What Is Sizing Like at Blumarine?

Blumarine runs small — and if you're shopping this Italian luxury label for the first time, you should size up by at least one, sometimes two, Italian sizes compared to what you'd normally take in European designer brands. I've learned this the hard way. I borrowed a Blumarine slip dress from a shoot once, sized it based on what I take in Gucci, and spent an entire afternoon willing the zip to move. It didn't. Reader, it won — I did not.

Blumarine is a Milanese label with serious romantic pedigree — think ultra-feminine dresses, clingy knitwear, floral embroidery, and a signature Y2K sweet-but-sexy energy that's been thoroughly reignited under its current creative direction. It's one of those brands where the cut is very much part of the aesthetic; close to the body, intentionally sculpted, and designed to show off a figure. That's all well and good if the fit is right — and absolutely maddening if it isn't.

Here's a full breakdown of what to expect across their key categories, and what to do about it.

The General Rule: Size Up

Blumarine uses Italian sizing (running from 36 to 46 across most pieces), and the consensus — from customer reviews, fashion forums, and anyone who's dressed clients in the label, myself included — is consistent: go up one full size from your usual Italian/European designer sizing, and possibly two if you're between sizes or have a fuller bust.

If you typically wear a size 38 in Italian designer brands, start with a 40 at Blumarine.
If you're a UK 10–12, you'll likely be looking at a 40–42 depending on the cut.
If you have a larger bust relative to your waist, size for the bust and have the waist taken in — it's worth it for their knitwear and fitted dresses especially.

💡 Stylist tip: Blumarine's pieces are designed to fit close and look intentionally body-conscious. If you want a more relaxed result — or you're buying a dress you plan to wear with movement — size up by two. The silhouette won't be lost; the waist detailing on their dresses ensures the shape stays even in a larger size.

Dresses & Occasionwear

Their dresses are where the sizing quirk is most pronounced. Blumarine's signature mini and midi dresses — often in satin, chiffon or duchesse — are cut close through the body with structured bodices that have very little give. The bust is particularly unforgiving. I've seen clients order their usual Italian designer size and find themselves unable to get into the back closure at all. Not ideal.

Always size for your bust and hips first — the waist can be taken in by a good tailor far more easily than the bust can be let out.
The structured mini dresses with shaped skirts (a Blumarine signature) tend to run the smallest — size up two for these if you're curvier.
Their slip dresses and bias-cut styles have slightly more forgiveness due to the drape, but still size up one.
If ordering online without trying first, check individual product measurements against your own — don't rely on size alone.

Knitwear

Blumarine's knitwear is glorious — heavily associated with the brand's heritage, and honestly what I'd buy first if budget allowed. The fitted cardigans, the floral intarsia jumpers, the little cropped knits with their signature detail. But again, they come up small. The knit has some stretch, which does help, but these pieces are not designed generously.

Size up one as a starting point for their fitted knits.
If you prefer your knitwear slightly relaxed or layerable, size up two.
Their cardigan styles are designed to sit close to the body — if you're broad across the shoulders, factor that in.

Denim & Trousers

The brand has leaned into denim in recent seasons — leopard-print washes, embroidered styles, and low-slung cuts that sit firmly in Y2K territory. Sizing here follows the same pattern as the rest of the collection. Blumarine denim tends to be cut through a narrower hip than some Italian competitors, so if you have fuller hips or thighs, size up accordingly. There's very little stretch in most of their denim finishes, so don't count on it giving over time the way a high-street pair might.

What the Brand Is All About

Founded in 1977 by Anna Molinari, Blumarine has always traded on an unabashedly romantic, feminine aesthetic — one that could tip into kitsch in less sure hands, but has always managed to stay on the right side of desirable. The brand had a huge cultural moment during the Y2K revival, and under its recent creative evolution (with David Koma now at the helm for pre-fall 2025 and beyond), it's headed into a more structured but equally romantic chapter. Think less girlish confection, more refined sensuality — still with the ruffles and floral DNA, but with sharper tailoring underneath. It remains a brand that rewards women who know their body and dress for it deliberately.

High Street Alternatives with the Same Energy

The Blumarine aesthetic — romantic, feminine, occasion-ready, body-conscious — is one of the most sought-after looks in fashion right now, and thankfully you don't have to spend designer prices to achieve it. Here are my top high street picks for capturing that same romantic-yet-polished energy:

Mango — consistently nails the romantic Italian-inspired aesthetic with satin slip dresses, floral midi skirts and fitted knits that feel premium for the price point.
Anthropologie — brilliant for the floral, feminine, occasion-ready end of the Blumarine spectrum; their dresses are particularly well-cut and regularly reviewed as standout buys by style editors.
Ted Baker — feminine occasionwear with structured bodices and flattering fit, ideal if you love Blumarine's party dress energy without the price tag.
Phase Eight — consistently excellent for romantic, body-skimming occasion dresses; their knitwear is also a strong suit and well-reviewed for quality.
Reiss — where Blumarine meets precision tailoring on a budget; their knit and occasionwear edit bridges the gap beautifully between high street and premium.
Whistles — quietly brilliant for the more refined, less overtly girlish side of romantic dressing; great for the customer who loves the Blumarine silhouette but wants it toned down slightly.
Coast — strong occasion buy for the structured, embellished, cocktail-dress end of the brand's offer; regularly recommended by wedding guest style editors.
Monsoon — excellent for the embroidered, floral, feminine detailing that runs through Blumarine's DNA; their occasionwear and knitwear is often remarkably close in spirit.

Premium Alternatives

Sitting between the high street and full luxury, these labels offer that elevated romantic femininity at a more approachable price than Blumarine:

Self-Portrait — arguably the closest aesthetic match at a fraction of the price; their lace, mesh and structured occasion dresses are practically designed for the Blumarine customer.
Rotate Birger Christensen — Danish label beloved by fashion editors for its bold, party-ready femininity with a contemporary edge; excellent quality and a size range that's refreshingly accurate.
Ghost London — for the more floaty, slinky, romantic end of the Blumarine spectrum; a British brand with decades of heritage in sensual, drape-led feminine dressing.

Luxury & Designer Alternatives

If Blumarine speaks to you but you want to explore the wider world of Italian luxury femininity at a similar or higher price point:

Dolce & Gabbana — the spiritual big sister of Blumarine; similarly body-conscious, similarly Italian, similarly uncompromising about femininity.
Versace — for the more maximalist, high-voltage end of that Y2K-romantic spectrum; a natural step up for the Blumarine customer with bolder taste.
Missoni — if it's the knitwear and Italian craftsmanship that draws you to Blumarine, Missoni is the natural luxury comparison; renowned worldwide for their knit expertise.

Two Independent Brands Worth Knowing

Bernadette — a Belgian independent label that has become a quiet cult favourite among fashion editors; their voluminous, puff-sleeved floral dresses have an almost exaggerated romanticism that's perfectly in step with the Blumarine spirit, without being a copy of it. Genuinely beautiful pieces, sized accurately, and far less well-known than they deserve to be.
Kika Vargas — Colombian-born, London and Paris-stocked designer whose hand-crafted romantic dresses in bold florals and rich textures have been featured in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Independently run, deeply feminine, and completely distinct from anything on the high street. A brilliant find for the customer who wants romantic dressing with real provenance.

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