What Is Sizing Like at Dora Larsen? My Honest Fit Guide

By Ella Blake – Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder | Tellar — Always honest, unbiased, & unsponsored post

Dora Larsen bras run on standard UK band-and-cup sizing (think 32B, 34D, 36C) and the brand officially says they’re true to size — but in my experience the bands sit firm, the bralettes feel a touch tighter than your everyday cotton sets, and the briefs (sized XS–XL) come up slightly small, especially in the stretchy elasticated lace styles. So if you’re between sizes, or you know you carry a bit of width across the back, that’s the detail worth knowing before you hit “add to basket.”

I’ve styled a lot of lingerie over the years, and Dora Larsen is one of those brands I genuinely root for — the colour-block palettes, the recycled fabrics, the sheer joy of opening that tissue-wrapped box. But colourful, sheer, stretch-tulle lingerie is also exactly the kind of thing that punishes a lazy size guess. So here’s how it actually fits, drawer by drawer.

How Dora Larsen Bras Fit

The bras follow regular UK sizing, so your usual size is the right starting point. A few honest observations from wearing and fitting the range:

The band runs firm. The wire-free bralettes in particular grip across the back. If your everyday band feels comfortable rather than tight, you may sit at the looser end of your size — in which case the snugger fit can catch you out.
The cups are cut neat. Stretch-tulle and moulded styles flatter B–C cups beautifully but can feel a little mean on a fuller C+ bust. One reviewer told the brand she loved the cut but found the cups small while the ribcage ran roomy — a textbook case for sister sizing (down a band, up a cup).
Underwired vs soft-cup makes a real difference. The wired balconettes give proper lift and shape; the wireless bralettes are dreamy for lounging but offer gentler, all-day support rather than serious structure.

A little fitting-room confession: I once grabbed my “safe” size in a sheer tulle bralette for a shoot, didn’t try it on, and by the second look of the day the band had crept halfway up the model’s back. Lesson firmly learned — with delicate stretch fabrics, the band is everything. Get that right and the rest follows.

How the Briefs, Bodies & Slips Fit

Briefs are sized XS–XL and run slightly small, especially the elasticated lace knickers and high-waist tangas. If you’re near the top of a bracket, size up — you’ll thank yourself.
The lace can feel snug across the hips, so measure rather than eyeball if your hips are your fuller point.
Bodies and slips are the least forgiving through the torso. If you’re taller or curvier, choose these with extra care — there’s less stretch to play with.

My Honest Verdict

When you nail the size, Dora Larsen is some of the most joyful, comfortable and genuinely sustainable lingerie on the UK market — recycled fabrics, gorgeous colour combinations and a feel-good factor that’s hard to beat. It isn’t cheap, though, which is precisely why guessing your size online stings so much when it goes wrong. The trick is to remove the guesswork entirely (more on that below).

Where Else to Shop: My Brand Recommendations

High Street That Does Lingerie Brilliantly

Marks & Spencer — the UK’s most dependable bra-fit destination, with the widest size spread and brilliant everyday support.
Calvin Klein — the bralette and logo-band benchmark; clean, modern and reliably true to size.
Hush — soft, wearable bralettes and loungewear with that effortless off-duty feel.
Urban Outfitters — their Out From Under line is the closest high-street cousin to Dora Larsen’s playful, colour-pop aesthetic.
ASOS — stocks Dora Larsen itself plus a huge own-brand lingerie edit, handy for side-by-side comparison.
Tommy Hilfiger — sporty branded underwear that wears and washes beautifully.
Sweaty Betty — if you wished the DL band gave more hold, their supportive bras are a brilliant everyday swap.
COS — pared-back, minimalist soft bras for a quieter lingerie drawer.

Premium Picks

Stripe & Stare — cult-loved for the softest knickers going, cut in forgiving modal so sizing is far more relaxed.
Hanky Panky — the famous one-size lace thong that genuinely flatters a huge range of bodies.

Luxury & Designer

Fleur of England — exquisite British boudoir lingerie for those proper special-occasion pieces.
Agent Provocateur — the gold standard for statement lingerie; always size using their detailed fit notes.

Two Independent Labels I Love

Both share Dora Larsen’s conscience, with a sizing trick or two of their own:

Lara Intimates — made in London, with separate band and cup sizing so you can fine-tune the exact fit Dora Larsen can’t.
AmaElla — organic cotton, ethically made, beautifully understated everyday pieces for the eco-minded drawer.

Never Guess Your Dora Larsen Size Again

Here’s the thing about buying lingerie online: a single wrong size means a returns label, a refund wait, and the joy completely drained out of it. That’s the exact problem I built Tellar to fix.

Find Your Perfect Dora Larsen Size in Under a Minute

Tellar.co.uk is the UK’s leading sizing tool — your body matched precisely to 1,500+ brands instantly, so you never have to squint at a size guide again.

Measure once using your bust, waist and hip — or simply enter your known size in another brand.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your exact size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket & more.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

Get your size now →

And once you’ve sorted your size, dive into the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest, unbiased, independent and always free, covering style advice, top picks and the best brands for every fashion query you can think of.