What Is Sizing Like at Orla Kiely Clothing?

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

Orla Kiely sizing is broadly true to UK size — but the waist on some of her signature dresses runs notably narrow, so if you're anything other than very slim through the middle, sizing up one is genuinely worth considering. It's one of those brands that looks wonderfully forgiving in photos yet can catch you out at the waist when you actually try it on.

I've had a love affair with Orla Kiely ever since I spotted one of her iconic stem-print dresses in a magazine shoot about fifteen years ago and thought: that's exactly what a confident, interesting woman's wardrobe looks like. Bold without being brash. Clever without being cold. The brand — founded by Irish designer Orla Kiely, who built her London label on graphic retro prints and impeccable taste — has always had that rare quality of feeling both nostalgic and completely current at the same time.

These days the brand has leaned more heavily into bags and accessories (where it remains utterly brilliant), but the clothing range — particularly the Dressed Collection of limited-run printed dresses made in the UK — is worth knowing about if you love a considered, print-led wardrobe. Getting the size right, though, takes a little know-how. Here's everything you need.

Orla Kiely Size Conversion Table

Orla Kiely's current clothing range uses S, M, and L sizing covering a span of two UK sizes per label. Here's how the sizing maps across:

Orla Kiely LabelUK SizeEU SizeUS SizeSUK 8–1036–384–6MUK 12–1440–428–10LUK 16–1844–4612–14

Older Orla Kiely archive pieces (still widely available secondhand and on resale sites) used a numerical sizing system — sizes 1 through 4 — which translates roughly as follows: size 1 = UK 8, size 2 = UK 10, size 3 = UK 12, size 4 = UK 14. If you're picking up vintage or pre-loved pieces, that's the key.

Quick waist note: The Orla Dress size guide lists the waist at just 59cm for a size S (UK 8–10). That's a 23-inch waist — on the very neat side. If you carry any volume through the waist or are between sizes, go up a size. The silhouette is designed to skim and flow rather than cling, so going up rarely looks wrong.

How Different Orla Kiely Pieces Fit

The brand's current clothing line is relatively focused, which actually makes sizing straightforward once you know what you're dealing with. Here's my honest breakdown:

The Orla Dress (shift/A-line style): This is the hero piece of the current collection — a midi-length A-line shift in seasonal prints, described by the brand as having a "relaxed, generous fit." In practice, the chest and hip measurements are indeed generous, but the official waist spec is tight. If you're a UK 10 with a standard 28–30 inch waist, order a Medium rather than squeezing into a Small. The flowing silk and cotton poplin versions both fall beautifully when you get the size right.
The Anna Dress (shirt dress style): A 60s-inspired belted cotton poplin shirt dress with a little more room through the waist than the Orla Dress — the waist spec here is a more relaxed 67cm for a size S. The belted design also allows you to define your waist yourself, which makes this the more forgiving option of the two. Truly one of the most universally flattering silhouettes in the range. Stick to your usual UK size here.
Archive knitwear & tops: Customers consistently report knitwear from Orla Kiely runs slightly on the generous side — so your usual UK size or even sizing down one will typically work fine here. Tops tend to be true to size with a relaxed, easy fit.
Bags & accessories: No sizing guesswork needed — and honestly, the bags are extraordinary. The iconic stem-print totes are wardrobe investments that age beautifully.

How to Style Orla Kiely — Ella's Take

The mistake I see most often with Orla Kiely pieces is overcomplicating them. A signature print dress from this brand does all the work — it genuinely doesn't need much. A clean white trainer or simple block-heel sandal, a minimal gold earring, and you're done. Adding too many accessories or too much pattern anywhere else fights the print and kills the whole effect.

The dresses work brilliantly on their own in summer, but the real styling skill is making them work year-round. Layer a fine-knit ribbed turtleneck underneath a sleeveless shift version in autumn — you'll get a completely different, slightly more directional look that extends the life of the dress enormously. A tan leather belt cinched over the Orla Dress also transforms it from a floaty piece into something with real shape and intention.

