Women's clothing size conversion table
This is the mapping most retailers print for dresses, tops, skirts and knitwear. Read across a row: every cell in it is the same size on a different country's label.
| Letter | US | UK | AU / NZ | EU (DE, NL, Nordic) | FR / ES / BE | IT | JP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 0 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 32 | 36 | 5 |
| XS | 2 | 6 | 6 | 32 | 34 | 38 | 7 |
| S | 4 | 8 | 8 | 34 | 36 | 40 | 9 |
| S | 6 | 10 | 10 | 36 | 38 | 42 | 11 |
| M | 8 | 12 | 12 | 38 | 40 | 44 | 13 |
| M | 10 | 14 | 14 | 40 | 42 | 46 | 15 |
| L | 12 | 16 | 16 | 42 | 44 | 48 | 17 |
| L | 14 | 18 | 18 | 44 | 46 | 50 | 19 |
| XL | 16 | 20 | 20 | 46 | 48 | 52 | 21 |
| XL | 18 | 22 | 22 | 48 | 50 | 54 | 23 |
| XXL | 20 | 24 | 24 | 50 | 52 | 56 | — |
Based on: Label conversion follows the most widely published mapping (US 0 = UK 4 = DE 30 = FR 32 = IT 36). Shops that print a single "EU" size usually mean the French/Spanish numbers. Japanese labels run small on the body, so many Western shoppers go up one or two steps. Letter sizes vary the most between brands.
Body measurements for each US size
Labels are only half the story. These are typical bust, waist and hip measurements for US misses sizes, the regular range most brands start from. Measure yourself, find the row your numbers fall in, then convert that row with the conversion table.
| US | Bust in | Waist in | Hips in | Bust cm | Waist cm | Hips cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 32 | 25 | 35 | 81 | 64 | 89 |
| 2 | 33 | 26 | 36 | 84 | 66 | 91 |
| 4 | 34 | 27 | 37 | 86 | 69 | 94 |
| 6 | 35 | 28 | 38 | 89 | 71 | 97 |
| 8 | 36 | 29 | 39 | 91 | 74 | 99 |
| 10 | 37 | 30 | 40 | 94 | 76 | 102 |
| 12 | 38.5 | 31.5 | 41.5 | 98 | 80 | 105 |
| 14 | 40 | 33 | 43 | 102 | 84 | 109 |
| 16 | 41.5 | 34.5 | 44.5 | 105 | 88 | 113 |
| 18 | 43.5 | 36.5 | 46.5 | 110 | 93 | 118 |
| 20 | 45.5 | 38.5 | 48.5 | 116 | 98 | 123 |
Based on: Typical body measurements behind current US misses sizing, taken from common retailer charts. Older standards and many European brands cut smaller; individual brands differ by 1 to 2 inches.
The steps are an inch apart up to size 10 and grow to an inch and a half or two above that, which matches how most brand charts grade. If your bust, waist and hips land on different rows, that is normal: few people match a single row. The finder tells you which measurement should decide for the garment you're buying.
Letter sizes: what XS to XXL usually cover
Letter sizes group two numeric sizes together in most US ranges: XS covers 0 to 2, S covers 4 to 6, M covers 8 to 10, L covers 12 to 14 and XL covers 16 to 18. That is a convention, not a rule. Some brands, especially European ones, map S to a single size, and a few start their XS at a US 2 or 4.
Because each letter spans two sizes, letter-sized garments are usually cut with more ease or stretch. That is why they are common for T-shirts, sweaters and loungewear and rare for tailored pieces. If you are a US 6 or 10, sitting at the top of a letter band, check the brand's chart; you may prefer the next letter up for anything without stretch.
European sizes: EU, German, French and Italian
Continental Europe does not have one scale. Three are in common use, and they sit two numbers apart:
- German, Dutch and Scandinavian (often written DE or EU): a US 8 is a 38.
- French, Spanish, Belgian and Portuguese (FR or EU on many shop sites): a US 8 is a 40.
- Italian (IT): a US 8 is a 44, four above French.
The confusion comes from shops writing just "EU". If you're unsure which one a shop means, look for a reference row in its chart: if EU 36 sits next to UK 8, it is using the French scale; if EU 36 sits next to UK 10, it is German. Italian sizes are usually labeled clearly, since luxury brands use them on their own.
Japanese and Australian sizes
Australia and New Zealand use the same numbers as the UK, so an AU 12 is a UK 12 and a US 8. Japan uses odd numbers, with 9 as the standard medium. The label mapping in the table (JP 9 = US 4) is the common one, but Japanese ranges are cut for a smaller average frame, so many Western shoppers find they need one or two steps up. Japanese charts usually give measurements in centimeters, so compare those directly.
Petite, tall and plus ranges
A petite size keeps the same width as the regular size with the same number, but shortens the parts that depend on height: torso, sleeves, rise and inseam. It is usually aimed at people around 5'4" (163 cm) and shorter. Tall ranges do the opposite for people roughly 5'8" (173 cm) and up. If regular sizes fit your bust and hips but the waist sits too low or sleeves cover your hands, try petite in your usual number before sizing down.
Plus or women's sizes, often marked with a W (14W, 16W and so on), are not simply misses sizes made bigger. They are typically cut with more room through the bust, upper arm and hip relative to the shoulder. A 14W and a misses 14 can fit quite differently, so treat them as separate charts and use the brand's measurements.
If you're between two sizes
Pick the measurement that matters for the garment, then round in the direction that is easier to fix. For dresses and jackets that usually means the larger size, because taking in is simple and letting out is often impossible. For stretch knits and jersey, the smaller size tends to look better, since knits relax as you wear them. For trousers, hips matter more than waist: a waistband can be taken in, but tight hips will pull at every seam.
Comparing two brands
The most reliable brand size comparison uses a garment you already own and like. Lay it flat, measure across the chest from armpit to armpit and double it, then compare that number with the garment measurements (not body measurements) in the new brand's chart. Garment measurements include the ease the designer added, so they predict the fit of a similar style far better than the size label does. For more on taking measurements, see how to measure yourself; for jeans, go to the jeans size chart.
