What Is Sizing Like at Great Plains? An Honest Stylist's Guide

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

Here's the honest truth: Great Plains sizing is gloriously inconsistent – their tops and knitwear run a full size generous, while their trousers run a size or two small, especially through the hips and thighs. So no, you can't simply pick one number and trust it across the whole collection, and yes, that's exactly why so many of us end up with a returns pile. After years of styling clients in and out of this French Connection-owned label, I've learned to read it garment by garment rather than as a single brand, and once you know the pattern, it stops being a gamble.

So, Does Great Plains Run Big or Small?

Both, frustratingly – and that's the bit nobody warns you about. I've had a client slip beautifully into a size 12 Great Plains midi dress and then fail to get the matching size 14 trousers past her hips. It's not your body playing tricks; it's their cutting patterns shifting between categories. Here's how it actually breaks down:

Tops & knitwear: Run generous. I'd happily size down, particularly on their slouchy cardigans and jersey styles, which can swamp you if you take your usual size.
Dresses: Mostly true to size, occasionally on the roomy side. The drapier, printed boho styles have ease built in, so go with your standard number.
Trousers & skirts: The troublemakers. Size up if you carry anything on your hips or thighs – the waist often fits while the leg refuses to play ball.
One-off pieces: Every season seems to have a rogue style (regulars will remember the infamous "birds dress" that came up enormous). When in doubt, check the reviews on that specific product.

My Styling Verdict

Great Plains sits in that lovely feminine, print-led, slightly bohemian lane – think tea dresses, soft knits and pretty blouses rather than sharp tailoring. The fabrics can be genuinely lovely (their cashmere blends in particular), though I'll be straight with you: quality is variable across the range and full prices feel steep. My professional advice? Buy the dresses and knitwear, be cautious with the trousers, and never pay full price – their sales are where the real value lives. If you're between sizes on a fitted style, the brand leans towards a smaller cut, so the dressing-room rule applies: try two sizes and keep the one that skims rather than clings.

Where to Shop if You Love the Great Plains Look

If you adore that feminine, printed, easy-to-wear aesthetic but want more reliable sizing, here are the brands I steer clients towards across every budget.

High Street

Monsoon – The closest spiritual cousin: occasion-friendly prints and embellished pieces with kinder, more consistent sizing.
White Stuff – Quirky prints and relaxed, true-to-size everyday dresses and knits. A safe bet if Great Plains trousers have burned you before.
Seasalt Cornwall – Beautiful organic-cotton prints with a coastal feel and genuinely dependable fit across the range.
Joules – Cheerful florals and easy jersey dresses; sizing here is reassuringly predictable.
Phase Eight – My go-to for feminine occasionwear that actually fits the bust and waist properly – far steadier than Great Plains on tailored pieces.
Boden – Colourful, print-heavy and brilliant for body-shape variety; their fit guides are some of the most honest on the high street.
Part Two – Scandinavian softness and gorgeous prints with a slightly more grown-up, minimal edge.

Premium

Mint Velvet – Elevated relaxed femininity – the obvious step up if you want the Great Plains mood with better fabric and finish.
Hobbs – Polished dresses and separates with proper, dependable sizing; ideal for events.
Me&Em – Clever, flattering cuts designed around real bodies – their petite and tall ranges are a genuine gift.

Luxury & Designer

Claudie Pierlot – That effortless French-girl prettiness, in lovely fabrics, if you want to invest in the boho-feminine look properly.
Max Mara – For knitwear and coats that will outlast everything in your wardrobe – the gold standard for quality and cut.

Two Independents Worth Knowing

Rixo – A London label built on dreamy, vintage-inspired prints and tea dresses; pure Great Plains energy but elevated and beautifully made.
Nobody's Child – Affordable, sustainable, print-led dresses with a younger spin – a brilliant left-field find for the romantic aesthetic.

The Easiest Way to Skip the Guesswork

Honestly, the single biggest reason brands like Great Plains drive us mad is that every label cuts differently – and that's exactly the problem I built Tellar to solve.

Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool: you match your body to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you never have to squint at another size guide. Measure once – using your bust, waist and hip, or simply your existing size in a brand you already own – and you're set.

Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand – COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
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There's also the Tellar Fashion Hub: a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest, unbiased, independent and always free – style advice, top picks and the best brands, all in one place.

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