How to Find Your Perfect Fit at A Bathing Ape (BAPE)

By Ella Blake | Tellar Fashion Hub

If you've ever ordered from A Bathing Ape and received a piece that sat somewhere between "avant-garde art installation" and "my little brother's hoodie," you're not alone. BAPE sizes run small and the brand uses Japanese sizing, which means if you go in assuming your usual UK size, you will almost certainly end up disappointed. The golden rule? Size up — often by two — and measure yourself before you ever hit that checkout button.

I'll be honest: my first BAPE purchase was an absolute disaster. I ordered a women's hoodie in my usual size 10, it arrived looking like a fitted crop top on a very cold day, and I gifted it to my twelve-year-old niece who wore it perfectly. Lesson learned, and now I never buy from BAPE without cross-referencing my measurements first. Let me save you the same headache.

Understanding BAPE's Sizing System

BAPE is a Japanese brand and uses a Japanese sizing system. Japanese sizing runs considerably smaller than UK sizing across the board. Where you might typically wear a UK 12, you'll likely need a size Large or XL at BAPE — sometimes even XXL depending on the cut.

• Japanese XS = approximately UK 6–8

• Japanese S = approximately UK 8–10

• Japanese M = approximately UK 10–12

• Japanese L = approximately UK 12–14

• Japanese XL = approximately UK 14–16

These are rough guides. The reality is that fit varies significantly by product line — BAPE's women's pieces tend to run differently to their unisex or men's pieces, and the brand is not exactly renowned for consistent sizing across collections.

Women's vs. Unisex: Know What You're Buying

This is where a lot of people come unstuck. BAPE offers pieces specifically designed for women, but a huge chunk of their most coveted items — the iconic shark hoodies, the camo coaches, the graphic tees — are designed as unisex or men's styles. If you're shopping unisex, expect a more generous, boxy silhouette. If you're shopping women's-specific pieces, the proportions will be more fitted through the waist and shorter in the body.

My advice? The unisex pieces are brilliant for that oversized, relaxed streetwear look that everyone is obsessed with right now. Go with your natural size or even size down for that. But if you're shopping women's BAPE, stick to the size-up rule and always check the specific garment measurements.

How to Measure Yourself for BAPE

Before you shop, grab a tape measure and note down:

• Bust — measure at the fullest point, keeping the tape parallel to the floor

• Waist — your natural waist, not where your jeans sit

• Hips — fullest point, usually 20–23cm below your natural waist

• Shoulder width — particularly important for BAPE jackets and hoodies; measure across from shoulder seam to shoulder seam on a well-fitting piece you already own

Once you have those, cross-reference with BAPE's size guide on their site — but don't stop there. Use Tellar's Store Size Lookup tool to get your size dialled in accurately before you commit.

💡 STYLIST TIPShoulder width is the one measurement most people overlook, and it's the hardest fit issue to fix in tailoring. If the shoulders are wrong on a jacket or hoodie, no amount of alterations will save it. Always check the shoulder measurement against BAPE's size chart before ordering.

The Best BAPE Pieces for Women — and What to Size

Hoodies & Sweatshirts: Size up by one to two sizes. BAPE hoodies are designed to look oversized and slightly boxy. If you want a true oversized fit, go two sizes up. If you prefer a more fitted silhouette, one size up should do it.

T-Shirts: The women's-specific tees can be fairly true to their Japanese size, so use your measurements carefully here. Unisex tees? Size up at least one.

Jackets & Coaches: Always size up. A BAPE coach jacket in your standard UK size will feel restrictive across the shoulders and short in the torso. Two sizes up gives you that brilliant relaxed drape that makes these pieces so wearable.

Footwear: BAPE trainers also run small. Go up half a size to a full size from your usual UK shoe size.

Where to Shop BAPE — and How to Get the Look for Less

BAPE is an investment — prices start at around £80 for a basic tee and quickly climb into the hundreds for outerwear. If you're after that streetwear-meets-luxury aesthetic without committing to a full BAPE price tag while you're figuring out your size, these are my recommendations at every price point:

High Street:

• Urban Outfitters — genuinely excellent for streetwear-adjacent graphic pieces and camo prints that capture the BAPE energy at a fraction of the price. Their own-label hoodies are a brilliant starting point.

• Topshop (available via ASOS) — still a strong source for relaxed, oversized sweatshirts and graphic tees with genuine streetwear credentials.

• H&M — their seasonal streetwear drops and collaboration pieces are often genuinely good. Look for their camo and boxy-fit styles.

• New Look — underrated for affordable oversized graphic sweatshirts and camo co-ords if you want to test the aesthetic without the spend.

• ASOS — the sheer breadth of their streetwear offering is unmatched at the price. Filter by "oversized" and "graphic" and you'll find plenty.

• All Saints — for the more elevated, darker end of streetwear. Their leather-trim jackets and heavy-weight hoodies are genuinely excellent quality.

• Zara — frequently turns out camo-print and boxy-fit pieces that feel very now. Their menswear section is also worth raiding for oversized coach jackets.

Premium:

• Carhartt WIP — if BAPE is your vibe, Carhartt WIP should absolutely be on your radar. Workwear-rooted, beautifully made, and with a loyal streetwear following. Their sizing is more consistent and UK-friendly too.

• Stüssy — the original streetwear brand, and still one of the best. Stüssy graphic hoodies and camo coaches are considered classics and hold their value brilliantly.

Luxury/Designer:

• A Bathing Ape (BAPE) — once you know your size, BAPE is an extraordinary brand. The quality is genuinely exceptional, the archive value is real, and wearing a piece just feels special in a way that fast fashion never does. Shop via bape.com or authorised UK stockists.

Never Get Your Size Wrong Again — Tellar.co.uk

The single best thing I ever did for my online shopping was start using Tellar.co.uk — and for BAPE in particular, it's genuinely invaluable. Tellar is the UK's leading free clothing sizing tool, matching your exact body measurements to over 1,500 brands instantly. You enter your measurements once, and Tellar tells you your correct size across every brand — no more guessing, no more returns, no more expensive mistakes.

Here's how it works:

• Measure once — bust, waist, hips, or simply enter an existing brand size you know fits well.

• Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size across any brand in seconds — including international and Japanese-sized brands like BAPE.

• Always free — no downloads, no subscriptions. It works straight in your browser.

And while you're there, the Tellar Fashion Hub is worth bookmarking. It's a library of honest, unsponsored fashion articles covering everything from the ultimate clothing sizing guide to the best jean trends for 2026, the ultimate guide to dresses, and the ultimate guide to jackets. No ads, no paid partnerships — just genuinely good styling advice, always free.

Final Thoughts: Is BAPE Worth It?

Absolutely — but only when you get the sizing right. There's something genuinely exciting about a BAPE piece: the craftsmanship, the cultural weight, the way wearing it just feels considered and intentional. But the brand's Japanese sizing makes it uniquely unforgiving if you don't do your homework first.

Measure yourself. Use Tellar. Size up. And then enjoy the fact that you've invested in something that will last for years and probably only get cooler with age. That's the BAPE promise — and when it works, it really works.