What is sizing like at Kew?

Kew runs big. The cut is generous and relaxed, so most people end up a full size — sometimes two — smaller than their usual high street size, especially on the bottom half. If you normally take a 12, order Kew in a 10 and have the 8 on standby for skirts and trousers.

I have been styling women for the best part of fifteen years, and Kew is one of the brands that catches my clients out almost every single time. It is a lovely, easy, very British label — think soft prints, linen, jersey and relaxed separates you can throw on at the weekend — but that comfortable, flowing design philosophy means there is a lot of ease built into the patterns. Beautiful to wear once you have the right size. Frustrating if you order on autopilot.

So how does Kew actually fit?

Here is the honest stylist breakdown, because Kew does not fit the same way top and bottom:

Bottoms run very large. Skirts, trousers and the hip area of dresses are the worst offenders. I have watched size 14 clients swim in a Kew 12. Size down here without hesitation.
Tops are closer to true-to-size through the bust, but still on the relaxed side. If you are between sizes, take the smaller one.
Dresses are a mixed bag — often fitted-ish on top and very roomy through the hip, so the smaller size usually wins overall.
Knitwear and jersey grow with wear. What feels snug in the changing room will relax by lunchtime. Do not buy for "now", buy for an hour in.

A quick confession so you do not repeat my mistake. A few summers ago I ordered a Kew linen midi in my normal size for a garden wedding, assumed it would be fine, did not try it until the morning of — and spent the whole day hoiking up a waistband that had given up entirely. The size down would have been perfect. Lesson learned, and now passed on to you.

How to nail your Kew size first time

Start one full size below your usual, and order the size below that too for skirts and trousers.
Go by your waist and hip measurement for bottoms — that is where the generosity lives.
For a polished look, size down and add a belt or a half-tuck rather than reaching for the bigger size to "cover" things. Relaxed brands look best when one part of the outfit is deliberately neat.
If you love the print but the fit is swamping you, a quick £10 tailor's nip at the waist or a shortened strap transforms a Kew piece. They are very alterable.

Styled well, Kew is genuinely brilliant value — easy prints, natural fabrics and that throw-on-and-go feel. The trick is treating it as a relaxed brand on purpose, not by accident.

If Kew's fit isn't for you: where else to shop

Sometimes you want that same relaxed, printed, easy-living wardrobe but with more predictable sizing. These are the brands I steer clients towards, by budget.

High street

Whistles — contemporary and reliably true-to-size. The first place I send anyone who finds Kew's sizing a lottery.
Jigsaw — Kew's more grown-up sister brand. Same easy spirit, sharper tailoring and a neater, more dependable fit.
Boden — British, print-led and joyfully relaxed, with consistent sizing and proper petite and long options.
Seasalt Cornwall — coastal prints and soft natural fabrics with the same laid-back feel, cut a touch more predictably.
White Stuff — casual, printed, characterful separates for the exact same weekend wardrobe slot as Kew.
Hush — effortless everyday basics and dresses, relaxed but cleanly cut so you are not drowning in fabric.
Mint Velvet — relaxed-luxe contemporary pieces; elevated easy dressing with a slightly more flattering line.
Oliver Bonas — quirky prints and dependable, consistent sizing, so it is a genuinely safe online order.

Premium

Toast — the grown-up version of Kew's natural-fabric aesthetic; artful, relaxed cuts in beautiful linen and cotton.
Brora — British cashmere and gorgeous prints, beautifully made, with a relaxed-elegant fit that lasts for years.
Me&Em — clever, proportion-led design and considered sizing; ideal if you want easy dressing that still looks pulled together.

Luxury / designer

Max Mara — impeccable tailoring and the best coats in the business; the investment end of relaxed, elegant dressing.
By Malene Birger — Scandinavian print and drape with real impact, for when you want relaxed to look like a statement.
Joseph — refined separates and exquisite fabrics with a slightly sharper silhouette than Kew, cut to flatter.

Two independents worth knowing

Palava — a brilliant little British label printing joyful, vintage-inspired patterns onto organic cotton. If you love Kew for the prints, you will adore this.
Sideline — a Brighton-based independent doing relaxed, natural-fabric separates in lovely muted colours, ethically made in small runs.

Never guess your Kew size again

This is exactly why I built Tellar.co.uk — the UK's leading sizing tool. Match your body to over 1,500 brands instantly and never squint at a size guide again.

Measure once — using bust, waist, hip, or simply a brand size you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in Kew, COS, Reiss, Arket and hundreds more.
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Then explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. Always free.