How to Find Your Size in Barba

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

Barba sizes in Italian/European sizing and cuts their garments with that distinctly Neapolitan precision — lean, structured, and with very little ease built in. As a general rule, a Barba Italian size 42 equates to a UK size 10, but the brand's tailored pieces in particular come up narrow through the chest and shoulders, so sizing up one is often the smarter move. If you're shopping their shirts or blouses for the first time, trust your measurements over the label.

Who Is Barba, Exactly?

Barba is a Neapolitan luxury brand with a heritage rooted in fine Italian shirtmaking — the kind of slow, considered craft that Naples has been doing better than almost anywhere else in the world for generations. Founded in the 1960s, the brand built its reputation on immaculately constructed men's shirts before expanding into womenswear and wider ready-to-wear. The result is a collection that feels properly grown-up: silk blouses with hand-stitched collars, beautifully draped trousers, and knitwear that actually keeps its shape after the first wash.

I came to Barba via a silk blouse I spotted on a friend — that slightly impossible combination of relaxed and polished that only really good Italian tailoring manages. It took me about six months to justify the price tag to myself and another three weeks of deliberating over the size before I ordered. I wish someone had just told me to size up and be done with it. That's essentially what this post is.

Barba Size Guide: Italian to UK Conversion

Barba uses standard Italian sizing, which aligns closely with European sizing. Here's a straightforward reference guide — though always cross-check against the specific item's flat measurements where possible, as their tailored and woven pieces tend to be cut more closely than their knitwear:

Barba (IT/EU)UK SizeUS SizeApprox. Bust (cm)Approx. Waist (cm)386282–8464–66408486–8868–704210690–9272–744412894–9676–7846141098–10080–82481612102–10484–86

Fit Notes by Category — What You Actually Need to Know

Barba isn't a one-size-fits-all situation. Their different product categories behave quite differently in terms of fit, so here's a breakdown:

Shirts & Silk Blouses

This is the heart of what Barba does, and where the fit is most unforgiving. Their shirts are cut close to the body with a slim armhole — beautifully elegant on narrower frames, a bit snug on anyone with fuller bust or broader shoulders.
Size up one if you're between sizes, have a fuller chest (above 92cm), or carry any width through your upper back.
The collar on their classic shirts is cut neat — not generous. If you're between collar sizes, go larger.
Silk styles tend to drape rather than cling, so these are slightly more forgiving than their poplin or Oxford cloth shirts.

Knitwear

Their knitwear — cashmere and merino blends in particular — is more relaxed in its construction. True to size is generally fine here unless you prefer an oversized look, in which case size up.
Sleeve length runs on the longer side, which is a blessing if you're tall but worth knowing if you're petite (5'4" and under).

Trousers & Tailored Pieces

Barba's tailored trousers are cut with a high rise and a relatively narrow waistband. If your waist-to-hip ratio is more pronounced — say, more than a 10-inch differential — size to your hips and have the waist taken in by a tailor. It's worth it for pieces this good.
Inseam length tends to be cut for a full-length trouser — expect to hem if you're under 5'7".

How to Measure for Barba

Getting Barba right starts with three measurements: bust (around the fullest part of your chest, bra on), waist (at your natural waist, usually just above your belly button), and hips (around the fullest part, usually 8 inches below the waist). Write these down before you browse. The difference between a beautiful Barba shirt that looks like it was made for you and one that gapes at the chest is usually just one size — and knowing your measurements in advance will sort it.

Styling Barba: How to Wear It

The brand lends itself naturally to that understated, quietly expensive aesthetic — the kind of dressing where you look extremely put-together without appearing to have tried. A Barba silk blouse half-tucked into wide-leg tailored trousers is one of the best outfits going. Their shirts work brilliantly layered under a blazer for the office or worn open over a camisole at the weekend. The knitwear pairs well with everything from straight-leg denim to midi skirts.

Colour-wise, Barba tends towards a muted, sophisticated palette — navies, whites, camel, warm neutrals, the occasional beautiful jewel tone. It's not a brand for bold prints and that's entirely the point. The investment is in the construction and the fabric, not the noise.

Alternatives to Barba: High Street to Designer

Barba pieces aren't cheap — nor should they be, given the quality — but here are some genuinely good alternatives at different price points if you love the aesthetic but not the price tag:

Massimo Dutti — The most convincing high street equivalent for Barba's tailored shirt aesthetic. Their poplin blouses and structured trousers hit very similar notes at a fraction of the price. Sizing is Spanish but runs close to UK standard.
Cos — For that same quiet, considered approach to dressing. COS does beautifully restrained silk and satin blouses with clean lines and proper construction. Generally true to size.
Whistles — One of the best British brands for elevated everyday dressing. Their shirts and blouses are excellent quality for the price and cut with a more generous fit than Barba — great news if you find Italian sizing tight.
Reiss — For tailored pieces and structured blouses with a similar grown-up polish. Reiss sizes consistently in UK standard and offers a good range of fits.
Me&Em — British brand doing luxurious, considered basics with excellent fabric quality. Their silk blouses and fine knitwear are genuinely brilliant and their sizing is inclusive and consistent.
Jigsaw — Perennially underrated. Their shirts and blouses have real quality to them, and they cut for a slightly more relaxed fit than Italian brands — brilliant if Barba's narrow cut doesn't work for your frame.
The White Company — For the knitwear side of things specifically. Their cashmere and merino pieces rival Barba for softness and longevity, at a far more accessible price point.
Hush — Relaxed but polished, with a strong shirt and blouse offering. Particularly good if you want the refined Italian-adjacent aesthetic without the slim Italian cut.

Two Independent Picks Worth Knowing

Colville — A London-based luxury brand co-founded by former Marni designers, with a similarly precise, artisanal approach to tailoring and knitwear. If you love Barba's quality but want something with a slightly more playful, graphic edge, Colville is worth exploring. Stocked at Matchesfashion and Net-a-Porter.
Onia — A New York brand making quietly exceptional shirts and blouses in premium fabrics — linen, silk, fine cotton — with a relaxed cut that's a useful counterpoint to Barba's Italian precision. Less known in the UK but very worth seeking out if their slim cut is too snug.

Stop Guessing Your Size — Use Tellar

Italian sizing, European sizing, vanity sizing, size charts that don't match reality — it's exhausting. Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool, and it takes all the guesswork out. Enter your measurements once and get your exact size across 1,500+ brands — instantly, in-browser, completely free.

Measure once — bust, waist, hips, or just use a brand size you already trust.
Look up your size in any brand, from Barba to Boden to Zara, with the Store Size Lookup tool.
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