Casablanca sits in an awkward spot for sizing. The label is French, its garments are cut on a European block, and most of the pieces people actually want are relaxed on purpose. So the honest answer to whether it runs big or small depends less on the brand as a whole and more on which garment you are looking at.
This guide covers shirts and t-shirts, using the measurements published on the Casablanca pieces we stock.
The short answer
Casablanca t-shirts and shirts run close to true to size, with a relaxed cut through the body. Farfetch reaches the same conclusion in its own Casablanca styling guide, describing the fit as true to size with a slightly baggy cut that suits most builds. If you prefer a trim silhouette, that relaxed body is the thing to plan around, not the label on the collar.
The silk pieces are the exception, and they are covered further down.
The Casablanca size chart for shirts and t-shirts
| Size | Shoulders (cm) | Shoulders (in) | Chest (cm) | Chest (in) | Length (cm) | Length (in) |
| XS | 49 | 19.29 | 88 | 34.65 | 68 | 26.77 |
| S | 50 | 19.69 | 92 | 36.22 | 70 | 27.56 |
| M | 51 | 20.08 | 96 | 37.80 | 72 | 28.35 |
| L | 52 | 20.47 | 100 | 39.37 | 74 | 29.13 |
| XL | 53 | 20.87 | 104 | 40.94 | 76 | 29.92 |
The length column applies to t-shirts. Shirt listings give shoulders and chest only.
Why the same numbers appear on a t-shirt, a shirt and a hoodie
This is worth knowing before you lean on the chart too hard. The shoulder and chest figures are identical across the Casa Way graphic-print t-shirt, the graphic-print hoodie and the Purple Dragonfly embroidered shirt. In other words, the chart tells you which size band suits your frame. It is not a set of finished dimensions for one particular garment.
That distinction matters, because a hoodie and a silk shirt made to the same nominal size will not sit on you the same way. Use the chart to land on the right size, then confirm it with the method below.
How to check a size before you order
Take a shirt you already own that fits the way you want it to, lay it flat on a table, and measure three things.
- Shoulder seam to shoulder seam, straight across the back.
- Pit to pit across the chest, then double the number.
- Top of the shoulder down to the hem.
Compare those against the chart. If you land between two sizes on the chest but match the smaller one on the shoulders, take the smaller size. Shoulders are the one measurement a tailor cannot easily correct, while a little extra room through the body on a Casablanca piece is part of how it is meant to look.
Silk shirts behave differently from cotton t-shirts
Silk is where sizing gets less forgiving. It has no stretch. A cotton t-shirt that feels slightly snug in the fitting room will give a little after a few wears, and a silk camp collar shirt will not. Silk also drapes rather than holding its shape, so extra room reads as volume rather than as an easy loose fit.
If you are between sizes in silk and you intend to wear the shirt open over a tee, take the larger size. If you want it buttoned and sitting closer to the body, stay true to size.
When to size up, and when to leave it alone
Size up if you are broad through the shoulders relative to the chart, if you want the deliberately oversized look the brand uses in its own campaigns, or if you are buying silk and plan to layer it.
Stay true to size on graphic t-shirts. They already sit relaxed, and going up a size usually drops the shoulder seam past your arm and pushes the print low on the chest, which is the opposite of what you paid for.
Avoid sizing down to force a fitted look. The block is cut roomy through the body, so a smaller size tightens the shoulders and the armhole before it does anything useful at the waist.
Bottoms use a different chart
If you are buying shorts or trousers in the same order, note that they are measured on waist and hip rather than shoulders and chest.
| Size | Waist (cm) | Waist (in) | Hip (cm) | Hip (in) |
| XS | 80 | 31.50 | 90 | 35.43 |
| S | 84 | 33.07 | 94 | 37.01 |
| M | 88 | 34.65 | 98 | 38.58 |
| L | 92 | 36.22 | 102 | 40.16 |
| XL | 96 | 37.80 | 106 | 41.73 |
Shorts listings add an inseam-to-hem length that runs from 48 cm at XS to 56 cm at XL.
Which sizes Casablanca actually produces
According to Farfetch, the men’s range runs from XS to XXXL and the women’s range from XXS to XL. What any individual retailer holds is narrower than that. Casablanca shirts and t-shirts on our site are generally listed from S through XL, and the size selector on each product page shows exactly what is in stock rather than the full brand range.
Buying Casablanca secondhand
On resale platforms, ask the seller for a flat pit-to-pit and a shoulder measurement before you commit. Listings there often show the tag size and nothing else, and pieces from earlier seasons do not always match the block the brand uses now. A tag that reads L is not a guarantee of the numbers in the chart above.
When you buy through us, every piece is authenticated before it ships, sizing is listed against the chart above, and returns run for 30 days at no cost, so a size that does not work is not a size you are stuck with.
Frequently asked questions
Do Casablanca shirts run big or small?
They run close to true to size with a relaxed body. Most people take their usual size.
Is it better to size up or down in shirts?
For Casablanca specifically, stay true to size on graphic t-shirts. Size up only for a silk shirt you plan to layer or wear open, since silk has no stretch to give.
Is a 42 shirt size M or L?
A 42 European chest works out at roughly a size L on the Casablanca chart, which puts L at a 100 cm chest. Measure your own chest rather than trusting the number printed on an older shirt.
Is Casablanca a luxury brand?
Yes. It sits in the contemporary luxury bracket, priced above mass fashion, and that pricing is exactly why getting the size right on the first order matters.
Why are Casablanca shirts so expensive?
The silk pieces use genuine silk rather than a blend, and production volumes are kept limited compared to larger fashion houses. That combination of material cost and scarcity sets the price.
Is Casablanca clothing good quality?
The cotton pieces use organic cotton with clean construction, and the silk shirts use genuine silk with a proper drape. Fit complaints in owner reviews are almost always about not accounting for the relaxed cut, not about the materials.
