Choosing your lingerie size is the first cause of hesitation before buying, and the first cause of disappointment afterwards. A piece that is too small pinches and rides up; a piece that is too large floats and loses its line. In between there is a simple method: three measurements, one fabric to look at, and a rule that changes with the piece.
This guide is based on the dual sizes — S/M, L/XL, XXL/XXXL — used by SoPigalle lingerie, and explains how to read a product page before ordering.
Why dual sizes?
Fine lace and tulle lingerie is most often made in dual sizes: S/M, L/XL, XXL/XXXL. The fabric stretches, so a single piece covers two ready-to-wear sizes. That is convenient for gifting, less precise when you sit between two sizes.
As a rough guide, in French ready-to-wear, S generally corresponds to a 36, M to a 38, L to a 40, XL to a 42, XXL to a 44 and XXXL to a 46. Each lingerie brand has its own chart: these markers help you orient yourself, not decide. When the brand publishes its size guide, it appears on the product page and takes precedence.
Taking your measurements in three minutes
A soft tape measure, over bare skin or a thin underlayer, without pulling tight and without holding your breath. Three measurements are enough: bust at the fullest point, waist at the narrowest point, hips at the widest point. For a bra or a set, add the underbust, just below the bust.
Write down the three numbers. They decide, not your usual jeans size. Many people wear a 40 in trousers and an L/XL in lingerie across the bust: lingerie is chosen for the part of the body it dresses.
Lace and tulle: the fabric decides
Stretch lace and tulle are forgiving: between two dual sizes, the larger one stays in place and breathes better. Lace pulled too tight looks thinner, marks the skin and wears out faster. Mesh follows the same logic.
Structured fabrics — non-stretch satin, boning, lacing — are not forgiving. There, you take the size that matches the measurement, and never buy a size down counting on stretch: there is none.
Dress, set, bodysuit: the rule changes with the piece
A lingerie dress is chosen on two measurements: bust and hips. If they fall into two different sizes, follow the larger one. The Me Seduce Gwen, short and in stretch lace, handles that gap well; a long tulle dress like the Scarlett mainly needs the top to fit.
A set is checked twice: the top against bust and underbust, the bottom against hips. Most sets are sold in a single dual size for both pieces, so the most demanding measurement decides. A bodysuit or teddy adds one constraint: torso length. If you are tall or long in the torso, favour models with adjustable straps and, between two sizes, the larger. Compare the models in our Dresses, Sets & Ensembles and Bodysuits & Teddies collections.
Corsets: the waist comes first
A corset is chosen on a single measurement, the waist, taken without pulling tight. The lacing then adjusts by a few centimetres, not a whole size. If you sit between two dual sizes, take the larger: lacing tightens, it never loosens. The Casmir Lagerta and the Casmir Gingembre each come in a single dual size; the product page gives the construction stated by the brand.
A corset is laced gradually, for an evening, and should never restrict breathing. Loosen it at the first sign of discomfort. Find the models in Corsets & Basques.
Reading a SoPigalle product page before ordering
Each product page shows only the sizes actually available for that model and colour: if XXL/XXXL does not appear, it does not exist or is out of stock, not hidden. The material listed is the one stated by the brand; when a detail is not published by the manufacturer, the page says so rather than estimating.
If you are still unsure after measuring, read our Shipping and returns page: it sets out the conditions that apply to lingerie before you buy, so you can decide with full knowledge.
FAQ: choosing your lingerie size
I am between S/M and L/XL, which should I choose?
For a stretch lace or tulle piece, take L/XL. For a corset, also take the larger: the lacing can tighten by a few centimetres, never loosen.
My bust and hips are not in the same size: what do I do?
For a dress or a bodysuit, follow the larger measurement. For a set, the most demanding measurement also decides, since top and bottom are sold together.
Are Me Seduce and Casmir sizes the same?
Both brands use dual sizes, but their charts are not identical. Go by your measurements and by the brand's guide when it appears on the product page.
Should I size up for a teddy?
If you have a long torso or hesitate between two sizes, yes: adjustable straps can make up for a size above, never a size below.
Can I wash my lingerie before deciding whether the size fits?
No: try it on clean, without washing it or removing the labels, just long enough to check the fit. Hand washing comes only once the piece is yours to keep.
SoPigalle's advice
Measure first, look at the fabric second, and never buy a “goal” size. The lingerie that fits you today is the lingerie you will wear; the one that pinches will stay in the drawer. Between two dual sizes, lace prefers the larger; a corset is chosen on the waist and tightened with the lacing.