Rick Owens sizing just doesn't behave like most brands you've shopped before, so here's the quick version. Stuff generally runs large compared to standard US or UK numbers, a lot of pieces are cut oversized on purpose because that's the whole point of the design, and men's and women's lines overlap enough that people size across genders all the time. Still check the actual chart for the specific piece though, fit changes by category and even by season.
Why the Sizing Throws People Off
Oversized proportions are baked into a lot of the design itself, that's a big part of it. officialrickowens.com coat that looks two sizes too big usually isn't a mistake, it's often exactly how it's meant to sit on you. Which means your usual size doesn't work as a shortcut here, since your usual size assumes a fit this brand isn't really going for in the first place.
On top of that, the labels don't map cleanly onto US or UK sizing the way you'd expect. A lot of pieces lean on European conventions, and the actual measurements behind a given size can shift a bit between collections depending on how that specific garment is cut.
Clothing Sizing, Roughly Speaking
For tops, jackets, and outerwear, going with your normal size, or even one size down, is pretty common advice if you want something closer to a standard fit instead of the deliberately oversized look. Want the drapey, baggy thing the brand is known for? Stick with your regular size or go up.
Pants tend to be a bit more predictable through the waist, but leg shape and length swing wildly between styles, slim tapered cuts versus wide draped ones are basically different animals. This is the category where actually checking the chart beats guessing from your normal pant size.
There's no single rule covering everything cleanly, and honestly that's the most useful thing to walk away with. Treat any "size up or down" tip as a starting point, not gospel.
Footwear, Briefly
Footwear generally runs on European sizing, and a lot of people say they end up sizing down slightly from their usual EU equivalent, though it depends on the shoe. Chunkier sneaker styles with thick soles can fit noticeably different than a slimmer boot from the same brand.
Foot shape and preference vary so much person to person that a detailed size chart, or trying a pair on if you can, beats any general advice someone gives you online, mine included.
Do Men's and Women's Sizes Actually Overlap
Yeah, more than most brands. A lot of outerwear and looser pieces are cut with proportions that work across genders, and it's genuinely common for people to shop both lines depending on which size range actually fits them.
That's not true everywhere though. Some pieces are cut more specifically for one fit or the other, so check the product page instead of assuming everything overlaps the same way.
What to Actually Do Before Buying
Check the size chart for the exact item, not some generic brand wide chart, since a coat, a tee, and a pair of trousers can all measure differently even under the same size label. If real body measurements are listed next to the chart, use those, comparing your own numbers directly beats matching to whatever size you wear somewhere else entirely.
Buying secondhand? Ask the seller for actual measurements. Sizing gets listed inconsistently across different resale platforms more often than you'd think.
Questions People Ask
Does Rick Owens run true to size? Not really, not consistently anyway. Oversized outerwear sits differently than the size label would suggest, while trousers and shoes stay closer to standard within their own category, though even that varies by style.
Should I size down for a more fitted look? Usually yes, for tops and outerwear specifically. Going down a size brings it closer to a normal silhouette instead of the brand's typical baggy proportions.
Can women wear the men's line, or the other way around? Yes, pretty common actually, especially with outerwear and anything loose where the cut isn't strongly gendered. Less consistent with more fitted pieces though.
Is footwear sized the same as clothing here? No, footwear follows European shoe sizing separately from clothing sizes, so check a shoe specific chart rather than assuming your clothing size carries over.
What's the safest way to not mess this up? Compare your actual measurements to the specific item's chart instead of trusting your usual size from somewhere else. That's the one method that actually holds up across every category.
Bottom Line
There's no single simple rule for Rick Owens sizing, mostly because a lot of the oversized fit is intentional rather than some kind of inconsistency. Check the chart for the specific piece, compare real measurements instead of guessing, and remember men's and women's lines overlap more than you'd expect. That combination gets you a far better fit than assuming your normal size just carries over.
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