Fit

How an oversized hoodie should actually fit.

3 min read

"Oversized" gets used to mean two different things. One is a hoodie cut with extra room built into the pattern — wider body, dropped shoulders, a longer sleeve. The other is a regular hoodie bought two sizes up. They look similar on a hanger and completely different on a person. The first drapes; the second just hangs, with sleeves past your fingertips and shoulder seams halfway to your elbows.

The Alora Hoodie is the first kind. The room is already in the cut, which is why the honest advice is simple: take your usual size. Here's how to check that against a hoodie you already own, so you're not guessing.

Oversized is a cut, not a size

Three things make a hoodie read as oversized when it's cut that way on purpose:

• Dropped shoulders. The shoulder seam sits a little below the natural shoulder, so the top of the hoodie slopes instead of squaring off. That's where most of the relaxed look comes from.
• A roomy body. Extra width through the chest and waist, so the fabric falls straight down rather than skimming the body.
• A ribbed hem. It gathers the extra width back in at the hip, which is what keeps a roomy hoodie looking intentional instead of shapeless.

Sizing up on top of a cut like this doubles the effect — the dropped shoulder drops further, the hem sits lower, and the sleeves get long. If you like that cocoon look, it's a real choice. It just shouldn't be the default.

How to read the measurements

The numbers in our size guide are garment measurements, taken with the hoodie laid flat — not body measurements. That trips people up, so here's what they actually mean:

• Chest (flat): 20" / 21" / 22" for S / M / L. Double it for the full circumference — 40", 42", and 44" around. That's the hoodie, not you; the difference between that number and your own chest is the ease, the room that makes it drape.
• Length (center back): 27.5" / 28.5" / 29.5". Measured from the base of the collar to the hem. This is what decides where it lands on your hip.
• Shoulder: 22.5" / 23.5" / 24.5". Wider than a fitted hoodie on purpose — that width is the dropped shoulder.
• Sleeve: 21" / 22" / 23". Each size steps up by an inch, so if sleeves that run long bother you, this is the number to compare.

The two-minute check

The most reliable way to size any hoodie online is to measure one you already love. Lay it flat on a bed or the floor, smooth it out, and measure:

• Chest: straight across, seam to seam, about an inch below the armholes.
• Length: flip it over and measure down the center of the back, from the collar seam to the hem.

Compare those two numbers to the chart above. Whichever size lands closest to the hoodie you already reach for most is the one that will feel familiar. If you're between two, the rule is the same one in our size guide: size up for a roomier, cocoon feel, or down for a closer fit.

Why weight changes the fit, too

One thing a size chart can't tell you: heavier fabric drapes differently. The Alora Hoodie is 450 GSM brushed fleece, noticeably heavier than most everyday hoodies, so it falls in straight, soft lines instead of clinging or bunching. That weight is part of why a true-to-size oversized cut looks relaxed without looking sloppy — and part of why sizing up two times over isn't necessary to get that look. (More on what fleece weight actually means in what makes a hoodie worth $65.)

If it still isn't right

Sometimes it just isn't, and that's fine. Unworn, unwashed items with tags attached can be returned within 30 days of delivery, and returns are free within the contiguous U.S. — the details are on our returns page. If you'd rather talk it through before ordering, email hello@alora10.com with the measurements of a hoodie you like, and we'll tell you which size lines up.