How to measure for agbada, buba and kaftan: a tailor’s guide

For tailors and fashion designers in Nigeria · 9 minute read

An agbada set is not one garment. It is three layers, and sometimes a cap, and each layer has its own numbers. Most guides online are made for people measuring themselves for a mail order. This one is for you, the tailor, standing in front of a client with a tape, and it takes the whole set as one sequence.

If you have not yet read the basics, start with how to take body measurements for sewing. The same rules apply here: tape snug but not tight, measure twice, write the unit every time.

What you need before you start

• A soft, flexible tape marked in inches. This guide uses inches, and one inch is 2.54 centimetres. If a client gives you centimetres, divide by 2.54 and write the answer in inches.
• A helper, if you can get one. Someone to hold the end of the tape makes the length measurements easier and straighter.
• Light clothes. Thin clothes, not a thick buba or a jacket. The client stands straight, shoulders down, arms by the sides, feet together.
• The shoes he will wear on the day, for the lengths.
• A notebook or app, and a pen.

The measuring sequence for the whole set

An agbada set is cut in layers, so measure in layers too. Work from the inside out:

1. The numbers every men’s outfit shares: neck, shoulder, chest, sleeve.
2. The buba, the top worn under the agbada.
3. The sokoto, the trousers.
4. The agbada itself, which is cut to sit over the buba.
5. The fila, if he wants a cap.

Taking the inner pieces first keeps you from forgetting them. It also means that when you reach the big robe, you already know what it must fit over.

Measurements shared by every men’s outfit

• Neck: around the base of the neck, where the collar or neckline will sit. Leave room for one finger.
• Shoulder: straight across the back, from the edge of one shoulder to the edge of the other.
• Chest: around the fullest part of the chest, under the armpits and across the shoulder blades.
• Sleeve length: from the edge of the shoulder to the wrist, with the arm slightly bent. The sleeve starts at the end of the shoulder bone, not at the neck.
• Round sleeve: around the fullest part of the upper arm, with the arm relaxed.

Agbada: robe length, width, sleeve and ease

• Agbada length: from the top of the shoulder, beside the neck, down to where he wants the robe to end. Do this with his shoes on. Ask him, and show the spot on his leg with your finger before you write it.
• Width or spread: how wide the robe opens. This is a style choice, so agree it with the client. Have him hold his arms out, then show him with the tape what the spread would be. Write the number and a word such as “wide” or “medium”.
• Sleeve length: from the edge of the shoulder to where the agbada sleeve should end. This can be different from the buba sleeve.
• Sleeve opening: the width of the opening at the end of the sleeve. Many clients forget this one. Ask whether he wants it wide and flowing or narrower.

The agbada is a flowing robe, so it carries more ease than any other piece. Ease is the room you add beyond the body measurement. Do not write a fixed extra for every client, because the cloth, the style and the person all change it. Ask: “Do you want it wide and flowing, or more fitted?” and write the answer in words next to the numbers.

Buba and sokoto

Buba (the inner top). Take the chest, shoulder, sleeve length, round sleeve and neck from the shared list above. Then add the top length: from the top of the shoulder, beside the neck, down to where the buba should end. The buba sits under the agbada, so ask whether he wants it close to the body or a little loose.

Sokoto (the trousers).

• Waist: around the body where he likes to wear his trousers.
• Hip: around the fullest part of the seat.
• Thigh: around the fullest part of the upper leg, close to the crotch.
• Length: from the waist down the outside of the leg to where the sokoto should end.
• Ankle opening: the width of the bottom opening. Ask how wide or narrow he likes it.

Fila (the cap). Measure around the head, just above the eyebrows and ears, where the cap will sit. If he has thick hair or plans a haircut before the event, note it.

Kaftan and senator: length, bicep and wrist

A kaftan or a senator outfit has no big robe, so the numbers are fewer. Take:

• Neck, shoulder and chest, as above.
• Top length: from the top of the shoulder to where the top should end. Kaftans and senators can be short or long, so ask.
• Sleeve length and round sleeve, and the wrist if the cuff is fitted.
• Trouser measurements if the set has trousers: waist, hip, thigh, length and ankle opening.