In terms of body shape — these dresses are genuinely inclusive. The A-line and shirt-dress silhouettes are flattering across a wide range of figures. If you're petite, the midi length can feel long, so consider heels or a small platform to lift the hem visually. If you're taller, the midi length sits beautifully. The prints themselves are bold enough to feel purposeful on every frame.

Colour-wise, Orla Kiely's palette leans into earthy ochres, forest greens, rusts, and warm navies — shades that sit brilliantly against most skin tones and mix easily with a neutral shoe wardrobe. Don't be shy about embracing the print; that's the whole point of this brand. Going half-hearted with Orla Kiely is the only way to get it wrong.

If You Love the Orla Kiely Look — What Else to Try

Whether the sizing isn't working for you or you're simply after that same bold, print-led, intelligent femininity at a different price point, here are my honest picks:

High Street

Boden — The closest match on the high street for Orla Kiely's joyful print ethos and quality fabric commitment. Boden does retro-influenced prints in a way that actually feels considered rather than costume-y, and their sizing is generous and reliable for UK women.
Anthropologie — Brilliant for the same romantic, print-led aesthetic with a slightly more eclectic edge. Their midi dresses in particular attract the same customer who loves Orla Kiely, and the size range is wider.
White Stuff — Wonderfully print-confident with a similarly British sensibility. Great quality cotton and linen pieces that sit in the same spirit as Orla Kiely's casual daywear.
Monsoon — For occasion-worthy printed dresses with a bohemian tilt, Monsoon is the natural high street neighbour. Particularly strong for wedding guest and summer event dressing in bold prints.
Oliver Bonas — An underrated high street gem for print-lovers. Their dresses have genuinely improved in quality over recent seasons and carry a similar retro-modern energy to early Orla Kiely collections.
Phase Eight — For more polished, occasion-ready printed dresses with a bit more structure, Phase Eight delivers beautifully. Strong for those who want the print impact with slightly more formal tailoring.
Joules — Very much in the same British heritage-meets-print world as Orla Kiely, particularly for countryside and smart-casual occasion dressing. Their jersey and cotton dresses are excellent value and true to UK size.

Independent & Niche Picks

Yolke — A London-based independent label making 100% silk printed pieces with an extraordinary hand to the fabric. Their kimono shirts and robes are genuinely beautiful and occupy a very similar aesthetic world to Orla Kiely's silk dresses, but with a quieter, more directional feel. Worth every penny.
Kitri Studio — A brilliant independent London brand making limited-run, print-forward dresses and separates with a strong vintage 60s/70s influence. Very Orla Kiely in spirit — considered, cheerful, well-made — at a slightly more accessible price point. Each collection sells out fast.

Premium

Me&Em — For the more structured end of the print-dress market with outstanding British quality. Me&Em's fabric choices and construction sit a step above the high street and make the investment feel very justified.
Jigsaw — Consistently one of the best for considered prints and quality fabrication in the premium tier. A natural step up from Orla Kiely's own price point, with a similarly understated confidence.

Luxury / Designer

Saloni — If Orla Kiely's printed dresses speak to you, Saloni is the luxury evolution of that same idea. London-based, gloriously printed silk dresses with exceptional construction — the brand that has quietly become the go-to for any woman who wants to look truly beautiful at a smart occasion.
Emilia Wickstead — For the same bold colour confidence and sixties-influenced silhouettes taken to the highest level of craftsmanship. An Emilia Wickstead dress carries the same joyful authority that Orla Kiely built her reputation on.

Stop Guessing Your Size — Use Tellar

Orla Kiely's waist specs are one of those cases where the standard size chart really can catch you out — especially on the Orla Dress, where a size S has a waist measurement most UK size 10s simply won't fit into. This is exactly the problem Tellar.co.uk was built to solve.

Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool — measure your bust, waist, and hips once, and Tellar instantly matches your body to the correct size across 1,500+ brands. No more guessing, no more expensive returns. It takes two minutes, works in your browser, and is completely free — forever.

✔ Measure once using bust, waist, and hips (or your existing brand size)
✔ Use the Store Size Lookup to find your exact size at Orla Kiely, Boden, Saloni & 1,500+ more
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