Damart publishes size charts on its website and in its catalogs, but these tables do not always suffice to avoid ordering errors. The northern brand, historically associated with Thermolactyl and thermal clothing, dresses a clientele predominantly over 50 years old. However, the body shapes of this age group have significantly evolved in recent years, prompting Damart to revise its sizing standards.
Damart Size Charts and Anthropometric Data: What Has Changed Since 2024
The IFTH/CNM 2025 survey on contemporary body shapes confirmed what many brands suspected: French bodies no longer correspond to the standards used since the 2000s. Damart has integrated this new data to adjust its cuts, particularly in women’s ready-to-wear.
The brand now couples its size advice with morphological advice by silhouette (A, V, H, 8), with a logic of cuts designed to limit overly fitted clothing. Skinny pants, for example, are gradually being replaced by straight or wide cuts that are better suited to the actual body shapes of those aged 50 and over.
The recent tables also include weight as a complementary reference for certain product categories (tank tops, lingerie), in five-kilogram increments. Most competitors remain focused exclusively on measurements in centimeters (bust, waist, hips). To better understand how Damart sizes generally, one must look beyond just the bust measurement.
Inseam Length and Height: The Reference That Third-Party Guides Overlook
A Damart pant in size 42 may fit perfectly at the hips and waist but be too long or too short. The brand now systematically segments its pants by inseam length according to three height levels:
- Height below 1.60 m: inseam length of about 69 cm
- Height between 1.60 m and 1.68 m: length of about 74 cm
- Height above 1.68 m: length of about 79 cm
This segmentation exists at other retailers like La Redoute, but Damart displays it more explicitly in its product sheets. It is a criterion to check before any pant order, as height influences as much as hip measurement on the final fit.
Field returns vary on this point: some customers report that the announced lengths do not always match reality once the garment is worn, especially after washing. Taking measurements with a tape measure remains the most reliable precaution.
Taking Measurements for Damart: A Concrete Method
Damart bases its sizing on three main measurements for the upper body and two for the lower body. A tailor’s tape (flexible measuring tape) is the only reliable tool.
- Bust measurement: measure at the fullest point, arms at the sides, without tightening the tape
- Waist measurement: at the narrowest point of the abdomen, generally above the navel
- Hip measurement: at the widest point of the hips, including the buttocks
- Inseam length: from the top of the inner thigh to the ankle, barefoot
For Thermolactyl and thermal underwear, Damart recommends not taking a size up. These garments are designed to fit the body to retain heat. A size too large creates air pockets that reduce thermal efficiency.
On the other hand, for classic ready-to-wear (blouses, sweaters), the cuts have been widened to offer more comfort. If you are between two sizes on a non-thermal garment, the larger size will often be more suitable for a relaxed fit.
Damart Correspondences and European Sizes: A Gap to Know
Damart sizes follow the standard French system (36, 38, 40, etc.), but the equivalences with European or Swiss sizes are not always explicit. For example, a size 34 FR corresponds to a size 32 in Switzerland. This information appears on some retailers like La Redoute Switzerland, but Damart size guides do not detail these international correspondences.
For purchases from Belgium or Switzerland, checking the local retailer’s size chart rather than the French site avoids unpleasant surprises. The discrepancies remain small (one to two size differences depending on the country), but sufficient to generate a return.
Special Case of Thermolactyl
The Thermolactyl for women and men uses a simplified size system (S, M, L, XL) for certain references, and the classic numeric system for others. The two do not always overlap intuitively. Checking the specific chart for each product sheet remains the only safe method, as the same bust measurement can correspond to two sizes depending on the range.
Damart’s thermal comfort relies on precise fitting. The available data do not allow for a universal rule like “always take a size down”: it all depends on the range, cut, and material.
The evolution of Damart’s charts towards finer morphological references (height, weight, silhouette) marks a real change in the brand’s approach. Measuring one’s body with a tape measure before each order, checking inseam length on pants, and consulting the chart specific to each product sheet remain the three actions that most reduce the risk of return.