Rick Owens sizing confuses almost everyone at first, so let’s sort it out kindly. Italian sizes instead of S/M/L, tees that are meant to be long, and drop-crotch pants that fit nothing like normal trousers. The myth to clear first: “just size down because everything is long”. More on this in the thread on Essentials hoodie sizing. It isn’t that simple. What would you change about how people usually approach it?
Related threads: the thread on rep jeans sizing and SKIMS-style dresses and bodysuits. For Rick Owens shoes, see Geobasket and Ramones sizing.
The silhouette is the point. Rick’s tees are deliberately long and narrow, the pants drop low in the crotch and pool at the ankle, and the proportions only work when the length is respected. Sizing down to “fix” the length usually ruins the shoulder and chest and leaves a garment that looks shrunk rather than designed. Accuracy in a rep, as the archive reps thread argues, is mostly about whether that proportion survives.
Measurements first:
- Italian sizes: for menswear they usually step 44, 46, 48, 50, 52. As a rough guide, 48 is around a medium, but check the chart for each item: the conversion isn’t fixed.
- Tees: measure pit-to-pit and length on a tee that fits you, in cm. Compare pit-to-pit for the size; accept that length will be longer.
- Pants: measure waist flat and inseam. For drop-crotch styles, also the rise.
The clothing sizing & materials guide shows how to measure.
Pros and cons by piece, compared with retail:
Long tees
- Pro: size by chest, and length looks right.
- Con: sized down for length, they get tight in the shoulders.
Drop-crotch pants
- Pro: true to size by waist usually works.
- Con: the crotch depth varies a lot between versions; check the rise.
Detroit-cut jeans
- Pro: slim, tapered, long inseam meant to stack.
- Con: hemming them removes the stack, which is the whole look.
What would you change?
And do reps follow the retail charts?
Often close, but not always. Ask for the size chart for that exact item, in cm, and compare with your measured garment. Reps can run slightly small in the chest; if you’re between sizes, pick by pit-to-pit, not by the label.
One more thing about the jeans. Hemming a Detroit-style cut is tempting; the jeans sizing thread explains how to hem without losing the original hem. Still, the long stack is how they are meant to be worn; trim only if they drag on the ground.
Summary:
Italian sizes
- Usually 44/46/48/50/52 for menswear; 48 is around a medium as a rough guide. Always check the item’s chart in cm.
Tees
- Size by pit-to-pit from a tee that fits you. Expect extra length; don’t size down for it.
Drop-crotch pants
- Size by waist; check the rise, since crotch depth varies.
Detroit-cut jeans
- Slim, tapered, long inseam meant to stack. Hem only if they drag.
Reps vs retail charts
- Often close; can run slightly small in the chest. Between sizes → choose by pit-to-pit.
[[PHOTO: example shot of a long Rick Owens-style tee and a measured tee that fits laid on top, showing the pit-to-pit match and the extra length]]
So the myth is busted: don’t size down for length. Thank you all.