PurposeTo provide researchers with the details of developments in instruments to measure fabric drape and review the literature related to fabric drape.Design/methodology/approach – In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in investigating the aesthetic behavior of fabrics due to the developments in objective evaluation techniques. To understand drape behavior, it is essential to know how drape is measured quantitatively. This paper reviews research related to drape characteristics of fabrics, two‐dimensional instruments and analysis of drape by measuring stiffness, three‐dimensional instruments developed to measure drape, fabric mechanical properties and their influence on drape measurement, and the latest developments in the field including image analysis, the dynamic drape tester and other related research.Findings – Many instruments for measuring drape have been developed including the earliest that assessed stiffness of fabrics, later versions of drape meters and recent innovative instruments for capturing complex drape information. Even though extensive detail for simple geometric forms such as circles and squares can be provided by the newest methods, measurement of the drape characteristics of complex forms needs the consideration of researchers to extend the work on drape measurement to garments. It was also noted that there are some contradictory conclusions regarding the properties influencing fabric drape.Originality/value – This paper is offered as a concise reference for individuals beginning research in the area of fabric drape.