Oversized Fit Sizing Guide: Pick the Right Size

Oversized fit sizing confuses more people than any other part of buying streetwear online. The garment is already cut large, so the question is whether to take your usual size, go down or go up. The answer depends on the piece and on how you want it to sit. This guide explains what oversized means in measurements and how to pick a size you will keep. Sulta✦Studios cuts every piece with an intended oversized fit, and our size charts are built around that.

What oversized actually means

An oversized piece has extra ease built into the pattern. Ease is the difference between the garment measurement and your body measurement. A regular tee has 2 to 4 inches of ease at the chest. An oversized tee has 6 to 10 inches. A boxy hoodie can have 10 to 14.

The shoulder seam also moves. A dropped shoulder sits 1.5 to 3 inches down the upper arm. That is intentional. It widens the top line and lets the sleeve hang straight.

Length usually gets shorter, not longer. A boxy cut is wide and cropped so the volume does not swamp the hips. That is the main difference between oversized and simply large.

Measure yourself once and write it down

You need four numbers. Chest: around the fullest part, tape level. Shoulder: from the bone at the end of one shoulder to the other, across the back. Sleeve: from the shoulder bone to the wrist. Length: from the top of the shoulder near the neck to where you want the hem to sit.

Compare these to the garment measurements on the product page, not to a letter size. Two brands' size M can differ by 3 inches at the chest.

When to take your normal size

If the product is described as oversized, boxy or relaxed, take your usual size. The ease is already there. This is true for every hoodie, tee and knit we make. A size M Acid Wash Hoodie is 25 inches across the chest laid flat, which gives a 50 inch circumference. On a 40 inch chest, that is the intended fit.

When to size down

Size down if you are between sizes and prefer a shorter body length. Size down if you plan to wear the piece tucked. Size down for knitwear if you want the sweater to sit closer, since knits stretch across the shoulders with wear.

Do not size down on a dropped-shoulder piece to fix the shoulder. The seam is meant to sit on the arm. A smaller size will shorten the body while the shoulder stays dropped, and the proportions go off.

When to size up

Size up if you want to layer a knit under a hoodie. Size up on a jacket if it will go over a fleece. Size up on a tee if you want the hem to reach past the hip for a longline look. Be aware that sizing up adds length as well as width, so check the length measurement before you do it.

Reading a size chart properly

Most size charts list garment measurements laid flat. Chest is measured one inch below the armhole from seam to seam. Length is measured from the highest point of the shoulder to the hem. Sleeve is measured from the shoulder seam to the cuff, which on a dropped-shoulder piece is shorter than the sleeve on a regular piece, because the seam starts lower on the arm.

Doubling the flat chest measurement gives the circumference. Subtract your chest measurement from that and you have the ease. Six inches or more is oversized. Ten or more is boxy. Use that number to compare across brands, since letter sizes will not do it.

Pants and the oversized question

Bottoms work differently. Waist is waist. Take your true waist size and let the cut do the rest. A relaxed cargo in your waist size will already have the room in the thigh. Sizing up on pants only lowers the rise and makes the crotch drop. Check the pants collection for the thigh and leg opening on each cut.

If you still are not sure

Lay a piece you already own flat and measure it. Compare it to the chart. That is more reliable than any body measurement, because you already know how that piece fits. And every order ships free in the US with taxes and duties included, with 30 days to exchange for another size.