Varley Sizing Guide: Does Varley Run True to Size?

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

Varley generally runs true to size, but with one important caveat: it entirely depends on the category you’re buying. Leggings and tops are true to size, sports bras run slightly small and should be sized up, while outerwear — particularly the sherpa coats and puffer jackets — runs noticeably oversized and you’ll want to size down. Get your head around that one distinction and Varley becomes a very easy brand to shop.

I came to Varley relatively late, I’ll admit. I’d been a loyal Lululemon customer for years and felt quite smug about it until a client of mine turned up to a session looking absolutely put-together in head-to-toe Varley — the half-zip pullover, the wide-leg tracksuit bottoms, trainers — and I genuinely couldn’t tell if she’d been to pilates or a really chic lunch. That’s the Varley effect. It has a way of making athleisure look genuinely intentional rather than like you just couldn’t be bothered getting dressed. I’ve been a convert ever since.

A Bit About Varley

Founded in 2014 by husband-and-wife team Lara and Ben Mead — who met training for the London Marathon, which is a very on-brand origin story — Varley was born from a trip to Santa Monica and a desire to merge California ease with London sophistication. They describe themselves as a “fashion brand rooted in movement” rather than a straight-up activewear label, and that distinction matters. This isn’t just gym kit. It’s elevated everyday dressing that happens to function beautifully when you’re actually active.

Varley now has offices in both London and Los Angeles, stocks at Selfridges, Net-a-Porter and The Sports Edit, and has built a cult following around its signature half-zip pullovers, premium-fabric leggings and effortlessly wearable sweat sets. Quality is consistently excellent — Italian fabrics, thoughtful construction, pieces that genuinely hold their shape wash after wash. It’s not a cheap brand, but it’s one of those labels where the price-per-wear calculation works firmly in your favour.

The Key Sizing Rules by Category

Here’s the breakdown that will save you a return:

Leggings: True to size. Varley’s leggings use compression fabrics but they’re not aggressively tight. If you’re in between sizes, size down rather than up — the fabric has enough stretch to accommodate, and sizing up can make the waistband feel loose.
Sports Bras: Size up. The Kellam and Irena styles in particular run small, and the band can feel restrictive if you order your usual size. Go one up and you’ll be much more comfortable — especially if you’re planning to actually move in them.
Tops & T-Shirts: True to size. Straightforward — order your usual size.
Half-Zip Pullovers & Sweatshirts: True to size or slightly generous. The iconic Vine Half-Zip runs a touch oversized, which is entirely intentional — that shawl collar and relaxed drape is the whole point. Stick to your usual size for the intended look.
Wide-Leg Trousers & Joggers: True to size. These are cut with a deliberate relaxed fit, so order your normal size. If you’re very petite, be aware the inseam can be long.
Outerwear — Sherpas, Puffers & Coats: Size down. These run very oversized. I’m talking at least one full size down, sometimes two for the longer sherpa styles. They’re designed to layer over everything, so there’s plenty of room even when you go smaller.

Varley Size Conversion Guide

Varley follows standard US-to-UK conversions. Here’s your quick reference:

Varley SizeUK SizeUS SizeEU SizeBust (cm)Waist (cm)Hips (cm)XXS623478–8060–6284–86XS843682–8464–6688–90S1063886–8868–7092–94M1284090–9372–7596–99L14104294–9876–80100–104XL16124499–10381–85105–109

Always check the individual product page as well — Varley notes fit-specific guidance (oversized, relaxed, fitted) per style, which is genuinely useful.

My Honest Styling Take on Varley

What I love most about Varley is that it has cracked the code on something most activewear brands completely fail at: making you look like you got dressed on purpose. The tonal palette — those dusty sages, warm creams, soft mauves — means pieces mix and match effortlessly without any effort at all. Throw on the half-zip pullover over a pair of high-waist leggings and straight-leg jeans cropped at the ankle, add clean trainers, and you’ve got a look that works for a school run, a coffee meeting or a low-key lunch. It requires absolutely no styling whatsoever, which from a stylist is high praise.

The brand is genuinely best in class for what I’d call “considered loungewear” — the kind you can wear out of the house without a second thought. For high-impact workouts like running or HIIT, there are better technical options. But for pilates, yoga, walking, and the general business of living, Varley is hard to beat. The fabrics wash beautifully too — I’ve clients who have had Varley leggings for three years and they still look new.

High Street Alternatives Worth Knowing

If Varley’s price point isn’t quite right for you right now, these high street alternatives deliver seriously good athleisure at a more accessible price. Based on customer reviews and consistent press coverage, here are my picks:

Sweaty Betty — The closest British equivalent. Excellent quality leggings with real technical credibility, and a similar elevated aesthetic. Sizing runs true to size. A genuinely brilliant brand.
Lululemon — The obvious comparison and with good reason. Superb for leggings and bras specifically. Size down on the Align leggings if you’re between sizes.
Gymshark — Much more affordable with consistently good customer reviews, particularly for leggings and seamless sets. Sizing runs small — size up one.
Abercrombie & Fitch — Their YPB (Your Personal Best) activewear line has had excellent press and customer feedback. Particularly good for matching sets and wide-leg joggers.
Calvin Klein — The Performance range is underrated. Clean, minimal aesthetic that sits in a similar aesthetic space to Varley. True to size and very wearable.
ASOS — A vast range with consistent editorial coverage for their own-brand activewear. Good for budget-friendly half-zip styles and oversized sweat sets.
M&S — The Good Move range is seriously impressive for the price point. Squat-proof, size-inclusive, and reliably true to size. Brilliant for leggings especially.
Hush — Growing reputation for relaxed, considered loungewear with a very Varley-adjacent calm palette. Great quality ribbed sets and sweatshirts.

Premium & Independent Alternatives

For a premium step up, Alo Yoga sits in the same luxury athleisure conversation as Varley — beautiful fabrics, a strong celebrity following, and a clean, polished aesthetic. It’s now stocked at Selfridges. On the designer end, Stella McCartney’s Adidas collaboration and her standalone Stella McCartney Sport line are worth a look for luxurious, sustainably made performance pieces with genuine designer credibility.

For independent brands, two I genuinely rate and don’t see talked about enough:

Adanola — A Leeds-born independent label that has built an enormous following through word of mouth alone. The Ultimate leggings are exceptional quality and the brand’s signature oversized sweat sets are a direct Varley alternative at a fraction of the price. Sizing runs true to size. Hugely underrated.
Girlfriend Collective — US-born but widely shipped to the UK. Made from recycled plastic bottles, brilliant size range (XXS–6XL), and a very similar earthy tonal palette to Varley. The Compressive leggings in particular get outstanding reviews. An independent brand genuinely worth your attention.

Still Not Sure What Size You Are in Varley? Let Tellar Sort It.

Varley’s category-specific sizing — true to size here, size down there, size up for bras — is exactly the kind of nuance that causes expensive online returns. Tellar.co.uk takes all of that guesswork off your plate.

Tellar is the UK’s leading free sizing tool, covering 1,500+ brands including Varley. Enter your measurements once and get your precise size matched to every brand in the database — activewear, outerwear, casualwear, all of it. Never guess again.

Measure once — bust, waist, hips, or use an existing size you know fits
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Visit Tellar.co.uk → Find Your Varley Size →

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