All members of the clergy have different needs and requirements for their clergy attire so that they can feel comfortable while performing their services in the church. We’ve put together a guide below showing you how best to measure your various clergy vestments so that you can go to work feeling your best self. 

What are Clergy Vestments?

Clergy vestments are clerical robes and assorted garments and accessories worn by members of the Christian clergy during religious services, weddings, and funerals. If you are a new member of the Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, or Catholics, you will find you require robes for your new position in your local church. 

The list of garments you will require includes the following:

• Cincture – a rope belt that holds the alb in
• Alb – a white full-length vestment
• Cassock – a long-sleeved full-length black garment
• Amice – a white linen cloth worn on the shoulders underneath the alb
• Stole – a silk vestment worn under the shoulders
• Chasuble – the main robe a member of the clergy wears
• Surplice – a loose linen vestment worn over the cassock and reaching calf to hip-length
• Cotta – a miniature alb that is worn over the cassock.

These vestments all work together to create a cohesive whole. Having everything just the right length for your body type will go a long way to ensuring you look professional and respectable.

Measuring for Your Clerical Robes

Having an accurate and comprehensive guide for measuring your church robes is essential to making sure you stay comfortable, especially if you will be wearing the robes for an extended period of time. 

It will also help to ensure that there are no risks of tripping over the course of the day due to having robes that are just a little too long for you. 

There are a number of different styles of chasubles so it’s important to make sure that when you are looking for size guides, you are looking at the correct type of clergy robe. Some of the different types of chasubles are: 

• Gothic Chasuble
• Monastic Chasuble
• Roman Chasuble
• Marian Chasuble
• Semi-Gothic Chasuble

Once you’ve determined which type of chasuble you’re purchasing, you can start to take your measurements. The easiest place to start is with your height and once you’ve started your search, make sure to measure your:

• Back
• Chest
• Waist
• Arms
• Neck

This will help your robes to hang well on your body, making sure your sleeve length isn’t overlong and covers your hands and that it isn’t too tight around the neck. 

When measuring for and selecting your preferred chasuble, you will also have the opportunity to add a little personal flair with the width of the robe’s collar. You will generally be looking at 1 inch for Roman-style collars and 2 inches for Anglican-style colours. 

Make sure to take into consideration the denomination of Christianity you are a part of, as choosing a similar collar style for your robe will help to create a sense of unity and community with your fellow clergy members. 

Measuring for Your Cassock

Your cassock is an important part of the clerical ensemble. Like the chasuble, it does down to the foot so making sure the garment is properly length will make sure you stay safe while performing your clerical duties.

Measure your height in inches as this is the most standard measurement unit used for cassocks, and make sure not to slouch. It can be a good idea for someone else to carry out the measurement for you. 

You should also make sure to measure all the parts of your body detailed above for robe measurements, while also including measuring around the fullest part of your tummy to ensure that the cincture belt will fit properly. 

After selecting whether you want a custom-made cassock or one that’s ready to be bought at your selected store, you can customise it based on the type of material you feel most comfortable in with each material offering different advantages.

• Polyester – durable and easily cleaned.
• Cotton – a lightweight material suited for warmer weather.
• Fabric blends – a blend of different fabrics, increasing durability and comfort.
• Silk – professional and comfortable.

Measuring for Clerical Stoles

The first thing to do when measuring for stoles is to measure down from the back of your neck and over the shoulder down to the front of your body. You can stop measurement at the place on your body where you wish the stole to come to. 

Make sure your measurements are even on both sides of your body so that when you order your stole, both lengths match for an even and professional feel. It’s also a good idea to have the length of the stole match the length of your chosen chasuble 

Your stole measurements will also depend on which kind of style you’ve opted for. Tapered stoles are often shorter. Ecclesiastical stoles are often made of silk and are 8 feet long. You can also customise your clergy stole to make it more personal to you, such as having it embroidered with a symbol of your faith. 

The type of stole you will need to measure for may also depend on the type of service you will be performing. These will include:

• White –  Weddings, Baptisms and Ordinations
• Green – Trinity and Ordinary Time
• Purple – Advent, Lent, and Funerals
• Red – Pentecost and Saint’s Days

Measuring for Other Clergy Vestments

Making sure to measure for each individual element of your clerical attire is important to make sure you find the perfect fit and that all your vestments match and look professional together. 

Measuring for Clerical Collars

Measure around the base of your neck with a flexible measuring tape. Make sure you’re only measuring your skin and not any clothes around your neck. Add 1-2 inches to the final measurement depending on how much of a relaxed fit you want for your collar. 

Measuring for Clerical Amices

Amices will often be designed to fit a wide range of sizes, customised to be roughly 36 inches by 24 inches. Amices will have two strings allowing you to tailor the size after putting it on to make sure it fits properly and suits your body type and measurements. 

Measuring for a Clerical Alb

Alb measurements are taken based on the length of the vestment not the overall height of the person. Measure from the top of the vertebra to the top of the shoe, taking off about 12 inches of height. 

You will also need to measure from shoulder to shoulder along the back and the length of your arms when the elbow is bent to get the sleeve length. 

Measure for Clerical Surplices and Cottas

Surplices and cottas require three measurements on the back, chest, and arm to get the perfect fit and sleeve length. All surplices regardless of style use these same measurements. Traditionally, you will want a surplice that covers the full length of your arms and hangs down to your knee. 

Different styles of surplice for the clergy include Anglican style and Roman style.

You will generally measure from the flat part of your shoulder to the place on your thigh where you would like the surplice or cotta to extend.

With the right measurements, you will be all set for your career in the clergy and you will be able to enter each service feeling confident in your role. If you are looking for vestments to purchase with your new measurements, you can head to our Choralia church range to explore our range of cassocks, albs, surplices, cottas, and more.