Tellar
Search

What Is Sizing Like at Crew Clothing menswear?

By Ella BlakeSizing Expert Stylist & Founder of TellarDate: 2026

Always Honest, Unbiased, Unsponsored & Free Content.

The short answer: it's true to size (with one exception)

Crew Clothing is cut to a casual, regular fit that runs true to size, and it's deliberately designed to flatter a wide range of shapes rather than pin you into a fashion-forward silhouette. If you normally take a medium, order the medium and you'll be in good company.

The one place you need to pay attention is shirts — that's the exception to the true-to-size rule, and it's where most people get caught out. More on that in a second.

Broadly, think of Crew like a dependable pub roast: generous, comforting, never mean with the portions. It's built for weekends, coastal walks and the pub afterwards — not for a razor-cut club look. Keep that in mind and you'll size it correctly nearly every time.

Shirts: the only place you'll need to decide

Crew shirts come in two fits, and knowing the difference will save you a return.

  • Classic fit — the generous, everyday option. Roomy through the chest and body, with a bit of breathing space. If you like to tuck in on a cold day with a base layer underneath, or you just prefer not to feel the fabric, this is your friend.

  • Slim fit — gently tapered at the waist, but here's the catch: it's actually a little wider through the body and sleeve than a true skinny shirt, and it sits around 2cm shorter in the body than the classic. So it's a soft, sensible slim — flattering without being restrictive. Don't expect it to hug you like an Italian dress shirt.

My advice: if you're carrying a bit through the middle or just want comfort, go Classic. If you're leaner and want a tidier line under a jumper or blazer, go Slim — but you won't need to size up to get into it. Crew helpfully lists individual collar, chest and sleeve measurements on the product pages, so if you're between two collar sizes, measure your neck and let the numbers decide.

Polos, rugby shirts and tees

This is Crew's home turf, and the fit is exactly what you'd hope: comfortable and true to size.

  • Polos and rugby shirts sit with a relaxed, classic drape — not clingy, not tent-like. If you like a polo that skims rather than grips, you'll be happy. If you specifically want a tight, gym-fit polo, this isn't the brand for it.

  • Tees run true, with a regular body. Only think about sizing down if you strongly prefer a fitted tee — and even then, one size, not two.

Knitwear and sweatshirts

Crew's jumpers, half-zips and sweats follow the same relaxed-but-honest philosophy. Take your normal size and you'll get a comfortable fit with just enough room for a shirt underneath — which is exactly how you want to wear a lambswool crew-neck over an oxford in October.

If you like your knitwear neat and close, I'd still take your usual size rather than dropping down; the wool relaxes a touch with wear, and a too-snug jumper is a miserable thing to own.

Chinos and trousers: mind the leg length

Trousers and chinos are where a bit of homework really pays off. The waist runs true to size (in inches), and the cut is a comfortable straight-ish leg — classic, never skinny.

The clever part is the leg-length options, which loads of men overlook:

  • Short — 30" inside leg

  • Regular — 32" inside leg

  • Long — 34" inside leg

Get the length right and a £60 pair of chinos looks like £160. Get it wrong and you're either paddling or pooling fabric at the ankle. If you're around 5'9"–5'11", Regular is usually spot on; taller than 6'1", reach for Long and thank me later.

Jackets and outerwear

Post Image

Crew's gilets, quilted jackets and casual coats are cut with layering in mind, so they sit true to size with a little room for a jumper underneath. That's a feature, not a flaw — nobody wants a country jacket they can't get a fleece under. Take your normal size; only size up if you plan to layer heavily for genuinely cold weather.

If Crew's cut isn't quite you: brands I'd point you to

Crew nails a certain relaxed, coastal-smart look — but fit is personal, and you might want something a touch trimmer, a bit more design-led, or a step up in cloth. Here's where I'd send you, across three price tiers.

High street

  • FatFace — the most natural like-for-like. Same easy, coastal-casual mood as Crew, with a similarly forgiving regular fit. If you love Crew's vibe but want a slightly softer, more washed-in feel, start here.

  • White Stuff — relaxed, print-friendly and roomy through the body. A brilliant shout if you find even Crew's classic fit a smidge trim and want a genuinely comfortable, low-fuss cut.

  • Joules — country-casual with a cheerful streak. Fits generously like Crew, so stick to your usual size. Strong on rugby shirts, cords and quilted jackets that live in the same world.

Independent & boutique

  • Kestin — an Edinburgh label doing understated, well-made smart-casual. The cut is a little more contemporary than Crew (slightly closer through the body), so if you want to keep the easy spirit but sharpen the silhouette, this is a lovely step up.

  • Percival — a London indie with more personality and colour. Fits trimmer than Crew, so consider your usual size for a modern line or sizing up if you want their pieces relaxed. Great for injecting a bit of character into a classic wardrobe.

Designer & luxury

  • Hackett London — essentially Crew's world in a sharper suit. Quintessentially British, smart-casual and beautifully made, with a generous, gentlemanly English cut that sizes true. If you love the Crew look but want to level up the cloth and finish, this is the one.

  • Polo Ralph Lauren — the original preppy blueprint. Classic-fit Ralph is roomy and true to size (their "Custom Slim" is the trimmer option). Perfect for oxfords, polos and knitwear with a bit more heritage cachet.

  • Sunspel — premium British basics done impeccably. The fit is cleaner and closer than Crew, so it's ideal if you want to size a tee or polo down into something more refined. Where Crew is relaxed, Sunspel is quietly precise.

The honest problem with all of this

Here's the thing no size guide fully solves: every one of those brands measures a "medium" slightly differently. Crew's medium isn't Sunspel's medium isn't Ralph's medium. You can read fit notes all day and still guess wrong when you're switching between labels — which is how most of us end up with a wardrobe drawer of near-misses and a stack of returns emails.

That's exactly the gap Tellar was built to close.

Never guess your size again

Tellar.co.uk is the UK's leading free sizing tool — match your exact measurements to your perfect size across Crew Clothing and 1,500+ other brands, instantly. No conversions, no guesswork, far fewer returns.

  • Measure once — use your chest, waist and hip, or an existing brand size you already trust.

  • Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand — Crew, Reiss, COS, Everlane, Arket and more.

  • Shop with confidence — no more paddling chinos or straining shirt buttons.

  • Always free — no downloads, no subscription, works straight in your browser.

Plus there's the Tellar Fashion Hub: a growing library of free posts from our in-house stylists. Honest style advice, top picks and the best brands — always independent, always unsponsored, always free.

Find My Size at Crew How to Measure

So — is Crew Clothing true to size? Yes, comfortably so. Take your normal size across almost everything, choose between Classic and Slim on shirts, and mind your leg length on the chinos. Do that and it's one of the most reliable, easy-wearing brands on the high street. And when you fancy branching out to any of the labels above, let Tellar do the size-matching so the only thing you have to think about is the outfit.

More from the Tellar Fashion Hub

Tellar is always honest, unbiased and unsponsored. We don't take payment from brands — every recommendation is based on genuine stylist experience.

The Tellar Fashion Hub is the World's Largest, 100% Free, Fully searchable, Fashion Library. Filled with 4000+ Honest & Unbiased posts, written by our expert stylists.

No adverts, no sponsored posts, no subscriptions. We are 100% free to use.

We are paid by affiliates, but we never allow brands to influence our recommendations.

Honest, Unbiased, Accurate & Free.