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Denim brand fit guide: who runs small, who runs large
Every brand has a fit reputation. Knowing it before you order saves a return — but the real answer is feedback from people built like you.
Why brands earn fit reputations
Each brand cuts to a house "fit block" — an assumed body shape its patterns are built around. That is why regular denim wearers say things like "I size down in this brand" or "their slim is really a skinny". These reputations are real and useful, but they describe the average customer, not you.
The usual suspects
Levi's is the reference point most people calibrate against: the 511 (slim) and 502 (tapered) are widely called true to size, with rigid versions running a touch tighter until they give. Nudie's slim and skinny fits, cut in rigid dry denim, are known to run long and to stretch out with wear — many buyers size down and let them mould. Multi-brand shops like Zalando and About You carry dozens of labels under one checkout, which is great for range but means the fit reputation changes brand by brand within the same basket.
Read the feedback, not just the chart
A brand-wide reputation is a blunt instrument. "Runs small" for the average buyer can be "fits perfectly" if your thighs are on the fuller side. That is why FitsMySize leans on fit feedback filtered to people with measurements like yours: a specific pair, judged by bodies close to yours, beats a brand generalisation and a size chart every time.