What Is Sizing Like at Per Una?

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

Per Una runs true to standard UK sizing — possibly one of the most consistent and reliable fits on the British high street. As M&S's more decorative, feminine sub-label, it shares the same generous, well-considered block that M&S has been quietly perfecting for decades. Order your usual size with confidence, though if you're between sizes and shopping structured or tailored pieces, I'd always nudge you towards sizing up — Per Una's customer base skews towards comfort as well as style, and the brand cuts accordingly.

Per Una was launched back in 2001 by George Davies — the same man behind Next and GEORGE at Asda — and quickly carved out its own identity within the M&S universe. While M&S mainline tends towards the classic and understated, Per Una has always been the more expressive, florally-inclined, embellishment-friendly sibling. Lace trims, print-led dresses, embroidered details, floaty midis — it's unashamedly feminine and has a genuinely loyal following. I've styled clients who won't shop anywhere else for their occasion dressing, and honestly, I get it. When Per Una gets it right, the pieces are really rather lovely.

Per Una Size Guide & Conversions

Per Una follows M&S standard UK sizing across its main range. It's also available in Petite (for heights 5'3" and under) and Long (for heights 5'7" and above) in many styles — which is a genuinely useful detail that a lot of shoppers miss. Here's the full conversion breakdown:

Per Una / UK SizeEU SizeUS SizeBust (inches)Waist (inches)Hips (inches)634232"24.5"34.5"836433.5"26"36"1038635"27.5"37.5"1240837"29.5"39.5"14421039"31.5"41.5"16441241"33.5"43.5"18461443"36"45.5"20481645"38"47.5"22501847"40.5"50"24522049.5"43"52.5"

💡 Ella's Tip: Always check whether the specific Per Una style you're eyeing is available in Petite or Long before assuming the standard length will work for you. A floaty maxi dress on a 5'2" frame can end up more of a dragging disaster than a holiday dream — trust me, I've watched it happen at more than one family wedding. The Petite edit is genuinely well-proportioned and worth using if it applies to you.

Per Una Sizing — Garment by Garment

Per Una spans a wide range of categories — from everyday knitwear to full wedding guest looks — and fit can vary meaningfully between them. Here's what I'd tell a client shopping the range for the first time:

Dresses (printed & floral): The heartland of Per Una and where the sizing is most consistently true to size. The fuller skirts and relaxed bodices mean there's real forgiveness built in. If you're fuller in the bust, go up one — the bodice can be the tightest point in fitted styles.
Midi & maxi lengths: These tend to run to a standard 5'5"–5'6" frame. If you're petite, the Petite edit is essential — standard midis can easily become maxis on a shorter frame. If you're 5'8" and above, check the Long option or be prepared for a hem that sits higher than intended.
Knitwear & jumpers: Per Una knits are cut with a classic, slightly relaxed fit. True to size for most people, but if you prefer a cosier, roomier feel in your knitwear, size up. The fabric quality is genuinely solid — better than much of the M&S mainline equivalent.
Tailored trousers & smart separates: These follow standard M&S sizing very reliably. Waist and hip measurements are well-proportioned for a British body shape. If you're petite with a shorter inside leg, the Petite trousers are a revelation — properly cropped rather than just rolled up at the ankle.
Blouses & embellished tops: Per Una loves a print, a frill, and a bit of lace at the cuff. These tend to be cut with a little extra ease through the body, so the fit feels relaxed. True to size or even size down if you want a more fitted look.
Coats & occasion jackets: Sizing here is true to size and cuts well for layering over jumpers and mid-weight knitwear. The Per Una coat edit is often overlooked — some genuinely beautiful embroidered and printed options that photograph wonderfully and hold their shape season to season.
Jeans & denim: M&S denim has improved enormously in recent years, and Per Una's more decorative denim — embroidered hems, coloured washes — follows the same reliable fit. True to size, with good coverage through the hip and thigh for a non-skinny body shape.

Who Shops Per Una — And Why It Works

Per Una has traditionally skewed towards women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond who want expressive, feminine clothing without resorting to either the blandness of some high street "classic" ranges or the discomfort of overly trend-led pieces. But I'd push back a little on the idea that this brand has an age ceiling. A beautifully printed Per Una midi dress worn with white trainers and a denim jacket? That works at 32 just as confidently as it does at 55. The pieces are generous in spirit and silhouette, and I've genuinely incorporated Per Una into client wardrobes across a wide age range when the right piece turns up.

