Carolina Herrera Size Guide: US, UK, EU and Shoe Conversions

Carolina Herrera sizes its clothing on the US scale, where US 0 equals UK 4, EU 32 and IT 36, and each step up adds two on both the US and UK scales. Most Carolina Herrera product pages carry no sizing note and 13 say “Fits true to size”, so your usual size on the chart below is the right place to start, with two named exceptions.

This guide covers the clothing conversion, the shoe scale, belts and one-size accessories, and how to choose between two sizes by garment. Everything here applies across the Carolina Herrera edit at Luxury Shoes .

What is the Carolina Herrera size chart?

The house chart runs from US 0 to US 16, which is UK 4 to UK 20. The US number is always two lower than the UK number, and the letter sizes group two US sizes together from S upwards.

For European and Italian sizing, the house chart anchors at US 0, which is EU 32 and IT 36. Use the UK column if you shop in the UK, and the letter column for pieces sold in letters.

Does Carolina Herrera run small?

Not as a rule. Most Carolina Herrera product pages carry no sizing note, and 13 state plainly that the piece fits true to size. The one exception is the Rolled Sleeves Button-Front Gown in Black, a silk faille gown with a corset-detail waist, whose page says “Runs small. If you are in between sizes, we recommend sizing up.”

One page leans the other way. The Silk Taffeta Shirt in Azalea, at $1,950, says “For a closer fit, we recommend sizing down.” That is a preference, not a correction: the shirt is cut with room, and sizing down is for those who want it neater.

For everything else, start with the size you normally take on the US and UK scale. Where pieces feel different, it comes down to the cut, not the label. A boned bodice fits closer than a relaxed shirt in the same size, which is why the next sections go garment by garment.

What size is the model wearing?

The model on Carolina Herrera product pages is about 177 to 180 cm tall and wears a US 2, which is a UK 6. That is a useful reference for length.

If you are shorter than the model, expect midi hems to fall lower on the leg and floor-length pieces to pool more. If you are taller, a midi will sit a little higher. Length is not something to size up for. Choose the size that fits your bust, waist and hips, then hem if needed.

How do you choose between two sizes?

Read the cut description on the product page before you choose. Carolina Herrera describes each silhouette clearly, and that tells you where the fit is fixed and where there is room.

Fitted bodices, bustiers and corsetry

These are the pieces to get exactly right, because the bodice is built to hold its shape on the body. The Rose Jacquard Full Midi Dress in White has a corset-detail, boned bodice over a full midi skirt, at $6,620. The Hydrangea-Print Organza Midi Dress has boning at the bodice and thin straps, at $6,250. The Strapless Dress With Calla Lily Brooch in Black is cut from stretch wool with an internal bustier, at $6,990.

With boning and a bustier, the bust and waist measurements decide the size. The full skirt below has room to spare, so ignore the hips. If you sit between two sizes, the larger size can be taken in by a tailor more easily than a small one can be let out. For more on these shapes, read our guide to Carolina Herrera dresses and gowns, and browse the full range of designer dresses.

Relaxed shirting and oversized shapes

Here the house builds the volume in, so take your usual size and let the cut do the rest. The Oversized Tie-Front Shirt in White is cut in an ultra-oversized stretch-cotton silhouette with elongated sides that tie at the waist, at $2,330. The Oversized Organza Blouse in Black is a sheer silk organza smock with an oversized fit, airy sleeves and narrow cuffs, at $2,890.

Sizing down in an oversized shirt narrows the shoulders and shortens the sleeves, which changes the shape the house designed. The white shirt is the founder’s own uniform, often worn with a full skirt, so the volume is the point. See more shirting in our designer tops edit.

Tailoring and trousers

Much of the tailoring is cut in stretch wool, which gives a little without losing its line. The Cigarette Pants in Chili Red are close-fitting stretch-wool trousers with a smooth, seamless front, at $2,140. Choose them by the waist and hip, as there is no extra room. The Wide-Leg Diane Pants in Black are high-waisted in bi-stretch wool, so the waist matters most and the leg looks after itself.

Coats

Coats are cut with layers in mind. The Double-Breasted Cocoon Coat in Black is double-faced wool in a relaxed silhouette with softly rounded sleeves, at $6,250. Take your usual size; the cocoon shape already allows for tailoring underneath. Browse more in our designer coats edit.

What is the Carolina Herrera shoe size chart?

Carolina Herrera shoes are sized 6 to 12 on the house scale, which converts directly to EU 35 to 41. Foot length runs from 22.5 cm at size 6 to 26.5 cm at size 12.

Note that the house scale is its own scale. Match on the EU column, which is the number most people already know. Most of the shoes are pointed-toe slingbacks, so measure your foot in the evening and leave room in front of the toes. Every style, with prices and what to wear them with, is in our guide to Carolina Herrera shoes, and the full range sits in our designer shoes edit.

How are Carolina Herrera belts and accessories sized?

Belts are sized in letters, from XS to XL, and the bags and clutches are one size. Use the same letter you would take in clothing.

The Icon belt is a house signature. The Patent Leather Icon Belt in Black is high-shine leather, at $1,580. If your waist sits between two letters, think about where you will wear it: at the natural waist over a dress, the smaller letter, and lower over a coat, the larger. Browse more in our designer belts edit.

Bags, clutches and jewellery need no size at all, which makes them the easiest Carolina Herrera pieces to buy as a gift.

Where should you check your measurements?

Check two things before you order: your own measurements and the cut description on the product page.

• Measure yourself. Take bust, waist and hips with a soft tape, over light underwear, keeping the tape level.
• Measure a piece you own. A dress that fits well, laid flat, is the most reliable reference you have.
• Read the cut. Words such as boned, bustier and close-fitting mean a precise fit. Oversized, relaxed and cocoon mean the room is built in.
• Use the model. She is about 177 to 180 cm in a US 2, which tells you how a length will fall on you.

For who the house is and how it built its name on eveningwear, read our profile of Carolina Herrera the designer.

Shop the edit

Every Carolina Herrera piece at Luxury Handbags is authenticity-checked and ships worldwide by DHL Express and FedEx International Priority, insured, with a signature on delivery. Most regions ship Delivered Duty Unpaid, so duties are paid on import, and the full terms are on our shipping and returns page.

Frequently asked questions

Does Carolina Herrera run small?

Not as a rule. Most Carolina Herrera product pages carry no sizing note and 13 say fits true to size. The exception is the Rolled Sleeves Button-Front Gown, whose page says it runs small and recommends sizing up if you are between sizes.

What is US 2 in UK sizes for Carolina Herrera?

A Carolina Herrera US 2 is a UK 6. The house chart runs from US 0, which is UK 4, EU 32 and IT 36, up to US 16, which is UK 20.

What size is the Carolina Herrera model wearing?

The model on Carolina Herrera product pages is about 177 to 180 cm tall and wears a US 2, which is a UK 6.

What do the Carolina Herrera letter sizes mean?

XS is US 0, S covers US 2 and 4, M covers US 6 and 8, L covers US 10 and 12, and XL covers US 14 and 16.

How do Carolina Herrera shoe sizes convert to EU?

The house scale runs from 6 to 12, which is EU 35 to 41. Size 6 is EU 35, size 9 is EU 38 and size 12 is EU 41, with foot length from 22.5 cm to 26.5 cm.

Should you size up in a boned Carolina Herrera dress?

Choose by bust and waist, because a boned bodice holds its shape on the body. If you sit between two sizes, the larger one is easier for a tailor to take in.