What Is Sizing Like at Temperley London?

Temperley London runs broadly true to size but sits at the slimmer, more fitted end of the scale, and because Alice Temperley’s collections are produced across several different ateliers, the fit genuinely varies from one piece to the next. In other words: don’t assume your “Temperley size” is fixed. I’ve styled enough of her dresses over the years to promise you that the gown which fits like a glove and the blouse that’s suddenly snug across the shoulders can carry the exact same number on the label.

So let me talk you through what to actually expect — and how to get it right the first time, without the returns faff.

Does Temperley London come up small?

Mostly, yes — a little. The brand is built around feminine, occasion-led silhouettes: structured bodices, defined waists, and beautiful but unforgiving fabrics like silk and satin that have almost no give. When a garment is cut close and the cloth doesn’t stretch, there’s nowhere to hide, so a size that feels perfectly fine in a jersey midi from the high street can feel noticeably tighter here.

A few honest truths from years of dressing clients in it:

The tailoring is precise. Waists are nipped and bodices are properly structured — flattering, but firm.
Fabric changes everything. A bias-cut silk gown behaves completely differently to an embroidered cotton kaftan, even in the same size.
Consistency isn’t its strong point. One style might be a perfect UK 10; another, a UK 12. That’s the reality of a smaller luxury house making across multiple ateliers, rather than a fault.

The bust is where it catches people out

If I had to flag one thing, it’s the bust. Temperley’s eveningwear in particular tends to run small through the chest. I learned this the slightly mortifying way: I once talked myself into my “usual” size for a black-tie do, convinced the bias cut would be forgiving. Reader, it was not. I couldn’t get the zip past my ribcage and ended up in a frantic wardrobe swap with the car already outside. Lesson learned — and now I give everyone the same advice.

If you’re a fuller cup size, or you simply carry a little width across the back and bust, size up on the fitted dresses and gowns. You can always have a roomy waist taken in by a good tailor; you cannot magic extra space into a structured bodice.

How to nail your Temperley size

The brand gives you more sizing tools than most luxury houses, so use them:

Measure yourself properly — bust, waist and hips — and compare against the size guide on each product page. Your “normal” size won’t always be your Temperley size.
Check garment vs body measurements. Temperley lists both. Garment measurements tell you the actual finished fit, which is the number you want for anything close-cut.
Treat the MySizeID virtual tool as a starting suggestion, not gospel — fabric and cut still have the final say.
Use Try Before You Buy or the concierge service if you’re in or near London. For investment occasionwear, trying first is always worth it.

My quick stylist’s cheat sheet by piece

Gowns and fitted dresses: size up if in any doubt, especially through the bust.
Kaftans, tunics and looser dresses: usually true to size and far more forgiving.
Tailored jackets and structured separates: true to size, but double-check shoulder width.
Knitwear and jersey: the most relaxed of the lot — your standard size is normally safe.

Where to shop if you love the Temperley look

Temperley’s whole appeal is that romantic, embellished, occasion-ready Britishness. If you want that mood at a range of price points, here’s exactly where I’d send you.

High street and mid-market:

Monsoon — the high street’s home of embellishment and boho-occasion dressing; beading and prints with a kindred spirit.
Coast — brilliant for structured occasion dresses and wedding-guest pieces.
Phase Eight — reliable, pretty occasionwear with a soft, feminine cut.
Hobbs — polished, grown-up British elegance for events and the races.
Whistles — cleaner and more modern, lovely for understated occasion silhouettes.
Anthropologie — the closest high street match for Temperley’s romantic, embroidered, free-spirited side.
Reiss — sharper tailoring for when you want sleek rather than floaty.

Premium:

Ghost — bias-cut, fluid dresses that channel the same vintage-romantic feeling.
By Malene Birger — elevated, artful prints and grown-up femininity.
Cefinn — Samantha Cameron’s label; refined British occasion and workwear.

Luxury and designer:

Needle & Thread — embellished, fairytale eveningwear if you adore the sparkle.
Erdem — painterly florals and structured romance at the very top end.

Two independents worth knowing:

Borgo de Nor — a London independent doing gorgeous painterly prints and feminine silhouettes that sit beautifully alongside Temperley.
Yolke — a small British label specialising in silk and dreamy, easy-to-wear femininity.

Stop guessing your size — let Tellar do it

Here’s the thing about a brand like Temperley, where the fit shifts piece to piece: a generic size guide will only get you so far. That’s exactly why I built so much of my work around Tellar.

Tellar is the UK’s leading sizing tool — match your body to over 1,500 brands instantly and never squint at a confusing size guide again.

Measure once using your bust, waist and hip — or simply enter a size you already own in a brand you know.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand, from COS and Reiss to Everlane, Arket and beyond.
Completely free, works straight in your browser, nothing to download.

And when you want honest styling help with no agenda, the Tellar Fashion Hub is a growing library of free posts from our stylists — honest, unbiased, independent and always free.

Visit Tellar Find My Size →