What a brand tells you about fit

Short answer: Sizes are not the same across brands. A medium at one brand can match a small at another, which is why the guide on the page matters more than the letter. With your own measurements to hand, choosing becomes much easier.

The letter says less than the measurements

A medium is not a standard. Every brand has its own idea of what the letter covers. So read the centimetre measurements in the size guide rather than relying on the letter you usually buy. Compare them with your own measurements and choose the size where the numbers fit best, see bamboo t-shirts for women.

Measure yourself once

Take a tape measure and measure your bust, waist and hips directly on the body. Keep the tape level and tight enough to lie flat without pressing. Write the numbers down somewhere you can find them again. Then you have a fixed starting point to compare with every time you look at a new size guide.

Measure a favourite item too

If you have a T-shirt or top that fits exactly the way you like, lay it flat and measure it. Measure the width across the chest and the length from shoulder to hem. Many size guides list garment measurements, so you can compare directly. It is often the most reliable way to get the fit right.

The same brand cuts the same way

If you stick to one brand, you know what your size means. Once you have found a size that fits, it will usually fit again in the same brand and the same type of clothing. That makes reordering much easier without measuring from scratch, see bamboo underwear for women.

The name of the fit matters

Slim fit, regular and oversized can shift a whole size. A slim fit sits close, while oversized is cut to sit loose. If you choose your usual size in an oversized style, you get a loose fit. Read how the style is meant to sit before choosing, see women's bamboo tops.

Read the whole product description

The product text often tells you more than the size chart alone. It may say whether the style is short or long, cut close or loose, and how it is meant to be worn. Notice those details before choosing a size. It takes a minute and can save you a return.

If you are between two sizes

If your measurements fall between two sizes, think about how you like clothes to sit. If you like a close fit, you often choose the smaller. If you prefer a little room, you choose the larger. Also consider what you will wear over or under it, because that affects how the size feels.

Note your size for each brand

Once you have found a size that fits in a particular brand and style, write it down. A short list with brand, style and size makes the next purchase easy. You do not need to guess or measure again, and you avoid the bad purchases that come from letters not meaning the same everywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Why do sizes differ between brands

Because each brand cuts to its own scale. There is no shared standard for the letters, so a medium in one place can be a small somewhere else.

What should you rely on instead of the letter

The centimetre measurements in the size guide. They are the only numbers that can be compared across brands, especially alongside your own measurements.

Does it help to stay with the same brand

Yes. Then you know what your size means, and you do not need to measure from scratch every time you reorder the same type of clothing.