Unisex Hoodie Size Chart vs Women's Sizes: What Changes and Which to Pick

Why a unisex M is not a women's M

Unisex sizing grew out of the classic men's pattern, so in most brands a unisex hoodie is drawn on a straight, boxy shape. A women's hoodie starts from a different pattern: narrower shoulders, a little more room at the bust relative to the waist, often a slightly shorter body and shorter sleeves. The same letter on two labels can therefore describe two quite different garments.

That is why so many people order their usual M in a unisex hoodie and find the shoulder seams sitting halfway down their arms and the cuffs covering their hands. Nothing is wrong with the hoodie. It is simply built around different proportions, and the letter on the label was never meant to translate one to one.

The differences also vary from brand to brand, which is the real reason a universal conversion table does not exist. Use the guidance below as a starting point, and let the measurements of the actual garment have the final word.

The four measurements that matter

Size charts for hoodies and sweatshirts are usually given as measurements of the garment laid flat, not of your body. These are the ones worth checking.

• Chest width: measured straight across from armpit to armpit with the hoodie flat. Double it for the full circumference. This is the number that tells you how roomy it really is.
• Length: from the highest point of the shoulder, next to the collar, down to the hem. It decides whether the hoodie sits at your hips or covers half your thighs.
• Sleeve length: from the shoulder seam to the cuff. On unisex pieces it is often generous, which looks deliberate on an oversized fit and sloppy on a regular one.
• Shoulder width: from seam to seam. A dropped shoulder, where the seam sits below the shoulder bone, is part of the oversized look and makes the shoulder measure less important.

How to measure a hoodie you already love

The most reliable size chart is the one in your wardrobe. Pick a hoodie or sweatshirt whose fit you like, lay it flat on a table or the floor, smooth out the creases and measure it with a tape measure: chest width from armpit to armpit, then length from the top of the shoulder to the hem. Write the two numbers down.

Now compare them with the measurements of the hoodie you want to buy. If the new one is within two or three centimetres on both, it will fit very much like the one you know. If it is five or more centimetres wider across the chest, it will feel noticeably roomier, which is perfect if you want an oversized look and less so if you do not.

Measuring your own body is useful too, but it is harder to apply, because brands add different amounts of ease on top of your measurements. Comparing garment to garment removes that guesswork entirely.

Converting women's sizes to unisex: a rule of thumb

If you have no hoodie at hand to measure, these general rules work for most people. They are tendencies, not guarantees, so check the measurements whenever the shop gives them.

• For a regular fit, close to the body but not tight, many women go one size down: a women's M often corresponds to a unisex S.
• For a relaxed, slightly loose fit, keep the same letter: a women's M in a unisex M.
• For a deliberately oversized look, with dropped shoulders and a longer body, keep your usual size if the hoodie is already cut oversized, or go up one size if it is a standard unisex cut.
• If you are petite, watch the length and the sleeves more than the chest: a size down often fixes both.
• If you are between sizes and buying a heavier fabric, the larger size is usually more comfortable for layering in winter.

Oversized pieces: when not to size up

A common mistake is to size up out of habit on something that is already designed to be oversized. An oversized sweatshirt has the extra room built into its pattern: wider body, dropped shoulders, longer sleeves. If you take a size larger on top of that, you can end up with a garment that looks borrowed rather than chosen.

So read the product name and description before deciding. If a piece is described as oversized, start from your usual size and look at the length: that is where an oversized cut changes most on a smaller frame. If a piece is described as fitted, as with many crop tops and some t-shirts, it is cut closer to the body, and the women's size you normally wear is a better reference.

Fabric plays a role as well. A cotton and polyester blend, which is what most sweatshirts are made of, keeps its shape well and shrinks very little if it is washed cool and kept out of the dryer. Pure cotton can tighten slightly after hot washes, which is another reason not to choose a size that is already snug.

How we size our oversized sweatshirts

At Mima&Lulù⁷ we are two ARMY in Rome, and we design and embroider every piece ourselves in Italy. Our sweatshirts are crewneck rather than hooded, cut oversized and made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester, usually in sizes S to 2XL. Many of our product pages show the measurements in centimetres in the photos, so you can compare them with your favourite hoodie before you order. Our designs are fanmade, inspired by BTS and not affiliated with BTS, HYBE or BigHit Music.

Three pieces where the measurements are right there in the photos: the Yeontan oversized sweatshirt, from €44.90; OT7 portraits, an oversized sweatshirt or t-shirt from €36.90, from our Arirang collection; and Like crazy, from €36.90, which pairs an oversized sweatshirt with a fitted t-shirt, a handy way to see both cuts side by side. Each piece is ready in about 7 days after payment is confirmed, plus courier time. For non-customised items you have 14 days from delivery to return them unworn, unwashed and with their labels.