How to Measure Your Waist for Tuxedo Rental

It's important to measure the waist for tuxedo pants properly because they have a higher rise than jeans and casual pants. Because of this higher rise, tuxedo pants need to fit around a man's waist at the navel and not below it, as is the common fit for jeans and casual pants. Here are some tips to measure a waist for tuxedo rentals to ensure they fit properly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cloth measuring tape

1. Wrap the measuring tape around the waist at the navel. Grab each side of the measuring tape with either hand.

2. Pull the measuring tape around the waist until it fits snugly, but not too tightly.

3. Place one finger in between the waist and the measuring tape. This allows for a little extra breathing room in the pants and ensures they won't fit too tightly. Pull the measuring tape around the waist again until it fits snugly.

4. Take note of the measurement and repeat steps 1 through 3 to take a second measurement for accuracy.

Tips & Warnings

• Stand in front of a mirror if you are measuring your waist by yourself to make sure the measuring tape is at navel level all the way around your body.
• Always allow a little extra space (about 1/4 inch) when measuring the waist of thin people. If you pull the measuring tape too snugly around a thin person's waist, the tuxedo pants will fit too tightly around the hips.
• Never allow too much room when measuring the waist for tuxedos. If you do this, the measurement will be inaccurate and the pants will be too big throughout the waist and hips.

Resources

• Find a tuxedo size chart at Elite Tux.