How to Find Your Size in Barrie

By Ella Blake | Tellar Fashion Hub

Barrie cashmere fits true to size but runs with a relaxed, slightly generous cut — so if you're between sizes or prefer a more tailored look, sizing down is absolutely the right call. That said, getting it wrong either way is a genuinely painful experience when you're investing in one of Scotland's most storied luxury knitwear brands. So let me save you the agonising return trip.

What Is Barrie?

Barrie is a Scottish cashmere house based in Hawick in the Scottish Borders — one of the most legendary textile regions in the world. Founded in 1903, the brand has been quietly making some of the finest cashmere knitwear on the planet for well over a century. If that name sounds familiar beyond just knitwear, it's because Barrie produced Chanel's iconic cashmere pieces for decades before relaunching as a standalone luxury label under new ownership in 2012. Since then, they've built a devoted following among women who understand that truly great knitwear isn't a trend — it's an investment.

Think beautifully soft cardigans, sweaters and twin sets in colours that somehow manage to feel both classic and completely fresh every season. This is cashmere at its most honest — no synthetic blends, no shortcuts, just the real thing.

How Does Barrie Size Their Knitwear?

Barrie uses standard European sizing (XS–XL), and their pieces are cut with a relaxed, slightly boxy silhouette that's very much in keeping with how elevated knitwear is being worn right now. Here's what you need to know before buying:

Cardigans and sweaters: These come up generous. If you like a close, neat fit, size down. If you want that effortless, slightly oversized drape — which frankly looks brilliant — go true to size.
Twin sets: The shell tends to be fitted while the cardigan layer is more relaxed. Sizing true to size works well here — don't be tempted to size up on the whole set.
Skirts and trousers (where available): These run true to size. Measure your waist and hips carefully and compare against Barrie's size guide, as their knitwear sizing doesn't always directly translate.
Sleeve length: Barrie's sleeves lean slightly long, which I personally love — great for that tucked-under, cosy feel. If you're petite, be aware of this before buying and consider whether you can turn up the cuff.

My Honest Experience with Barrie Sizing

I tried on a Barrie cardigan in my usual size — a medium — and it was lovely but just slightly more relaxed through the body than I'd imagined from the product photography. I loved it, actually. But a friend who bought the same style in a medium and is slightly slimmer than me ended up exchanging for a small, and it looked absolutely perfect on her. The lesson: if you're on the smaller end of your size range or you like your knitwear to sit close to the body, go down. If you prefer that effortless, I-just-threw-this-on-but-actually-spent-a-fortune energy, your true size is right.

It's also worth noting that pure cashmere — particularly Barrie's grade — does soften and relax very slightly with wear. It won't dramatically change shape, but it's worth factoring in if you're right on the boundary.

How to Measure for Barrie

Barrie provides a size guide on their website that works from bust measurements, which is sensible for knitwear. Here's how to get the most accurate read:

Bust: Measure around the fullest part of your chest, keeping the tape parallel to the floor. This is your primary measurement for tops and cardigans.
Waist and hips: Useful for any bottoms in their collection. Measure at the narrowest point of your waist and the fullest point of your hips.
Compare to the garment measurements, not just the size label — Barrie lists actual garment dimensions on many styles, which is far more useful than a generic size chart when you're shopping online.

Where Else to Shop for Luxury-Feel Cashmere

Barrie is unquestionably at the pinnacle of the cashmere market, and the price reflects that. If you're looking for something in the same spirit at different price points — or you want to build a layering wardrobe around your Barrie hero pieces — here's where I'd honestly shop:

The White Company — Consistently excellent for accessible cashmere and cashmere-blend knitwear. Their sizing is true to size and the quality, particularly at sale, is brilliant.
Cos — For that same clean, relaxed silhouette at a fraction of the price. Their wool and cashmere-blend knits are some of the best on the high street and size true to their label.
Whistles — Their knitwear edit is thoughtful and well-constructed. Great transitional layering pieces that complement elevated basics.
Boden — Underrated for quality knitwear, particularly their merino and cashmere options. Sizing is reliable and their colour palette is exceptional.
Jigsaw — One of the best high street destinations for serious knitwear. Their Scottish-sourced wool pieces in particular are beautifully made and size consistently.
Anthropologie — For something with a bit more texture and personality. Their knitwear is consistently interesting and sizes are fairly true across styles.
Hush — Brilliant for relaxed, wearable cashmere-feel pieces at accessible prices. Their oversized styles are particularly good and size generously, so be mindful.
Phase Eight — A solid choice for occasion-adjacent knitwear. Their finer-gauge knits in particular are well-cut and size true.

For something a little more off the radar, two brands worth knowing:

Begg x Co — A Scottish heritage accessories and knitwear brand producing extraordinarily beautiful cashmere scarves and wraps in Ayr. If you love Barrie, you'll love Begg x Co. Utterly timeless.
Brora — A smaller Scottish cashmere brand with a fiercely loyal following. Their knitwear is classic, high quality, and often a slightly more accessible entry point into Scottish luxury cashmere than Barrie.

Stop Guessing Your Size — Let Tellar Do It For You

When you're investing in luxury knitwear like Barrie, getting the size right first time isn't optional — it's essential. That's exactly what Tellar.co.uk is built for. The UK's leading free sizing tool matches your measurements to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you never have to guess again.

📏 Measure once — using bust, waist, hips, or your existing brand size
🔍 Use the Store Size Lookup tool to find your precise size in Barrie, Cos, Whistles, Jigsaw and 1,500+ more brands
✅ Always free — works in-browser, no downloads, no faff

And when you're done sizing up, head to the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of free, honest, unsponsored style advice from our team of stylists. No ads. No sponsored content. Just genuinely useful fashion guidance, always free.

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