The sweet spot for Per Una is occasion dressing — a garden party, a wedding in the country, a summer lunch. They do that sort of thing really well, and at a price point that won't make your eyes water. The embroidered and lace-trimmed pieces in particular punch well above their price tag in terms of how they read in a room.

Brilliant Alternatives — For Every Per Una Mood

Whether you love Per Una's feminine print-led style, or you want something adjacent with a slightly different edge, here are the brands I'd send you towards:

High Street & Mid-Market:

Phase Eight — The most direct high street comparison to Per Una's occasion-wear strength. Beautiful floral and printed dresses, excellent fabric quality, and consistent sizing. A go-to for wedding guests and smart events. Their midi and maxi dresses in particular are outstanding.
Monsoon — Long-term rivals to Per Una in the feminine, print-heavy, occasion-friendly space — and with good reason. Monsoon's embroidered and boho-influenced pieces are stunning, and the brand has real heritage in this aesthetic. Sizing runs true to generous.
Hobbs — More polished and refined than Per Una, but sharing the same commitment to wearable femininity. Hobbs tailoring and occasion dresses are exceptional and represent brilliant value for the quality. A step up in price, but a noticeable step up in construction too.
Joules — For the countryside-weekend, garden-party end of the Per Una aesthetic. Joyful prints, excellent floral dresses, quality jersey and cotton pieces. Sizing runs true and the brand has a brilliantly consistent fit record.
Great Plains — An often overlooked gem. Great Plains sits in exactly the right zone for women who love print and feminine silhouettes but want something a little less ubiquitous. Lovely fabric choices and really flattering cuts, particularly through the waist.
Next — Dependable, well-sized, and hugely varied. Next's occasion and smart-casual range quietly rivals much of what Per Una offers, often at a lower price point. Their printed midi dresses and linen pieces in particular are strong season after season.
Oliver Bonas — Brilliant for feminine, print-led pieces with a more contemporary, London-cool edge. Their dresses and blouses share Per Una's love of colour and pattern but with a slightly younger, more eclectic sensibility. Sizing is true to UK standard.

Premium Options:

LK Bennett — The premium natural home for the Per Una customer who wants to invest more. Famous for their occasion dresses, excellent prints, and a fit that consistently works for a British body. Beloved by everyone from Duchess to office-goer for very good reason.
Ted Baker — Maximalist prints, floral embellishment, beautiful fabrics — Ted Baker is essentially the luxury evolution of everything Per Una does well. Their occasion dresses are genuinely stunning and the sizing, while it runs on the smaller side, is well-documented.
Kew — A slightly quieter premium option, Kew does beautifully crafted feminine separates and dresses with excellent fabric quality. Less ubiquitous than Ted or LK Bennett, which is part of the appeal — you won't turn up in the same dress as three other guests.

Two Independent Labels Worth Discovering:

Ghost London — A British independent that has been making floaty, feminine, print-led dresses since the 1980s and somehow still feels completely fresh. If you love Per Una's romantic sensibility but want something with genuine fashion credibility and a more grown-up edge, Ghost is the answer. Their satin-finish jersey dresses drape beautifully and the sizing is true to UK standard.
Baukjen — A brilliant independent British womenswear brand with serious sustainability credentials and a strong focus on flattering, versatile pieces for grown-up women. Their printed dresses and elegant separates overlap significantly with the Per Una customer but with better fabric quality and a more considered, less-is-more aesthetic. Very much worth getting to know.

Stop Guessing — Find Your Per Una Size Instantly

Per Una's sizing is reassuringly consistent, but every brand — even the reliable ones — has its quirks across categories and styles. Before you order that printed midi or embroidered blouse, let Tellar.co.uk do the work for you.

Tellar is the UK's leading clothing sizing tool — covering 1,500+ brands including M&S, Phase Eight, Hobbs, LK Bennett, and hundreds more. It matches your actual body measurements to each brand's specific sizing so you never have to second-guess again.

Measure once — bust, waist, and hips (or start with a brand size you already know fits you well)
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And when you're done, explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — hundreds of honest, unsponsored posts from our stylists covering sizing guides, trend breakdowns, brand deep-dives, and style advice. No paid placements. No PR fluff. Just real, useful fashion content.