As a rule of thumb if you take a tape measure to your trousers they will measure 2-4 inches bigger than the labeled size. So a trouser labeled waist size 30 normally measures 32-34 inches. Generally plus 2 for the UK & plus 3-4 for the USA. There are some exceptions; India, China and most parts of Asia don't bother with vanity sizing.

Couple of fun antidotes!
A few years ago I was shopping in the US and visited Levi's. I found my size was 29, in the UK I normally buy size 32 Levi's. I bought 4 pairs knowing the sizing means nothing but they do put the size label on the outside - clever.

A friend bought a pair of secondhand designer trousers online that didn't fit. He measured them at 36 but the label said 32 so he returned them and got a refund. Neither seller nor buyer understood the above.

Next difference is where the trousers sit on your waist will mean a different actual measurement  but normally not the size. You should be able to buy  the same size high or low waisted trousers but the actual measurement will be different.

 This lower/higher waist can be a difference of only half an inch but I have also seen a difference of up to 4 inches, it varies person to person depending on your build.

One exception to this that springs to mind are portly guys who wear lower waisted trousers under their tummy and higher waisted trousers over the tummy.

So how to determine your actual waist measurement?

1. Visit a tailor.

2. If doing it yourself at home find your best fitting trouser on the waist. Ignore the other areas, if it is tight on the thigh for example that doesn't matter here.
Find your trouser that is comfortable on the waist to wear all day long and you generally do not have to pull up after walking or after sitting. The trouser that sits on your waist at the level you want, not higher or lower.

Then measure it.
Fully fasten and pull the waistband in a straight line so front and back match up. Like the photo below.

This pant is 18 inches flat. Double it so you get the full circumference measurement. This trouser in the photo is actual waist measurement 36. These are newly tailored & fit me perfectly, I usually buy size 33-34 waist.
If the pant you are measuring is a little snug or a little loose you can adjust a little +/- to get the perfect measurement.

I know my lower waisted trouser measurement and higher waisted trouser measurement. For me there is a 1 inch difference and if I had a pair of higher waisted trousers made to my low waist measurement they'd fall down all the time.

If you also wear trousers at different waist heights you can check your high, normal and low waist measurements the same way just with different trousers.

If you feel confident to take the actual measurements on your body then enlist the help of a friend.

One final tip.

As a general rule of thumb a man's neck measurement equates to half his waist measurement. This is traditional trouser waist, not high nor low.
This is handy to know if you're in a rush and have no time to try on a trouser, just wrap it around your neck to get an idea if it will fit. Exception to this is for overly portly/skinny guys.

In our efforts to bring the finest European tailoring to South Asia we are pleased to announce our collaboration with one of the best European fabric mills, Dormeuil.
A mill steeped in history dating back to 1842 when the founder Dormeuil Frères started weaving cloth in England specifically for French tailors.

For 170 years, The House of Dormeuil has developed timeless and iconic fabrics that have cemented the mills reputation across all five continents.
Keeping innovation at the forefront of their fabric weaving Dormeuil is second to none for lighter weight summer suiting fabrics.

Below are some of our top picks, from this luxury mill. All are now available for bespoke orders with Vanguard Bepsoke.

These are just 4 of the 10 bunches we now tailor in from Dormeuil, to see them all & start tailoring a perfect luxury piece get in touch today.

We are now available for appointments in Delhi, Mumbai, London, Dhaka, Chittagong & Kathmandu.

A form of wild silk, these mostly come from the Tussah or Tassar silk moth. The thread of the Tussahide spinner is coarser and uneven, giving our cloths a gorgeous slub effect similar to linen cloths. in comparison of the mulberry silk moth. Woven with a white weft and naturally dyed warp threads gives this fabric a denim outlook.

All the above processes gives peace silk a lightweight, soft, sumptuous and effortlessly elegant look which makes it a fantastic luxury fabric for the Asian subcontinent weather and occasions.

A blazer or bandhgala in these fabric is 20k INR,/24k BDT & a 2 piece suit for 30k INR/36k BDT. Featured here a skirt suit this fabric would tailor well for men and women alike. The denim feel and look of this fabric combined with the soft and sumptuous feel of the cloth will hit the smart/casual tailored look on the head.

Speak to your tailoring expert today to take a look at these limited edition and exclusive Vanguard Bespoke fabrics.

One of our Delhi patron's 3 year old son had a birthday pending, after two years of lockdowns his parent's wanted to make his birthday special and enlisted the help of Vanguard to do so.
We measured him 4 days before his big day and worked round the clock to create something he would love.

Hand crafting a shirt in with a Peppa pig print, a waistcoat in red linen and a tiny version of Vanguards super comfy "lockdown pants" in black. This little chap was very happy with his ensemble and we think he looks smashing!

Whenever we make kids tailoring we leave as much excess fabric as possible in all the seams, this little guy can grow another 6 inches and we can easily adjust his ensemble so it fits him perfectly.

We are putting the finishing touches to one of our valued patron's 3 new blazers.

This dapper fellow opted for 3 different jackets in Harris tweed, Scottish Tartan & an Irish linen/Italian Silk blend.
Bold & fun jackets make great additions to the wardrobe for those occasions you want to look effortlessly cool and make a perfectly tailored statement.

To all our friends and valued patrons in Bangladesh, we wish you a very happy 50th independence day.
We sincerely hope we can restart our visits in Bangladesh very soon!

To mark this day we have created a special buttonhole celebrating the Bangladesh flag. Get in touch if you'd like to add this fun detail to your next creation.

Here at Vanguard we love our 4 legged friends & our founder Mighel recently added a gorgeous Dachshund to his family. Grace often visits the Vanguard workshop and with winter not abating we knocked up a few coats to keep this gorgeous little pup warm.
Made in bias cut Scottish Tartan's we think she looks rather dashing in her Vanguard creations.

Our next task will be to make some jackets for Mighel to match!

Should you wish us to make some for your 4 legged friend, please do get in touch.

What happens when you amalgamate a sweat pant, a chino & a Gurkha pant? Fashionable luxury pants you can wear 24/7.
We call them our "lockdown pants" but this hybrid is smart enough to wear to the office, comfortable enough to live in 24/7 & cool enough to go out dancing in (when we're allowed to!)

Available in 12 fun colours, we have created these exclusively for our Etsy store. Head over there to order yours today!
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/VanguardBespoke

Our #dashingmasks4india campaign continues to go from strength to strength. We have now crossed sales of over 17,000 masks & donated over 90,000 meals to those affected by Covid-19. We are funding 3 main projects in Delhi & Mumbai. One meals on wheels van taking lunches to slum areas in Delhi. A soup kitchen outside a large hospital in a poorer area of Delhi. An NGO project visiting slum kids in Mumbai, giving them not just lunch but also some basic classes
It's a little humbling to see just how much we have achieved so far and we will continue to make our masks in this social enterprise for as long as they are needed. We are really hoping we can cross the 1 lakh (100,000) milestone by the end of 2020, now that would be something!

With Christmas just around the corner how about some fun festive masks? Hop over to our Etsy store to snap yours up today!
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/VanguardBespoke