What Is Sizing Like at Ann Taylor?

The short answer: Ann Taylor runs large/generous, so most women take a size — sometimes two — smaller than you expect. It's a classic case of American "vanity sizing," where the numbers on the label flatter you a little. If you're normally a UK 12 (a US 8), there's a very good chance you'll be reaching for the US 6, and occasionally the 4, especially in their softer knits and dresses. Knowing that before you order saves you the returns faff and the disappointment.

I've styled enough clients in transatlantic workwear to know Ann Taylor catches British shoppers out every time. We're used to UK numbering, and the brand's US system plus its roomy cut means the maths doesn't translate cleanly. Here's exactly how it behaves, category by category.

How Ann Taylor sizing actually fits

Ann Taylor is a polished, tailored American brand built around workwear and occasion separates. Its sizing has a few consistent quirks worth knowing:

It runs large overall. Across tops, dresses and skirts, going down one size from your usual US equivalent is the safe starting point. Several long-time customers reckon it's nearer two sizes generous in relaxed styles.
Structured and tailored pieces fit closer. Blazers, suiting and anything described as "fitted" sit truer to size — sometimes even a touch snug across the bust and shoulders. So a body-skimming sheath dress behaves very differently from a floaty blouse.
Trousers are the wildcard. The cut is flattering, but some styles relax through the day and lose a little shape, so don't size up "just in case" — you'll be hitching them by lunchtime.
Numbers start at 00. Sizing typically runs from 00 up to 16, with extended sizes online, so petite-framed women are genuinely well catered for here.

The petite line is the hidden gem

If you're 5'4" and under, Ann Taylor's petite range (marked with a "P") is one of the best on the high street. The proportions are properly re-engineered — shorter inseams, higher armholes, adjusted sleeve and bust placement — rather than just chopped at the hem. Clients of mine who normally live in alterations find petite trousers and ankle-length styles need little to no tailoring. There's a tall line too for anyone 5'9" and over who's tired of three-quarter sleeves masquerading as full length.

My honest fit advice as a stylist

A confession: the first time I ordered Ann Taylor, pre-Tellar, I bought my "usual" size in a beautiful crepe dress and it arrived looking like I'd borrowed it from a taller, broader cousin. Lesson learned. These days I tell every client the same thing:

Start one size down from your US equivalent for dresses, blouses and knits.
Stay true to size for tailored blazers and structured suiting.
Buy trousers to fit your waist now — not aspirationally — because the cut gives, it doesn't grip.
Check the model's height note; the brand styles a lot of pieces on tall frames, which can make hemlines deceptive.

Where else to shop for polished workwear

If you love the Ann Taylor look — grown-up, tailored, office-to-evening — these are the brands I'd steer you towards, and how their fit compares.

High street & mid-market:

Reiss — the closest British cousin for sharp tailoring and occasionwear; cut is slimmer, so size up if you're between.
Hobbs — beautifully classic workwear and dresses; runs true to UK sizing with a flattering, generous bust.
Jigsaw — elevated everyday tailoring in lovely fabrics; fits true with a slightly relaxed line.
Whistles — modern, minimalist separates; tends to run small, so don't be shy about sizing up.
Massimo Dutti — Zara's grown-up sister for refined trousers and blazers; European cut runs slim and long.
LK Bennett — the polished occasion-and-office specialist; true to size with a tailored finish.
Phase Eight — dependable for workwear dresses and separates; generous and forgiving, much like Ann Taylor itself.
Boden — colourful, well-made British staples; true to size with a comfortable, real-body fit.

Premium:

ME+EM — clever, travel-friendly tailoring loved by women who want desk-to-dinner ease; true to size with thoughtful length options.
Baukjen — sustainable, modern workwear in a confident cut; runs true but cleanly through the body.

Luxury & designer:

Max Mara — the gold standard for coats and tailoring; an investment, with a clean, true-to-size Italian fit.
Joseph — minimalist, beautifully cut trousers and knitwear; tends to run slim, so size up in fitted styles.

Two independents worth knowing:

Kitri — a London-born independent doing distinctive, print-led pieces and sharp separates in small runs; fits true but sells through fast, so buy when you see it.
Albaray — a quietly brilliant British independent making considered, sustainable workwear and dresses; generous, comfortable fit with real wear-everywhere staying power.

Never guess your Ann Taylor size again

Ann Taylor's generous sizing is exactly the sort of headache Tellar exists to fix. We're the UK's leading sizing tool — your body matched precisely to 1,500+ brands, instantly. Measure once and never squint at a confusing size guide again.

Measure once using your bust, waist and hip — or just your existing size in a brand you already wear.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your exact size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

Start here: tellar.co.uk

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