EU, UK and US Clothing Sizes: How to Convert Without Guessing
Shopping for clothes online can be a gamble when you are buying from a foreign retailer.
Shopping for clothes online can be a gamble when you are buying from a foreign retailer. EU, UK, and US clothing sizes do not travel cleanly between regions, and conversion tables do not replace a brand's own sizing chart. The numbers are not universally interchangeable but only approximations that a shopper needs to know how to use.
Sizing is defined differently in Europe, the UK, and the US, and each system is anchored to a different primary measurement. European sizing is based on the EN 13402 standard, which is a European standard for clothing size labeling. EN 13402 replaced existing national systems with a measurement-based approach, based on bust measurement in centimeters. However, brands are free to adjust fit within that framework.
US sizing for women's clothing is tied to bust, waist, and hip ranges, while men's uses chest and waist ranges. US women's sizes range from 0 to 20 based on specific bust, waist, and hip measurements, not on a single color-coded label. For example, what a brand calls a US 2 may cut differently than another's 2. The same goes for men's, where shirts and trousers may be sized separately based on chest or waist measurements.
In the UK, clothing sizes use their own system. However, what those UK sizes correspond to in the EU or US systems can vary, making conversion tables an imperfect reference.
The starting point for converting clothing sizes across regions, then, is to think beyond a table of regional equivalents. Measurement is the key, not the label. The most trusted place to find those garment measurements is the brand's own sizing chart or guide, which every retailer should provide for their garments. Some show numeric ranges in metric units alongside the sizing labels to help shoppers understand the intended fit. That chart overrides any general cross-country conversion table, and the closer your measurements match the specific ranges, the better the fit.
Because of how measurements can vary, the safest way to buy clothes from a foreign retailer online is to turn their own chart into a conversion tool. Four steps:
- Take your own measurements in centimeters. Bust, waist, and hip are the primary measurements for women's clothing. Chest and waist are the key indicators for men's. Find a method you trust and get the numbers.
- Go to the brand's sizing page and get ready to compare.
- Don't pick a size based on the label. Instead, find the chart that lists each size's exact or estimated measurements and find the match. Do this for every piece you are considering. A brand's size 6 in tops, for example, may measure very differently from their size 6 pants.
- Check the garment’s actual chest, waist, seating, arm, and sleeve measurements, if listed. Taking a few extra seconds to cross-reference these can save you a world of difficulty. And do not forget to check what a relaxed fit or a slim fit means. Measurements help to understand fit.
Understanding the differences between EU, UK, and US clothing sizing isn't essential to be a good shopper, but knowledge of the differences means customers get a better fit with every purchase. The most reliable measure is the brand's own sizing chart, not a conversion table. However, a chart is still just an approximation, so measure twice, check the garment's exact measurements, and shop with confidence.
