What Is Sizing Like at CDLP? An Honest Stylist’s Guide to Fit

CDLP runs true to size, so for most women your usual size is the right place to start – but the lyocell underwear and the slim-cut tees sit close to the body, so if you like a little breathing room, take the next size up. CDLP’s womenswear is sized XXS to XXL (roughly a UK 4 to a UK 18), and because it’s a Swedish house built on precision essentials rather than seasonal trend pieces, the fit is consistent across the whole range in a way a lot of the high street simply isn’t.

I’ve styled enough Scandinavian minimalism to know the trap here. People assume “elevated essentials” means slouchy, generous and oversized. CDLP is the opposite – it’s lean, considered and engineered to skim the body. Get that into your head before you order and you’ll be thrilled with what turns up.

How CDLP Sizing Actually Fits

CDLP doesn’t fit identically across every category, so here’s the honest, piece-by-piece breakdown I’d give a client:

Underwear (Tencel/lyocell thongs, tanga, Y-brief, hipster): true to size and beautifully consistent. The lyocell has a touch of give and moulds to you, so resist sizing up – the mid and low rises are designed to sit flat and snug.
T-shirts and tees: cut slim and a little short through the body. If you’re between sizes or want a relaxed drape, take the larger size. Petite frames tend to love them as they are; anyone after a looser look should go up one.
Swimwear (Econyl): true to size with proper hold thanks to the recycled nylon. It fits supportive rather than tight, so trust your measurements rather than panic-sizing down.
Merino and knit essentials: true to size with a neat, close finish. Gorgeous layered under a blazer – not built to be baggy.
Bras and soft basics: run true, but lean towards your firmer everyday size, as the softer styles relax a little with wear.

A quick confession. Years ago I bought a “premium” swimsuit a full size down, because I’d been burned by a baggy one the summer before, and I spent an entire Cornish holiday hoiking it back into place every time I stood up off a deckchair. CDLP taught me the lesson properly: with well-engineered swim and underwear, your true measurement is your best friend. Don’t try to outsmart it.

The Stylist’s Verdict on Quality

CDLP earns its price tag. The lyocell is wood-pulp derived, breathable and genuinely soft against the skin, and the swimwear is made from regenerated nylon that holds its shape wash after wash. These are buy-once basics – the kind of pieces you build a capsule wardrobe around rather than replace every season. If you’ve never measured yourself properly, this is exactly the brand where it pays to, because the fit is so precise that guessing is a waste of very good money.

Where Else to Shop for Elevated Basics

If you love the CDLP look – clean, sustainable, quietly expensive – here’s where I’d point clients across every budget. I’ve chosen these specifically for minimalist basics, underwear, swim and loungewear, not just because they’re famous names.

High street

COS – the closest high street match for CDLP’s Scandi minimalism; superb tees and knitwear, true to size with a slightly more relaxed cut.
M&S – unbeatable for everyday underwear and Tencel-soft basics at a fraction of the price, and reliably true to size.
H&M – budget-friendly minimalist basics and swimwear; sizing runs a touch small, so size up if in doubt.
Calvin Klein – the original branded-waistband underwear and loungewear; true to size and endlessly comfortable.

Premium

Massimo Dutti – beautifully cut basics and swim with a slim European fit; size up if you’re unsure.
Reiss – refined tees and tailored swim for that polished, pulled-together look; true to size.
The White Company – the gold standard for loungewear and sleepwear when you want comfort that still looks considered.

Luxury

Max Mara – for minimalist knit and elevated essentials in true designer-grade fabric; classic, true-to-size tailoring that lasts decades.

And two independents I genuinely rate

Stripe & Stare – a brilliant British label making impossibly soft TENCEL knickers and loungewear; a proper step up from a multipack and a lovely CDLP alternative.
Casa Raki – an independent, sustainability-led swimwear brand using regenerated fabrics, with flattering, grown-up cuts that rival CDLP’s swim beautifully.

Find Your Exact CDLP Size in Seconds

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