LitBuy size guide: how to get Chinese sizes right
By the LitBuy Spreadsheet team ·
Wrong sizes are the most common reason for a disappointing LitBuy haul, and the easiest to avoid. The short version: ignore the size label and compare centimetres.
Why LitBuy size labels are not enough
Many Chinese sellers on LitBuy cut for Asian sizing, which often runs about one size smaller than European and US labels. At the same time, oversized streetwear cuts are labelled the other way. And two sellers of the same item can work from different patterns. An “L” on a listing tells you very little; the size chart tells you everything.
Measure before you order on LitBuy
The trick is to measure a piece that fits you well, not your body. Garment measurements are what size charts list.
Tees, hoodies, jackets
Chest width: lay the garment flat and measure straight across from armpit to armpit. Then body length from the highest point of the shoulder to the hem.
Pants and shorts
Waist: measure the waistband flat and double it. Then inseam, from the crotch seam to the hem, and the leg opening.
Shoes
Insole length: take the insole out of a pair that fits well and measure it in millimetres, heel to toe.
Belts
Total length from the buckle to the hole you use most.
Allow a tolerance of 1–2 cm: charts are measured by hand. If you sit between two sizes, the fit you want decides: size up for a relaxed fit, stay for a fitted one.
Reading the size chart on a LitBuy listing
- Size charts are often images among the product photos, not text. Scroll through all of them.
- Chinese labels: 衣长 is body length, 胸围 chest circumference, 肩宽 shoulder width, 袖长 sleeve length, 腰围 waist, 裤长 pants length.
- 胸围 is usually the full circumference, so halve it to compare with a flat armpit-to-armpit measurement.
- Weight and height recommendations (for example “170 cm / 65 kg”) are a rough guide for slim Asian fits, not a promise.
LitBuy shoe sizes
Sellers usually list EU sizes, and good listings add the insole length in millimetres. Compare that number with the insole of a pair that fits. If the listing only has a size, check the chart in the photos rather than a generic conversion table; factories do not all size alike. Some models are known to run small, so read the seller notes.
Unsure? Ask LitBuy before you pay
LitBuy’s product page has a remark field for the purchasing team. Write your measurement and ask them to confirm the size with the seller, for example: “Please check with the seller: chest width of size L, I need about 58 cm.”
After arrival, you can order an extra QC photo with a tape measure next to the garment for a small fee. If the size is wrong, you still have the return window, explained in the QC photo guide.
LitBuy categories where size matters most
Jackets and shoes are the riskiest, because returns are slow and shipping them is expensive. Tees and accessories are the forgiving end, which is why they make a good first order.
Ready to try it? Open the LitBuy Spreadsheet or create your LitBuy account.