What Is Sizing Like at Melissa Odabash?

By Ella Blake — Fashion Stylist | Tellar Fashion Hub — Always honest, unbiased & unsponsored

The short answer: Melissa Odabash swimwear runs small due to its Italian cut, so the brand itself recommends sizing up — while their beachwear and cover-ups tend to fit true to size thanks to their more relaxed, bohemian silhouette. If you're between sizes anywhere in the range, always go up. It's that simple, and I really wish someone had told me that before my first order.

I've been recommending Melissa Odabash to clients for years — it's one of those brands that sits in that sweet spot between genuinely wearable and properly luxurious. I first encountered it at a boutique in Notting Hill on a dreary January afternoon, which felt deeply incongruous given how much it made me want to be on a boat somewhere warm. The cut is exceptional, the fabrics feel like nothing else in swimwear at a similar price point, and there's a reason Vogue, Tatler and Harper's Bazaar return to it season after season. But the sizing? It trips people up constantly. Let me save you the frustration.

Who Is Melissa Odabash?

American-born and Italy-trained, Melissa Odabash is a former swimwear model who launched her eponymous brand after starting out selling bikini designs from boutiques in Milan. She's since built it into one of the world's most recognised luxury swimwear labels — stocked in over 500 stores across 62 countries, with boutiques in Chelsea and Notting Hill in London. What sets the brand apart is Melissa's hands-on approach: she reportedly tries on every single piece in her collection personally before it goes to market. For a luxury swimwear brand, that's genuinely rare, and you feel it in the fit.

The collection spans bikinis (tops and bottoms sold separately, which is a huge plus for women who aren't the same size on top and bottom), one-pieces, kaftans, cover-up dresses and resort-ready beachwear. Prices range from around £150 for bikini pieces to well over £400 for embellished swimsuits and resort separates.

Melissa Odabash Size Conversion Table

Melissa Odabash uses UK sizing as its base. Here's how it converts across to EU, IT and US:

UK SizeEU SizeIT SizeUS SizeBust (cm)Waist (cm)Hips (cm)6 / XXS3436280–8262–6486–888 / XS3638484–8666–6890–9210 / S3840688–9070–7294–9612 / M4042892–9474–7698–10014 / L42441096–9878–80102–10416 / XL444612100–10282–84106–10818464814104–10686–88110–112

Note: Swimwear in particular runs small due to the Italian-style cut. Size up from your usual UK size when ordering swimwear. Beachwear and cover-ups follow standard UK sizing more accurately.

Swimwear: The Essential Rule — Size Up

This is the piece of advice Melissa Odabash's own website gives, and I can't stress it enough: the swimwear runs small. The Italian cut is precise, structured and designed to hold everything in place, which is brilliant for support and shape — but it means there's very little give in that fabric, and if you're on the generous side of your usual size, you'll feel it immediately.

If you're a UK 12, order a UK 14 in swimwear. If you're a UK 10, order a 12. Don't let vanity sizing get in your way here — the sizing up philosophy is about getting the best fit, not the smallest number on the label. Melissa herself says it: "If you're a size 10, buy a size 10 — not an 8." She means it sincerely, and she's been trying this swimwear on herself for decades.

Bikini Tops & Bottoms: The Detail That Changes Everything

One of the best things about this brand — and something I flag to every client — is that tops and bottoms are sold separately. If you're a 10 on top and a 12 on the bottom, you can mix accordingly. This is a genuine luxury that most swimwear brands still haven't cracked.

Bikini tops: Halterneck styles like the Paris and Brussels can be adjusted via the straps for a better bust fit. For a fuller bust (D cup and above), look to underwired styles — the Bel Air and Brussels are particularly well-regarded for support.
Bikini bottoms — cheeky and tie-side styles: These run noticeably smaller and you should size up here without question. The coverage is deliberately reduced, which means the sizing feels tighter.
High-waisted and full-coverage bottoms: These are cut more generously and can be closer to your true size, though sizing up remains sensible if you're between sizes.
One-pieces: The Sydney, Kos and Lisbon styles are consistently recommended for fuller busts — they offer structured support and more coverage in a deeply flattering silhouette. Size up from your usual as a rule.

