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Finding the Best Brands for Trousers: A Complete Fit & Style Guide

Author: Stylist and brand team at Tellar

Date: 2025

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Trousers are one of the most underrated power pieces in your wardrobe. Whether you’re dressing for the office, the weekend, or a night out, finding the perfect pair can elevate your entire look — but with inconsistent sizing, fabric confusion, and hundreds of brands to sift through, the search is anything but simple.

At Tellar.co.uk, we take the guesswork out of shopping for trousers. By comparing your body measurements across 1,500+ brands, we show you exactly which size to buy — in seconds.

This guide explores the best high street and designer brands for trousers, what to expect from their sizing, the fits they’re known for, and how to shop smarter.


Why Trousers Are So Hard to Shop For

Unlike jeans, where waist sizes are often labelled numerically, trousers come in every naming format imaginable — S, M, L; UK 10, EU 38; tailored fit, regular fit, slim leg, wide leg — and not every brand defines these the same way.

➡️ A UK 12 in one store could be a UK 10 or 14 in another

➡️ Your hips may place you in a different size than your waist

➡️ Different cuts (like tapered or wide-leg) can dramatically alter the fit

That’s where Tellar.co.uk steps in. Instead of navigating guesswork, create a free profile, enter your measurements once, and we’ll match you with the right size in every brand — automatically.


Top High Street Brands for Trousers

Let’s start with affordable and accessible options. These are the high street favourites consistently praised for their trouser collections:

1. Marks & Spencer

Known for: Classic tailored trousers, affordable wide-leg styles, generous fits

Sizing Tip: Their trouser sizes run slightly larger than average, so many users find they can size down

Tellar Insight: We’ve matched over 10,000 women to M&S trouser sizes — it’s one of our most searched brands

Backlink: Check your M&S size on Tellar.co.uk

2. Zara

Known for: Trend-led cuts, flared trousers, cigarette styles

Sizing Tip: Zara tends to run small, especially at the hips and waist

Tellar Insight: If you’re curvy or in between sizes, Zara can be hit or miss — Tellar helps narrow it down

Backlink: Find your perfect Zara trouser size now

3. COS

Known for: Minimal, architectural silhouettes, quality fabrics

Sizing Tip: COS trousers are more forgiving around the waist but often long in length

Style Note: A top pick for those wanting a smart, elevated look on the high street

Backlink: See what COS trouser size works for you

4. H&M

Known for: Budget styles, wide range of lengths and shapes

Sizing Tip: Extremely inconsistent sizing, particularly in trousers

Tellar Insight: Tellar’s size tool is especially useful here as H&M trousers can vary by up to two sizes between cuts

Backlink: Use Tellar to decode H&M trouser sizes


Top Designer & Premium Brands for Trousers

Looking to invest in long-lasting trousers? Here are brands offering quality cuts, luxury tailoring, and statement styles:

1. Reiss

Known for: Polished workwear trousers, impeccable fabrics

Sizing Tip: Reiss trousers run true to size, but slim in the hips

Style Note: Ideal for those with straighter or athletic body types

Backlink: Check your Reiss size on Tellar now

2. ME+EM

Known for: Luxury staples, flared trousers, elongating silhouettes

Sizing Tip: Consistent sizing, with high-waist fits that flatter

Style Note: These are some of the most flattering trousers for petite and curvy women alike

Backlink: Tellar shows your ME+EM size in seconds

3. The Fold

Known for: Office tailoring, clean lines, intelligent design

Sizing Tip: A slightly narrower fit, especially in the thighs

Backlink: See how The Fold fits your measurements

4. Theory

Known for: Soft tailoring, luxury workwear trousers, minimalism

Sizing Tip: Often based on US sizing — Tellar auto-converts this for you

Backlink: Find your Theory size with Tellar


How to Choose the Right Trousers for Your Body Shape

When choosing a trouser brand, consider more than just size:

Body Shape

Best Styles

Avoid

Pear-shaped

Wide-leg, high-waist, flat-front

Tight cigarette trousers

Hourglass

High-waisted, tailored fit

Low-rise, baggy fits

Rectangle

Paperbag waist, pleats, tapered

Flat, shapeless styles

Apple

Elastic waists, straight leg, flowing

Skinny trousers, tight waistbands

Backlink: Explore our full guide to body shapes and sizing


Materials Matter: What Your Trousers Are Made From

The fabric composition makes a major difference in comfort and longevity:

  • Polyester blends: Affordable, easy to care for, but less breathable

  • Cotton: Comfortable, versatile, prone to wrinkling

  • Wool: Ideal for winter trousers and workwear, more structured

  • Linen: Great for summer, but creases easily

  • Elastane/stretch blends: Allows movement, perfect for fitted trousers

Tip: Always check fabric labels when trying new brands. Tellar stores this info for each item where available.

