What Is Sizing Like at The White Company clothing?

The White Company generally runs true to size, but it leans noticeably relaxed through its loungewear, knitwear and jersey — so for a sharper silhouette you'll often want to size down, while the more tailored pieces sit closer to the body and curvier figures may want to go up. That single sentence will save you a return, but stay with me, because The White Company is one of those brands where the fabric tells you more than the size label ever will.

I've styled clients in this brand for years, and I have a soft spot for it. It's the place I send people when they want that lived-in, "I woke up looking expensive" feel — cashmere that drapes, linen that crumples beautifully, and a palette of ivory, stone and soft grey that goes with everything you already own. But that effortless aesthetic is exactly why the sizing can trip you up. Relaxed luxury means relaxed cut.

Why The White Company sizes the way it does

Founded in 1994, the brand built its reputation on understated, tonal pieces designed to feel like a warm hug rather than a body-con statement. To get that softness, a lot of their garments are cut with extra volume on purpose. It's a design choice, not a sizing error — but if you don't know the intent, a jumper can swamp you or a crepe dress can catch you out at the waist.

My own cautionary tale: I once ordered their waffle dressing gown in my "safe" size for a weekend away, assuming cosy meant fitted. It arrived like a duvet with sleeves. Gorgeous, but I could've fitted a second person in it. Lesson learned — with this brand, match the size to the fabric and cut, not your usual number.

Category-by-category fit guide

Here's how the fit actually behaves once it's on, broken down by what you're buying:

Knitwear (cashmere & wool jumpers): The most generous category by far. Famously roomy for that slouchy, borrowed-from-him look. If you want neat rather than oversized, size down one.
Loungewear & jersey (tees, modal, soft separates): Relaxed and forgiving. Size down for a closer fit; stay true if you like room to breathe.
The signature white shirt: Generous through the body but true to size in the shoulders and arms. Go down a size if you want crisp rather than billowy.
Blouses & shirts: Often slightly boxy or floaty by design — lovely untucked, but check the bust if you're fuller-chested.
Tailored trousers, blazers & structured/crepe dresses: Fit closer to your true size. These can feel snug on the hips or waist if you're curvier, so consider sizing up here.
Coats & outerwear: Cut roomy for layering. Stick to your usual size unless you want it slim over just a tee.

A stylist's fitting-room tips

A few things I tell every client before they hit "add to basket":

Read the fabric first. Cashmere, modal and jersey = relaxed = size down. Cotton poplin, crepe and tailoring = true to size = trust your number.
Buy two sizes for knitwear. Returns are free; regret is not. Compare the slouch in the mirror and send one back.
Mind the wash. Their cashmere holds up well but always cold-wash and reshape flat — a hot cycle is the one thing that will shrink it.
Layering matters. If you live in their jumpers over shirts, the generous cut is your friend. Going alone? Take it down a notch.

Where else to shop for that relaxed-luxury look

If you love the aesthetic but want to spread your options across price points, these are the brands I steer clients toward — chosen specifically because they nail the same neutral, soft, elevated mood.

High street

COS — The closest high-street match for minimalist, architectural neutrals. Clean lines and a quiet, considered palette.
Massimo Dutti — Premium-feeling basics, brilliant cashmere and linen, with a slightly more polished, continental edge.
Marks & Spencer — Vastly underrated for ivory knits, jersey loungewear and linen at a gentle price. Their Autograph line scratches the luxe itch.
Uniqlo — Unbeatable value on cashmere, merino and linen essentials in exactly the right tonal shades.
Mango — Strong on relaxed linen and neutral separates, with a more fashion-forward cut.
Hush — Effortless British loungewear and easy neutrals; if you live in soft separates, this is your spiritual home.
Boden — Reliable quality, clear sizing and the same comfortable-but-considered British sensibility.

Premium

Toast — Artisanal linen and crumpled-in-the-best-way naturals. The thinking person's White Company.
Brora — Scottish cashmere specialists; if it's the knitwear you adore, this is the upgrade.
Mint Velvet — Relaxed-luxe neutrals with a bit more softness and drape, great for everyday elevation.

Luxury & designer

Totême — Scandinavian minimalism at its finest; the camel coats and clean tailoring are investment-grade.
Joseph — Quietly luxurious knits and impeccably cut trousers for when you want the aesthetic to last decades.

Two left-field independents worth knowing

Loop Cashmere — An Edinburgh-based independent doing beautiful, well-priced cashmere direct-to-you. A lovely under-the-radar alternative to the big knitwear names.
Albaray — A contemporary British label with a focus on responsibly made, relaxed neutrals and easy linen — proper grown-up wardrobe pieces with a conscience.

Never guess your size again

Here's the honest truth: even with all the tips above, sizing across 1,500+ brands is exhausting to hold in your head. That's exactly why I built a fix for it.

Tellar.co.uk is the UK's leading sizing tool — your body matched to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you never squint at a size guide again. And there's a Fashion Hub library of free posts covering every fashion query: always honest, always unbiased, always free.

Measure once, using your bust, waist and hip — or just your existing size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
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And the Tellar Fashion Hub is a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. Always free. Style advice, top picks and the best brands, all in one place.

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Written by Ella Blake, Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder of Tellar.co.uk