How to Find Your Perfect Fit at Alessandra Rich

DESIGNER SIZING GUIDE · ALESSANDRA RICH

By Ella Blake | Tellar Fashion Hub

Alessandra Rich runs small — typically one full size smaller than UK high street — and if you've ever ordered without checking, you'll know the crushing moment of a gorgeous beaded dress refusing to zip. Here's exactly how to get your size right, every single time.

I still remember the first time I bought a piece from Alessandra Rich. It was a floral silk dress — heavily beaded collar, nipped-in waist, very Sixties-ingénue. I ordered my usual size. It arrived beautifully wrapped in tissue, I slipped it on, and... it got stuck somewhere around my ribcage. Not my finest fashion moment. That's when I learned the golden rule: Alessandra Rich is a designer brand, and it sizes like one.

The label is beloved by everyone from royals to A-listers for its ultra-feminine, vintage-inspired silhouettes — plunge necklines, structured bodices, full skirts, sparkling embellishment. It is not, however, a label designed with a lot of ease in the fit. Understanding how the sizing actually works before you buy is genuinely the best thing you can do for yourself.

How Alessandra Rich Sizing Works

Alessandra Rich uses Italian sizing, which runs small compared to UK and US sizing. As a general rule, the brand's pieces are structured and form-fitting, with very little extra room built in — especially across the bust and hips. If you're between sizes, always size up. If you have a fuller bust or wider hips, you'll likely need to go up at least one size from your typical high street size.

ALESSANDRA RICH (IT)UK SIZEEU SIZEUS SIZEIT 36UK 6EU 34US 2IT 38UK 8EU 36US 4IT 40UK 10EU 38US 6IT 42UK 12EU 40US 8IT 44UK 14EU 42US 10IT 46UK 16EU 44US 12

Stylist's note: Always take your measurements before ordering — bust, natural waist, and hips. Then cross-reference with the specific garment's size guide, as tailored jackets and stretch dresses can behave very differently within the same brand.

What the Fit Actually Feels Like

Alessandra Rich's signature silhouette is structured and intentionally snug. The bodices are often boned or lined, the skirts designed to skim rather than flow. If you're used to buying relaxed-fit or slightly oversized pieces, it can feel like a different world. That's not a flaw — it's the point. These garments are made to be worn with confidence, and they reward a precise fit.

Dresses: Almost universally body-conscious. Expect structured boning in the bodice. If you're between sizes, size up — especially for the strapless styles.
Jackets and blazers: Tailored with very little ease. If you have broader shoulders or a fuller bust, size up from your usual.
Trousers and skirts: These can sometimes run slightly more generously than the dresses, but still measure your hips and compare to the guide.
Knitwear: The brand's occasional knitwear pieces tend to be slightly more forgiving — but don't bank on it without checking.

My Tips for Getting the Size Right

After my ribcage incident, I now swear by a few non-negotiable steps before clicking buy on anything from this label.

Measure yourself fresh. Don't rely on measurements from six months ago — bodies change, and with a label as precise as this, a centimetre genuinely matters.
Read customer reviews carefully. Especially on stockists like Net-A-Porter, Mytheresa, and Matches — other buyers will often tell you exactly how it runs on their specific body shape.
When in doubt, go up. With structured designer pieces, it is always easier to have a garment taken in by a tailor than to squeeze into something that's straining at the seams.
Check the fabric content. Pure silk and rigid brocade have zero stretch. A dress with even a small percentage of elastane will be considerably more forgiving.
Buy from a retailer with a good returns policy. Net-A-Porter and Harrods both offer excellent service — essential when you're investing at this level.

High Street Alternatives with a Similar Aesthetic

Not every occasion calls for a four-figure dress — and sometimes you simply want to test a silhouette before committing. If you love the Alessandra Rich look but want a more accessible entry point, these brands nail the feminine, structured aesthetic brilliantly:

Phase Eight — Consistently brilliant for structured occasion dresses. Their fit-and-flare styles and embellished midi dresses have a genuinely similar energy to Alessandra Rich at a fraction of the price.
Hobbs — Elegant, tailored, and quietly sophisticated. Their tweed and boucle pieces in particular have that same polished European sensibility.
Reiss — Sleek, body-conscious silhouettes with excellent construction quality for the price point. A great starting point if you love the plunge-neck midi look.
LK Bennett — The go-to for vintage-inspired femininity on the high street. Their lace and floral dresses consistently land close to the Alessandra Rich aesthetic.
Whistles — Understated and considered. For the more minimal end of the brand's output — structured blazers, clean tailoring — Whistles is excellent.
Me&Em — Superb quality for the price, and their tailored pieces have a quiet luxury feel that genuinely holds up next to designer alternatives.
Ted Baker — Long-standing masters of the embellished, occasion-ready dress. If it's a wedding or gala you're dressing for, Ted Baker absolutely delivers.
Anthropologie — For the more whimsical, floral, vintage-print end of the Alessandra Rich world, Anthropologie is a genuinely inspired choice.

And for two brilliant independent brands that deserve far more attention than they get:

Needle & Thread — A UK-based label that does dreamy, embellished occasion wear with incredible attention to detail. If you love the sparkle and romanticism of Alessandra Rich, this is your brand. Their sizing is more generous and they offer an excellent size guide.
Ghost London — A quietly iconic British label specialising in fluid, feminine dresses with a gorgeous vintage feel. Brilliant for anyone who loves the silhouette of Alessandra Rich but prefers something with a little more ease in the fit.

Where to Shop Alessandra Rich in the UK

For UK buyers, the most reliable stockists are Net-A-Porter, Harrods, Selfridges, and Mytheresa. All carry a solid selection season to season, and crucially, all have robust returns policies — essential when you're shopping a brand that requires you to be precise about sizing. For discounted pieces, The Outnet and Vestiaire Collective are worth bookmarking.

Never Guess Your Size Again — Use Tellar

Finding your perfect fit in a designer brand like Alessandra Rich is exactly where Tellar.co.uk comes in. Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool — match your exact measurements to over 1,500 brands instantly, with no downloads, no subscriptions, and absolutely no faff.

📏 Measure once — bust, waist, and hips. That's it.
🔍 Use the Store Size Lookup to find your precise size across any brand — designer or high street.
✅ Always free — works in your browser, right now.

Whether you're sizing up for Alessandra Rich or double-checking your fit at Phase Eight, Reiss, LK Bennett, or Me&Em, Tellar takes the guesswork out entirely. It's honestly the tool I wish I'd had before that ribcage incident.

Beyond sizing, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a library of free, unsponsored style guides written by real stylists. Honest, independent, and genuinely useful — no ads, no affiliate bias, just good advice. Think of it as your personal stylist, on call whenever you need it.

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