What Is Sizing Like at Closet London clothing?

Closet London sizing runs broadly true to standard UK sizing, but with one big caveat: fit shifts noticeably between collections and fabrics, so the size that fits you perfectly in a jersey wrap dress can feel a full size tighter in a structured satin pencil. If you usually take a UK 12 on the high street, a 12 is your sensible starting point here — just don't assume every style will behave the same way on your body.

I've styled Closet London for clients heading to weddings, christenings and the dreaded "smart but not too smart" work do for years, and it's a brand I genuinely rate for occasionwear that doesn't cost the earth. But I've also had my share of returns parcels, so let me save you the faff.

How Closet London Sizing Actually Fits

The brand is built around feminine, slightly retro silhouettes — think fit-and-flare, wrap dresses, pencil shapes and that 1950s nipped-in waist. Because so many of those styles are designed to define the waist, the fit feels more tailored than a relaxed high street dress. Here's what to expect:

Waist-defined styles run fitted. Fit-and-flare and pencil dresses sit close through the midriff. If you carry more on your waist or tummy, size up rather than fight the zip.
The bust can be the sticking point. Several styles are cut neat across the chest. Fuller-busted clients often find they size to the bust and take in the waist.
Length runs a touch short. A few midi dresses land higher than you'd expect, especially if you're 5'7" and over — worth knowing before a wedding.
Curve collection is reliable. The Closet Curve range (roughly sizes 16–26) keeps the same flattering identity and reviewers consistently call it true to size.

Where It Gets Tricky

The single biggest reason people get caught out is fabric. A crepe or jersey dress has give and forgives a lot; a structured cotton or satin style has almost none. I once ordered the same dress style in two prints — the soft viscose was spot on, the stiffer cotton version needed a size up. Same label, same number, different reality.

Collections matter too. Occasion pieces and workwear are cut on different base patterns, so don't treat your "Closet size" as a fixed rule across the whole site. Check the cut and the cloth on each individual piece.

My Stylist Tips for Getting It Right First Time

Measure to your largest point — usually bust or hips — then judge the waist from the product photos and reviews.
Read the fabric description. "Stretch", "jersey" or "crepe" = forgiving. "Structured", "satin" or "cotton sateen" = order true to size or up.
For a wedding, buy early. Give yourself room to exchange rather than panic-ordering two sizes the week before.

Where Else to Shop for the Same Look

If Closet London nearly works but not quite, here are the brands I send clients to for similar feminine, occasion-ready dressing — across every budget.

High street & mid-market

Coast — the go-to for wedding guest and occasion dresses; structured, polished and built for an event.
Phase Eight — brilliant for mother-of-the-bride and races; flattering fits and beautiful fabrics.
Hobbs — refined tailoring and tea dresses with a slightly more grown-up, classic edge.
Monsoon — feminine prints and embellishment, strong on special-occasion midi dresses.
Ted Baker — fit-and-flare shapes and bold florals that sit very close to Closet London's DNA.
Whistles — for a cleaner, more modern take when you want occasion without the frills.
Reiss — sharp, desk-to-dinner dresses that work just as hard at the office as at dinner.
Oliver Bonas — playful, characterful occasion pieces with a creative, slightly quirky finish.

Premium

Ghost — those signature bias-cut satin slip dresses; romantic, fluid and endlessly flattering.
Sézane — Parisian-chic dresses with gorgeous prints and a more elevated, understated feel.

Luxury / designer

Max Mara — investment-level tailoring and dresses; impeccable cut and fabric that lasts for years.

Two independents worth knowing

RIXO — a London independent famous for hand-painted prints and easy, occasion-friendly dresses with real personality.
Kitri — another London label doing standout printed and statement dresses in small drops, so you won't see yourself coming and going at the party.

Stop guessing your size — match your body to 1,500+ brands

Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool. Enter your measurements once — bust, waist, hip, or even your existing size in a brand you know — and we match your exact shape to over 1,500 brands instantly. Never squint at a size guide again.

Always free. No downloads. Works straight in your browser.

Find Your Size at Tellar Use the Store Size Lookup

How Tellar Works for Closet London

Because Closet London's fit moves around between collections and fabrics, it's exactly the kind of brand a one-size-fits-all chart gets wrong. With the Store Size Lookup tool, you put in your real measurements and we tell you your precise size in Closet London — and in COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and hundreds more. Measure once, shop anywhere.

More from the Tellar Fashion Hub

A library stacked with free posts from our stylists. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. Always free — style advice, top picks and best brands, with no sponsored nonsense.