What Is Sizing Like at Farah?

Farah runs generous — it sits on the roomier side of true to size, particularly on tops. If you're caught between two sizes on a polo or a shirt, take the smaller one and you'll usually be spot on. The trousers are the exception: they're cut leaner and come in named fits, so those you buy to your own shape rather than by instinct.

Farah has been in the game since 1920, and it shows. This is a brand built on terrace culture and British menswear tribes — Mods, Casuals, Rude Boys, indie kids — all of whom got hooked on the famous Farah-press Hopsack trouser with its little gold 'F' tab. Because it's heritage kit, the cut carries a bit of that old-school generosity. Modern lines have slimmed things up, but the DNA is still relaxed. Here's how it actually fits on the body.

The quick take

Polos, tees and shirts: generous and comfortable. Between sizes? Size down.
Knitwear: true to slightly roomy — fine to take your normal size.
Trousers and jeans: leaner, and sold by named fit. Read the fit name, not just the waist.
Overshirts and outerwear: designed with layering room, so no need to size up.

Tops: err on the smaller side

Farah's tops are cut for comfort, and their chest measurements are fairly forgiving. A medium spans roughly a 39–40" chest, a large 41–43", so there's real overlap between sizes. That's great news if you like a bit of movement, but it means the tall-and-slim among us can end up swimming in fabric. My rule of thumb: if you normally wear a large in a slimmer brand and you're not carrying much through the chest, try the medium first. You lose nothing and gain a much sharper silhouette.

Trousers: know your fit name

This is where people trip up. Farah trousers aren't one shape — they're a family, and the name tells you everything:

Skinny — close from thigh to hem.
Regular — Farah's straightest cut, but still sits on the slim side of straight.
Tapered — a gentle narrowing from thigh to ankle. My go-to for most builds.
Relaxed — loose through the thigh, cropped and tapered at the hem.
Loose — wide leg, drawstring waist, proper comfort.

The waist tends to be honest — a 32 is a 32 — so buy to your measured waist and let the fit name do the styling for you.

A quick word from experience

An honest confession: years back I bought a Farah Hopsack in a large because that's what I "always" was, ignored the tapered leg entirely, and spent a summer looking like I'd borrowed my dad's trousers. Lesson learned. The win came the following season — I dropped to a medium polo and a tapered 32, and suddenly the whole retro-casual look clicked. Farah rewards you for buying to your actual body, not your habit.

What to buy and how to style it

Farah is at its best doing smart-casual that doesn't try too hard. A textured polo tucked loosely into tapered trousers with clean white trainers is the effortless terrace look that never dates. For colder months, layer a Farah overshirt over a fine-gauge knit. Right now the trend is leaning into retro colour — burnt orange, sage, ecru — and boxier knitted polos, so if you want something current, that's where I'd shop.

Brands I'd put alongside Farah

If you love the heritage-casual feel of Farah, these sit beautifully next to it. A quick note: pick your usual approach on fit, because none of these run identically to Farah.

High street

Ben Sherman — the natural stablemate. Mod-rooted shirts and polos, similar generous cut, easy to mix straight into a Farah wardrobe.
Pretty Green — Britpop tailoring and paisley detailing; slimmer than Farah, so size up if you're between.
Fred Perry — the twin-tipped polo is a terrace icon. Cut trimmer than Farah, so it's a good contrast piece.

Independent / boutique

Universal Works — Nottingham-made, workwear-meets-smart-casual. Roomier, considered cuts and lovely fabrics.
Percival — playful knitted polos and retro colour palettes that pick up exactly where Farah leaves off.
Wax London — the Whiting overshirt is a modern classic; sustainable fabrics and a relaxed, honest fit.

Designer / luxury

Paul Smith — British tailoring with a wink of colour; the elevated version of the smart-casual Farah look.
Drake's — Ivy-league-meets-London, superb polos and knitwear if you want to invest in the heritage aesthetic properly.

Stop guessing your size — let Tellar do it

Farah runs generous, the next brand won't, and that's exactly why sizing is such a headache. Tellar.co.uk is the UK's leading sizing tool: measure yourself once and your body is matched instantly to 1,500+ brands. No more squinting at a size chart, no more guesswork, far fewer returns.

Measure once — use your chest, waist, hip, or an existing brand size you already trust.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand — Farah, COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Shop with confidence — better-fitting purchases, fewer returns.
Always free — nothing to download, works straight in your browser.

And when you want honest, unbiased style advice, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a free library of posts from our stylists — top picks, best brands and real guidance, always independent and always free.

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