watch and plan to wear it under your cuff, measure over the watch or at the spot where it normally sits. This gives you a circumference that accounts for the extra bulk. Having a second person help makes the process noticeably more accurate, since it’s awkward to read a tape measure wrapped around your own wrist while keeping it level.
How to Measure an Existing Shirt Cuff
If you already have a shirt that fits your wrists well, you can use it as a reference for future purchases. Unbutton the cuff and lay it flat. Measure from the center of the button to the far end of the buttonhole. That distance is your cuff width, the number you’ll compare against size charts when shopping.
This method works because the overlap between button and buttonhole determines how tightly the cuff closes around your wrist. A cuff that buttons comfortably leaves enough room for you to slide a finger between the fabric and your skin.
French Cuffs Need a Different Approach
French cuffs (also called double cuffs) are twice the length of a standard cuff and fold back on themselves before being fastened with cufflinks instead of buttons. When you unfold a French cuff completely flat, you’re looking at a piece of fabric roughly double the height of a regular cuff. Both layers have holes punched through them, typically four holes total per cuff, though some shirts include six.
To measure a French cuff, unfold it entirely and measure the full length of the fabric. Then measure the width the same way you would a standard cuff, edge to edge across the opening. When comparing sizes, keep in mind that the folded height of a French cuff will be about half of its unfolded length, and it sits slightly bulkier on the wrist than a barrel cuff of the same circumference.
Where the Cuff Fits Into Sleeve Length
Sleeve length and cuff size are related but measured separately. A standard sleeve measurement starts at the center back of the collar, runs over the shoulder, down the arm, and ends at the bottom edge of the cuff. The cuff is included in that total length. So if your sleeve length is 34 inches, the cuff is already part of that number. You don’t need to add cuff height on top of it.
This matters when you’re ordering custom or made-to-measure shirts. You’ll typically provide both a sleeve length and a wrist circumference. The tailor uses the wrist measurement to size the cuff opening and the sleeve length to set the overall arm length from collar to wrist.
How to Measure Trouser Cuffs
Trouser cuffs refer to the leg opening at the bottom hem, whether it’s a turned-up cuff or a plain hem. The measurement tells you how wide or narrow the pant leg is at the ankle, which affects the overall silhouette.
Lay your pants on a flat surface and smooth out any wrinkles without stretching the fabric. Line up both layers of the hem so they sit evenly on top of each other. Jeans that have been washed repeatedly sometimes twist along the leg, so take a moment to align the seams to their natural position. Place your tape measure in a straight line from one edge of the hem to the other, not diagonally or curved. Write down that number, then double it. Since you’re measuring the garment folded flat, doubling gives you the full circumference of the leg opening. An 8-inch flat measurement, for example, equals a 16-inch total opening.
Avoid measuring while the pants are bunched up or draped over a hanger. Even small wrinkles at the hem can shift your reading by half an inch, which translates to a full inch of circumference once doubled. A hard, flat table or clean floor gives the most reliable results.
Quick Reference for All Cuff Types
- Wrist (body measurement): Tape around the wrist just above the bone, snug but not tight, on bare skin.
- Barrel shirt cuff (garment measurement): Cuff unbuttoned and flat, from the center of the button to the far end of the buttonhole.
- French shirt cuff: Fully unfolded and flat, measuring total length and opening width separately.
- Trouser cuff or leg opening: Pants flat on a surface, straight across the bottom hem edge to edge, then doubled for full circumference.
Whichever type of cuff you’re measuring, the principles stay the same: use a soft tape measure, keep the fabric or your body relaxed, and measure in a straight line. Taking two measurements and averaging them is a simple way to catch errors before you commit to a size.