CP Company sizing guide: what size to order

CP Company is an Italian brand and it sizes like one. If you're used to buying British or Dutch sizing, your usual size is probably not the right choice here.

This guide covers how CP Company fits across the full range, outerwear, knitwear, sweatshirts, how to read European numeric sizing if you're new to it, and how CP Company compares to Stone Island sizing.

Does CP Company run small?

Yes. CP Company cuts slim through the body and upper arm. The proportions are Italian: narrow across the shoulder, shorter in the body, tighter through the sleeve than most buyers expect.

This applies most to outerwear. Shell jackets sit close to the body by design. There is no insulation to create room, which means the cut is the fit. What you see on the product page is what you get.

Knitwear and sweatshirts are less severe. There is more margin here, but the sizing still skews small compared to British or Dutch equivalents.

The general rule: go up one size from what you normally wear. For outerwear in winter, when layering is the point of the jacket, go up two.

Understanding CP Company's European sizing

CP Company uses European numeric sizing rather than the standard S/M/L labels. Here is what those numbers mean in practice:

These are reference points. The measurements on each product page are what matter. CP Company lists chest and shoulder widths for most pieces, use those rather than the size label alone.

How to measure

You need two numbers: chest circumference and shoulder width. Measure your chest at the widest point, straight across. For shoulders, measure across the back from seam to seam.

Compare both to the product page figures. If you plan to layer anything underneath, add four to five centimetres to the chest measurement before matching to the size chart.

Height matters too. CP Company jackets run short. If you're above 185cm, check the body length on the product page. That number is the one to catch problems before they cost you a return.

CP Company publishes a [full fit guide](https://www.cpcompany.com/en-gb/fit-guide.html) on their website with measurements across the range. Worth cross-checking before ordering a first piece.

How CP Company outerwear fits

Shell jackets cut the slimmest in the range. The Metropolis Jacket is the most common point of reference, it fits close through the chest and shoulders, and the sleeves run tight from the upper arm down.

The reason is the fabric. Shell pieces have no insulation. The jacket sits directly on whatever is underneath, which means the cut is precise and there is no give built in. Chrome-R, the most technical shell material in the range, has no stretch at all.

Browse the CP Company collection to see the current outerwear available.

What actually fits underneath

The question "should I size up for layering?" does not have a single answer. It depends on what you plan to put under the jacket:

• T-shirt or thin long-sleeve: fits in your standard one-size-up
• Light crew-neck sweatshirt: fits if you've gone up one size from usual
• Heavy knit or chunky wool: unlikely, the sleeve tightens before the chest becomes the problem

The goggle hood on the Metropolis adjusts, but it zips tight when fully closed. If you have a larger head or plan to wear a beanie underneath, that is worth factoring into which size you order.

Between sizes: always take the larger one

Shell jackets do not stretch and they do not break in over time. If you land between two sizes and the shoulder seams on the larger one sit correctly, take it. The only reason to go smaller is if the shoulders sit visibly off your frame, that cannot be fixed. Everything else can be adjusted or tolerated.

Padded outerwear, down-filled jackets and heavier winter coats, is cut with more room by design. Your usual size is the right starting point for those. If a padded piece is labelled slim fit, follow the shell jacket logic instead.

How CP Company knitwear and sweatshirts fit

Knitwear and sweatshirts are more forgiving than outerwear, but not dramatically. One size up from your usual is still the right starting point.

Heavier gauge knitwear is cut with slightly more room. For these pieces, your usual size can work if you don't plan to layer anything over the top. The lens-patch sweatshirts and crew-neck pieces follow the same pattern.

One thing that catches people out: arm length on CP Company knitwear tends to run short. If you have long arms, sizing up for sleeve length is the right call even if the body measurement would work at your normal size.

For T-shirts: these fit true to size. They are the only CP Company pieces where sizing up is not the default advice.

CP Company vs Stone Island sizing

Both brands trace back to Massimo Osti, who founded CP Company in 1971 and Stone Island in 1982. Both carry Italian sizing DNA. But they do not cut identically.

CP Company outerwear cuts slimmer than equivalent Stone Island shell pieces. In practical terms:

• If you wear a large in Stone Island outerwear, start with an XL in CP Company outerwear
• If you're in a medium in Stone Island, start with a large in CP Company

For knitwear, the gap is smaller. Stone Island knitwear tends to run slightly more generously, but the difference is less pronounced than in outerwear. One size up from your Stone Island knitwear size is a safe starting point for CP Company sweatshirts and knits.

Sleeve length is the consistent difference across both categories. CP Company sleeves run shorter than Stone Island across the range. If Stone Island sleeves have ever felt borderline short on you, CP Company will be shorter.

Broad-shoulder and athletic builds

The standard sizing advice assumes a typical European build. If you carry more width across the upper body, broad shoulders, a wider chest, more muscle through the arm, the sleeve is usually the limiting factor before the chest.

In this case, go up based on the shoulder measurement first, then check whether the chest follows. For shell jackets, if the shoulder sits correctly in one size but the chest is tight, go up again. A jacket where the shoulders are right but the chest is snug is fixable in terms of comfort. A jacket where the shoulders sit off your frame looks wrong from the start.

The Metropolis in Chrome-R fabric is the most unforgiving in this regard, the material has no stretch and no give. If you have a broader build, going up two sizes from your usual rather than one is not overcautious.

Returns

If you follow the guidance in this article and still end up with the wrong size, Casual Quarter's 14-day returns policy covers you. Items need to be unworn and in original condition. Check the full details before ordering, and if you have sizing questions before you buy, the FAQ covers the common ones.