Johnstons of Elgin Size Guide: Chest, Length and Fit

Johnstons of Elgin sizes its knitwear in letters, XS to XXL, and prints a garment measurement table in centimetres on each knitwear product page: chest width measured flat, body length and underarm sleeve length. Those tables, behind Johnstons of Elgin knitwear at Coveti, are what this guide reads, from the women’s cashmere jumpers to a plain 2-ply crew such as the Lecht Natural Cashmere Crew Jumper, $1,320 at Coveti.

The short answer: lay a jumper you already like flat on a table, measure straight across the chest and double that figure. Then find the Johnstons size whose doubled chest width sits nearest to your number, and read the fit line first, because a Relaxed Fit M measures 7 cm more around the chest than a Regular Fit M.

The house gives no instruction to move between sizes. It publishes the numbers and a fit line, and leaves the comparison to the wearer. That suits cashmere, since two jumpers both labelled M can differ by several centimetres once the cut changes.

How Johnstons of Elgin labels its sizes

Almost every knitted piece carries a letter size. The usual run is XS to XL for women and S to XL for men, with XXL on many men’s styles. A few styles start at XXS: the Lunan Classic Crew Neck Navy Cashmere Jumper, $1,030 at Coveti, is cut in seven sizes from XXS to XXL. On its own size tables a few styles use double sizes such as XS / S; Coveti lists every piece in single letter sizes, so read the measurement table on the product page.

For knitwear, the letter is only half the information. The other half is the fit line printed on the product page: Regular Fit, Relaxed Fit and Oversized Fit, with Tailored Fit, Cropped Fit and Longline Fit on a handful of pieces. The letter tells you where a garment sits in its own size run. The fit line tells you how generous that run is.

How to read the garment measurement table

The most useful thing to know is that chest width is measured flat. The figure on the product page is the distance straight across the front of the garment from side seam to side seam, with the jumper laid on a table. It is half the circumference. A chest width of 54 cm means the jumper measures 108 cm all the way round.

That matters because a body measurement is taken around the chest with a tape. Hold a body figure next to a flat garment figure and the jumper will look far too small. Double the flat figure first, then compare like with like. In the table below we have already done the doubling, so every chest figure is the full circumference of the garment.

Body length runs from the highest point of the shoulder down to the hem. Underarm sleeve length runs from the armpit seam to the cuff. The table below carries chest and body length; sleeve length varies more from style to style, so check it on the product page. All of these are measurements of the garment, never of a person. The house publishes no body measurements, and neither do we.

Regular, relaxed and oversized fit in numbers

We took the median chest figure for each letter size across every live Coveti knitwear style that states its fit and publishes a table: thirteen women’s Regular Fit styles, seven women’s Relaxed Fit styles and twenty-three men’s Regular Fit styles.

Regular Fit, women. The chest runs 98, 103, 108, 113 and 117 cm from XS to XL. Each letter adds 5 cm, apart from L to XL, which adds 4 cm. A Regular Fit M is 108 cm round, 54 cm across when flat. The Lecht crew is typical of the line: 2-ply, 100% Cashmere, XS to XL.

Relaxed Fit, women. The chest runs 105, 110, 115, 120 and 125 cm. Every size is 7 cm larger around the chest than the Regular Fit size with the same letter, and 8 cm larger at XL. The Kylesku Brown Cashmere Jumper, $1,370 at Coveti, is a 2-ply Relaxed Fit style. The Stella Natural Cashmere Sweatshirt, $1,510 at Coveti, is Relaxed Fit in the heavier yarn the house labels 3-Ply Yarns (Midweight).

Oversized Fit. The table below has no oversized row, because a size cell is filled only when at least five styles publish it. Oversized pieces such as the Norah Ribbed Natural Donegal Cashmere Jumper, $1,780 at Coveti, also come in a shorter run, XS to M on this jumper. Read the table on that product page and compare its chest figure with a jumper you own. We have no median to say how much larger an oversized M is than a relaxed M, so we do not guess.

