The same size in every product type

Short answer: You can rarely count on the same size across garment types, because each type is cut for its own purpose. Measure yourself instead, and check the size guide for each type.

One letter is not one measurement

A letter on the label sounds fixed, but it is only a label within one garment type. You can rarely count on the same size across types, and an M in one kind of clothing does not automatically match an M in another. That is why the size guide is worth checking every time.

Purpose sets the width

A T-shirt needs room to move, while underwear must fit close to stay in place. Each garment type is cut for its own purpose, and the purpose decides how wide or close a piece is made. That is why the same letter is not the same measurement. See bamboo underwear for men for a close fit.

Close and loose are both on purpose

The difference is not a mistake but part of the intention. Underwear that fits close stays in place, and a T-shirt with room gives freedom of movement. Once you know this, it is easier to accept that you can have two different letters in the drawer and still have chosen right in both cases.

Knit gives more than woven

Knit gives more than woven fabric, and elastane also changes how a piece feels. Two items in the same size can therefore feel completely different if one has elastane and the other does not. The size is the same on paper, but the fabric gives differently on the body.

You feel it between a T-shirt and a sweatshirt

The difference is clear between a T-shirt and a bamboo sweatshirt for men. Even if both are in the same size, they do not behave the same on the body. You cannot simply carry the fit from one piece to the other, but must look at each piece separately and at how the fabric is built.

Use measurements instead of letters

Letters can change meaning, but measurements stay the same. Use your own measurements as the starting point every time, and compare them with the measurements for the garment type you are looking at. Then you do not have to guess whether a letter matches what you usually wear, and you avoid carrying a size from one item to another.

How to keep it simple

Note your chest measurement and your waist measurement, and check the size guide for each garment type. It takes a short while, and you have the measurements at hand the next time you choose. After that you only compare two numbers with the guide, instead of trying to remember which size you took last time in another kind of clothing.

Everything gathered for men

Everything is gathered in the range for men, so you can go through the garment types in one place. Bring your noted measurements and check each type, instead of assuming that one letter applies everywhere. That way you choose by the purpose of each piece and not by habit, which is the simplest way to get it right.

Frequently asked questions

Should you always size up when in doubt

No. For underwear and socks, a size that is too big is worse than one slightly small. Here the item should fit close to stay in place, and too much fabric makes that harder.

Why do sizes vary between brands

Because each brand designs for its own target group and its own pattern. That is why a letter at one brand does not necessarily match the same letter at another brand.

Can you trust the letters

Only within the same series. Use the measurements instead, and check them in the size guide for the garment type you are looking at, so you get the right result.