Sizing is an industry-wide issue, causing unnecessary waste and frustration. We spent two days in the studio to create the ultimate guide, and picked up a few insights along the way. (4 min read)

SEPTEMBER 4, 2025

SIZE MATTERS

For every body.

Words by Ed Bartlett

Images by Fergus Coyle

At Kostüme, we’ve always believed that details matter. That’s why we’ve taken the unusual step of spending two full days in the studio shooting every size of our best-selling bib shorts on a diverse range of bodies. Not just the 'ideal' ones you tend to see in adverts, but real people -each with their own uniquely individual proportions.

Why?

Because our goal is simple but ambitious: take our already industry leading 2% return rate and reduce it to zero.

For our customers, that means a better experience: more confidence when ordering, fewer sizing doubts, and less hassle with exchanges. For the planet, it means even less waste and a smaller footprint, because every return avoided is one less unnecessary journey and one less garment sitting idle.

All of which got us to thinking.

Why don't more brands do this?

The only conclusion we could realistically find was that most of the apparel industry simply doesn’t really care.

1. Overproduction makes returns an afterthought. When writing off unsold stock is just 'business as usual' there’s little incentive to obsess over fit.

2. Aspiration trumps accuracy. Many brands don’t really want to show their kit on anything other than their curated version of an 'ideal' body.

3. High MOQ's (Minimum Order Quantities) make outliers inconvenient. Traditional brands see extreme sizes as a hassle, not as real riders who deserve proper kit.

The result? Customers are left to guess.

And we want to take the guesswork out of sizing once and for all.

What we learned from our studio session

Spending time fitting our award-winning bib shorts across the full spectrum of sizes gave us some fascinating insights:

1. Bodies are wonderfully varied. Even when two people have the same measurements, the shorts can look and feel completely different.

2. Measuring is subjective. Everyone measured themselves slightly differently when left unguided. A clear, consistent where to measure guide was essential.

3. Fit isn’t the same as size. With technical kit this close-fitting, the way it moves with your body is just as important as the number on the label.

4. Variables matter. We realised that leg length, for example, should be a sizing variable in its own right. We will address this in our next batch.

5. Extreme sizes need special care. Grading rules for the smallest and largest sizes don't just mirror the 'middle' - they require their own approach.

The result?

The result of all this work is a brand new size guide unlike any other: one where you can not only check measurements, but visually compare yourself against multiple real riders wearing the shorts in your size (and in many cases, multiple riders per size).

It’s more transparent, more practical, and ultimately more sustainable.

Because when we say 'Made to Matter' we really mean it - from how we produce our kit, to how we help you find the perfect fit.