A kaftan usually sits looser than a shirt, and a senator can be cut closer. Ask the client which he wants, and write it down.

The measurement table

Copy this into your notebook or print it. Fill in the Inches (cm) column, and tick off the rows the style needs.

Copy-paste measurement sheet for WhatsApp

Send this to the client after the fitting, or use it as your own notes. Fill in the blanks and send it, so he can see what you recorded.

Client: Bisi Lawal
Garment: Agbada set
Date: 01/11/2026
Agbada length: ___ in   Width: ___ in   Sleeve: ___ in   Sleeve opening: ___ in
Buba chest: ___ in   Shoulder: ___ in   Length: ___ in   Sleeve: ___ in   Round sleeve: ___ in   Neck: ___ in
Sokoto waist: ___ in   Hip: ___ in   Thigh: ___ in   Length: ___ in   Ankle opening: ___ in
Fila: ___ in
Fit: wide and flowing / regular / fitted
Embroidery: ___
Collar: ___

Write down the style details too

Numbers do not tell the whole story. Before you cut, also record:

• Embroidery position. Chest, neckline, along the front opening, sleeves or hem.
• Collar type. Round neck, V-neck, band collar or any other.
• Pockets, buttons and slits. How many, where, and what kind.
• Cloth and colour for each piece, so the agbada and the buba do not get mixed up.
• The event date and the fitting date.

Common mistakes

• Tape too tight. The chest number comes out small and the buba feels like a trap.
• Slumped shoulders. Ask him to stand tall, or every length will be off.
• Forgetting the sleeve opening. It is easy to miss and impossible to ignore on the day.
• Measuring over a thick buba or jacket. The numbers grow.
• Not asking about fit. One client wants a flowing agbada, another wants it neat.
• Mixing inches and centimetres in the same record.

Check-list to read back before you cut

A wrong cut on agbada cloth is hard to fix. Read this out loud to the client, or send it on WhatsApp, and wait for a clear yes on each line.

1. Agbada length, spread, sleeve length and sleeve opening are written down and agreed.
2. Buba chest, shoulder, top length, sleeve length, round sleeve and neck are written down.
3. Sokoto waist, hip, thigh, length and ankle opening are written down.
4. Fila size is written down, if he wants one.
5. Fit is agreed: flowing, regular or fitted.
6. Embroidery position and collar type are agreed.
7. Pockets, buttons and slits are agreed.
8. Cloth for each piece is confirmed.
9. Fitting date and collection date are agreed.

Save measurements per client so you never measure from scratch

Keep one record per client, with the date and the garment. When he returns for the next event, check that nothing has changed, and update only the numbers that moved. Then write the price, deposit and balance on the order. The receipt guide shows how.

Questions people ask

What measurements are needed for an agbada set?

For the agbada: length, width, sleeve length and sleeve opening. For the buba: chest, shoulder, top length, sleeve length, round sleeve and neck. For the sokoto: waist, hip, thigh, length and ankle opening. Add head circumference if he wants a fila.

How long should an agbada be?

There is no one correct length. It depends on the style and on what the client likes. Ask him, stand him in his shoes, and show the spot on his leg with your finger before you write the number.

Where does the sleeve measurement start?

It starts at the edge of the shoulder, where the shoulder bone ends, not at the neck. It runs down the slightly bent arm to the wrist or to wherever the sleeve should end. For the agbada, it ends where the client wants the big sleeve to end.

Do I measure the chest tight or loose?

Measure snug, with the tape level and just touching the body. Then add ease according to the garment and the fit the client wants. The tight number is the body. The loose result comes from the ease you agree with him.

Should I measure over clothes?

Measure over thin clothes or underwear. A thick buba or jacket adds false inches. If the client arrives in heavy clothes, ask him to remove the top layer first.

What size is a medium agbada?

There is no standard size, because every set is cut to the client. Sizes vary from seller to seller, so use the client’s own numbers and the fit he asks for, not a label.

How do I measure for a kaftan?

Take neck, shoulder, chest, top length, sleeve length and round sleeve. If the set has trousers, take waist, hip, thigh, length and ankle opening. Ask whether he wants it loose or close, and note it.