The gap between regular and relaxed is the practical lesson. A shopper who wears M in a Regular Fit crew and picks a Relaxed Fit M gets 7 cm more around the chest. Some want that ease for layering over a shirt; others prefer the closer line of the regular cut.

Body length and the model heights

Length changes with fit too. Women’s Regular Fit jumpers run 56, 58, 59, 60 and 60 cm in body length from XS to XL. Relaxed Fit styles run 58, 59, 60, 62 and 64 cm, longer at every size, by 2 cm at XS and 4 cm at XL.

Men’s Regular Fit knitwear runs 64, 65, 66, 67, 69 and 70 cm from XS to XXL. A men’s Regular Fit M is 66 cm long, 7 cm longer than a women’s Regular Fit M at 59 cm, while the chest figures differ by only 1 cm, 109 against 108.

Set the model heights beside the body length. Women’s models on the brand pages are 177 to 180 cm and men’s 178 to 187 cm, so most photographs show the garment on someone taller than average. A hem that sits at the top of the hip on the model may fall a little lower on you.

Compare the table with a jumper you own

The most reliable sizing tool is already in your drawer. Pick a knitted jumper whose fit you like, ideally of a similar weight.

• Lay it flat, front up, and smooth it out without stretching the knit.
• Measure straight across the chest from side seam to side seam, just below the armholes. Double the figure.
• Measure body length from the highest point of the shoulder to the hem.
• In the table below, find the fit line you are considering, then the size whose chest figure sits nearest to yours.
• Check body length for that size, and sleeve length on the product page.

Two cautions. A jumper worn for years may have relaxed, so measure one that still holds its shape. And a fine 2-ply jumper sits closer to the body than a 3-ply sweatshirt with the same chest figure, because the cloth is thinner. For letter labels across countries, our cashmere size conversion guide sets them side by side.

Men’s knitwear sizing

Men’s Regular Fit chests run 99, 104, 109, 114, 119 and 124 cm from XS to XXL, a steady 5 cm per size. The table fills the men’s XXL cell because enough styles publish it, which is not yet the case for women’s XXL.

The Rory Navy Classic Cashmere Crew Jumper, $1,090 at Coveti, is a 2-ply Regular Fit crew from XS to XXL. The Fin Grey Superfine Cashmere Jumper, $1,180 at Coveti, is 3-ply Regular Fit in 100% Superfine Cashmere, XS to XL. The Tiree Grey Donegal Cashmere Jumper, $1,320 at Coveti, is 2-ply Regular Fit in 100% Donegal Cashmere, S to XL. All three share one fit line, so a man who knows his chest figure can read each against the same median, then confirm on the product page. Browse Johnstons of Elgin men’s knitwear, and see our guide to Johnstons of Elgin menswear for the core styles.

The house says on its FAQ page: “Our woven goods are crafted at our mill in Elgin, while our knitwear is produced at our Hawick mill.” For yarn, ply and the superfine line, read our guide to Johnstons of Elgin cashmere.

Coats, trousers and one size pieces

Our table covers knitwear only. Coats and trousers have their own size runs and fit lines, and we have not built medians for them, so read each product page for its measurements.

Women’s coats mostly come in S, M and L. The Balmacaan Peregrine Glen Urquhart Coat, $3,370 at Coveti, is a Relaxed Fit lambswool coat in those three sizes, while the men’s Balmacaan Moorland Glen Urquhart Check Coat, $3,370 at Coveti, runs XS to XXL. The men’s Wool Car Coat in Grey, $2,440 at Coveti, breaks from letters: it is labelled UK 36 to UK 46. Our guide to the balmacaan coat covers the cut. The rest sit in women’s coats and men’s coats.

