How to Find Your Perfect Size in Benetton

By Ella Blake — Fashion Stylist | Tellar Fashion Hub — Always honest, unbiased & unsponsored

Benetton sizes small — and if you walk in expecting UK sizing to translate neatly, you'll be caught off guard. United Colors of Benetton is an Italian brand, which means it runs on European sizing and cuts closer to the body than most British high-street labels. The short version: go up at least one size from your usual UK size, and always check the centimetre measurements on their size guide before you buy. The longer version? Let me walk you through it properly.

The Italian Sizing Factor: What You Actually Need to Know

Benetton uses Italian/European sizing across most of its womenswear. That means the numbers on the labels — 38, 40, 42, 44 — refer to Italian sizing conventions, not UK dress sizes. Here's a rough conversion to get you started:

Italian 36 = approximately UK 8 (XS)
Italian 38 = approximately UK 10 (S)
Italian 40 = approximately UK 12 (M)
Italian 42 = approximately UK 14 (L)
Italian 44 = approximately UK 16 (XL)

I say "approximately" because, as with all things fashion, it isn't an exact science. Benetton's knitwear tends to have slightly more ease built in (it's knitwear — it needs it), while their tailored trousers and fitted shirts cut close and feel snug at your true size. My strong advice: always size up one on fitted pieces, and measure your bust and hips before you commit online.

How to Measure Yourself for Benetton

Before you add anything to your basket, grab a soft tape measure and jot down three numbers. It takes two minutes and will save you a very tedious returns process:

Bust: Measure around the fullest part of your chest, tape parallel to the floor. Wear your everyday bra.
Waist: Measure at the narrowest point of your torso — your natural waist, not where your jeans sit.
Hips: Measure around the fullest part of your hips, usually about 20cm below your natural waist.

Cross-reference these against Benetton's online size guide (in centimetres, not inches — another Italian thing). If you fall between two sizes, go up. Full stop.

Category by Category: How Benetton Sizing Behaves

Different product categories behave differently, and Benetton's range is broader than most people realise — it's not just the rainbow knitwear they're famous for. Here's what to expect across the main categories:

Knitwear & jumpers: This is Benetton's heartland and genuinely where they shine. Sizing here is a little more relaxed because the knit has natural give. Your true-size Italian equivalent usually works well, but if you have a broader bust or broader shoulders, go up.
Shirts & blouses: These cut close. Size up one from your usual UK equivalent, especially across the bust and shoulders.
Trousers & jeans: Measure your hips, not your waist — that's the measurement that will determine fit. Their trousers tend to be slim through the thigh, so if you carry any volume there, size up.
Dresses: Go by your largest measurement and size to that. Most of their dresses are cut without much ease, so if you're a UK 12 on top but a UK 14 on the hip, buy the 14 (Italian 42) and take in the waist if needed.
Coats & jackets: Size up one, and factor in what you're wearing underneath. Their outerwear cuts trim and Italian — beautiful, but not built for bulky layering.

Benetton's Best Bits — and Where Sizing Trips People Up

The brand's colourful wool and cotton knitwear is still their strongest category — there's a reason their striped jumpers and bold colour-block pieces have been a wardrobe staple since the 1980s. But I've seen people — myself included, once — get caught out by their tailored trousers. I ordered a pair in what I thought was my size (based on the Italian number alone, not the measurements), and they were genuinely unwearable through the hip. The fit across the seat was pulling in a way that no amount of optimism was going to fix. One size up and they were perfect.

The other category worth flagging is their denim. Benetton's jeans run slim and have a more rigid cut than a stretch denim — so if you're used to the forgiving give of elastane-heavy denim from other brands, expect to size up here too.

Similar Brands with Comparable Sizing Quirks

If you love the Benetton aesthetic — bright colours, quality cotton and wool basics, European-cut casual wear — here are some brilliant alternatives with notes on how their sizing compares:

Cos — A Swedish brand but with a similarly European, close cut. Clean, minimal, and beautifully made. Sizes are in XS–XL and tend to run slim; check their cm measurements carefully.
Mango — Spanish brand, European sizing, similar aesthetic territory to Benetton but with a more trend-led edge. Generally runs true to European size equivalent of your UK size.
Boden — British brand with brilliant colourful knitwear and a slightly more generous cut. A great shout if Benetton's slim Italian cut doesn't work for your shape. Sizes in UK sizes and runs true to size.
White Stuff — Another great source of colourful, quality knitwear with a relaxed, easy fit. UK sizing that tends to be generously cut — good news if you find European brands frustrating.
Anthropologie — Eclectic, colourful, and frequently excellent for knitwear and printed pieces. Sizing is in UK sizes and tends to run true to size or slightly generous.
H&M — For budget-friendly colourful basics and knitwear that scratches the Benetton itch without the Italian sizing drama. European sizing but with detailed cm guides online.
Fat Face — Brilliant for relaxed, colourful casual wear with a UK-friendly, generous cut. If you find Benetton too snug, Fat Face is your friend.
Hush — Understated, quality basics and knitwear in a relaxed fit. UK sizing, true to size — easy and stress-free to buy online.

Two Independent Brands Worth Discovering

Every post I write, I like to shout out a couple of independent names that deserve more of the spotlight:

Wyse London — A British independent brand that does beautifully colourful, stripe-heavy knitwear and Breton tops that feel like a premium version of the Benetton classics. Brilliant quality, UK sizing, and a very loyal customer following. If you love Benetton's colour palette but want something a little more luxurious, Wyse is worth every penny.
Brora — A Scottish cashmere brand producing colourful, quality knitwear with real heritage behind it. Their pieces run true to UK size with detailed measurements provided. A genuine investment purchase that'll outlast anything on the high street.

Stop Guessing Your Size — Let Tellar Do It for You

If European and Italian sizing has ever left you feeling bamboozled — and honestly, it does that to everyone — then Tellar.co.uk is the tool you need to bookmark right now.

Tellar is the UK's leading free clothing sizing platform, matching your exact measurements to over 1,500 brands in seconds. No more converting Italian numbers in your head, no more ordering two sizes and hoping for the best.

Measure once — enter your bust, waist, hip, or your existing size at a brand you know well
Use the Store Size Lookup tool — get your precise size at Benetton, COS, Mango, Reiss, Arket and 1,500+ more brands instantly
Always free — no app to download, no subscription, works directly in your browser

And once you've sorted your size, explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of free, honest, unsponsored style guides written by real stylists. No ads. No brand deals. Just genuinely useful fashion advice, always.