How to measure yourself for an oversized hoodie

Most people order the wrong size in oversized clothing for the same reason: they measure their body, then compare it to a chart that describes the garment. Those are two different things, and the gap between them is where returns come from.

Here is the method that actually works.

Don't measure your body. Measure a hoodie you already own.

Find the hoodie in your wardrobe that fits the way you want the new one to fit. Not your favourite hoodie — the one whose fit you'd repeat.

Lay it flat on a hard surface. A bed is too soft; it stretches the fabric and adds two or three centimetres you'll regret. A table or a hard floor works. Smooth out the creases with your hand, but don't pull.

Now take four measurements.

The four measurements

Chest

Measure straight across the garment from one armpit seam to the other. This is called pit to pit, or half chest.

Most size charts — including ours — list this as a half measurement. If a chart says 61 cm, the full circumference is 122 cm. Don't compare a half-chest number to your body's full chest measurement. That mistake alone accounts for a large share of wrong orders.

Total length

From the highest point of the shoulder, straight down to the bottom hem. Not from the collar — from where the shoulder seam sits at its highest.

On an oversized fit this number matters more than people expect. Length is what makes a hoodie read as intentional rather than borrowed.

Shoulder

Straight across the back from one shoulder point to the other.

This is the measurement that tells you whether something is genuinely oversized or just a large regular fit. A regular men's medium sits around 46–48 cm. A drop-shoulder oversized medium runs 56 cm or more. If the shoulder number is close to your body's actual shoulder width, the garment isn't oversized — it's just big.

Sleeve

From the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff.

Note that some brands measure from the centre back of the neck instead, which produces a much larger number. Check which method a chart uses before comparing.

Now compare

Put your four numbers next to the size chart and find the closest row. If you land between two sizes, size up. Oversized garments are designed with room built in; sizing down to "fix" a between-sizes problem usually removes the exact proportion you were buying.

One exception: if you like an oversized silhouette but find most of them swamp you through the shoulder, size down one and accept a slightly shorter body. That's a deliberate trade, not a mistake.

What tolerance means

Most charts — ours included — note a 1–2 cm tolerance. That isn't a disclaimer. Garments are cut in stacks and finished by hand, so two pieces of the same size can differ slightly. A centimetre either way is normal and won't change how something fits.

If a garment arrives more than 2 cm off the chart, that's worth an email.

A note on fabric weight

Heavier fabrics hold their shape; lighter ones drape and cling. A 400 GSM hoodie at a given chest measurement will feel roomier than a 280 GSM one at the same measurement, because the fabric stands away from the body rather than falling against it.

If you're moving from a lightweight hoodie to a heavyweight one at the same numbers, expect it to feel bigger. That's the fabric doing its job.

The short version

• Measure a garment, not your body
• Lay it flat on something hard
• Chest is usually half — double it before comparing to body measurements
• Shoulder tells you whether it's truly oversized
• Between sizes? Size up

Our size charts list every measurement in both centimetres and inches, with a diagram showing exactly where each one is taken. You'll find them linked next to the size selector on every product.

Ready to measure against something real? Browse the Hoodies collection, every product page lists the exact garment measurements referenced above.

Still unsure between two sizes? Email support@remnantswears.com with the measurements of a hoodie you already own and we'll tell you which one to order.