What Is Sizing Like at Patrizia Pepe?

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

Patrizia Pepe runs small — the brand uses Italian sizing, which means as a UK shopper you'll typically need to go up one to two sizes from what you'd expect. A UK 10 is usually an IT 44 here, not an IT 40 as you might assume. If you've ever ordered what looked like your usual size and found it embarrassingly tight on arrival, that's why. Italian sizing and UK sizing don't align neatly, and Patrizia Pepe's body-conscious, tailored silhouettes leave very little room for error.

I had my first Patrizia Pepe moment in a boutique in Florence a few years back — picked up a beautifully cut blazer marked IT 42, thought "that's a European 42, I'll be fine," and then couldn't get it past my shoulders. In Italy. In a boutique where everyone was very stylish and quietly judging me. Mortifying. I now measure first, browse second, and my shopping life is considerably less humiliating for it. This post is your shortcut to not repeating my mistakes.

Understanding Patrizia Pepe's Sizing System

Founded in Florence in 1993, Patrizia Pepe is an Italian contemporary label built around sleek tailoring, body-conscious cuts, and that very particular kind of confident Italian femininity. The brand is not designed with a relaxed or generous silhouette in mind — the whole point is a precise, pulled-together fit. Which means sizing accuracy is absolutely non-negotiable here.

The brand sizes in Italian (IT) numbers, with the range typically running from IT 38 to IT 48. Here's your essential conversion table, with full measurements:

IT (PATRIZIA PEPE)UKEUUSBUST (CM)WAIST (CM)HIPS (CM)38634274608440836478648842103868268924412408867296461442109076100481644129480104

ELLA'S RULE OF THUMBWith Patrizia Pepe, always shop by your actual measurements — not your usual UK dress size and not the Italian number. The cuts are precise and there is almost no ease built in. If your measurements sit between two sizes, size up every single time. You can have a piece taken in; you cannot add fabric that isn't there.

How Each Category Fits

Dresses & Jumpsuits

Dresses are the heart of the Patrizia Pepe proposition — sleek, often structured, with waist-nipping cuts and occasionally dramatic details like wrap fronts, asymmetric hems, or plunging necklines. They are designed to fit precisely, not loosely.
Fitted styles with a defined waist and full or pencil skirt silhouette run small at both the waist and chest — size up from your standard Italian equivalent. There is very little stretch in most fabrications.
Wrap styles offer a little more flex as they tie rather than button, making them a safer bet if you're between sizes. These are also a better option if you have a fuller bust relative to your waist.
Jumpsuits follow the same rule as dresses — and the same caveat applies: if you're longer in the body, check the torso length carefully on the product page. Italian proportions tend to suit a more compact frame.

Tailoring — Blazers & Trousers

This is where Patrizia Pepe genuinely excels. The tailoring is sharp, the fabrics are beautiful, and the silhouettes are confidently modern — think waist-nipped blazers with padded shoulders, wide-leg trousers with a high rise, and co-ord suits that look effortlessly expensive.
Blazers are cut close across the shoulders and chest. If you carry any width across the back or have a fuller bust, size up. A blazer that pulls across the shoulders is not fixable; a slightly loose fit can be tailored in.
Trousers run true to size at the waist but can be snug through the hip and thigh. If your hips are significantly wider than your waist, go by your hip measurement, not your waist, and have the waist taken in if needed. It's the smarter approach.
Co-ord suits: if the jacket and trouser are different sizes for you (common if you're narrower on top than the bottom, or vice versa), buy both pieces separately rather than as a set where possible. Retailers stocking Patrizia Pepe often allow this.

Knitwear & Tops

Knitwear at Patrizia Pepe leans slim rather than slouchy — this is not a brand for oversized, cosy jumpers. The knits are refined, often in light viscose blends, and the fit is close to the body.
True to size at the waist, but watch the bust and shoulders, especially in crew-neck and V-neck styles. If you're a fuller cup, size up.
Blouses and shirts with button details — always size up if you're busty. Button-through styles across a full chest are never fun, and at this price point, a gap between buttons is not something you want.

Skirts

Mini and midi skirts typically have a defined waistband — go by your waist measurement for these. If the skirt has any hip-hugging structure, use your hip measurement instead.
Fluid, bias-cut styles are slightly more forgiving and can be sized to your waist — the drape will accommodate a little extra through the hip.

Who Does Patrizia Pepe Fit Best?

