What is sizing like at H&M menswear?

H&M menswear runs small, and it runs slim. If you comfortably wear a Medium everywhere else on the high street, there's a good chance you'll be reaching for a Large at H&M — particularly in slim-fit shirts, knitwear and anything tailored. H&M is one of the labels I flag most often for sizing up. The cut is young and close to the body, which is lovely when it works and maddening when it doesn't. So let me take you through exactly how it fits, category by category, before you spend a penny.

01The overall fit — slim, and a little inconsistent

H&M cuts to a trend-led, youthful silhouette, and its fit names are useful once you know that the goalposts sit tighter than most of the high street.

A H&M "Regular" fit is closer to what most other brands would call "Slim".
"Slim" is genuinely slim — cut close through the chest and waist, with little give.
Sizing drifts between the main line, H&M Premium and the seasonal collaborations, so don't assume last year's size carries across.
The labels are built on centimetre measurements, so it always pays to check the actual garment dimensions rather than trusting the letter on the tag.

I once styled a groom with a perfectly ordinary 40-inch chest who simply couldn't get an H&M slim shirt over his shoulders. We went up two sizes and switched to Regular before it sat right — a small lesson that's stayed with me ever since.

02Shirts and T-shirts

Shirts — both formal and casual — run slim in the chest and, crucially, short in the body and sleeve. Taller men (six foot and up) often find them cropped and the cuffs a touch high. Size up, or look to the Regular and Relaxed lines.
T-shirts are the closest thing H&M has to true-to-size, though a Medium still sits trimmer than a Medium from M&S or Uniqlo. If you like a little room, take the next size up.
Oversized and boxy tees fit exactly as intended — big — so there's no need to size up there.

03Trousers, chinos and jeans

Chinos and trousers have a reasonably honest waist, but the cut is slim through the thigh and seat. If you're athletic or carry muscle in the legs, the Relaxed and Loose fits will serve you far better.
Jeans in Skinny and Slim run very close and taper hard below the knee. The waist tends to be accurate; it's the leg you'll notice first.
Leg lengths are limited in store — the fuller range of inside-leg options lives online, so shop there if you're particularly tall or short.

04Knitwear and tailoring — where it runs smallest

Jumpers and cardigans run small and are prone to shrinking. Buy a size up, wash cool, and dry flat to keep the shape.
Tailoring from H&M and H&M Premium is cut slim and narrow in the shoulder. Jackets can pinch across the back — if you're between sizes, take the larger one. A good local alteration is far cheaper than a jacket you never wear.

05How to style it — and what to buy now

H&M is at its best as a supporting act: strong on trend-led basics, seasonal colour and easy layering pieces, all at a price that lets you experiment without regret. Right now I'd steer you towards:

A relaxed pleated trouser in a warm neutral, worn with a fine-gauge knit and a loafer — that quiet, grown-up look that's everywhere at the moment.
An overshirt or shacket, one of H&M's genuine strengths, layered over a tee as a light jacket for the in-between weather.
Their knitted polos, which have come on enormously and read far more expensive than they are.

Use H&M for the fashion-forward, low-risk pieces — and spend your money on the wardrobe workhorses elsewhere. Here's where I'd send you.

06Where else to shop — my go-to menswear brands

HIGH STREET

Uniqlo

The most reliable sizer on the high street. True to size, consistent season after season, and the LifeWear basics are hard to beat for the money. Where I send anyone frustrated by H&M's fit.

COS

A more relaxed, architectural cut with elevated fabrics. Sizing is generous and modern — brilliant if you lean minimalist and want something a step up from fast fashion.

INDEPENDENT & BOUTIQUE

Wax London

Considered British shirting and genuinely lovely knitwear, cut to a comfortable, true-to-size relaxed fit. A brand that quietly punches above its price.

Universal Works

Nottingham-based, workwear-influenced and generously cut. If H&M feels too tight everywhere, this is the antidote — roomy, characterful and built to last.

Percival

A playful London label doing characterful knitwear and shirts, with a fit that sits neatly between slim and regular. Great for adding personality without shouting.

DESIGNER & LUXURY

Sunspel

The gold standard for a premium T-shirt or polo. True to size, beautifully made and it genuinely lasts — the piece I recommend when someone wants to buy once and buy well.

Paul Smith

Proper British design with wit in the detail. The tailoring runs slim, so size up if you're between — but the make and the fabrics are worth it.

A.P.C.

French minimalism and cult raw denim. Be warned: it runs small and slim, so size up — especially in the jeans, which are cut lean by design.

07Stop guessing your size

Here's the honest truth after all of that: the single biggest reason men give up on H&M is buying the wrong size online and wrestling with the returns. That's exactly the problem Tellar was built to solve.

Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool, and it matches your body to more than 1,500 brands instantly — so you never have to squint at a size guide again.

Measure once using your chest, waist and hip — or simply your size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand — H&M, COS, Reiss, Arket and thousands more.
Shop with confidence — no guesswork, fewer returns, better-fitting clothes.
Always free, no downloads needed — it works straight in your browser.

Find your H&M size — Store Size Lookup →How to measure yourself →

Never guess your H&M size again

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