What Is Sizing Like at Mavie? A Stylist’s Honest Fit Guide

Mavie broadly follows standard UK and EU sizing, but the honest answer is that fit depends almost entirely on the fabric — the soft jersey and knit pieces run relaxed and forgiving, while the more structured styles sit closer to true to size. So there’s no single number to memorise here. As a small independent label, Mavie doesn’t have the rigid, factory-standardised grading you’d get from a big high street chain, which is both the charm and the catch. I’m Ella Blake, Senior Fashion Stylist and Founder of Tellar, and I’ve spent years working out exactly where smaller brands like this catch people out. Let me save you the guesswork.

So, does Mavie run true to size?

For most people, your usual UK size will be the right starting point. The pieces aren’t built with heavy vanity sizing, so if you’re a 12 elsewhere, order the 12. Where it gets interesting is the cut. Independent labels tend to design around a relaxed, easy-living silhouette rather than a sharp tailored one, and Mavie is no exception — expect a little extra room through the body on the softer styles.

I learned this lesson the hard way years ago with a similar small-batch brand: I sized down on a slouchy knit thinking I’d get a neater line, and ended up with something that clung in all the wrong places once I’d worn it for an afternoon. Knit relaxes. Jersey drops. Always factor that in.

Fabric is the real story

If you take one thing from this post, make it this: with Mavie, read the fabric before you read the size label. Here’s how the different fabrications tend to behave:

Jersey and viscose-blend pieces — the most forgiving. These have natural give and a relaxed drape, so they skim rather than grip. Stick to your normal size; only size down if you genuinely prefer a closer fit.
Knitwear — cut generously and relaxes further with wear and washing. If you’re between sizes, take the smaller one, because it’ll loosen.
Woven and structured styles (shirts, tailored trousers, anything lined) — the truest to size, with the least stretch. This is where you want to check the garment measurements properly.
Anything elasticated or drawstring — very accommodating across the hip and waist, so don’t overthink it.

Fit notes by body area

A few patterns worth knowing before you order, based on how comfort-led independent labels typically grade:

Bust: Relaxed styles allow plenty of room. If you’re fuller-busted, you’ll usually be fine in your standard size — it’s the structured woven pieces that need a measurement check.
Waist: Often the most generous point on easy-fit pieces, so a defined waist may need a belt or a tuck to bring shape back.
Hip: Generally comfortable, particularly on jersey and elasticated bottoms.
Length: The detail smaller brands rarely standardise. If you’re very petite or very tall, check the garment length in centimetres rather than trusting the size name.

How to nail your Mavie size first time

My stylist shortcuts for ordering from any independent label without the returns drama:

Measure one garment you already own and love that fits the way you want, flat on a table, and compare it to Mavie’s product measurements. This beats any size chart.
Decide your intended fit before you order — relaxed or close — because the same piece can do both depending on the size you pick.
For knits, size down if between sizes. For wovens, size up if between sizes.
Keep the swing tags and packaging until you’ve tried everything on at home, as smaller brands sometimes have tighter return windows.

Where to shop if Mavie isn’t quite right

If you love the easy, comfort-led Mavie aesthetic but want a fit you can predict, here’s where I’d send clients across the price spectrum.

High street

Uniqlo — the gold standard for reliable jersey and loungewear basics; sizing barely shifts season to season.
Hush — British, relaxed jersey and loungewear with a slightly generous, lived-in fit that mirrors Mavie’s mood beautifully.
Nobody’s Child — contemporary, sustainable easy dresses and separates at a gentle price point.
Mint Velvet — soft, relaxed-luxe pieces for anyone who wants comfort that still looks considered.
Seasalt Cornwall — comfortable, generously cut casualwear in lovely natural fabrics.
COS — minimalist and often deliberately oversized, ideal if you like an architectural, roomy line.
Boden — easy everyday staples with consistent, true-to-generous sizing and proper length options.

Premium

Toast — relaxed, natural-fibre pieces with a quiet, artful feel and roomy, considered cuts.
Baukjen — sustainable contemporary wardrobing with soft tailoring and a flattering, true-to-size grade.
Me&Em — elevated separates engineered to fit a real range of body shapes, with clever length variants.

Luxury & designer

By Malene Birger — Scandi luxe with an effortless, slightly relaxed elegance that scales the Mavie look right up.
Totême — pared-back, investment-grade minimalism; pieces run clean and contemporary, so check the cut on tailored items.

Two independents worth knowing

Lucy & Yak — a genuinely independent, comfort-first label built on relaxed, joyful, easy-wearing pieces. If you came to Mavie for comfort, you’ll feel right at home.
Thought — small-batch and sustainability-led, with soft natural fabrics and a gentle, relaxed fit that rewards the “size by feel” approach.

How Tellar takes the guesswork out

Here’s the bit that genuinely changes how you shop. Tellar.co.uk is the UK’s leading sizing tool — it matches your body to over 1,500 brands instantly, so you never squint at a size guide again.

Measure once, using bust, waist, hip, or simply your existing size in a brand you already wear.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and hundreds more.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

And once you’ve found your size, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists — honest, unbiased, independent and always free. Style advice, top picks and the best brands, with no agenda beyond getting you dressed in something that actually fits.

Keep reading

Stop guessing your size at Mavie — and everywhere else

Your body, matched to 1,500+ brands in seconds. Always honest, always unbiased, always free.

Find My Size on Tellar →