Honestly? The brand is at its most flattering on women with a defined waist, narrower hips, and a smaller bust relative to their frame — which is fairly classic Italian proportioning. That's not to say you can't wear it if you're curvier, bustier, or taller, but it does mean you need to be more strategic with sizing and perhaps more selective about which specific styles you reach for. The tailored separates and fluid wrap styles tend to work across a wider range of body shapes than the more structured fitted dresses.

Height-wise, the brand cuts for an average Italian height — roughly 5'5" to 5'7". If you're significantly taller, trouser hems may fall a little short and dress lengths may not land exactly where they're intended to. If you're petite, the opposite applies — dresses may feel a touch long and trousers may need shortening.

My Practical Shopping Advice

Always measure bust, waist, and hips before ordering — there is no way around this with Italian sizing. Your UK dress size is a starting point only.
When in doubt, size up — Patrizia Pepe's tailored cuts and structured fabrics have minimal give. A size larger can always be altered. A size too small cannot.
Buy from retailers with good return policies — Farfetch, YOOX, and Matches all stock Patrizia Pepe and have straightforward return processes, which is essential when you're still finding your size in a new brand.
Consider the fabric — the brand uses a range of materials, from structured crepe and faux leather to lighter viscose and jersey blends. The stiffer the fabric, the more precise your sizing needs to be. A structured blazer in crepe is far less forgiving than a jersey top.
Check if there's stretch — some trouser and skirt styles include a small percentage of elastane, which gives a little more flexibility. These are generally more accessible for curvier figures than the fully structured woven styles.

High Street Alternatives to Patrizia Pepe

If you love that sleek, continental, body-confident Italian aesthetic but want something at a different price point — or simply with less sizing complexity — these are the brands I'd genuinely direct you towards:

Zara — the most obvious, and for good reason. Zara consistently nails the sharp-shouldered blazer, the wide-leg trouser, and the sleek midi dress that Patrizia Pepe does at a premium. The tailoring section in particular is strong. Sizes in European sizing, but much more generous in the cut.
Mango — brilliant for that polished, European workwear aesthetic. Their suits, tailored co-ords, and structured dresses frequently make it into style publications, and the fabric quality punches above the price point. A very natural stepping stone to the Patrizia Pepe world.
Cos — if you're drawn to the more minimal, architectural side of Patrizia Pepe, Cos is your brand. Beautifully made, thoughtfully cut, with a quieter palette and a Scandi rather than Italian sensibility — but the quality and precision are very similar.
Reiss — probably the most Patrizia Pepe-adjacent UK brand on the high street. The tailoring is excellent, the dresses are polished, and the brand genuinely understands how to make a woman look put-together without trying too hard. Sizes in UK sizing and is consistently true to size.
Whistles — slightly softer in its aesthetic than Patrizia Pepe, but the commitment to quality and refined femininity is very similar. Their blazers and tailored dresses are consistently excellent and are a much safer sizing proposition.
French Connection — for the more occasion-focused, body-conscious dresses that Patrizia Pepe does so well. FC's evening and party styles hit a very similar note at a fraction of the price, and sizing is generous and consistent.
Massimo Dutti — owned by Inditex (same parent as Zara), but pitched at a noticeably more premium level. The tailoring here is genuinely close to designer territory — clean lines, beautiful fabrics, and that polished European finish that Patrizia Pepe customers tend to love.

Premium & Designer Alternatives

Max Mara — another Italian label, another Italian sizing challenge, but oh, the payoff. Max Mara's tailoring is legendary. If you've fallen for Patrizia Pepe's structured blazers and are ready to invest further, Max Mara is the natural next step.
Claudie Pierlot — French, beautifully made, and stylistically very close to Patrizia Pepe's sophisticated femininity without quite the Italian body-consciousness of the fit. Slightly more forgiving in the cut, and gorgeous quality.

Two Independent Labels Worth Knowing

Dea Kudibal — a Danish independent label with a devoted following among women who love sleek tailoring and feminine prints with a European sensibility. The quality is genuinely exceptional, the sizing is Scandinavian (i.e., generous), and the aesthetic overlaps beautifully with Patrizia Pepe's polished femininity. Find them at deakudibal.com and through select UK stockists.
Komodo — a smaller, sustainability-focused independent label based in the UK that makes beautifully draped, feminine pieces in natural and organic fabrics. Less structured than Patrizia Pepe, but for the customer who loves the brand's fluid wrap dresses and silky blouses, Komodo scratches a very similar itch at a more accessible price point. At komodo.co.uk.

Take the Guesswork Out of Italian Sizing — For Good

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