Backlink: Read: What trouser fabric should you buy?


Using Tellar.co.uk to Shop Smarter

Tellar.co.uk is the UK’s leading free sizing tool, designed to make fashion work for you — not the other way around.

What It Does:

  • Matches your body measurements to the right trouser size in 1,500+ brands

  • Supports UK, US, EU sizing

  • Compares both high street and designer labels

  • Allows profile creation so you never have to re-enter your size again

➡️ Create your free profile now

➡️ Try the size lookup tool


What to Avoid When Buying Trousers

  • Blindly ordering your ‘usual’ size — it won’t be consistent across brands

  • Ignoring fabric stretch — even a 5% elastane blend can change fit

  • Skimming over the size chart — or worse, not being given one

  • Assuming your waist is your trouser size — hips often determine fit

  • Buying without checking return policies — especially for overseas brands


Our Favourite Trouser Brands by Fit Category

Category

Brand

Petite

ME+EM, Reiss, Mango

Curvy

Good American, Boden, White Stuff

Tall

COS, Everlane, Jigsaw

Trend-led

Zara, & Other Stories, H&M

Office wear

The Fold, Theory, Reiss

Affordable staples

M&S, Uniqlo, Next

Backlink: Browse more brand-specific fit posts at Tellar.co.uk/blog


Final Word: You Deserve the Right Fit

Trousers should fit your shape, not the other way around. Whether you favour tailored cuts or relaxed styles, you shouldn’t have to spend hours guessing sizes or doing painful returns. Let Tellar.co.uk do the hard work for you.

✅ Get your perfect trouser fit in seconds

✅ Join thousands already using Tellar

✅ It’s free, accurate, and totally personalised

👉 Try Tellar nowIt’s Free & Easy


Connect with Tellar.co.uk

For any sizing help or style questions, visit our Contact page or drop us a message.


Would you like a second version of this tailored to men’s trousers or smart vs casual styles?

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can you make it more factual technical, polished with more informative facts

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Choosing the right trousers is more complex than it seems. Between inconsistent sizing, variable fabric compositions, and wildly different brand fit philosophies, consumers often struggle to find trousers that truly fit — especially across multiple brands.

At Tellar.co.uk, we simplify this. Our platform compares your exact body measurements to sizing data from 1,500+ brands, offering real-time size recommendations tailored to your proportions. No more guesswork. No more returns.

This technical guide outlines the best brands for trousers by category, fabric and fit characteristics, sizing consistency, and key user considerations.


1. Why Trousers Are the Most Complex Garment to Size

Trousers present a unique sizing challenge for both manufacturers and consumers due to:

  • Multi-point measurement dependency: Waist, hips, rise, thigh, inseam, and leg opening all contribute to fit

  • Different rise and cut types (mid-rise vs. high-rise, straight vs. tapered) change how the trousers fit your body

  • Inconsistent size grading across brands, especially between high street and designer labels

  • Lack of standardised international size charts: A UK 12 is not universally equivalent to a US 8 or EU 40

Tellar.co.uk maps out this complexity using proprietary measurement algorithms. You enter your chest, waist, and hips, and we identify the correct size in brands with known discrepancies.


2. Trousers by Category: What Makes a Brand Stand Out?

Different brands optimise for different demographics, tailoring their trousers for specific silhouettes, fabrics, and sizing schemes. Below is a brand-by-brand breakdown by technical fit category:

For Curvy and Hourglass Body Types

  • Good American: Engineered with a contoured waistband and stretch blends, these trousers minimise waist gaping and accommodate hip-to-waist ratios above 0.75.

  • Boden: Offers curve-friendly sizing and mid-weight cotton blends with elastane. Petite and tall ranges available.

  • White Stuff: Uses more generous hip proportions and natural fibres. Ideal for soft tailoring and everyday casual wear.

📌 Find your size in Good American or Boden with Tellar


For Straight or Athletic Builds

  • COS: Known for architectural tailoring and straight cuts, COS trousers often have a high waist-to-hip ratio (close to 1:1). Minimal stretch.

  • Arket: Follows Nordic size grading — generally more linear through the waist and thigh.

  • Reiss: Excellent for slim or rectangular builds. Slim-cut trousers with sharply tailored finishes.

