What Is Sizing Like at Dsquared2 clothing? An Honest Guide Before You Buy

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

Dsquared2 runs small — typically one to two sizes smaller than UK high street sizing — and the brand uses Italian/European sizing across all its ready-to-wear, so sizing up is almost always the right move. I learned this the hard way with a pair of their straight-leg jeans I ordered as a treat-yourself purchase a few years back. They arrived, I could barely get them over my knees, and the return process from the UK was genuinely painful. So here's what I wish someone had told me before I clicked buy.

The Basics: How Dsquared2 Sizes Work

Dsquared2 is an Italian-Canadian luxury label founded by the Caten twins, and it uses Italian sizing throughout — think 36, 38, 40, 42 on the womenswear side. These correspond to EU sizing, not UK sizing, and there's an important caveat: their cut tends to be tailored and slim, which means even after size-converting correctly, you may still want to go up a size depending on the garment.

The brand is known for its body-conscious aesthetic — sharp tailoring, fitted denim, and structured outerwear — so there is not a lot of room built in for ease. If you're between sizes, always go larger.

Dsquared2 Size Conversion Chart (Women's)

Note: These are guide measurements only. Dsquared2's cut runs slim — especially on denim and tailoring — so if you're on the higher end of a measurement range, size up.

Dsquared2 Denim: The Brand's Signature (and Its Trickiest Fit)

Denim is the heart of Dsquared2 — it's what made them famous and it's still their most recognisable category. Their jeans are cut with a lot of intention: slim through the thigh, often with a tapered or cropped leg, and a waistband that sits somewhere between mid and low rise depending on the style.

Go one full size up from your usual UK denim size as a baseline
Their stretch denim styles have slightly more give, but still size up by one
High-waisted cuts in particular run extremely tight through the hips — if you carry volume there, go up two sizes
The leg opening is often narrow; if you have broader calves or muscular legs, factor that in

My personal approach now? I measure my waist and hips, cross-reference with their chart, and then add one. Has never let me down since the Great Jean Disaster of 2021.

Dsquared2 Tailoring & Blazers

Their suiting and blazers are structured and often unlined or half-lined, which means they don't have much stretch. Sizing here is rigidly Italian — a 40 is a 40, full stop. If you need room across the shoulders or have a fuller bust, go up one size and expect to have the waist taken in if needed. That's actually pretty standard practice with luxury tailoring — it's made to be altered.

Shoulder fit is the non-negotiable: buy to fit your shoulders, alter everything else
Their relaxed-fit blazers (particularly the oversized styles they've done in recent collections) are more forgiving — size as normal or even down one if you want a structured look

Dsquared2 Tops & Knitwear

T-shirts, logo tees, and fitted jersey pieces are where Dsquared2 can feel most unforgiving if you're not expecting it. These are often cut slim and short — they're designed with a cropped or just-at-the-hip silhouette in mind. If you like a longer, more relaxed fit, size up by one or two. Knitwear is slightly more generous but still runs smaller than comparable UK high street knits — an Italian 40 knit is more like a UK 10-11 in terms of ease, not a true UK 12.

Dsquared2 Footwear

Dsquared2 shoes and boots run true to European sizing, which tends to be fairly consistent with UK sizing (minus half a size in most cases). I'd suggest measuring your foot in centimetres and cross-referencing with their specific size chart, as trainer styles and heeled styles can differ slightly. Their ankle boots in particular have a narrower fit through the foot — if you're wide-footed, size up or look for styles in leather (more give over time).

My Overall Verdict

Dsquared2 is a brand where knowledge genuinely saves you money. Their pieces are investment-level, so getting the fit wrong and having to return (or worse, keep something that doesn't work) is frustrating and expensive. The rule is simple: size up at least once, measure your body not your ego, and always check the specific garment type you're buying — their denim sizing and their knitwear sizing are not interchangeable.

When it works, Dsquared2 is brilliant. The quality is exceptional, the design is genuinely distinctive, and a well-fitting piece from them will last years. It's just a brand that demands you do your homework first.

High Street Alternatives if You Want a Similar Vibe

If Dsquared2's price point isn't right for you right now (entirely understandable — their jeans routinely sit at £400+), these brands deliver a similar slim, confident, fashion-forward energy with much easier sizing to navigate:

Reiss — polished tailoring with a slim contemporary cut; sizing is consistent and runs true to UK
All Saints — edgy, dark-palette aesthetic with a brilliant denim range; their sizing is reliable and they carry a good size range
Massimo Dutti — elevated basics and structured pieces with a real European sensibility; excellent quality at a fraction of the price
Whistles — sophisticated British tailoring with clean lines; ideal if you love Dsquared2's structured blazer look
Me&Em — premium British brand with confident, sleek cuts and excellent denim; runs true to size and the quality-to-price ratio is superb
Citizens of Humanity — luxury denim at a more accessible tier; premium stretch fabrics and genuinely flattering cuts
Cos — understated, architectural pieces with a European design sensibility; consistent sizing and great for the minimalist end of the Dsquared2 look

Premium & Independent Picks

Frame — a Los Angeles-based denim and ready-to-wear brand that sits beautifully in the gap between high street and luxury. Their denim is exceptional and runs in a way that actually flatters. If you love Dsquared2 denim but want an easier sizing experience and a slightly more pared-back aesthetic, Frame is your brand.
Attico — Italian brand with a similarly bold, body-conscious design language to Dsquared2. If you want luxury-level pieces with a comparable European sizing system but a slightly more wearable party-to-everyday range, Attico is well worth a look.

Luxury Tier

If Dsquared2 is already your luxury tier — fair enough — but if you're exploring the wider landscape, brands like Versace and Dolce & Gabbana operate in a similar Italian-sizing, body-forward design space. All three share that confidence-first philosophy, though sizing nuances vary by brand and season.

Stop Guessing Your Size — Use Tellar

Dsquared2's sizing is genuinely one of the trickier ones to navigate, especially when you're buying online. Tellar's free sizing tool takes the guesswork out entirely — just enter your measurements once and get your exact size across 1,500+ brands instantly.

✔ Measure once using bust, waist, or hip — or use your existing brand size
✔ Use the Store Size Lookup tool to find your size in Dsquared2 and hundreds of other brands
✔ Completely free — no downloads, works in-browser

The Tellar Fashion Hub is also packed with honest, unsponsored style posts from our team of stylists — covering everything from brand-by-brand sizing breakdowns to occasion dressing guides. Independent. Always free.