JNBY Sizing: Does It Run Small — And What To Do About It

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

Yes — JNBY runs small, and quite significantly so compared to UK sizing. If you're a UK 12 and you order a medium without checking, you'll likely be disappointed. But once you understand how JNBY's sizing actually works, it's genuinely one of the most exciting brands to shop. The proportions are deliberate, the aesthetic is like nothing else on the high street, and finding your fit unlocks a whole wardrobe of pieces that look properly considered.

I first discovered JNBY a few years back on a slow Sunday scrolling through a Japanese fashion blog (as you do). The layered linen, the deconstructed hems, the almost architectural quality to the drape — I was hooked. But my first order was a disaster sizing-wise. I'd gone by my usual instinct and ordered a medium. It arrived looking like it had been made for someone considerably more petite than me. Lesson learned. Since then, I've got JNBY sizing down to a fine art and it's absolutely worth the extra effort.

What Is JNBY?

For the uninitiated, JNBY is a Chinese avant-garde fashion brand founded in Hangzhou in 1994. The name stands for "Just Naturally Be Yourself" — which tells you everything about the ethos. It's the kind of brand that attracts women who are done with predictable fashion. The silhouettes are often asymmetric, the cuts are loose and artistic, and the quality of fabrication — particularly in linen, cotton and wool — is genuinely impressive for the price point.

JNBY has a huge following in Asia and a quietly devoted European fanbase, mostly among women who stumble across it via independent boutiques or online marketplaces. It's not a household name in the UK yet, but it deserves to be.

How Does JNBY Sizing Work?

JNBY uses Chinese standard sizing, which typically runs one to two sizes smaller than UK equivalents. Their tags will show sizing like 155/80A, 160/84A, 165/88A, 170/92A — or sometimes just S, M, L, XL. Here's how those roughly translate:

155/80A (XS) — approximately UK 6–8
160/84A (S) — approximately UK 8–10
165/88A (M) — approximately UK 10–12
170/92A (L) — approximately UK 12–14
175/96A (XL) — approximately UK 14–16

The "A" in Chinese sizing refers to a standard body shape with a roughly 14–16cm difference between bust and waist. If you carry more volume through the hips or chest, you may want to size up an additional notch on certain styles.

My Honest Sizing Verdict by Category

JNBY's sizing does vary a little depending on the garment type, so here's what I've found in practice:

Tops and blouses: Size up by one UK size minimum. JNBY tops often have generous length but narrower shoulders and a slimmer chest than you'd expect. The oversized styles are more forgiving, but even those can catch you out through the shoulders.
Dresses: Go up one to two sizes depending on the cut. Shift and tunic-style dresses work brilliantly if you size up — the extra length-to-width ratio suits the aesthetic anyway. Tighter-cut dresses are rarer in JNBY's range, but when they appear, be generous with sizing.
Knitwear: JNBY's knitwear tends to be slightly more generous in its sizing than the tailored pieces — but I'd still suggest going up one size. It's much easier to style an oversized jumper than to wrestle with one that pulls across the back.
Trousers: These can be trickier. JNBY trousers are often wide-leg or relaxed-fit, but the waist measurement tends to be small. Always check the specific measurements if you can — and if in doubt, go up.
Outerwear: Coats and jackets typically have more ease built in, especially the longer structured pieces. Size up once and you'll generally be fine.

Tips for Shopping JNBY From the UK

Shopping a Chinese brand from the UK adds a layer of complexity, but it's very manageable:

Always use centimetre measurements rather than relying on size labels — check bust, waist and hip against each product's individual size chart.
Buy from reputable multi-brand sites that carry JNBY and have solid return policies — SSENSE, Farfetch and various independent boutiques stock the brand.
Read the fabric composition carefully. JNBY's linen pieces have minimal stretch, so if you're between sizes in linen, always size up. Their cotton-modal blends are a touch more forgiving.
Don't panic if a piece looks enormous on the hanger. JNBY's aesthetic relies on volume and drape — sometimes what looks like a marquee in the bag becomes genuinely beautiful once on a body.

If JNBY's Sizing Isn't Working For You — Brilliant Alternatives to Try

JNBY occupies a very specific aesthetic lane — artistic, relaxed, slightly deconstructed — and honestly it's one of the most underserved spaces on the British high street. But there are some brands doing quietly brilliant things in this world:

COS — probably the closest high street equivalent to JNBY's sensibility. Clean architecture, muted palette, excellent fabrication for the price. Sizing is more consistent and UK-friendly.
Whistles — particularly their more relaxed diffusion lines. Lovely linen and quality cotton in interesting shapes.
Anthropologie — for those drawn to the more artisan, textured side of JNBY. Anthropologie does boho-artistic brilliantly and sizing is transparent.
Mango — particularly the Mango Committed and Mango Collection lines, which lean into linen and relaxed tailoring in a way that scratches a similar itch for much less outlay.
All Saints — if you're drawn to JNBY's darker palette and slightly edgier cut, All Saints is worth a look. Particularly strong on outerwear.
Urban Outfitters — for younger, more experimental JNBY-adjacent styling on a tighter budget. The quality isn't on the same level but the aesthetic ambition is there.
Massimo Dutti — for the more refined, minimal side of JNBY's range. Massimo Dutti does quiet luxury in relaxed cuts with excellent fabric quality.
Me&Em — particularly strong on relaxed tailoring and elevated basics. More classic in direction than JNBY but a brilliant investment brand for the wardrobe fundamentals.

For truly independent alternatives with a real JNBY spirit, I'd point you towards Cawley Studio — a brilliant London-based independent label creating beautifully constructed, artisan-influenced pieces in natural fabrics. And Beaumont Organic — a UK sustainable brand doing exceptional relaxed-fit linen and cotton in a muted, artistic palette that JNBY fans will love.

Never Get JNBY's Sizing Wrong Again — Use Tellar

JNBY sizing is genuinely one of the trickier to navigate, but it's exactly the kind of problem Tellar was built to solve. Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool — enter your measurements once, and get your precise size matched across 1,500+ brands instantly. No more guesswork, no more returns.

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