Linen Dress Made to Your Measurements: How It Works
A linen dress made to your measurements is cut from your numbers instead of from the nearest size on a chart. For most people that means the bust, waist, hip and length are right at the same time, which almost never happens off the rack.
This guide explains how it works in practice, when it is worth it, and when a standard size is honestly the better choice.
Why standard sizes go wrong on dresses
A size chart assumes your bust, waist and hip grow together in fixed steps. Very few bodies do. If your hip is a size larger than your bust, a standard dress fits one and pulls or gapes at the other. Dresses show this more than any other garment because they cover every measurement at once.
Length is the second problem. A midi designed on a 5'6" model lands mid calf on one person and at the ankle on another. Linen is a fabric that looks best when the hem falls exactly where it was designed to, so a few inches matter.
What made to measure actually changes
- Bust, waist and hip are each cut to your numbers, not averaged into one size.
- Length is set from your height or a measurement you give us, so a midi stays a midi.
- Small design changes can often be requested before you order: sleeve length, neckline depth, pockets. Ask first rather than assume.
What it does not change is the design itself. A relaxed shift dress stays relaxed; we add the ease the design calls for on top of your body measurements, so you are not getting a garment cut skin tight to your numbers.
The measurements that matter
For a dress you usually need bust, waist, hip, shoulder width and your preferred length. Measure over light underwear, keep the tape level and snug but not tight, and write the numbers down in inches or centimetres, not both. Our step by step guide covers each one: how to measure yourself for made to measure clothes.
If you are between our standard sizes, or your bust is above 46 inches, made to measure is the route we recommend, and above 46 inches it is the only one we offer.
How long it takes
Every piece is made to order anyway, so a made to measure dress does not wait in a separate queue. Production takes 2 to 5 business days, then standard tracked delivery takes 10 to 20 business days after dispatch. Express shipping is available at extra cost. Standard shipping is free worldwide on orders over $189, and US orders ship duty paid.
What if it does not fit?
This is the fair question to ask any made to measure seller. Ours: if the finished garment is off by more than 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) on any measurement you gave us, tell us within 30 days of delivery with a photo and we remake it once, free. Because the piece is cut for one person, a made to measure order cannot be returned for a change of mind. Standard sizes can, within 30 days, unworn and unwashed.
So the honest trade is this: made to measure gives you a better chance of a right first fit, and a remake if our cutting misses, but it removes the change of mind return. If you are unsure about the style itself, a standard size is the safer buy.
When a standard size is the better choice
- Your measurements sit neatly inside one row of the size guide.
- The dress is a loose or oversized cut, where a little difference disappears into the ease.
- You want the option to return it if you change your mind.
The verdict
If one size never fits you everywhere, or every midi you buy ends at the wrong place, made to measure is worth it and costs you nothing in waiting time with us. If a standard size already fits, keep the flexibility of a returnable size.
Browse the linen dresses, all in medium weight OEKO-TEX 100 certified pure linen, then send your numbers through the custom order page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get any linen dress made to my measurements?
Most of our dresses can be cut to your measurements. Send your numbers and the dress you want through the custom order page before ordering and we confirm it.
Does a made to measure dress take longer to arrive?
No. Everything is made to order, so production is 2 to 5 business days either way, followed by 10 to 20 business days of standard tracked delivery after dispatch.
What if my made to measure dress does not fit?
If it is off by more than 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) on any measurement you gave, tell us within 30 days of delivery with a photo and we remake it once for free.
Can I return a made to measure dress?
Not for a change of mind, because it is cut for one person. Standard sizes can be returned within 30 days of delivery if unworn and unwashed.
What measurements do I need for a dress?
Usually bust, waist, hip, shoulder width and your preferred length, taken over light underwear with the tape level and snug.