The Official Vintage Sizing & Measurement Guide

Vintage sizing is unpredictable. A 90s Large fits completely differently than a Y2K Large — and decades of washing mean the size printed on the tag rarely tells the whole story. That's why at Official Vintage, we hand-measure every single item flat before it goes live on the site.

Use this guide to compare your favourite fitting garment against our measurements and find your perfect fit the first time.

How We Measure at Official Vintage

We use centimeters (cm) for all tops and inches (") for all bottoms. To use this guide, grab a garment from your wardrobe that fits you well, lay it flat on a surface, and compare its measurements to the item you're considering.

👕 Tops: T-Shirts, Sweaters & Jackets

All tops are measured flat in centimeters (cm) using two key dimensions:

• Pit to Pit (Width): Measured flat across the chest from one armpit seam directly to the other. This tells you how wide the garment sits across your body.
• Length: Measured from the very top of the collar or neckline straight down to the bottom edge of the hem.

Pro tip: For that classic boxy 90s silhouette, look for a wider pit-to-pit measurement paired with a slightly shorter length.

👖 Bottoms: Jeans, Cargo Pants, Trackpants & Shorts

Vintage waist tags are unreliable — shrinkage over 20+ years means the printed size is often inaccurate. We ignore the tag entirely and hand-measure the actual dimensions in inches (").

• Waist: Measured flat across the inside of the waistband, then doubled to give you the true waist size (e.g., a flat measurement of 16" = a W32).
• Outerseam (Length): Measured from the very top of the waistband down the outside edge of the leg to the bottom of the cuff opening.

Why outerseam? On vintage cargos, trackpants, and baggy jeans, the outerseam gives you the most accurate picture of how the pants will stack over your sneakers — or for shorts, how they'll sit relative to the knee.

Sizing Cheat Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Official Vintage use standard S/M/L sizing?

Because vintage sizing is inconsistent across decades and brands. A 1990s XL from a US brand can fit like a modern 2XL. Hand measurements remove the guesswork and give you accurate, comparable data for every item.

How do I measure pit to pit on a vintage tee?

Lay the garment flat on a surface. Measure horizontally across the chest from the seam under one armpit to the seam under the other. This is your pit-to-pit measurement in centimeters.

What does outerseam mean on vintage pants?

The outerseam is the measurement from the top of the waistband down the outside edge of the leg to the bottom hem. It's the most reliable length measurement for vintage bottoms, especially baggy fits, cargos, and trackpants.

Why do you double the waist measurement?

We measure the waistband flat (one side only), then double it to give you the full circumference — which matches the standard waist sizing you'd see on a clothing tag (e.g., W30, W32, W34).

What if I'm still unsure about sizing?

Drop us a message on Instagram with the item link and we'll help you map out the perfect fit before you buy.

Still Not Sure?

Our team is always happy to help. Send us a DM on Instagram with the item link and we'll give you a personalised sizing recommendation based on your measurements.