A size 8 dress from a US store, a 12 from a British one and a 40 from a French one might all fit the same person, but nothing on the labels says so. This converter translates clothing sizes between the US, UK, European, Italian and Japanese systems for women’s dresses and tops, men’s suits and jackets, men’s dress shirts and men’s pants, using standard conversion charts.
How to use the clothing size converter
- Choose the clothing type: women’s dresses, tops and pants; men’s suits, jackets and coats; men’s dress shirts; or men’s pants and jeans.
- Choose the system your size is in.
- Enter the size exactly as it appears on the label (for example 8, 40, 15.5 or LL).
- Read the equivalent sizes in every other system. If your size falls between rows, the nearest size is shown.
How the conversion works
Most systems are a fixed offset from US sizing, which the converter applies through standard charts:
Japanese women’s sizes use odd numbers (5, 7, 9, 11…), and Japanese men’s jackets use letters tied to chest ranges in the JIS standard.
Worked example
You wear a US women’s size 8:
UK: 8 + 4 = 12 · Germany: 8 + 30 = 38 · France: 8 + 32 = 40 · Italy: 8 + 36 = 44 · Japan: 11
Letter size: M. Typical body measurements: bust 36 in, waist 28 in, hips 38 in.
For a man with a 40-inch chest, the jacket converts to EU and Italian 50; a 15½-inch shirt collar converts to 39 cm.
Women’s dresses, tops and pants
| US | Letter | UK / AU | DE / NL | FR / ES | IT | JP | Bust (in) | Waist (in) | Hips (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | XS | 4 | 30 | 32 | 36 | 3 | 32 | 24 | 34 |
| 2 | XS | 6 | 32 | 34 | 38 | 5 | 33 | 25 | 35 |
| 4 | S | 8 | 34 | 36 | 40 | 7 | 34 | 26 | 36 |
| 6 | S | 10 | 36 | 38 | 42 | 9 | 35 | 27 | 37 |
| 8 | M | 12 | 38 | 40 | 44 | 11 | 36 | 28 | 38 |
| 10 | M | 14 | 40 | 42 | 46 | 13 | 37 | 29 | 39 |
| 12 | L | 16 | 42 | 44 | 48 | 15 | 38.5 | 30.5 | 40.5 |
| 14 | L | 18 | 44 | 46 | 50 | 17 | 40 | 32 | 42 |
| 16 | XL | 20 | 46 | 48 | 52 | 19 | 41.5 | 33.5 | 43.5 |
| 18 | XL | 22 | 48 | 50 | 54 | 21 | 43 | 35 | 45 |
| 20 | XXL | 24 | 50 | 52 | 56 | 23 | 45 | 37 | 47 |
| 22 | XXL | 26 | 52 | 54 | 58 | 25 | 47 | 39 | 49 |
Measurements are typical for US misses sizing; petite, tall and plus lines use their own charts.
Men’s suits and jackets
| US / UK chest | Letter | EU / IT | JP | Chest (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | S | 44 | S | 86 |
| 36 | S | 46 | M | 91 |
| 38 | M | 48 | L | 97 |
| 40 | M | 50 | L | 102 |
| 42 | L | 52 | LL | 107 |
| 44 | L | 54 | LL | 112 |
| 46 | XL | 56 | 3L | 117 |
| 48 | XL | 58 | 4L | 122 |
| 50 | XXL | 60 | 4L | 127 |
| 52 | XXL | 62 | 5L | 132 |
Men’s dress shirts and pants
| US / UK collar (in) | EU / IT / JP (cm) | US / UK waist (in) | EU / IT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 36 | 28 | 44 | |
| 14.5 | 37 | 30 | 46 | |
| 15 | 38 | 32 | 48 | |
| 15.5 | 39 | 34 | 50 | |
| 16 | 41 | 36 | 52 | |
| 16.5 | 42 | 38 | 54 | |
| 17 | 43 | 40 | 56 | |
| 17.5 | 44 | 42 | 58 | |
| 18 | 46 | 44 | 60 |
Buying across borders
Sizing labels are a starting point, not a guarantee. Before ordering from another country, measure yourself (bust or chest at the fullest point, natural waist, hips at the widest point) and compare with the retailer’s own chart, which overrides any general table. Italian and Japanese brands often cut slimmer, and many US brands practice vanity sizing, labeling garments a size or two smaller than older standards.
For footwear, use the shoe size converter; for jewelry, the ring size converter. The inches to centimeters converter converts your own measurements.
Frequently asked questions
What is a US size 8 in UK and European sizes?
In women's dresses and tops, a US 8 is typically a UK 12, a German or Dutch 38, a French or Spanish 40, an Italian 44 and a Japanese 11. It usually corresponds to a letter size M.
Why are there two different European dress sizes?
Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia number women's sizes two lower than France, Spain and Belgium. A German 38 and a French 40 are the same garment size, which is why labels and charts often split the EU column.
How do men's suit sizes convert?
US and UK suit jackets are labeled by chest measurement in inches. European and Italian sizes add 10, so a US 40 regular is a 50 in Europe and Italy.
How do I convert shirt collar sizes?
Multiply the US neck size in inches by 2.54 and round to get the European size in centimeters. A 15½-inch collar is about 39 cm, and a 16-inch collar is about 41 cm.
Why does the same size fit differently between brands?
There is no binding international sizing standard, and brands cut for their own target customers. European and Japanese brands often run smaller than US brands at the same nominal size, so compare your measurements with each brand's chart.