Beachwear & Cover-Ups: True to Size

The kaftans, cover-up dresses and resort separates are a different story. These are designed with a relaxed, bohemian ease — think flowing cotton and silk-feel fabrics that are meant to move. The brand confirms these fit true to size, and in my experience that's accurate. The silhouettes are generous enough that you don't need to size up, though if you're between sizes and prefer a more relaxed drape, going up won't hurt.

One thing to watch: some beachwear styles are one-size or come in XS/S and M/L configurations. Always check the product listing. The kaftans in particular can be quite long on petite frames — it's worth noting your height against the listed measurements before buying.

Fabric & Care — Why It Matters for Fit

The swimwear is crafted from premium Italian stretch fabric — most styles are double-lined, and many carry SPF protection in the fabric itself, which is a proper detail worth paying for. However, this fabric requires care: hand wash only, reshape whilst wet, and never tumble dry. Chlorine, suncream and oils can all cause discolouration and degradation over time, so rinsing immediately after wearing is non-negotiable if you want this kit to last. Treat it well and it will genuinely hold its shape and colour for several seasons.

Alternatives If Melissa Odabash Is Out of Reach

Look, not every holiday budget stretches to £200+ bikinis, and that's completely fine. Here's where I'd point clients who want that same polished, resort-ready aesthetic at different price points:

High Street & Accessible:

Whistles — A consistently underrated high street option for elegant, flattering swimwear and beach cover-ups. The quality of their resort pieces has improved noticeably in recent seasons and the aesthetic is sophisticated without trying too hard.
Mango — Brilliant for Mediterranean-inspired swimwear. Their bikini separates are excellent value and they've been nailing the halterneck and triangle styles that feel closest to the Odabash look.
Coast — A genuinely good pick for occasion-worthy beachwear and cover-up dresses. Particularly strong for kaftans and maxi beach dresses with a more feminine, dressed-up finish.
Monsoon — Long overlooked but seriously strong for resort dressing. Their embroidered kaftans and beach cover-ups capture the bohemian luxury aesthetic remarkably well at a much gentler price point.
The White Company — For timeless, understated beachwear and resort loungewear, The White Company is consistently excellent. The fabrics are beautiful and the aesthetic is pure, quiet luxury.
Hush — A quieter name but one I trust completely for relaxed beach dressing. Their swim shorts and beach cover-ups are thoughtfully cut and consistently well-reviewed.
Fat Face — Particularly good for the more casual, sporty end of beachwear. Solid swimwear quality, excellent rash vests and cover-ups, and sizing tends to be reliably true to size.

Premium:

Reiss — Their resort and swimwear offering has grown quietly in quality and confidence. Strong for the cover-up dress and beach-to-bar pieces that Odabash does so well at the higher end.
Ted Baker — Always reliable for a touch of glamour in swimwear. Particularly good for underwired bikini tops with good support, and their one-pieces are a perennial strong suit.

Luxury & Designer Alternatives:

Hunza G — The cult London-born swimwear label that needs almost no introduction. Their signature crinkle fabric stretches to fit a wide range of body shapes from a single size, making sizing concerns virtually irrelevant. A genuinely clever and beautiful product.
Agua by Agua Bendita — A Colombian luxury swimwear brand that has quietly become a cult favourite among fashion editors. Hand-embroidered, richly detailed and with a feminine, artisanal quality that rivals Odabash for craftsmanship. Find it at Net-a-Porter and select boutiques.

Get Your Exact Melissa Odabash Size — Instantly

Melissa Odabash's Italian cut and style-by-style fit variations make it genuinely tricky to size correctly online — and at these price points, getting it wrong is expensive. That's exactly the problem Tellar.co.uk was built to solve.

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