Clothing sizes

There are many different systems of clothing measurement around the world. The following tables illustrate how to convert between some of the official clothing measurement systems from different regions of the world.

It should be noted that these conversions may not be accurate in practice, as the standards used are not usually compulsory and there are known problems with vanity sizing in both men's and women's clothing. Even within a single range of clothing methods of manufacture can result in variations in actual measurement.

There is an international standard ISO 3635, Size designation of clothes - Definitions and body measurement procedure.

The European Union has produced a new standard EN 13402 intended to replace existing standards in the member countries. This is not yet in common use.

The United Kingdom has an existing standard for women's clothing BS 3666:1982, however this is rarely followed by manufacturers as it defines sizes in terms of hip and bust measurements only within a limited range. See table of sizes. This has resulted in variations between manufacturers and a tendency towards vanity sizing.

Women

Women’s dresses, suits and coats

EU	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50
USA	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20
UK	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
USA LETTER	XS	S	S	M	M	L	L	XL	1X	2X

Women’s blouses and sweaters

EU	40	42	44	46	48	50
USA	32	34	36	38	40	42
UK	34	36	38	40	42	44

Children’s junior misses dresses and coats

EU	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42
UK	3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17
USA	1	3	5	7	9	11	13	15

Women’s shoes

EU	35	35½	36	37	37½	38	38½	39	40	41	42
USA	5	5½	6	6½	7	7½	8	8½	9	9½	10
UK	2½	3	3½	4	4½	5	5½	6	6½	7	7½

Men

Men’s suits, sweaters, overcoats

EU	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60
UK / USA	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50

Men’s shirts

EU	36	37	38	39	40	41	42
UK / USA	14	14½	15	15½	16	16½	17

Men’s socks

EU	39	40	41	42	43	44	45
UK / USA	9½	10	10½	11	11½	12	12½

Men’s shoes

EU	37½	38	38½	39	39½	40	41	42	43	44	45	46
UK	5½	6	6½	7	7½	8	8½	9	9½	10	10½	11½
USA	6	6½	7	7½	8	8½	9	9½	10	10½	11	12

See also

• US standard clothing size
• Dress size
• EN 13402 – metric clothes sizes
• Shoe size

External links

http://www.usatourist.com/english/tips/womens-sizes.html http://www.usatourist.com/english/tips/mens-sizes.html