True Royal Sizing: Does It Run Small? Your Complete UK Guide

By Ella Blake — Fashion Stylist | Tellar Fashion Hub — Always honest, unbiased & unsponsored

True Royal runs small by UK standards — as an Italian brand, their sizes typically come up one to two sizes smaller than what you'd normally wear on the British high street, so most UK women will need to size up when shopping this label. I learned this the hard way. I'd been eyeing a pair of their wide-leg tailored trousers for months — gorgeous, sartorial, the kind of trouser that makes you walk differently. I ordered my usual UK 10, and when they arrived I couldn't get them past my hips. Back they went. Second attempt, a UK 12, and honestly? Perfect. Lesson learned — and one I now share with anyone who asks.

About True Royal: The Italian Trouser Specialists

True Royal was founded in Milan in 2008 by Gennaro Esposito and Fabrizio Berzeri with a singular obsession: the perfect women's trouser. It's a bold concept — building a brand around one hero garment — but it works. The quality is genuinely impressive. Think soft velvet, pure cotton fabrics, immaculate tailoring and that unmistakably Italian sense of proportion. The brand has since expanded into shirts and jackets, but the trouser remains its signature and, frankly, its finest hour.

It's not a widely stocked label on UK high streets — you're most likely shopping it online via Farfetch, YOOX, or directly through their Italian site. That's precisely why knowing your size before you click 'add to basket' is so important.

True Royal Size Chart: IT to UK Conversion

True Royal uses Italian sizing (IT) on all garments, which immediately throws most UK shoppers. Here's how their size chart translates across the key international systems — use this as your starting point:

IT SizeInt / XS–LUK SizeEU SizeUS SizeBust (cm)Bust (inches)36XXS432278–8030–3138XS634482–8432–3340S836686–8834–3542M1038890–9235–3644L12401094–9637–38

So as a quick rule of thumb: find your UK size, then go up by two IT sizes. If you're a UK 10, you're likely an IT 42. A UK 12 sits at IT 44, and so on. This is standard Italian sizing — True Royal aren't an outlier here, they're simply following the conventional Italian sizing system which runs consistently narrower than UK sizing.

How True Royal Trousers Fit: What to Know Before You Buy

The trousers are the centrepiece of True Royal's collections and they're cut with a very specific Italian aesthetic — tailored, slim through the hip and thigh, with a high-waisted silhouette and clean, structured lines. There's minimal stretch in most styles, so the fit is more precise than a lot of UK high street trousers. A few things worth knowing:

The waist runs narrow. Italian tailoring is designed with a slimmer frame in mind. If you carry more volume through the hip or thigh — which plenty of us do — size up without hesitation. You can always take in a waist; you cannot magic extra fabric from thin air.
Velvet styles can feel snugger. The velvet pieces in particular have less give than the cotton styles, so if you're hovering between sizes, err on the larger side in velvet.
The inseam is generous. These are long trousers — designed for Italian proportions, which tend to run tall. If you're under 5'5", factor in a trip to the tailor for the hem.
Wide-leg styles are more forgiving. The wide-leg and palazzo cuts give you more room through the hip and thigh, making them the more accessible styles for curvier frames.

True Royal Shirts and Jackets: Sizing Notes

Their expanded ready-to-wear — shirts, blouses, and tailored jackets — follows the same Italian sizing logic, measured by bust. Again, UK shoppers should plan to size up. The shirts are cut with a close, tailored fit — there's no volume or boxy cut here. If you like your tops to skim rather than cling, go one size up even if the conversion chart suggests otherwise. The jackets, particularly the blazers, are beautifully structured and follow suit: go up one UK size from your usual and you should land in the right place.

My Honest Fit Verdict

True Royal is genuinely one of those brands where the product is exceptional but the sizing catches people out — not because the brand is doing anything wrong, just because Italian sizing works differently to what UK shoppers are used to. Once you find your True Royal size, you'll be golden. These trousers are seriously good — the kind of thing you wear to work, to dinner, to a gallery opening, and always feel elevated. They're an investment, and sizing up is simply part of making that investment work.

If you're between sizes, I always say: go bigger. The waistband can be taken in by any decent tailor. You cannot let out what isn't there.

Where to Shop If True Royal Isn't Quite Your Budget Right Now

True Royal sits in a premium-to-designer price bracket, so here are my honest picks across the range — from solid high street alternatives right through to other premium trouser labels worth your attention.

High Street Picks

Cos — My go-to for tailored, Italian-ish simplicity at accessible prices. Their wide-leg and straight-cut trousers are consistently excellent and cut with genuine care for proportion.
Massimo Dutti — Part of the Inditex family but worlds apart from Zara in terms of quality and tailoring. Their trousers have real structure and an Italian-influenced cut that will feel familiar to True Royal fans.
Whistles — A perennial favourite for tailored separates. Their trouser edits are flattering, well-made, and bridge the gap between high street and premium beautifully.
Me&Em — British brand with an absolutely brilliant trouser offering. The quality punches well above the price point, and sizing tends to be more forgiving for UK body shapes.
Jigsaw — Long been one of the more underrated high street tailoring destinations. Clean lines, grown-up fabrics, and cuts that genuinely flatter.
Reiss — If you want that polished, close-to-designer aesthetic without the designer price tag, Reiss does tailored trousers superbly. Great for workwear and beyond.
Ted Baker — Known for playful detailing but their tailored trousers are smart and well-cut. A good pick if you want something with a little more personality in the fabric or print.
Hobbs — A slightly more classic cut but superb quality for the price. Their tailored trousers are particularly good in the structured straight-leg shape and they hold their shape brilliantly.

Premium Picks

Phase Eight — Their premium range produces some really lovely tailored pieces at accessible-premium prices. Particularly good for occasion dressing without sacrificing wearability.
Mint Velvet — Brilliant for velvet-style and textured trousers that feel luxurious without Italian price tags. Good UK sizing that's consistent and generally true to size.

Independent Picks — Two You May Not Know Yet

Aeron — A Welsh womenswear brand that's been quietly building a cult following for its structured tailoring. Their trouser cuts are genuinely beautiful, sustainably made and cut for real women's shapes. If you haven't discovered them yet, you're welcome.
Tibi — A New York label that nails exactly the kind of elevated, clean trouser aesthetic that True Royal does, but with a slightly more relaxed New York edge. Worth hunting down online — they ship to the UK and the tailoring is excellent.

Never Get Sizing Wrong Again — Use Tellar

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Plus, the Tellar Fashion Hub is packed with free, honest, unsponsored posts from our stylists — style advice, top picks, and real brand guidance. No ads. No affiliates influencing the editorial. Just straight-talking fashion advice you can trust.

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