Trousers use letters with their own fit lines. The Coll Natural Cashmere Trouser, $1,650 at Coveti, is Relaxed Straight Fit from XS to XL. The men’s Kirk Natural Cashmere Sweatpants, $1,510 at Coveti, are Regular Fit from S to XXL. See women’s trousers and men’s trousers. Capes skip the question: the Hoolie Olive Green Hooded Cashmere Cape, $4,310 at Coveti, is One Size.

Johnstons of Elgin sizing around the world

United States. US buyers say sweater where UK buyers say jumper; the garment and the table are the same. Knitwear uses letters XS to XXL, so there is no number to convert. One inch is 2.54 cm, so a 108 cm chest is about 42.5 inches round. Prices at Coveti are shown in US dollars.

United Kingdom. The men’s car coat uses UK numbers, 36 to 46; everything knitted uses letters. A 2-ply crew is the usual layer under a coat in a damp British winter.

Europe. Centimetres are the native unit for most European buyers, so the table reads directly. Compare the doubled chest figure with a jumper you own.

GCC. In the Gulf, knitwear is worn in air-conditioned interiors, on cool evenings and on travel days. The yarns the house labels 2-Ply Yarns (Lightweight) suit that use, and a Regular Fit sits flatter under a jacket.

Coveti is London-based, every piece is 100% authentic and we ship worldwide. If a piece does not fit, our returns page sets out what to do. For the wider story, start with who Johnstons of Elgin is, then browse all Johnstons of Elgin pieces at Coveti.

Johnstons of Elgin knitwear chest measurements, in centimetres

Body length, in centimetres

How we measured: Johnstons of Elgin prints a garment measurement table on each knitwear product page, with chest width measured flat across the body. We doubled chest width to give the full chest circumference of the garment, then took the median for each letter size across every live Coveti knitwear style that states its fit (‘Regular Fit’, ‘Relaxed Fit’, ‘Oversized Fit’) and publishes a table, read on 31 October 2026. A size cell is filled only when at least five styles publish it. These are garment measurements, not body measurements. Women’s models on the brand pages are 177 to 180 cm tall and men’s models 178 to 187 cm.

Frequently asked questions

How does Johnstons of Elgin sizing work?

Johnstons of Elgin sizes knitwear in letters, from XS to XXL, with XXS on a few styles; a few of the house’s own tables use double sizes such as XS / S, while Coveti lists single letters. Each knitwear product page prints a garment measurement table in centimetres, with chest width measured flat, body length and underarm sleeve length, plus a fit line such as Regular Fit.

Is the chest measurement on a Johnstons of Elgin product page the full circumference?

No, it is the flat width, measured straight across the front of the garment from side seam to side seam. Double it to get the full chest circumference. A flat width of 54 cm means the jumper measures 108 cm round, which is the median for a women’s Regular Fit M in the table above.

What is the difference between Regular Fit and Relaxed Fit?

Across the styles we measured, a women’s Relaxed Fit jumper is 7 cm larger around the chest than a Regular Fit jumper with the same letter, and 8 cm larger at XL. It is also longer in the body, by 2 cm at XS and 4 cm at XL. The letter alone does not tell you which cut you are buying.

How tall are the models on the brand pages?

Women’s models on the Johnstons brand pages are 177 to 180 cm tall, and men’s models are 178 to 187 cm. Most photographs therefore show garments on someone taller than average. Use the body length in the measurement table to judge where a hem will fall on you, rather than relying on how it looks in the image.

How do I compare a Johnstons jumper with one I already own?

Lay your own jumper flat, measure straight across the chest just below the armholes and double the figure. Measure body length from the top of the shoulder to the hem. Then find the size in the Johnstons table, within the right fit line, whose chest figure sits nearest to yours, and check its length on the product page.

Do Johnstons of Elgin coats and trousers use the same sizes as the knitwear?

Mostly letters, but with their own runs and fit lines. Women’s coats usually come in S, M and L, some men’s coats run XS to XXL, and the men’s Wool Car Coat is labelled UK 36 to UK 46. Trousers use letters with lines such as Relaxed Straight Fit. Check each product page for its measurements.