What Is Sizing Like at Jil Sander Menswear?

Jil Sander menswear runs true to size, but the house cut is deliberately roomy. Everything is clean, architectural and relaxed through the shoulder, chest and sleeve, so a piece in your usual size will feel generous rather than tight. Tailoring uses European numeric sizing (44 to 56); knitwear, shirting and most casualwear run S to XL. If you sit between two sizes, I'd size down for a sharper line.

The Jil Sander cut, in plain terms

Jil Sander is a minimalist house, and the fit reflects that. This is not a slim or body-skimming brand — the silhouette is architectural and quietly oversized, built around the fabric rather than your frame. Shoulders sit slightly dropped, sleeves are long, and hems are generous. It's the sort of clothing designed to hang, not cling.

I fitted a client into a Jil Sander overcoat last winter who'd instinctively reached for a size up, worried it would be snug. It swamped him. We dropped it back to his true size and it fell exactly as intended — sharp shoulders, clean line, room to layer a chunky knit underneath. That's the lesson with this label: trust your normal size and let the cut do the work.

Fit notes, garment by garment

Tailoring & jackets: European numeric sizing (a 48 sits around a UK 38, a 50 around a UK 40). Cut relaxed through the body with a soft, unstructured shoulder — take your true size.
Knitwear: boxy and relaxed by design. If you want a closer fit, size down; if you like the intended draped look, stay true.
Shirts & overshirts: generous body and a longer length than most high-street shirting. True to size works for the intended fit.
Trousers: fuller leg, mid-to-high rise, a straight or wide cut. Order your waist size — they're not designed to be tapered or slim.
Outerwear: built to layer, so don't upsize out of habit. Your true size will already give you room for a jumper underneath.
Footwear: Italian sizing, generally true to size but cut a touch narrow — if you have a wide foot, go up half a size.

How to get the fit right

The single biggest mistake I see with minimalist labels like this one is people over-sizing to feel comfortable, then wondering why they look shapeless. The relaxed cut is already engineered in. Order your genuine size, and the proportion lands as the designers intended. If you're new to European numeric sizing, that's exactly the moment to check your measurements against the brand rather than guessing — more on that below.

Where else to shop the Jil Sander look

If you love the clean minimalist aesthetic but want more entry points (or more everyday value), here's where I'd send clients across three tiers. Note: brand list to be confirmed against your master spreadsheet.

High street

COS — the closest high-street match to Jil Sander's architectural minimalism. Clean lines, muted palette, quality-feeling fabrics at a fraction of the price.
Arket — Scandinavian restraint and well-made basics; brilliant for the understated knitwear and trousers that anchor this look.
Uniqlo (+J line) — quite literally Jil Sander's own collaboration with Uniqlo, offering her minimalist design language at high-street prices. Start here if you want a taste of the house DNA.

Independent & boutique

Studio Nicholson — a British label built on considered proportion and relaxed tailoring. If you like Jil Sander's roomy trousers, you'll love these.
Our Legacy — Swedish, slightly more directional, but shares the same clean, fabric-led approach and elevated basics.
Sunspel — for the quiet, quality tees and knits that sit underneath everything. Impeccable British-made basics.

Designer & luxury

Lemaire — the natural step across from Jil Sander: relaxed, fluid, endlessly wearable minimalism with a French sensibility.
Auralee — Japanese luxury obsessed with fabric quality and soft, precise cuts. Beautiful if you appreciate the tactile side of Sander.
Margaret Howell — understated British luxury, all about proportion and honest materials. A quieter, more heritage take on the same values.

Not sure of your exact size? Let Tellar do the maths

European numeric sizing trips a lot of people up, and Jil Sander's relaxed cut only adds to the guesswork. Rather than squinting at a size chart every time, this is where Tellar.co.uk earns its place — the UK's leading free sizing tool, matching your body to over 1,500 brands instantly so you never have to read a size guide again.

Measure once using your chest, waist, hip — or simply your size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand, from COS and Reiss to Everlane, Arket and beyond.
Shop with confidence — no guesswork, fewer returns, better-fitting purchases.
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Get set up here: how to measure (men) and store size lookup (men).

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