What Is Sizing Like at Pinko?

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

Pinko runs small — as Italian sizing almost universally does — and you should expect to size up by one, sometimes two sizes compared to your usual UK size. If you're a UK 12, you'll very likely be a Pinko 44, not a 42. Get the conversion right before you order and you'll be absolutely fine.

I have a genuine soft spot for Pinko. There's something about Italian fashion brands that just gets femininity in a way that a lot of contemporary labels don't quite manage — that instinct for flattering cuts, luxurious fabrics, and a certain unapologetic glamour. I first started recommending Pinko to clients about six years ago when the Love Bag started appearing everywhere and I had three different clients asking me about it in the same week. Since then I've sent quite a few people in their direction for occasion dressing, smart tailoring, and those brilliant embellished pieces that sit right on the edge of daywear and evening. The quality is noticeably good for the price point. But — and this is a consistent one — Italian sizing catches UK shoppers out every single time without fail, and Pinko is no exception. Let me walk you through it properly.

A Bit About Pinko

Pinko was founded in 1980 in Fidenza, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy — a part of the country with serious fashion credentials (it's also home to Gucci, Ferrari, and some of the finest food in the world, which feels relevant somehow). The brand sits firmly in the accessible luxury bracket: better than high street in terms of fabric and construction, but without the full designer price tag. They're known for sharp tailoring, feminine silhouettes, embellished details, and that iconic double-ring Love Bag that's had a long moment in the style press. Price-wise, you're typically looking at £150–£400 for ready-to-wear pieces, and considerably more for bags and outerwear.

Understanding Italian Sizing — The Key to Getting Pinko Right

Italian sizing uses a completely different numerical system to UK sizing, and the gap between them is larger than most people expect. As a very rough rule: add approximately 32 to your UK size to get your Italian equivalent. So a UK 8 is roughly an Italian 40, a UK 10 is a 42, a UK 12 is a 44, and so on. But — and this matters — Pinko's cuts are also tailored for a slimmer silhouette than British sizing typically accounts for, particularly through the waist and bust. So even within those conversions, going up one is often the safer and more comfortable choice.

Pinko Size Conversion Table

UK SizeItalian / Pinko SizeEU SizeUS SizeBust (inches)Waist (inches)Hips (inches)63834231–3223–2433–3484036433–3425–2635–36104238635–3627–2837–38124440837–3829–3039–401446421039–4031–3241–421648441241–4233–3443–44

Use these as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always cross-reference with Pinko's own garment measurements on their product pages — they vary by cut, and a fitted blazer will size very differently to a fluid midi dress.

Pinko Sizing: Category by Category

Not all Pinko pieces behave the same way, which is worth knowing before you fill your basket:

Tailored jackets and blazers — the most unforgiving category in their range. Pinko tailoring is cut close to the body and structured for a narrow shoulder and slim torso. If you're broader in the shoulder or carry volume through the back, size up two rather than one. I've had clients come back to me after ordering their usual conversion and being caught out specifically on the shoulder seam.
Fitted dresses — size up one from your conversion, particularly if you're fuller in the bust or hips. Pinko dresses are designed with a very specific Italian silhouette in mind — nipped waist, moderate hip room. Beautiful when they fit; unforgiving when they don't.
Midi and maxi dresses in fluid fabrics — more room for error here. These tend to be cut with slightly more ease and the drape of the fabric is forgiving. Your standard conversion is usually adequate, but check the garment's specific bust and waist measurements to be sure.
Knitwear — the most relaxed category. True to your conversion, and sometimes you'll find you can go down a size if you prefer a closer fit rather than an oversized one.
Trousers and skirts — use your hip measurement as your anchor point, not your waist. Pinko trousers are cut with a slim leg and a fitted seat. If your hips are proportionally wider than the Italian standard, size up for the hip and use a belt at the waist.
Outerwear — size up one from your dress size conversion, especially if you plan to layer underneath. Pinko coats are beautifully cut but not generously proportioned.

