What Is Sizing Like at Papaya?

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

Papaya — Matalan's own-brand women's label — generally runs true to size or slightly generous, particularly in its casualwear and knitwear, though structured and fitted styles can behave very differently and may catch you out if you're ordering online. It's one of those brands where the category you're shopping in matters just as much as the number on the label. Let me break it down properly, because I know from experience that "true to size" is not the whole story here.

First, a Bit About Papaya

If you've not shopped Papaya before, it's Matalan's main women's fashion line — and it's genuinely worth knowing about. Think affordable basics, casual dresses, easy holiday wear and office-friendly layers, all at prices that won't make you wince. It's the kind of brand that flies a little under the radar but actually has some really solid pieces in there if you know what to look for. I've pulled out some brilliant finds for clients over the years — a jersey wrap dress here, a smart ponte trouser there. The key is knowing how the sizing works, because inconsistency is honestly Papaya's biggest issue.

The range covers sizes 6 to 24 in stores, with extended sizing up to 28 available online — which I think is genuinely worth shouting about. It's still not the norm on the UK high street, and Papaya deserves credit for it.

The Papaya Size Guide

Papaya uses standard UK sizing throughout, which at least makes the conversion side of things straightforward. Here's how it maps across internationally:

Papaya (UK)EU SizeUS SizeBust (inches)Waist (inches)Hips (inches)UK 6EU 34US 231"23.5"33.5"UK 8EU 36US 432"24.5"34.5"UK 10EU 38US 634"26.5"36.5"UK 12EU 40US 836"28.5"38.5"UK 14EU 42US 1038"30.5"40.5"UK 16EU 44US 1240"32.5"42.5"UK 18EU 46US 1442"34.5"44.5"UK 20EU 48US 1644"36.5"46.5"

On paper those numbers follow the standard UK chart perfectly. In practice, Papaya's fit story is more nuanced — and very much depends on what you're buying.

How Papaya Sizing Works Across Garment Types

Jersey Tops & T-Shirts: This is where Papaya is most reliable. Cotton-jersey styles are soft and forgiving, and they generally run true to size. If anything, they can lean slightly roomy — so if you want a neater fit, there's a case for sizing down. But for relaxed, everyday wear, your usual size works perfectly.
Casual & Jersey Dresses: These are one of Papaya's stronger categories and the sizing is fairly consistent. Jersey wrap and midi styles tend to be true to size with good ease. Where it gets trickier is in the fitted woven dresses — zip-back styles and structured shift silhouettes can run snug across the bust and waist, so if you're curvier through the chest or hips, sizing up is a sensible move.
Trousers & Jeans: A mixed bag, honestly. Styles with elastane or a stretch blend are comfortable and generally true to size at the waist. The rigid, non-stretch styles (and I've been caught out by these more than once when shopping for clients) tend to run slim at the waistband. My advice: always check the fabric content before you buy. If it doesn't have at least 2% elastane in the composition, size up.
Skirts: Woven and structured skirts follow the same rule as fitted trousers — curvier figures tend to need to go up a size. A-line and swing styles are more forgiving through the hip, so your true size should work there.
Knitwear & Loungewear: The most generous category in the range. Papaya's knits and lounge pieces are cut with plenty of ease and comfort built in. You can confidently go true to size, and if you're between sizes, stay with the smaller of the two.
Coats & Outerwear: Lined styles can feel slightly stiff in the sleeves and across the shoulders — there's not a lot of movement built in. If you're broad across the shoulders or like layering underneath, sizing up is worth considering. Otherwise, your usual UK size should be fine.

My Honest Stylist Tips for Shopping Papaya

Don't assume the size is consistent across a single haul. This is Papaya's biggest quirk. I've had clients order three things in a size 12 and find that one fits perfectly, one's baggy and one won't zip up. It sounds maddening — because it is — but it's down to the variety of factories and fabrics used across such an affordable range.
Check the fabric content, always. It genuinely tells you more than the size label. Stretch blend? You're probably fine. Rigid polyester or woven cotton with no give? Size up, especially if you're fuller through the bust or hips.
Jersey dresses are the safe buy. If you're new to the brand and want a reliable first purchase, start there. They photograph well, wash brilliantly, and the sizing is the most consistent in the range.
Use Tellar before you order online. Because Papaya is only available in Matalan stores and online, returns are your only safety net if something doesn't fit. Get your size right first time and save yourself the hassle.

High Street Alternatives to Papaya

Love the price-friendly, everyday-wearable aesthetic of Papaya but want to explore what else is out there? These brands hit a similar note — or take things up a notch when you're ready to invest a little more:

Next — An absolute staple for reliable everyday dressing. Next's sizing is generally consistent, they cover a great range of sizes, and their jersey dresses and workwear basics are strong season after season. A natural step-up from Papaya for many shoppers.
New Look — Great for trend-forward pieces at a similar price point to Papaya. Particularly good for occasionwear and going-out dresses. Sizing tends to be true to size, though it can run small in structured styles — sound familiar?
River Island — More fashion-forward than Papaya and brilliant for dresses and occasion pieces. Sizing can run on the smaller side through the bust, but the range has improved enormously and they now offer a much more inclusive size spread.
M&S — If Papaya casualwear is your comfort zone, M&S is the natural brand to graduate to when you want better fabric quality without a huge price jump. Their jersey and ponte pieces in particular are genuinely excellent and size very consistently.
Phase Eight — A brilliant step up for work and occasion dressing. Well-cut, flattering silhouettes with reliable sizing. If you've been grabbing Papaya dresses for events, Phase Eight is where the magic really happens at the next price bracket.
Boden — For the casual, everyday side of what Papaya does, Boden offers better fabric quality and prints that feel considered and individual. Their sizing is true to size and reassuringly consistent, which is a genuine luxury in itself.
Mint Velvet — Sits beautifully in the premium contemporary space. Effortless, grown-up dressing with a relaxed luxury feel. If you love easy jersey dresses but want something that looks noticeably more expensive, Mint Velvet delivers every time.
Warehouse — A perennial favourite for fashion-led pieces that don't break the bank. Great for printed dresses and transitional layering pieces. Sizing runs true and the quality is noticeably better than most at the price point.

Two Independent Labels Worth Discovering

If you want to venture off the beaten high-street track, these two independent brands are genuinely worth your attention:

Damson Madder — A London-based independent label with a devoted following for very good reason. Their prints are absolutely beautiful — bold florals, vintage-inspired patterns — and the quality for the price is exceptional. They size inclusively and consistently, and every collection sells out quickly, so when something catches your eye, move fast.
Lucy & Yak — If comfort and personality are your priorities (and honestly, when are they not?), Lucy & Yak is pure joy. Known for their dungarees and easy, colourful separates made with sustainability at the core. Their sizing guide is detailed and accurate — a refreshing change — and the brand has a brilliant community around it. Very different in aesthetic to Papaya, but if you're after affordable clothes with real heart, they're worth every penny.

Stop Guessing Your Papaya Size — Let Tellar Sort It

Papaya's sizing can be inconsistent across styles, which makes online ordering a bit of a lottery. Tellar takes the guesswork out of it entirely — matching your exact measurements to 1,500+ brands instantly, so you order the right size first time.

Measure once — bust, waist, hips, or just use your size in a brand you already know well.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in Papaya and 1,500+ other brands — from M&S to Mint Velvet and beyond.
Always free — no downloads, no sign-up, works straight in your browser.

And while you're there, explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of honest, unsponsored style posts covering every fashion question you've ever Googled at midnight. Independent. Unbiased. Always free.

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