How to Find Your Perfect Fit at Alice & Olivia

BRAND SIZING GUIDE

By Ella Blake  |  Tellar Fashion Hub

Alice & Olivia runs small and in US sizing — so if you're a UK 10, you'll almost certainly need to size up to a US 8, sometimes even a US 10 in more fitted styles. I learned this the hard way after falling completely in love with one of their feathered mini skirts and ordering my usual size, only to find I couldn't do the zip up. Mortifying, but a lesson I won't forget. Here's everything you need to know before you click buy.

Understanding the Alice & Olivia Size System

Alice & Olivia is an American brand, which means everything is labelled in US sizes. At first glance this can feel a bit baffling — but once you know the conversion, it's actually fairly straightforward. The general rule is that US sizes run roughly two sizes behind UK sizes, so a US 4 is a UK 8, and so on.

That said, Alice & Olivia's actual cut adds an extra layer of complexity. The brand is known for its feminine, body-skimming silhouettes — think wrap dresses, tailored blazer dresses, and slim-cut trousers — and those styles are often cut on the narrower side, especially through the hips and bust. My honest advice? Always check the measurements rather than relying on size alone.

The Alice & Olivia Size Conversion: UK to US

UK SizeUS SizeWhat to ExpectUK 6US 2Very slim fit — petite framesUK 8US 4May need to size up in fitted stylesUK 10US 6Standard, but check hip measurementsUK 12US 8Fits well in relaxed stylesUK 14US 10Occasionally limited in availabilityUK 16US 12Size up for bodycon styles

Which Styles Run Smallest?

Not all Alice & Olivia pieces are cut the same — and this is where it gets interesting. In my experience (and based on customer reviews across the board), these are the styles where you're most likely to want to size up:

• Mini skirts and bodycon dresses — these are cut very snugly and have almost no give. If you're between sizes, go up without a second thought.

• Tailored blazers — the shoulders tend to run narrow. Women with broader shoulders should size up and have the waist taken in if needed.

• Wrap and midi dresses — these are generally more forgiving through the waist, but can be tight across the bust if you're fuller on top. Prioritise your bust measurement.

• Jumpsuits — notoriously tricky to fit at the best of times; with A&O, always go by your largest measurement and expect to tailor.

• Wide-leg trousers and flowy styles — these tend to run true to size or even slightly generously, so you may be fine with your standard conversion.

My Top Tip for Shopping Alice & Olivia

Before you do anything else, measure your bust, waist, and hips. Alice & Olivia does publish measurements on their product pages, and they're actually quite accurate. If your hip measurement is sitting right between two sizes, go up — particularly for skirts and dresses. The waist can always be taken in by a tailor, but a skirt that won't go over your hips is a much harder problem to fix.

If you're shopping via a UK stockist like Selfridges or Net-a-Porter, both usually have detailed size guides and good customer service teams who can advise on individual pieces. Don't be shy about emailing to ask — I've had some brilliant advice from stylist teams at both.

What to Buy If You Love the A&O Aesthetic (At Every Budget)

Alice & Olivia sits firmly in the designer price bracket, with dresses often starting at £350 and climbing well beyond £600. If you adore the maximalist, playful aesthetic but want something at a different price point, here's where I'd shop:

High Street & Accessible

• Anthropologie — honestly one of the closest matches in terms of aesthetic. The prints, the whimsy, the feminine silhouettes. And it comes in a wide range of sizes with good fit notes on each product.

• Zara — for that sleek, contemporary take. Their studio line in particular does some beautifully tailored dresses and wide-leg trousers with a similar elegance.

• Whistles — brilliant for polished occasion dressing with a grown-up edge. Consistently great fit and quality well above the price point.

• Ted Baker — floral dresses, embellished pieces, feminine tailoring. Very much in the same spirit as A&O and widely available across the UK.

• Mango — their premium MNG line does some genuinely stunning occasion pieces, often with a nod to designer aesthetics at a fraction of the cost.

• Coast — particularly good for occasion and evening wear with embellishment and colour. Great for women who want that statement look without the designer price tag.

• Reiss — for elevated basics and beautifully cut tailored pieces with a more minimal take on the same polished aesthetic.

Independent Brands Worth Knowing

• Rixo — a London-based brand beloved by stylists for its vintage-inspired prints and flattering wrap and midi silhouettes. If you love A&O's maximalist florals, Rixo is your new best friend. Their sizing is UK-standard and generally very true to size.

• Saloni — another London label that punches well above its weight for occasion dressing. Fluid silk-blend fabrics, bold prints, and a cut that genuinely works across a range of body shapes. Worn by everyone from royals to fashion editors, and rightly so.

Don't Get Caught Out: Common Alice & Olivia Sizing Mistakes

• Ordering your UK size without converting to US — this is the number one mistake and will almost certainly result in something too small.

• Ignoring the fabric content — stiffer, structured fabrics have no stretch and will feel much smaller than fluid or stretch-blend styles. Always check the fabric before assuming a size will work.

• Forgetting that US "petite" lines exist — if you're under 5'4", check whether a petite version is available before resizing. The proportions will fit you much better than just going smaller in the main line.

• Not using measurements on the product page — the conversion table is a starting point, not a guarantee. Always cross-reference with actual garment measurements when they're provided.

Never Guess Your Size Again — Tellar.co.uk

I know how infuriating it is to order something gorgeous and have it not fit — especially when you're shopping online and can't try before you buy. That's exactly why I use Tellar.co.uk, the UK's leading free clothing sizing tool.

Here's how it works:

• Measure once — enter your bust, waist, and hip measurements (or your size in a brand you already know fits you perfectly).

• Get your precise size across 1,500+ brands instantly — including Alice & Olivia, as well as every high street and designer brand you could need. Use the Store Size Lookup tool to find your exact fit in any brand, no guesswork required.

• Completely free — no downloads, no subscriptions, just works in your browser.

If sizing across brands has ever confused you (and with Alice & Olivia's US sizing, it absolutely will), I'd also recommend reading Tellar's Ultimate Clothing Sizing Guide — it's the most thorough, honest breakdown of how sizing actually works across different brands and countries that I've found anywhere online.

And while you're there, the Tellar Fashion Hub is packed with free, stylist-written articles covering everything from the ultimate guide to dress styles and body shapes to the best jackets for every body shape. Honest, independent, unsponsored — just genuinely useful fashion advice.

No ads. No sponsored content. Just the truth about what fits and what doesn't.