What Is Sizing Like at Poupette St Barth?

Poupette St Barth runs small and follows French sizing, so the honest answer is that most women should size up one from their usual UK size — especially in the bust and hips. If you normally wear a UK 10, you'll usually want the brand's M rather than the S. It's the single most common mistake I see people make with this label, and it's an easy one to avoid once you know the rules.

Founded by a French designer nicknamed Poupette and born on the sun-bleached shores of St Barthélemy, this is resortwear at its most romantic: hand-printed florals, tiered ruffles, smocked bodices and that effortless "I summer in the Caribbean" energy. I've styled these dresses for honeymoons, villa holidays and more than one chaotic poolside photoshoot, so let me walk you through exactly how they fit.

Does Poupette St Barth run big or small?

It runs small, but with caveats. The brand is cut on French proportions, which tend to translate roughly one size down from UK equivalents, and many styles use non-stretch woven cotton that won't give you any forgiveness. Here's what to keep in mind:

Sizing runs XS to XL, with the occasional "one size" or free-size kaftan that genuinely does fit most people.
The bust is the tightest point. Fitted bandeau and tie-front styles are cut for a smaller chest — if you're a D-cup or above, size up.
Hips can pull on the more tailored minis. Curvier through the bottom half? Go up, and let the waist sit where it wants to.
Smocked and drawstring styles are your friend. Anything with shirring across the back will stretch to flatter, so you can often stay true to size there.
Minis run short. If you're 5'3" or under they hit beautifully; taller women should expect a high hem or choose the maxi.

A fitting-room confession

I learned the size-up rule the embarrassing way. I bought a Triny mini in my "usual" size for a trip to Mykonos, convinced I knew better, and spent the entire first dinner holding my breath across the bust. The fabric is gorgeous but woven and unyielding — there's no quiet stretch to rescue you. The following summer I went up a size in a smocked maxi and it was perfection: floaty, forgiving, and I actually ate the bread basket. Lesson learned. With Poupette, the generous choice is almost always the right one.

How to choose your Poupette size

Lead with your largest measurement. Pick your size based on whichever of your bust, waist or hip is biggest — never your smallest.
Between sizes? Size up. The non-stretch fabrics mean you can't squeeze your way into the smaller option.
Check the style, not just the brand. A structured halter mini and a smocked kaftan fit completely differently, even in the same size.
Remember it's handmade. Each piece is hand-printed and hand-dyed, so tiny variations in print and cut are part of the charm — not a fault.

Where else to shop for the Poupette look

Poupette sits at the playful-luxury end of resortwear, but you can capture the same hand-printed, holiday-glamour feeling at every budget. Here are my picks across the board.

High street

Monsoon — the original home of embellished, boho holiday dresses; brilliant for printed maxis with a celebratory feel.
Anthropologie — the closest high-street match for Poupette's whimsical prints and tiered, romantic silhouettes.
Mango — reliably strong on a Mediterranean resort edit each summer, often with crochet and broderie detailing.
Boden — joyful, well-made printed cottons that wash and pack well for a real-life holiday.
Seasalt Cornwall — relaxed, easy coastal dresses in soft prints if you want the breezy feel without the drama.
Hush — understated boho separates and throw-on dresses that travel beautifully.
Nobody's Child — affordable, sustainable florals with a fresh, youthful cut for poolside-to-dinner.
Whistles — when you want a more grown-up, pared-back take on the printed summer dress.

Premium

Sézane — French-girl romance with delicate prints and timeless cuts; the spiritual cousin of Poupette's Parisian side.
Ganni — bolder, cooler prints with a Scandi-irreverent twist for anyone who likes their florals with attitude.

Luxury & designer

Zimmermann — the gold standard of luxe resortwear; lavish ruffles, broderie and prints with serious holiday pedigree.
Borgo de Nor — painterly, statement florals on beautifully constructed dresses for those big-moment summer events.

Two to discover

Kalita — a cult independent label of floaty silk kaftans and Grecian-island goddess dresses; pure barefoot luxury and a genuine Poupette-lover's secret.
Cala de la Cruz — a small Ibiza-born brand of hand-finished cotton dresses and cover-ups with that same sun-soaked, artisanal soul.

Find your exact Poupette size in seconds

Because Poupette's French sizing trips so many people up, this is exactly the kind of brand Tellar was built for. Tellar is the UK's leading free sizing tool — measure yourself just once and your body is instantly matched to your precise size across 1,500-plus brands, so you never have to squint at a confusing size guide again.

Measure once using your bust, waist, hip, or simply an existing brand size you already know fits.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your exact size in any brand — Poupette St Barth, COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and more.
Always free, no downloads needed — it works straight in your browser.

And once you've nailed the fit, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a library stacked with free posts from our stylists — honest, unbiased, independent and always free. Style advice, top picks and the best brands for every body, all in one place.

Never guess your size again

Match your body to 1,500+ brands instantly with Tellar — the UK's leading free sizing tool. Honest, unbiased, always free.

Visit Tellar Find My Size

Get the size right and a Poupette St Barth dress will be the thing you reach for every summer for years — mine certainly are. Size up, trust the smocking, and enjoy every bread basket along the way.