What is sizing like at LK Bennett?

LK Bennett runs true to size to very slightly small, with the catch being that its fitted, tailored pieces sit close to the body and there's no vanity sizing softening the numbers — so if you've a fuller bust or an hourglass shape, you'll often want to take your usual size and have a back-up one size up ready. That single fact trips up more shoppers than anything else about the brand. LK Bennett still cuts to traditional British retail standards rather than the generous, ever-creeping sizing you find on a lot of the high street, which is exactly why a confident UK 10 elsewhere can suddenly feel pinched in a Bennett shift dress. It's not the brand being mean — it's the brand being precise.

So, does LK Bennett run small?

In a word: tailored, not tiny. The brand sits in the same camp as Hobbs and Whistles — heritage cuts that hold to proper UK measurements. Where it feels small is in the structure. A pencil skirt or a sharp shift is engineered to skim, so there's no slouch to hide behind. Their wrap dresses and softer, fluid styles, on the other hand, are far more forgiving and most people take their normal size without a second thought.

A quick confession from my own styling diary: years ago I sent a client off to Ascot in a beautiful Bennett fit-and-flare in her "usual" size, talked her out of trying the size up, and spent the morning of the event watching her hold her breath through the speeches. Lesson learned — with this brand I now always order the bracket, not the single number.

Dresses and tailoring: where the snug bits are

Bust first. Fitted shift and pencil styles run a touch small across the bust and chest. If you're a D-cup or above, size up or choose a wrap.
Waist is honest. The waist tends to land true to size, so the squeeze is rarely the midriff — it's the rib and bust.
Blazers are cut sharp. Tailoring is the brand's signature, so jackets are built for a clean shoulder line rather than relaxed layering. Between sizes? Go up if you want a jumper underneath.
Quality buys you room. The fabrics are properly lined with covered zips, so a piece that fits well will move with you all day.

The famous shoes — read this before you order

LK Bennett's pointed courts (the Floret and its cousins) are the pieces I get asked about most, and they consistently run narrow and around half a size small. If you're a true 38 you'll likely want the 39, and if your feet are wide, factor that in too. Their boots are kinder and closer to true to size. The leather softens a little with wear, but never buy a court hoping it'll stretch into comfort — it won't. My own fashion fail: a gorgeous nude pointed court in my "normal" size that I wore exactly once before retiring it to the heel-grip graveyard. Buy the half-size up.

Who LK Bennett suits best

This is a brand for the polished dresser — the wedding-guest, the boardroom, the smart lunch. Straighter, more rectangular frames tend to slip into the tailored cuts beautifully. Curvier shapes aren't shut out at all; you simply size up on fitted styles or lean into the wrap and fit-and-flare silhouettes, which were practically designed for an hourglass.

Where else to shop if you love LK Bennett

If the refined, occasion-ready Bennett look is your thing, here's where I'd send clients next, by tier.

On the high street:

Phase Eight — the go-to for occasion dresses with a far more forgiving, generous cut than Bennett; brilliant if the snug fit puts you off.
Coast — event and wedding-guest specialists with structured dresses that photograph beautifully.
Monsoon — feminine occasionwear and embellishment when you want a bit of romance for less.
Ted Baker — pretty, fitted occasion pieces; note it runs small in its own quirky number system, so check before you buy.

Premium step-up:

Hobbs — Bennett's closest sibling for classic British tailoring and the exact same heritage approach to fit.
Whistles — cleaner, more contemporary lines that still hold true UK measurements; superb for modern workwear.
Reiss — sharp, grown-up tailoring and elegant occasion dresses with a slightly more relaxed cut.
Jigsaw — quietly luxurious fabrics and timeless shapes for the woman who hates fuss.
Me&Em — clever, elongating tailoring designed around real proportions; genuinely flattering.
Massimo Dutti — European polish and beautiful courts at a gentler price than Bennett.
Mint Velvet — relaxed-luxe pieces for when you want the elegance without the structure.

Luxury / designer:

Max Mara — the gold standard for tailored coats and investment dressing; precise sizing, faultless fabric.

Two independent gems worth knowing

Because the high street isn't the whole story, here are two left-field British labels I rate for exactly this customer:

The Fold London — an independent London house built around polished workwear and occasion tailoring; cut for taller, longer frames and run on a refreshingly honest fit.
Cefinn — Samantha Cameron's independent label of modern, wearable tailoring and dresses with clever stretch, so it forgives where Bennett can pinch.

Never guess your LK Bennett size again

Here's where I'll be honest about why I built Tellar. Bennett is precise, and precision deserves data — not a returns pile. Tellar is the UK's leading sizing tool: measure once using your bust, waist, hip, or simply a brand size you already own, and we match your body to over 1,500 brands instantly. No more squinting at a size guide.

Measure once — bust, waist, hip, or an existing brand size you trust.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — LK Bennett, COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

And there's the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. Always free. Style advice, top picks and the best brands, with nothing sponsored hiding in the small print.

Get your exact LK Bennett size in seconds

Match your real measurements to 1,500+ brands and never check a size chart again. Always free.

Find my size on Tellar →