When ordering an IKKS jacket online, you receive the package, try it on, and the shoulders feel tight while your usual size fits perfectly in other brands. This scenario happens often because IKKS builds its patterns based on the French system with fitted cuts on tops and jackets. Understanding this logic before finalizing a cart helps avoid unnecessary returns and the frustration that comes with it.
IKKS Cuts and Variations by Garment Type
At IKKS, a women’s size 38 corresponds to a M, which is approximately a bust measurement of 88-89 cm, a waist measurement of 68 cm, and a hip measurement of 95 cm. These measurements are taken on the body, not on the finished garment. The most common mistake is to apply one’s size from another brand without checking these benchmarks.
For tops (shirts, blouses, sweaters), the cut remains relatively true to standard French sizing. You can generally keep your usual size. For leather jackets, only the bust measurement counts as a reference, and the values differ from the rest of the range: a S leather does not cover exactly the same bust measurement as a S shirt.
It is on pants, jeans, and fitted dresses that the discrepancies appear the most. Bottoms often run slightly small, especially for body types with pronounced hips. Sizing up for these types of pieces remains the most reliable precaution. The same reflex applies to straight dresses or jumpsuits as soon as the cut hugs the silhouette.
To know precisely how IKKS sizes in each category, it saves time to cross-reference your own measurements with the official guide rather than relying on an approximate equivalence.
Taking Measurements for IKKS: Method and Pitfalls to Avoid
Three measurements are sufficient for most IKKS women’s purchases: bust, waist, and hip. These are taken with a flexible measuring tape, directly on the skin or over a thin undergarment, without tightening or leaving slack.
- Bust: measuring tape horizontal at the fullest part of the bust, arms down by the sides. Do not puff out the chest or exhale fully.
- Waist: at the natural indentation of the waist, above the navel. Leaning slightly to the side to find the crease helps locate the right spot.
- Hip: at the widest part of the hips, keeping feet together. This measurement is often underestimated.
Measuring in the morning skews the result downwards: the body is slightly less voluminous upon waking than at the end of the day. Taking measurements in the mid-afternoon provides a more realistic reference for a garment worn all day.
Once the numbers are noted, compare them line by line with the IKKS size chart. When you fall between two sizes, the choice depends on the desired fit: lower size for a fitted look, higher size for more ease. On slim jeans, the higher size often offers better comfort without visibly altering the silhouette.
True Fit and Product Sheets: What to Take Away (and What Not to)
IKKS offers the True Fit tool on its site to recommend a size based on a few morphological details and sizing habits from other brands. In practice, True Fit provides guidance, not a guarantee of fit. The algorithm does not account for the specific cut of each piece or variations from one collection to another.
The product sheet often provides more useful information than True Fit: cut indications (fitted, straight, oversized) and sometimes the dimensions of the garment itself. When the sheet specifies that a coat “fits normally” or that a dress has a “fitted cut,” this signal is worth more than a generic algorithm.
Combining the Two Sources
You can use True Fit as a first filter, then check the product sheet to see if the stated cut matches what you’re looking for. If True Fit suggests an M and the sheet indicates a fitted cut on a dress, moving to an L remains the most prudent decision for the hips.
Returns and Withdrawal: What to Check Before Ordering
Ordering two sizes to try at home is a common strategy, but it assumes knowing the return conditions before placing the order. For a distance purchase in France, the consumer generally has a right of withdrawal of 14 days from the receipt of the package.
This right covers the necessary trial to check the size and nature of the product. However, wearing the garment beyond a simple fitting can lead to depreciation and complicate the return. Specifically, trying on jeans in your room to check the fit is normal. Wearing them for an entire day is no longer acceptable regarding withdrawal.
- Check who bears the return costs: IKKS’s commercial policy and that of a third-party retailer may not be identical.
- Do not confuse the legal right of withdrawal (14 days, distance purchase) with the exchange policy in-store, which is subject to the store’s own conditions.
- Keeping the tag attached to the garment and the original packaging facilitates any return process.
The best reflex is to consult the return conditions on the seller’s page before finalizing the cart, especially when ordering multiple sizes of the same piece. A well-anticipated return turns home fitting into a real advantage, without unpleasant surprises regarding costs or delays.
Choosing your IKKS size ultimately relies on a simple action that many skip: taking a measuring tape and comparing your measurements to the guide, piece by piece. Online tools help, the return policy reassures, but nothing replaces three measurements taken correctly.
