What Is Sizing Like at Pink City Prints?

By Ella Blake – Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder | Tellar – Always honest, unbiased, & unsponsored post

Pink City Prints comes up generously and runs broadly true to size, with so much built-in give – smocked panels, elasticated backs and adjustable drawstring waists – that it forgives a multitude of fluctuations. In short: take your usual UK size and you’ll almost certainly be right, but if you’re between sizes or carry your weight on your bust, this is one of the rare brands where I’d happily tell you to size down rather than up. After years of styling clients in hand-block prints, I’ve learned this label fits like a friend who always saves you a seat.

So How Does Pink City Prints Actually Fit?

Designed in London and hand-block-printed in Jaipur, Pink City Prints works in soft, breezy organic cotton – usually unlined and single-layer. That fabric is the whole story when it comes to fit. It has a relaxed, slightly airy hand that skims rather than clings, so the silhouettes feel forgiving without ever looking like a sack.

The key things to know before you order:

The waistbands do the heavy lifting. Many of the dresses (the bestselling Maria being the obvious one) have a drawstring or partially smocked waist, which means one size genuinely flexes across a range of bodies.
Bust is the bit to watch. The tiered, gathered shapes are roomy through the body, but if you’re fuller-chested, check the bust measurement on each product’s own chart – it’s the one place these dresses can feel snug.
Cotton softens and relaxes. Hand-printed cotton gives a touch after a wash or two, so I never size up “just in case” – you’ll end up swimming.
The size range is wide. Most styles run from a UK 6 right up to a UK 18, with some pieces extending further, so there’s real scope across the board.

My own confession: I once ordered a tiered maxi a size up for a wedding because I’d convinced myself the bust looked tight in the photos. It arrived like a beautiful floral tent. Lesson learned – trust the smocking. I exchanged it (their 14-day returns are painless) and the correct size has been in heavy rotation every summer since.

Styling Hand-Block Prints Without Looking Costumey

The trap with bold artisan prints is going full “folk festival.” My rule as a stylist: let the dress be the loudest thing you’re wearing and keep everything else quiet.

Day: flat tan sandals or white trainers, a slim leather belt to define that drawstring waist, and a basket bag. Done.
Evening: swap to a heeled mule, add a stack of thin gold bangles and a clean red lip. The print does the rest.
Transitional weather: layer a fine knit or a denim jacket on top and tights underneath – the cotton takes layering beautifully.

If you’re petite, the midi lengths tend to read more flattering than the full maxis, which can overwhelm a shorter frame. A small heel instantly fixes the proportion.

Where to Shop for the Same Look (My Honest Brand Edit)

Pink City Prints sits in that lovely sweet spot between high street and proper artisan luxury. If you love the joyful-print, breezy-cotton aesthetic, here’s exactly where I’d send you across every budget.

High Street – Best Value for the Print-Dress Look

Monsoon – the closest high-street match for embellished, boho-leaning printed cotton dresses, and consistently praised for their feminine occasion pieces.
Seasalt Cornwall – relaxed organic-cotton prints with a coastal calm; brilliant for the everyday, throw-on-and-go version of the look.
Boden – reliably colourful florals and a generous, true-to-size cut that British shoppers trust season after season.
White Stuff – pretty hand-drawn-feel prints in soft cottons, with a gentle, forgiving fit very similar in spirit.
Joules – cheerful country florals and tiered shapes that nail the same garden-party energy.
Hush – effortless boho midi and maxi dresses with that easy, slightly undone feel.
Fat Face – soft, casual printed cotton dresses built for real life and holidays.
Mango – the most fashion-forward of the bunch for breezy printed dresses at a keen price, though it cuts slightly slimmer.

Premium – A Step Up in Fabric and Finish

RIXO – the queen of the painterly print; vintage-inspired dresses in silks and cottons with the same joyful, collectable feel.
ME+EM – for elevated, beautifully cut printed pieces when you want artisan spirit with a sharper, more polished line.

Luxury / Designer – The Full Investment

Zimmermann – the gold standard for romantic, broderie-and-print summer dressing, with the craftsmanship to justify the price tag.

Two Left-Field Independents Worth Knowing

Cabbages & Roses – a quietly brilliant British label hand-printing cotton in heritage florals; if you love Pink City Prints’ ethos, you’ll adore this.
Mirth – an artisan-made, ethically produced label specialising in hand-block-printed cotton; genuinely cut from the same cloth, philosophically and literally.

Never Guess Your Size Again – Try Tellar

Here’s the thing: every brand I’ve mentioned cuts slightly differently, and squinting at a size chart for each one is exhausting. That’s exactly why I built Tellar – the UK’s leading sizing tool, matching your body to over 1,500 brands instantly. Measure once, and never look at a size guide again.

Measure once, using bust, waist, hip, or simply your existing size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand – COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Always free, no downloads needed – it works straight in your browser.

There’s also the Tellar Fashion Hub: a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists. Honest. Unbiased. Independent. And always free – style advice, top picks and the best brands, all in one place.