Everyone has the drawer. The jacket that was nearly right. The trousers that fit everywhere except the waist. The trainers that were a 42, same as every other 42 you own, and somehow aren't.

Clothing has the highest return rate of anything sold online, and almost all of it comes down to one thing: a letter on a label is not a measurement. "Medium" varies between brands, between factories, sometimes between production runs of the same item.

The fix isn't ordering three sizes and sending two back. It's twenty minutes with a tape measure, once, and then knowing.

Here's how.

1. Measure yourself properly — once

This takes ten minutes and you'll use the numbers for years. You need a soft tape measure; a phone charging cable and a ruler works at a push.

Chest: around the fullest part, under the arms, tape level all the way round. Breathe normally — don't inflate.

Waist: the narrowest point, usually just above the navel. Not where your jeans sit — that's your hip measurement.

Hips: the widest point around the seat.

Shoulder: from the bony point of one shoulder across the back to the other.

Inseam: from the crotch seam down the inside of the leg to where you want the hem to sit.

Sleeve: from the shoulder point, over a slightly bent elbow, to the wrist bone.

Write them in your notes app. That's the hard part done, permanently.

2. Then measure something you already own

This is the step that changes everything, and almost nobody does it.

Take a garment you own that fits exactly how you like. Lay it flat on a bed or table, smooth out the wrinkles, and measure it:

Chest: armpit to armpit, across the flat garment. Double it for the full circumference.

Length: from the highest point of the shoulder straight down to the hem.

Shoulder: seam to seam across the back.

Sleeve: shoulder seam to cuff.

Now you have two sets of numbers: your body, and a garment that fits your body. When a product page lists its measurements, you're not guessing — you're comparing like with like.

Do this for one t-shirt, one shirt and one pair of trousers and you've covered most of what you'll ever order.

3. Read the garment measurements, not the size letter

A good product page lists the actual measurements of each size. A bad one lists S, M and L and hopes.

When the measurements are there, ignore the letter completely. Compare the numbers to the garment you measured in step 2. If your favourite t-shirt is 52cm armpit-to-armpit and the listing's "large" is 48cm, that large is going to be snug, whatever it's called.

If a listing has no measurements at all, treat that as information. It usually means nobody at that store has handled the product. You can ask — and how they answer tells you most of what you need to know about them.

4. Check which sizing system you're actually buying

This is the one that catches people out most, and it matters especially when ordering from international sellers.

A European 42, a UK 42 and a US 42 are three different garments. More significantly, Asian sizing typically runs one to two sizes smaller than EU sizing for the same label. An "XL" made for the Asian market is often closer to a European medium or large.

This isn't a defect and it isn't anyone cheating — it's two different standards that happen to use the same letters.

What to do: if a listing doesn't state which system it uses, assume nothing and go by the centimetre measurements only. If there are no measurements and no stated system, that's two strikes. Move on.

5. For shoes, measure your foot in centimetres

Shoe sizing is the worst offender in all of retail. A 42 can vary by close to a full size between brands, and there is no international standard that reliably fixes it.

But there's a measurement that does work.

How to measure: stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall. Mark the paper at the tip of your longest toe — which isn't always the big toe. Measure from the wall edge of the paper to the mark, in centimetres.

Do it in the late afternoon. Feet swell slightly through the day, and a shoe that fits at 8am can be tight by 6pm.

Measure both feet and use the larger number. Most people have one foot slightly bigger.

Then: look for the insole length or "foot length" in the product description, not the labelled size. A 26.5cm insole fits a 26.5cm foot, regardless of what number is printed on the box. If a listing gives you that number, you can order with confidence. If it only gives you "42", you're guessing again.

6. Understand what the fit words mean

Most listings describe a cut, and the words are more standardised than the sizes.

Slim fit — follows the body closely. Less fabric through the chest and waist. Size up if you're between sizes or prefer room.

Regular fit — the default. Some room without being loose.

Relaxed fit — deliberate extra room through the body.

Oversized — designed to be significantly larger than your measurements. Don't size up on oversized, it's already done for you.

Tapered — narrows toward the ankle or cuff. Common in trousers and tracksuit bottoms.

A slim-fit large and a relaxed-fit large can differ by 6cm or more in the chest. The cut matters as much as the size.

7. Check the fabric before you check the price

Composition tells you how a garment will behave, and it's usually listed in one line that people skip.

100% cotton — breathes well, comfortable in heat, but shrinks on a first hot wash and wrinkles. Size allowing for a little shrinkage if you'll wash it warm.

Cotton blends (cotton/polyester) — less shrinkage, holds shape better, dries faster. A reasonable compromise for everyday wear.

Polyester and performance synthetics — wick moisture, dry fast, hold colour. Good for training. Less breathable in heat unless engineered for it.

Anything with elastane or spandex (2–5%) — stretches. This is your margin for error. A garment with stretch is far more forgiving if you're between sizes.

In a hot climate this matters beyond fit. Natural fibres and engineered performance fabrics handle heat very differently from cheap unventilated polyester, and the difference is obvious within ten minutes of wearing it.

The 60-second version

Before you order anything:

Do you know your chest, waist, hip and inseam in cm? If not, measure once. It takes ten minutes.

Does the listing give garment measurements? If not, ask. If they can't answer, don't order.

Do you know which sizing system it uses? If not, go by centimetres only.

For shoes — do you know your foot length in cm? Measure it. Then look for the insole length, not the labelled size.

Does it have stretch? If yes, you have room for error. If no, the numbers need to be right.

That's it. The returns you avoid pay for the tape measure a hundred times over.

At The Verve Store we list real measurements on every page — chest, length, shoulder, sleeve, waist, inseam in centimetres, and insole length on footwear. Browse: Shoes · Apparel · Sportswear · Fitness · Bags · Premium Collection