Go by the UK size on the button, not the letter. Our pieces come from different makers, and one maker's S can be a size or two away from another's. Our cropped cardigan in S measures 112cm around the bust. Our fit-and-flare coat in S measures 88cm. Same letter, 24cm apart.
So under every size on a product page, we show the UK size it actually fits, worked out from that piece's own measurements. Pick your usual UK size. The full measurements are there too, under Measurements for this piece.
How we work out UK sizes
We compare each piece's measurements with a typical UK size chart (a UK 10 is an 86cm bust, 70cm waist and 94cm hips, with about 5cm between sizes), allowing the normal room for that type of garment: more for a coat or puffer, less for a fitted jacket or trousers.
A letter should mean what you'd expect on the high street: S is UK 8–10, M is UK 12–14, L is UK 16–18. Where one of our sizes comes out differently, the button tells you, and the fit marker shows whether that size runs small, true to size or large.
Where a piece's measurements don't let us say for sure (an elasticated waist, or a cape), we don't guess. You'll see the measurements and no UK size.
Want to double-check?
- Find something you already own that fits the way you want this piece to fit. A coat for a coat, a jumper for a jumper.
- Lay it flat, done up, and measure it the way we do (below).
- Open Measurements for this piece on the product page and pick the size closest to yours. Between two? Take the larger.
It's the most accurate check there is, because you're comparing a garment with a garment.
How we measure, and how to measure yours
Every measurement we list is taken from the garment laid flat, not from a body.
Bust: straight across from armpit to armpit, then doubled. A coat that's 52cm across is listed as 104cm.
Waist: straight across at the narrowest point, doubled.
Hip: straight across at the widest point near the hem, doubled.
Shoulder: across the back, from one shoulder seam to the other.
Sleeve: from the shoulder seam to the end of the cuff.
Length: from the top of the shoulder, next to the collar, straight down to the hem.
Prefer inches? Every measurement table has a cm/in switch.
Nothing to compare against?
Measure your own bust: tape around the fullest part, level under your arms, over a light top. Then choose a size whose garment bust is bigger than yours by about:
| The fit you want | Garment bust vs your bust |
|---|---|
| Close (fitted knitwear and jackets) | 5–10cm bigger |
| Regular (most coats, worn over a jumper) | 10–15cm bigger |
| Relaxed or oversized | 20cm or more bigger |
Then check the length and sleeve against your own height and arms. They change far less between sizes than the bust does.
Worth knowing
- Fit can change from size to size. On some pieces the smaller sizes are true to size and the bigger ones come up small. The fit marker on the product page follows the size you pick.
- Coats already allow for layers. Our UK sizes for coats include room for a jumper underneath, so stick to your usual size unless you layer heavily.
- Dropped shoulders are deliberate. Relaxed knitwear can measure much wider across the shoulder than you do, because the seam is meant to sit down your arm. Go by bust and length instead.
- Allow 2–3cm either way. Everything is measured by hand.
Still not sure? Ask us
Email support@carterandwells.com with the piece you're looking at, your usual UK size, and your bust measurement or the measurements of something that fits you well. A real person will tell you which size to order. We aim to reply within 24 hours. And if it's not right, you've got 30 days to send it back.