What Is Sizing Like at Masai Copenhagen? Honest Fit Advice & What’s Worth Buying

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

Masai Copenhagen runs large and loose, so most women take their usual UK size or comfortably drop one down – though it genuinely depends on the cut, because this is a shape-first brand rather than a number-on-a-label one. If you’ve ever stood in front of the mirror wondering why your “normal” size is swamping you, you’re not going mad. Masai builds its clothes around silhouette and movement, which means an EU 40 might wear like a UK 12 in one dress and a UK 16 in another. Once you understand that, dressing in Masai becomes a joy rather than a guessing game.

So, does Masai run big or small?

In my experience styling clients in this brand, the honest verdict is: it runs generous, with a relaxed, artistic, Scandinavian fit. Masai has been doing its effortless, sculptural thing since 1992, and the cut is the whole point. Here’s how the main pieces tend to behave:

Tunics & A-line tops – oversized by design, with drop shoulders and wide hems. If you want any waist definition, size down or reach for a belt.
Dresses – straight and smock cuts run wide at the waist and hip; bias-cut styles skim the body far more flatteringly and hold their shape.
Trousers – soft tailoring, elasticated waists and wide legs. Forgiving, but the rise can be roomy if you’re petite.
Knitwear & cardigans – the layering hero of the range, and these run noticeably large. Size down if you want a neater drape over a shirt.

A quick confession – my first ever Masai buy was a linen tunic I ordered in my “safe” size without thinking. It arrived looking like a beautiful beige tent and I wore it exactly once. Lesson learned. The following season I went down a size in a bias-cut midi and it’s still one of the most-complimented dresses I own. That’s the Masai magic once you crack the fit.

Quick fit tips from the styling chair

Between sizes? Size down. Nine times out of ten you’ll prefer the cleaner line, especially in knits and jersey.
Curvier on top? A few of the slimmer tops can feel snug at the bust even when generous elsewhere – prioritise your bust measurement.
Tall (5’7”+)? Some hemlines come up shorter than you’d expect, so check the length on midis and tunics.
Want shape? Look for anything labelled bias-cut, or layer a belt over the looser pieces.

What’s actually worth buying

Masai earns its keep on seasonless staples – the floaty layering knits, the bias-cut dresses, and those easy wide-leg trousers that travel beautifully. It’s the brand I reach for when a client wants to look quietly considered rather than fashion-victim. The prints and inky neutrals do a lot of heavy lifting in a capsule wardrobe.

Brands with a similar feel (and how they fit)

If you love the relaxed, artful Masai aesthetic, here’s where else I’d send you, tier by tier. I’ve matched these to Masai’s flowy, layered DNA specifically – not just pulled names out of a hat.

High street

White Stuff – playful prints and easy, relaxed shapes; fit is broadly true to size with a soft, casual cut.
Seasalt Cornwall – artistic prints in organic cotton with a coastal, lived-in ease; generous and comfortable.
Hush – Scandi-leaning loungewear and effortless separates; relaxed fit, often roomy in the body.
Part Two – a fellow Danish label, so the minimalist DNA is almost identical; tends to fit true to size.
Phase Eight – lovely drapey occasion and everyday dresses; fairly true to size with a feminine cut.
Monsoon – flowy prints and embellished pieces for when you want a touch more occasion; generally true to size.
Fat Face – soft jersey and relaxed casual basics; runs comfortably roomy for layering.

Premium

Mint Velvet – relaxed-luxe neutrals with beautiful drape; the grown-up, polished cousin of the Masai look.
Me&Em – clever, considered tailoring and clean lines; pieces designed to flatter rather than swamp.

Luxury / designer

Oska – German lagenlook label built entirely around sculptural, layered, artistic shapes; the natural step up from Masai.
Issey Miyake (Pleats Please) – the icon of architectural, movement-led dressing if you want to invest in real wardrobe art.

Two independents worth discovering

Gudrun Sjödén – a Swedish independent doing joyful, colourful organic prints; pure feel-good Scandi spirit, generously cut.
Grizas – a Lithuanian linen-led label loved for its crinkled, textural, artistic separates; beautifully made and quietly directional.

Stop guessing your Masai size with Tellar

Here’s the thing – with a shape-first brand like Masai, traditional size charts only tell you what’s on the label, not how the garment is actually cut. That’s exactly the problem Tellar.co.uk solves.

Tellar is the UK’s leading sizing tool: you 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 conversion charts, no more sizing roulette.

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

The Tellar Fashion Hub

Beyond the tool, there’s 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 for every body and budget – no adverts, no sponsored nonsense, just real guidance.

A few favourites to read next:

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