On a regular cut, a hoodie should fit with the shoulder seam on or just past the edge of your shoulder, the hem around the top of your hip and the cuffs at your wrist bone, with enough room in the chest to wear a tee underneath. Oversized and boxy cuts move each of those points on purpose, so the right size depends on the cut as much as on you.
That is why the question of what size hoodie you should get rarely has a single answer. A medium in one brand can fit like a large in another. The way through is to know the five points that decide fit, then compare a hoodie you already like against the brand's size guide.
The five fit points
- Shoulder: on a regular fit, the seam lands at the edge of your shoulder or just past it. On an oversized or drop-shoulder hoodie it sits lower on the upper arm, by design. Halfway down your arm on a regular cut means too big.
- Chest: with a tee underneath, you should be able to pinch a few centimetres of fabric on each side. If it pulls across the chest when you reach forward, size up.
- Length: a regular hem sits around the top of the hip and still covers your waistband when you raise your arms. Oversized cuts fall lower; boxy cuts usually stop higher.
- Sleeve: the cuff should reach the wrist bone, or stack slightly if the sleeves are long by design. A cuff that rides up your forearm when you reach is too short.
- Hood: the hood should cover your head without dragging the neckline back against your throat, and lie flat when it is down. A double-layer hood holds its shape better.
Regular vs oversized vs boxy
A regular fit follows your frame with a little room. An oversized fit adds width and length everywhere, usually with dropped shoulders and longer sleeves. A boxy fit is wide and square through the body but shorter, so the hem sits higher and the shape reads as a rectangle. Our explainer on boxy, oversized and regular fits goes into how to wear each.
That matters most for oversized hoodie sizing: a hoodie cut oversized has already been sized up in the pattern. Read the product description or the measurements before deciding which size you are.
Should you size up?
It depends on the cut you are buying and the look you want.
- Size up when the hoodie is a regular cut and you want a roomier look, when you plan to wear a knit or a longsleeve underneath, or when you are between sizes and broad through the shoulders or chest.
- Stay with your usual size when the hoodie is already cut oversized or boxy, when you are shorter and extra length would swamp you, or when the brand's own fit notes say to take your usual size.
Sizing up makes the sleeves and body longer too, not just wider, so check the measurements, not only the label.
Sizing by height and build
There is no universal chart that turns height into a hoodie size, but a few general patterns help. Taller people usually run out of length before width, so check body length and sleeve length first. Shorter people often find oversized hems fall too low; a boxy cut gives the relaxed look without the extra length. If you are broad through the shoulders or chest, size for the shoulders and let the rest drape. If you are slim, a dropped shoulder can look deliberate rather than baggy, as long as the sleeves do not swallow your hands. Around the middle, a straight body with a ribbed hem that does not grip too tightly tends to sit better than a narrow one.
Buying online: measure a hoodie you own
The most reliable way to choose online is to measure a hoodie that already fits the way you like.
- Pit to pit: lay it flat and measure straight across from one armpit seam to the other. Double it for the full chest.
- Length: measure from the highest point of the shoulder, where the shoulder seam meets the collar, down to the hem.
- Sleeve: measure from the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff.
Then compare those numbers with the brand's size guide rather than its size names. Ours is on the size guide page. A centimetre or two of difference is normal; a bigger gap changes how the hoodie sits.
Will it shrink?
Cotton hoodies can shrink, mostly in length, when washed hot or tumble dried. Washing cool and inside out, then drying flat, keeps a hoodie close to the size you bought; how to wash a hoodie without shrinking it has the details. If one is slightly too big, you can sometimes take it down a little on purpose, as covered in how to shrink a hoodie, but treat that as a careful fix rather than a sizing plan.
How Phrase Studios hoodies fit
Phrase Studios is an independent studio in Ghent, Belgium, working in small heavyweight-cotton runs with a relaxed unisex cut. As a reference from our product pages, a 177 cm man wears size M, a 163 cm woman wears size S and a 170 cm woman wears size M. If you are between sizes, compare a hoodie you already own with the size guide before you choose. The pieces are collected under hoodies and sweatshirts. Each chapter comes in a small run that is not restocked, so pieces may sell out. It is one option among many good heavyweight makers.
A hoodie fits well when you stop noticing it: the shoulders sit where the cut intends, the hem and cuffs land where you expect, and there is room to move. Know the cut, measure what you own, and the size label matters far less.
FAQ
Should I size up in hoodies?
Size up only if the hoodie is a regular cut and you want a roomier look or plan to layer underneath. If it is already cut oversized or boxy, take your usual size, because the extra room is built into the pattern.
How do I know if my hoodie is too big?
A regular hoodie is too big if the shoulder seam sits halfway down your upper arm, the cuffs cover your hands or the hem falls well below your hips. On an oversized cut some of that is intended, so check how the brand describes the fit.
How should an oversized hoodie fit?
An oversized hoodie should have dropped shoulders, extra width through the chest and a longer body, but the cuffs should still stop near your wrists or stack just above your hands. If the hem reaches mid-thigh, it is probably a size too big.
