The size charts displayed on Zalando are not universal. Each brand listed applies its own scale, and two items labeled “M” can have several centimeters of difference in chest or hip measurements. Knowing how to take your measurements and interpret the tools provided on the platform can avoid most ordering mistakes.
Size discrepancies between brands on Zalando: what traps to watch for when ordering
An Esprit T-shirt in size M and a Calvin Klein T-shirt in size M do not cover the same range of measurements. Scandinavian brands (Selected Homme, Vero Moda) often run larger than Italian or Spanish brands listed on the platform. This discrepancy is not trivial: just one or two centimeters on the chest measurement can change a garment from “fitted” to “too tight.”
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The Zalando product page usually displays a size chart specific to the brand, but this chart reflects the garment’s flat measurements, not body measurements. This distinction is crucial. A “garment” chest measurement of 104 cm corresponds to a body chest measurement of about 100 cm, the difference representing ease of fit. Confusing the two leads to consistently ordering too large.
We recommend consulting the Zalando size guide for men and women before any first order from an unknown brand, as it details the correspondences between body measurements and commercial sizes by clothing category.
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Reliable measurement: chest, waist, and hips
Most size errors come from measurements taken inaccurately, often over a sweater or with a tape measure that is too loose. Three measurements are sufficient to cover almost all clothing (excluding shoes):
- Chest measurement: tape measure passed horizontally under the armpits, at the fullest point of the bust, without compressing or leaving slack. Exhale normally during the measurement.
- Waist measurement: measure at the natural waist indentation, generally two fingers above the navel. Do not suck in your stomach; the measurement should correspond to your everyday posture.
- Hip measurement: measure at the widest point of the hips, including the buttocks. Keep your feet together and the tape measure strictly horizontal.
For pants, the inseam length (from the floor to the crotch) remains essential. Brands offering “short,” “regular,” and “long” cuts on Zalando show differences of several centimeters that make this measurement non-negotiable.
On Zalando Privé listings, a silhouette tool allows you to select your body type (athletic, standard, strong) and adjusts the size recommendation accordingly. The indication remains approximate, but it corrects the most glaring cases.
Zalando’s algorithmic size recommendation: when to follow it, when to be cautious
The size recommendation tool integrated into Zalando relies on purchase history and returns. Specifically, if you have already ordered and kept several items, the algorithm refines its suggestion by cross-referencing your declared measurements with the behavior of buyers with similar profiles.
This recommendation is reliable in one specific case: when you order a brand you have already purchased through the platform. The algorithm then has usable data (size ordered, size returned or kept).
On the other hand, for a brand never ordered before, the suggestion is based on statistical approximations. Brands whose sizing deviates significantly from the average (oversized cuts, Asian brands with narrower sizing) are poorly covered. In this case, customer reviews become the most useful source.
Customer reviews and size mentions: the most underutilized data
Comments left by buyers on Zalando often contain direct indications about sizing: “fits small, I took a size up,” “true to usual size,” “shoulders too narrow for an L.” These feedbacks are more informative than a size chart because they describe the actual experience of wearing the garment.
Prioritize reviews that mention the buyer’s measurements. A comment like “I am 1.78m tall and weigh 75 kg, and the M fits me perfectly” provides a concrete point of comparison. Reviews without morphological context (“great quality, I recommend”) do not provide any information on sizing.
On highly reviewed items, Zalando sometimes displays a synthetic indicator (“fits small,” “fits large”) aggregated from feedback. When this indicator appears, it reflects a consensus wide enough to guide your choice. When it is absent, caution dictates reading the last three or four detailed reviews before finalizing your order.
Ordering strategy and returns: limiting back-and-forth
Ordering two sizes of the same item to return the one that doesn’t fit is part of Zalando’s business model. The platform incorporates a high return rate into its logistics. However, this practice has an environmental and logistical cost that European regulations are beginning to address, with a trend towards holding marketplaces more accountable for the quality of information provided upfront.
Reducing returns requires proactive work: reliable measurements, reading reviews, checking the brand-specific size chart. If doubt persists, ordering two sizes is preferable to a poorly chosen single purchase that you will never wear.
For shoes, the size discrepancies between brands are even more pronounced than for clothing. A pair of sneakers from an American brand and a pair of derbies from an Italian brand in the same size can differ by half a size to a full size. Measuring the length of your foot in centimeters and comparing it to the brand’s size chart remains the safest method.
Choosing the right size on Zalando relies less on the displayed letter (S, M, L) than on the correspondence between your actual measurements and the reference specific to each brand. Algorithmic tools help, customer reviews complement, but nothing replaces a tape measure and three minutes of measuring.