📌 Use Tellar to compare COS, Arket, and Reiss sizes


For Petite Frames (Under 5’3”)

  • ME+EM: Offers shorter inseams, tailored rise adjustments, and high-waisted options that elongate the leg line.

  • Mango Petite: Slightly narrower waists and shorter leg lengths in their petite line. Often run small — Tellar adjusts for this.

  • Jigsaw Petite: Classic British tailoring with petite-friendly proportions.

📌 Check ME+EM or Mango Petite sizing instantly


For Tall Builds (Over 5’9”)

  • Long Tall Sally: Specialises in inseams up to 38 inches. Leg proportions and rise are designed for tall women, not just longer trousers.

  • COS: Offers longer rise and inseam options naturally due to their minimalist cuts.

  • Everlane (US sizing): Certain trousers run long and lean. Tellar auto-converts these from US to UK/EU standards.

📌 Use Tellar to check inseam compatibility across brands


3. Fabric Analysis: The Science Behind Comfort and Structure

When it comes to trousers, fabric composition directly impacts:

  • Stretch and fit adaptability

  • Wrinkle retention

  • Drape and silhouette

  • Durability over time

Fabric Type

Composition

Properties

Cotton Twill

100% Cotton or Cotton-Elastane

Breathable, casual, medium drape

Wool Blends

Wool-Polyester or Wool-Elastane

Structured, warm, resists wrinkling

Linen

Pure Linen or Linen-Rayon

Lightweight, breathable, creases easily

Viscose

Rayon-based

Drapes well, lightweight, soft feel

Polyester

100% or blends

Cost-effective, wrinkle-resistant, low breathability

Ponte

Double-knit, Rayon-Nylon-Spandex

Thick, stretchy, good for form-fitting trousers

📌 Explore our blog post: “What Fabric Should I Choose for Trousers?”


4. Sizing Variability: Which Brands Run Small or Large?

Tellar.co.uk collects live user data and proprietary brand charts to track true-to-size accuracy. Here’s a simplified index from our findings:

Brand

Sizing Tends To Run…

Zara

Small, especially at the waist

H&M

Highly inconsistent

M&S

Slightly large, more forgiving cuts

Reiss

True to size, tailored narrow

The Fold

Slim fit, especially thigh and hip

ME+EM

True to size or generous in waist

Massimo Dutti

European sizing, more tailored than Zara

📌 See your size in all of these brands with one Tellar profile


5. Best Brands by Style Type

Style

Top Brands

Notes

Wide Leg

COS, ME+EM, M&S

Elongates legs, ideal for hourglass and pear

Straight Cut

Arket, Reiss, Massimo Dutti

Versatile, suits most body types

Tailored Tapered

The Fold, Jigsaw, Theory

Sharp workwear choice, slim fit

Cropped

& Other Stories, Boden

Casual to smart-casual, better for petite or mid-height

High-Waisted

Good American, Mango, ME+EM

Best for elongating proportions and comfort

📌 Explore our full trouser style breakdowns on Tellar’s blog


6. How Tellar.co.uk Solves Trouser Sizing

Tellar.co.uk is not just a size chart — it’s a personalised sizing platform that:

  • Matches your measurements to actual brand-specific size charts

  • Detects whether brands run large or small

  • Considers fit philosophy (tailored vs relaxed)

  • Converts sizing across UK, US, EU, and lettered formats

  • Keeps your data stored securely so you don’t need to remeasure

You’ll know your exact size in trousers across 1,500+ brands, from Zara to ME+EM, within seconds.

➡️ Create your free profile here

➡️ Try our store size lookup tool


7. Pro Tips for Buying Trousers Online

  • Use your largest measurement (usually hips) when in doubt — trousers fit tighter there

  • Avoid ignoring inseam — especially for petite or tall shoppers

  • Always check the stretch content — 1-3% elastane changes everything

  • Look for rear darts, pleats, or contoured waistbands — they indicate a better fit

  • Save time by using Tellar instead of scrolling through brand size charts

📌 Tellar’s size database includes material and cut notes


8. Call to Action: Let Tellar Handle the Hard Part

You shouldn’t need to try on 12 pairs of trousers just to find one that fits.

Tellar.co.uk finds your best trouser size in seconds

✅ Over 1,500 brands across UK, EU and US sizes

✅ Covers trousers, jeans, skirts, dresses, and more

✅ Saves time, reduces returns, and improves confidence

👉 Create your profile now — It’s Free & Easy


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