What Is Sizing Like at Santa Cruz?

By Ella Blake — Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder | TellarAlways honest, unbiased & unsponsored

Santa Cruz clothing runs large — especially in their hoodies and graphic tees, which are cut with a deliberately relaxed, skate-influenced silhouette. If you're used to standard UK sizing, expect to size down at least one size, sometimes two, for a more fitted look.

I'll be honest — the first Santa Cruz hoodie I ordered online, I went with my usual size and it practically swamped me. Brilliant if you're going for that oversized, borrowed-from-the-boys look. Less brilliant when you want something that actually shows you have a waist. Lesson learned: always size down.

The Santa Cruz Fit: What You Need to Know

Santa Cruz is a Californian surf and skate brand founded back in 1973 — and the sizing absolutely reflects its roots. These are garments designed for movement, for the beach, for layering over a wetsuit or slouching in after a surf. The brand was never built around a nipped-in feminine silhouette, and that's precisely part of its charm.

Their women's range sits within their broader lifestyle collection, and the cuts lean unisex-inspired. Think generous through the shoulders and chest, boxy through the body, with slightly longer-than-average sleeve lengths. It's relaxed and cool, but it does mean you need to shop with your eyes open.

How Specific Garments Fit

Hoodies & Sweatshirts

These run the largest of all Santa Cruz pieces — a UK 12 woman will often be comfortable in what's labelled a Small or even XS.
The dropped shoulders and boxy body are intentional — lean into it or size down, but don't expect a tailored fit at any size.
The fabrication is great — thick, heavy fleece that washes beautifully and doesn't pill quickly. Worth the investment.

Graphic T-Shirts

Again, oversized by design. If you want it cropped or fitted, go down two sizes from your usual UK size.
The cotton is solid and the graphics are genuinely iconic — the Screaming Hand is a design classic.
Sleeve length tends to run long on the tees, which adds to the relaxed feel but can look slightly awkward if you're petite.

Shorts & Boardshorts

The waistbands on board shorts have a drawstring, which gives you some wiggle room, but the hip and thigh measurements run generous.
If you're between sizes here, size down — they're built with stretch and movement in mind.
The length tends to sit mid-thigh, which works well for most body types.

Jackets & Outerwear

Similar story to the hoodies — cut wide through the body, with room to layer underneath.
If you're wearing them over a thick knit, your normal size will work. For a sleeker, more styled look, size down.

My Honest Stylist Verdict

Santa Cruz isn't trying to be Whistles. It's surf culture made clothing, and the sizing reflects an ethos — loose, free, unpretentious. If you love that streetwear-meets-the-coast aesthetic, it delivers brilliantly. But you do need to recalibrate your size expectations every time you shop there, because their sizing isn't consistent across product lines either. A Medium hoodie and a Medium tee can feel completely different on.

My advice? Always check the chest and body measurements listed on individual product pages rather than just grabbing your usual label size. And if you're shopping in-store, just take two sizes in with you.

High Street Alternatives to Santa Cruz

Love the aesthetic but not sure Santa Cruz is always practical for your wardrobe? Here are the brands I'd point clients towards — all giving you that surf-skate-casual energy with more predictable UK sizing.

HIGH STREET PICKS

Hollister — The closest high-street equivalent to Santa Cruz's vibe. Their graphic tees and hoodies nail the California-casual look and their women's sizing is more consistent. A firm favourite for this aesthetic.
Abercrombie & Fitch — They've had a real glow-up in recent years. Their relaxed-fit basics and logo pieces are brilliant for this kind of laid-back, premium-casual styling — and the quality is genuinely impressive now.
Urban Outfitters — Brilliant for finding graphic tees and vintage-feel sweatshirts in a similar spirit to Santa Cruz. Great for the more fashion-forward take on the skate-surf aesthetic.
Levi — An absolute wardrobe essential for this kind of dressing. Their relaxed denim and tees pair perfectly with the Santa Cruz look, and the sizing is reliable and well-documented.
Superdry — Another brand that leans into the surf and outdoor lifestyle. Great for hoodies and casual jackets with a strong casual-cool identity.
H&M — For affordable graphic tees and oversized sweatshirts that give you a similar feel at a lower price point. The quality isn't quite the same, but for trend pieces it works well.
Zara — Their casualwear and denim edits often nod to this relaxed, West Coast aesthetic. Sizing runs slightly smaller than Santa Cruz, which means you're likely to be in your usual size here.

PREMIUM PICKS

Tommy Hilfiger — A natural step up for the casual-cool, lifestyle-brand aesthetic. Their relaxed jersey pieces and denim are well-cut and the sizing is solid.
Calvin Klein — For elevated basics — clean hoodies, oversized tees and casual separates — this is where I'd direct clients wanting the same relaxed mood but with more refined fabrication.
Paige — When it comes to denim to complete the look, Paige is exceptional. The fit is flattering, the quality is outstanding, and the casual-cool energy is spot on.

LUXURY & DESIGNER PICKS

Rag & Bone — For a luxury take on the casual-American aesthetic. Their hoodies and basics are extraordinarily well made, with a cool, unfussy edge that Santa Cruz fans will appreciate.
Acne Studios — Their oversized tees and heavyweight sweatshirts have become cult pieces for exactly this kind of dressing. The quality and the cool factor are both off the charts.

INDEPENDENT & NICHE PICKS

Finisterre — A brilliant Cornish surf brand that takes its sustainability credentials seriously. Their women's range is designed for real coastal living — beautiful fabrication, genuine surf heritage, and consistent, well-proportioned sizing. A brilliant brand to know about.
Passenger Clothing — A UK-based indie brand with a strong outdoor-surf-lifestyle identity. Their graphics and relaxed fits rival Santa Cruz, but with a British sensibility and a commitment to organic and recycled materials. Genuinely one of the best undiscovered brands in this space.

The Golden Rule When Shopping Santa Cruz

Size down. Always check the product measurements. And if in doubt, lean into the oversized — because worn well, with fitted jeans and a bit of confidence, that boxy Santa Cruz hoodie looks genuinely brilliant. That's the whole point of the brand, honestly. It's not about precision sizing. It's about effortless, I-didn't-try-too-hard cool.

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