What Is Sizing Like at Paul Smith menswear?

The Short Answer: It Runs Slim

Paul Smith cuts on the trim, slightly tailored side of the spectrum. This is a British brand with a strong Italian influence in its construction, and that shows up in narrower shoulders, a closer chest and a generally neater silhouette than you'd get from, say, M&S or Next. It's not skin-tight — it's "considered". But if you carry a bit through the chest or arms, the standard fit can feel honest about it.

My rule of thumb after years of fitting men into the brand: if you're between sizes, or you're broad through the shoulders and back, size up. You lose nothing in elegance and you gain the room to actually move.

Tailoring (suits and blazers)

Soho fit — the slimmest cut. Lovely on a lean frame, snug on everyone else. Try before you trust it.
Kensington / Tailored fit — a more forgiving, classic line with a touch more room in the chest and waist. This is the one I steer most men towards.
Jackets are sized in chest inches (38R, 40R and so on). A 40 here will feel trimmer than a 40 elsewhere, so don't assume.

Shirts

The tailored shirts are genuinely slim and can run a little short in the body — fine tucked in, less forgiving worn out if you've a longer torso. The casual shirts are kinder. If you're between a 15.5 and a 16 collar, take the 16.

Knitwear and tees

True to a slim size. The merino crewnecks are a personal weakness of mine — but they're cut close, so a base layer underneath is a squeeze. Buy for the look you want, not the layering.

Trousers and shoes

Trousers are slim through the thigh and seat — go up a waist size if you've got footballer's legs. Shoes, by contrast, tend to run true to UK sizing, occasionally a touch generous. I usually take my normal size and I'm fine.

What to Buy and How to Style It

Paul Smith's whole charm is "classic with a twist" — proper, grown-up clothing with a flash of colour or a print where you least expect it. The mistake men make is wearing it head to toe and ending up looking like a brochure. Don't. Buy one hero piece and let it do the talking.

The signature striped detailing works best as an accent — socks, a scarf, the lining of a coat — not as your whole outfit.
A navy or grey unstructured blazer over a plain tee and dark denim is the most reliable smart-casual look going, and it's exactly Paul Smith's sweet spot.
Keep the rest quiet. If the jacket has personality, your trousers and shoes should be calm. Let one thing sing.

On trend right now: relaxed tailoring, earthy autumnal tones and a move away from skinny everything. Paul Smith's more recent collections have loosened up nicely, so even if you've avoided the brand for being too narrow, it's worth another look.

Brands Worth Knowing If You Love Paul Smith

If the classic-with-a-twist look is your thing, here's where else I'd send you, across three price brackets.

High street

COS — clean, architectural, beautifully restrained. Cut slim like Paul Smith but quieter. Brilliant for elevated basics.
Reiss — the natural high street home for tailoring with a bit of edge. Their blazers fit a touch more generously than Paul Smith, so a safer punt online.

Independent & boutique

Oliver Spencer — British, characterful, with that same playful-but-grown-up energy. Cuts run a little roomier and more relaxed, which a lot of men prefer.
Universal Works — Nottingham-made, like Paul Smith, but workwear-rooted. Honest fabrics, proper fits, and lovely when you want texture over flash.

Designer & luxury

Margaret Howell — the considered British end. Understated, impeccably cut, and built to outlast trends. If Paul Smith is the twist, Howell is the calm.
Officine Générale — French, soft-tailored, modern. The unstructured blazers are some of the best you can buy, and the fit is forgiving without losing the line.
Brunello Cucinelli — top of the tree. Italian luxury knitwear and tailoring with a quiet confidence. Pricey, but a single piece transforms a wardrobe.

Stop Guessing Your Size

Here's the honest truth: I've given you the general feel of Paul Smith, but the only thing that truly stops returns is knowing your exact size in that brand. That's where Tellar comes in — and it's completely free.

Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool. You measure once — chest, waist, hip, or just give it a size you already own — and it matches your body to over 1,500 brands instantly. No more squinting at size guides, no more ordering two and sending one back.

Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand — Paul Smith, COS, Reiss, Arket and more.
Shop with confidence: less guesswork, fewer returns, better-fitting kit.
Always free, nothing to download — it works straight in your browser.

Find My Paul Smith Size → How to Measure →

And once you've sorted your size, dive into the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of free posts from our stylists covering every fashion query you can think of. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. Always free.