My Top Styling Tips for Pinko

Know your measurements, not just your size. Italian sizing rewards shoppers who know their actual bust, waist, and hip in centimetres. Pinko lists garment measurements on most product pages — use them and compare directly rather than relying on the label alone.
Their occasion and event pieces are where the brand truly excels. If you're dressing for a wedding, a smart evening event, or anything that calls for a polished, grown-up kind of glamour, Pinko punches well above its price point. This is where I'd steer clients first.
The Love Bag sizing is not clothing sizing. Just to be clear — the bags come in Mini, Small, and Medium. The Mini is tiny and genuinely only for essentials; the Small is the one that photographs so well and is the most practical day-to-evening option.
Check returns policies. Because the sizing takes some navigation, make sure you're buying from a retailer with a clear returns process. Net-a-Porter and Selfridges both carry Pinko and have excellent policies if you need to exchange.

Brands With a Similar Feel — And How They Size

If Pinko's aesthetic speaks to you but you want to shop across a wider range of price points or size options, here are the brands I'd recommend:

High Street & Accessible Options

Massimo Dutti — the most obvious recommendation for anyone drawn to Pinko's elevated Mediterranean aesthetic. Spanish rather than Italian, but with the same instinct for quality fabrics, clean tailoring, and understated sophistication. Sizing is true to UK and extremely consistent. One of the best-value premium high street options available.
Reiss — a reliable British go-to for the kind of sharp, occasion-ready tailoring that Pinko does well. Their blazers and fitted dresses are consistently well-reviewed and size true to UK. The quality-to-price ratio is strong.
Whistles — understated, well-cut, and reliably elegant. If you want the Pinko sensibility without the Italian sizing headache, Whistles is a safe pair of hands. True to UK size and excellent for workwear and occasion dressing alike.
Claudie Pierlot — a French label that sits in the same premium accessible bracket as Pinko and shares that instinct for feminine, polished dressing. Their tailoring and occasion pieces are particularly good. French sizing runs slightly small too, so check the conversion — but less dramatically than Italian.
Phase Eight — brilliant for occasion dressing, particularly for weddings and formal events. Phase Eight understand British body proportions extremely well, which makes them a refreshing change after wrestling with Italian sizing. True to UK size and one of the best high street options for flattering occasion pieces.
Hobbs — smart, grown-up, and quietly excellent for tailoring and work-to-occasion dressing. Their jackets and fitted dresses rival Pinko in terms of cut quality at a comparable price point. Sizes true to UK and carries up to a UK 18 in most styles.
LK Bennett — the British brand most associated with polished femininity and occasion dressing, and an obvious step alongside Pinko for the same customer. Their court shoes and occasion dresses are genuinely iconic. True to UK size.
Ted Baker — known for its embellished, feminine detailing and occasion-ready pieces — a natural high street companion to Pinko's aesthetic. Ted Baker uses its own numerical sizing (0–5) rather than standard UK sizes, so do check their conversion chart before ordering.

Two Independent Picks Worth Knowing

Rotate Birger Christensen — a Copenhagen-based label that has become the go-to for elevated occasion and party dressing in recent seasons, with consistent coverage in Vogue and Grazia. Their signature ruched, structured, and sequinned mini and midi dresses hit exactly the same glamorous-but-considered note as Pinko occasion pieces. They size in XS–XL and their own size guide is reliable — broadly true to UK sizing. If you love Pinko's event dressing but want something with a sharper, more directional edge, Rotate is your answer.
Bernadette — a Belgian luxury-independent label that I've been recommending to clients for the last few years for special occasions and investment dressing. They make exquisitely crafted puff-sleeve dresses, tailored separates, and eveningwear in exceptional fabrics, and the quality is genuinely comparable to full designer at a somewhat more manageable price point. They size in XS–XL with detailed garment measurements on their site. Not widely known on UK high streets, which is precisely what makes them a brilliant find.

🎯 Crack Italian Sizing Once and For All — With Tellar

Italian sizing is one of the most consistently confusing systems for UK shoppers — and Pinko is a perfect example of why getting your measurements right matters more than knowing your label size. Tellar.co.uk takes the guesswork out entirely, matching your exact measurements to over 1,500 brands instantly — including Italian and European labels where the conversion is never straightforward.

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Measure once — enter your bust, waist, and hip measurements, or use an existing brand size you already trust.
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No more expensive guesses on a brand that uses a completely different sizing system. No more returning that beautiful blazer because the shoulder seam is two centimetres too far in. Just your measurements, matched to the brands you actually want to wear.

Find My Size at Pinko →

The Tellar Fashion Hub is also home to hundreds of honest, unsponsored posts covering everything from brand-specific fit guides to occasion dressing strategy, the best seasonal buys, and body shape advice. Written by stylists. Always free. Never influenced by who's paying.