The Ultimate Guide to Balmain: Investment Pieces, Styling Advice & Sizing Explained

Balmain stands at the intersection of glamour and military precision. With its signature gold buttons, power silhouettes, and unapologetically bold detailing, the Parisian fashion house has become a symbol of contemporary luxury. Under Creative Director Olivier Rousteing, Balmain has not only modernised its aesthetic but has also reinforced its reputation for strong resale value and long-term investment potential.

In this guide, we unpack the top Balmain pieces to invest in, how their sizing runs, and how Tellar.co.uk ensures you get your perfect fit across all Balmain garments—no guesswork, no size charts, just exact match recommendations for over 1,500 global brands.

1. Why Balmain Pieces Hold Their Value

Balmain may be fashion-forward, but it’s rooted in classical design codes: structure, repetition, and luxury detailing. This balance between boldness and timelessness is exactly what makes so many of its pieces long-term wardrobe investments.

Key Investment Factors:

Iconic design DNA: Military tailoring, sharp shoulders, double-breasted silhouettes, gold hardware.
Celebrity endorsement: Regularly worn by Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian, which fuels demand.
Consistent collection updates: Core shapes are repeated seasonally in fresh colours/fabrics.
Strong resale market: Especially for jackets, bags, and boots. Archive pieces often resell above RRP.

2. Best Balmain Pieces to Invest In

1. Double-Breasted Blazer

Arguably the most famous piece in the entire Balmain repertoire. With its padded shoulders, nipped waist, and signature gold crest buttons, the Balmain Blazer has become a modern uniform for power dressing.

🡪 Opt for wool, grain-de-poudre, or structured crepe in black, navy, ivory, or camel for timeless versatility.

Investment Tip: Size up if between sizes—tailoring is tight, particularly in the shoulders and waist.

2. Tweed Jackets

Balmain’s tweed is bold, architectural, and often finished with metallic threads. These Chanel-inspired jackets are luxurious but wearable.

Why it’s worth it: Often reissued with minor tweaks, allowing older styles to remain current.

3. Bodycon Dresses

Balmain’s bandage and knit dresses are flattering for hourglass and curvy shapes, offering compression and contouring without shapewear.

🡪 Look for strong shoulder detailing or mesh cut-outs for pieces that transition from evening to archive-worthy.

4. Biker Jeans & Trousers

The ribbed knees, zippers, and panelled legs are instantly recognisable. While a niche market, they retain good resale value, particularly in black or distressed denim.

5. Boots & Accessories

Signature boots with gold buckles or thigh-high silhouettes do well on resale platforms. Likewise, the 1945 bag and B-Buzz tote are the most collectible Balmain bags.

3. Balmain Sizing: Does It Run Small?

Yes. Balmain tailoring is known to run one full size smaller than other luxury brands. Jackets and dresses especially require sizing up for most UK and US shoppers.

Item Category	Fit Notes
Blazers	Runs small across shoulders and bust
Dresses	Tight at the waist, fitted sleeves
Tops & Knitwear	Closer to true size but still snug fit
Trousers/Jeans	Often fitted in hip and thigh, mid-rise
Footwear	Generally true to size

🡪 Use Tellar to get the correct size instantly—see how below.

4. Balmain Size Conversion Chart

UK Size	US Size	FR Size (Labelled)	IT Size	EU Jeans
6	2	34	38	25
8	4	36	40	26–27
10	6	38	42	28
12	8	40	44	29–30
14	10	42	46	31

Note: Balmain labels all women’s clothing in French sizing, so a UK 10 will typically require a FR 38—but due to the tailored fit, many wearers find they need a FR 40 or 42 instead.

🡪 Compare more global sizes: UK vs USA vs European Clothing Sizes: The Ultimate Guide

5. How Tellar.co.uk Solves Balmain Sizing Confusion

Balmain’s precision fit can make even seasoned luxury shoppers hesitant to buy without trying on. That’s why Tellar.co.uk is the essential tool when shopping Balmain online or second-hand.

Tellar works in three ways:

✅ Body Measurement Matching: Enter your bust, waist, and hips and Tellar matches you to your exact Balmain size in seconds.
✅ Brand Conversion: Already know your size in Reiss, COS, or Zara? Use Tellar’s Store Size Lookup to convert that size into your Balmain equivalent.
✅ Style Precision: See tailored recommendations for different body types—Tellar adjusts for bust, shoulders, and height.

🡪 Create your profile at Tellar.co.uk

🡪 Use the Store Size Lookup Tool

🡪 Download your free printable measuring tape

6. Styling & Longevity: Maximising Your Balmain Investment

Balmain’s aesthetic is bold, but the key to longevity lies in strategic neutral purchases:

Choose black, navy, ivory or khaki for blazers and coats.
Limit trend details (like neon or oversized logos) if aiming for resale value.
Wear tailoring with basics—pair structured jackets with jeans or turtlenecks to avoid overstyling.
Resale value increases when items are kept in good condition—consider storing in garment bags and dry-cleaning only.

🡪 Need help with jeans fit? The Ultimate Guide: Flattering Jeans for Every Body Shape

7. The Tellar Fashion Hub: More Style, Less Guesswork

Once you’ve found your ideal Balmain size, explore Tellar’s Fashion Hub—a free content library packed with expert articles, styling guides, and investment brand insights. Always independent, always free.

Explore:

8. Follow Tellar for Daily Sizing & Styling Advice

Instagram: @Tellarsizing
Twitter/X: @TellarSizing
Facebook: Tellar Sizing
Pinterest: TellarSizing

“Find your size in 1,500+ brands real-time. It’s free & easy.”

Whether you're buying your first Balmain blazer or building a capsule wardrobe around timeless luxury, Tellar.co.uk ensures it fits flawlessly from day one.