Reference chart

Women's clothing size chart: US, UK, EU

A US size 8 is a UK 12 and an EU 40. The rule of thumb: add 4 to a US size for UK, add 32 for EU.

Unlike shoe sizes, there's no historical measuring-unit reason for the gap. It's simply that each country's fashion industry picked its own numbering convention. The rule of thumb above holds for dresses, tops, jackets, and coats. Pants and jeans usually run on a separate waist-measurement scale rather than this one. Brands cut differently from each other, and vanity sizing means the same body can measure a US 6 in one label and a US 10 in another, so treat this as a starting point and check the brand's own measurements when they're available.

USUKEULetter
0432XS
2634XS
4836S
61038S
81240M
101442M
121644L
141846L
162048XL
182250XL
202452XXL
222654XXL
Brands disagree, and so do countries. The EU number itself isn't universal: French, German, and Italian sizing systems can land on different numbers for the exact same body. When a brand publishes its own bust/waist/hip measurements, use those over the letter or number size.

Common questions

What is a US size 8 in UK clothing sizes?
A US size 8 is a UK 12, and an EU 40.
What is EU 40 in US women's sizing?
EU 40 is a US size 8, a UK 12, and typically a medium.
Why do UK and EU clothing sizes run so much higher than US sizes?
There's no shared starting point. The common rule of thumb is UK = US + 4 and EU = US + 32, but this varies by country: French sizing runs roughly bust÷2, German roughly bust÷2 minus 6, and Italian roughly bust÷2 minus 4, so the same body measurement lands on three different EU numbers depending on which country's system is printed on the label.
See the shoe size chart →

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