Clothing Size Converter — International Size Charts for Men, Women & Kids

The Formula

Clothing sizing systems developed independently across different regions, each using different measurement units, reference points, and grading increments. US women's clothing uses even numbers (0-20+) where each increment corresponds to approximately 1 inch of circumference change. UK women's sizing follows a similar scale offset by about 4 sizes. EU sizing uses a centimetre-based system (30-60+) that directly corresponds to body measurements. Japanese sizing provides an alternative numeric or letter-based system. International letter sizing (XS-XXL) offers a rough cross-reference but varies significantly between brands and garment types. This converter uses standardised conversion tables derived from industry references to map sizes across all five systems, with linear interpolation applied for in-between sizes.

Variable Definitions

How to Use This Calculator

1. 1

   Select the clothing category from the dropdown: dresses, tops, suits/jackets, shirts, shoes, children, or jeans.

2. 2

   Choose the region of your known size (US, UK, EU, JP, or International letter).

3. 3

   Enter your size as a number or letter. For numeric sizes like jeans, enter the waist measurement (e.g., 32). For children, enter the age label (e.g., 3T, 6-12M).

4. 4

   View your converted sizes across all regional systems displayed simultaneously.

Quick Reference

Common Applications

• Shopping from international online retailers that use different sizing systems than your home country.
• Converting gift sizes when buying clothing for friends or family who live in a different region.
• Understanding your equivalent size when travelling abroad and needing to buy clothes in local stores.
• Comparing sizes across different brands that may use US, UK, or EU sizing inconsistently.
• Helping parents find the right size for children using age-based sizing charts from different countries.

Equivalence chart for women's dresses/tops and men's shirts across US, UK, EU, JP, and International sizing systems.

Understanding the Concept

Clothing size conversion is complicated because different countries and regions developed their sizing systems independently, using different measurement units, reference points, and grading increments. US women's clothing sizing traces its origins to a 1930s government study by the Bureau of Home Economics, where 10,000 women were measured to create a standardised system. That original system used even numbers (8-42), but over decades, manufacturers shifted the scale (a phenomenon known as vanity sizing) so that today a size 8 fits a body approximately two sizes larger than the 1930s equivalent. UK women's sizing follows a similar scale to US but is offset by approximately 4 sizes: a US size 8 equals a UK size 12. The offset originated because the UK based its system on imperial measurements while the US system drifted independently. EU sizing is fundamentally different: it uses a centimetre-based system where each size typically corresponds to a 2 cm change in circumference (4 cm for full chest circumference in tops). EU sizes for women (30-60) and men (44-72) are based on actual body measurements, making them more systematic and less prone to vanity sizing drift. Japanese sizing for women (5-21) uses yet another scale that tends to run smaller than Western equivalents, reflecting the average difference in body measurements across populations. International letter sizing (XS through XXL and beyond) was intended as a universal cross-reference but remains unstandardised: a size M from one brand may fit differently than a size M from another, even within the same country. The most reliable approach is to use body measurements (chest, waist, hips, inseam) in centimetres or inches, which this converter uses as its underlying reference data. For shoes, each system uses a different zero point and grading increment: US sizes start at approximately 0 (women) or 6 (men) and increase by 1/3 inch per size. UK sizes are similar but offset by about 1-2 sizes. EU shoe sizes are based on the Paris point (2/3 cm per size), making them strictly linear. Japanese shoe sizes are simply the foot length in centimetres.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & References