What Is Sizing Like at Aquascutum?

By Ella Blake – Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder | Tellar — Always honest, unbiased & unsponsored.

Aquascutum fits true to size with a classic, slightly roomy regular cut — so most of you can confidently order your usual UK size, with the option to size down by one if you prefer a sharper, more fitted line. It's a house built around outerwear, and outerwear is designed to sit over things, so that bit of breathing room is intentional rather than accidental.

I've styled clients in Aquascutum for years, and this exact question comes up every single time — usually from someone who's found a gorgeous trench on a resale site and is panicking about whether the "size 12" on the label means what they think it does. So let me walk you through it properly.

The short answer: trust your usual size

For the contemporary pieces — the cotton tees, polos, knitwear and casual styles — Aquascutum runs as a straightforward regular fit. Take your normal size and you'll be spot on. Where it gets more interesting is the coats, which is really what people come to this brand for.

The heritage trenches and wool coats are cut with genuine layering room — they're meant to go over a blazer or chunky jumper without pulling across the back.
If you're buying purely to wear over a tee or fine knit, consider sizing down by one for a cleaner silhouette.
Vintage Aquascutum (and there's a lot of it about) tends to come up around a size larger than the modern equivalent, so a vintage "10" often wears like a current 12.

A quick confession: my first ever Aquascutum was a vintage trench I bought in haste off a market stall in my twenties, convinced bigger meant cosier. It swam on me — shoulders at my elbows, hem at my ankles. A proper fashion fail; I looked like I'd raided my father's wardrobe. I sold it on, learned my lesson, and the replacement I bought a size down has lived in my wardrobe for over a decade. That coat is the reason I bang on about measurements.

Why Aquascutum sizing trips people up

A few things make this brand less predictable than your average high street label:

Legacy tailoring. Some of the classic coats follow older British measurement conventions, so the number on the label doesn't always map neatly onto a modern dress size.
Collection differences. The heritage range runs roomier and more generous, while the newer fashion-led pieces can be cut noticeably slimmer.
International labelling. Whether you're buying a UK, EU or Japanese release, the chart shifts — and resale listings rarely tell you which one you're looking at.

This is exactly why I never recommend guessing, especially online, where a wrong call means packaging it all back up and waiting on a refund.

How to nail your fit

Measure your bust, waist and hips with a soft tape, then match those to the garment's actual measurements rather than the label size. For coats specifically, think about what you'll wear underneath — a trench that fits beautifully over a silk shirt will feel tight over a roll-neck. On a structured style like the classic mid-length trenches, I'd always rather you had a touch of room than none at all; you can belt it in, but you can't add fabric.

Where to shop if you love the Aquascutum look

If that heritage-British, impeccably-tailored outerwear feeling is what you're after — but you'd like options at different price points — here's where I'd send my clients.

High street

Marks & Spencer (M&S) — genuinely excellent trench coats at sensible prices, with reliable true-to-size cuts.
Next — strong for affordable tailored macs and wool coats that punch well above their price.
Hobbs — classic British tailoring with that grown-up, polished finish on every coat.
Boden — British through and through, brilliant for colourful, well-cut classic outerwear.
Phase Eight — lovely occasion and tailored coats with a refined, feminine silhouette.
Jigsaw — understated, quietly luxurious tailoring that ages beautifully.
Seasalt Cornwall — proper waterproof British coats with real heritage credentials.

Premium

Reiss — sharp, contemporary tailored coats that feel far more expensive than they are.
Barbour — the British outerwear icon, unbeatable for waxed and wool country coats.
Massimo Dutti — European tailoring and beautiful camel and wool coats with a seriously elevated feel.

Luxury & designer

Burberry — the obvious heritage-trench rival and the benchmark for the British check coat.
Max Mara — the undisputed queen of the camel coat; investment outerwear that lasts decades.

Two left-field independents worth knowing

Private White V.C. — Manchester-made heritage outerwear, crafted in the brand's own factory; the connoisseur's quiet choice.
Sézane — the French independent doing effortlessly chic Parisian trenches and tailoring, with a cult following for good reason.

Never guess your size again with Tellar

Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool — your body matched exactly to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you never have to squint at a size guide again. Measure once using your bust, waist, hip, or simply your existing size in a brand you already own, and Tellar does the rest. It's always free, with no downloads needed — it works straight in your browser.

Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Match your measurements to Aquascutum in seconds and skip the returns rigmarole entirely.

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