Women's Dress Size Table
| US | UK | EU | IT | Bust (in) | Waist (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 30 | 34 | 31.5 | 23.5 |
| 2 | 6 | 32 | 38 | 32 | 24 |
| 4 | 8 | 34 | 40 | 33 | 25 |
| 6 | 10 | 36 | 42 | 34 | 26 |
| 8 | 12 | 38 | 44 | 35 | 27 |
| 10 | 14 | 40 | 46 | 36 | 28 |
| 12 | 16 | 42 | 48 | 37.5 | 29.5 |
| 14 | 18 | 44 | 50 | 39 | 31 |
| 16 | 20 | 46 | 52 | 40.5 | 32.5 |
| 18 | 22 | 48 | 54 | 42 | 34 |
| 20 | 24 | 50 | 56 | 44 | 36 |
A US 8 is a UK 12 is an EU 38 is an Italian 44 - the same dress on the same body, four numbers apart, because every country built its own numbering on its own block (the base pattern a brand grades up and down). The table below maps US 00 through 20 to the other three systems with the body measurements each number is supposed to mean.
Bottom line: the measurements are the truth and the numbers are accents - a 35-inch bust, 27-inch waist and 37-inch hips are a US 8 / UK 12 / EU 38 / IT 44 on the chart, but the same body can wear a 6 in one brand and a 10 in another, because vanity sizing has drifted the numbers up for decades without anyone's body changing.
The honest part: this chart is the standard grade rule, not a promise - dress brands deviate by a full size in both directions (fast fashion runs generous, formal wear runs cruel), and knitwear versus woven fabric changes the fit again. Buy to your measurements against the brand's own chart when it exists; use this table when it does not.
How to use
- Measure bust at the fullest, waist at the narrowest, hips at the widest - tape level, not tight, over thin clothing.
- Find the row where your measurements fit best - when bust and waist disagree by a size, buy for the larger one and tailor the rest.
- Read across for the same size in UK, EU and Italian numbers, or type your bust into the converter for the nearest row.
Frequently asked questions
What is a US size 8 in UK and EU sizes?
US 8 is UK 12, EU 38 and Italian 44 - on a 35-inch bust, 27-inch waist, 37-inch hips. The UK scale runs 4 numbers above the US across the whole chart (US 4 = UK 8), the EU scale runs 30 above at the low end, and Italy runs 6 above the EU (EU 38 = IT 44). Men's clothes skip this entirely - they measure the body in inches and label it honestly, which is why men's sizing converts and women's sizing translates.
Why do I wear different sizes in different brands?
Vanity sizing: brands re-grade their blocks to flatter customers, so the size number that meant a 35-inch bust in 1970 now cuts for a 31-inch one - the average American woman's measurements have not shrunk, but the size on the tag has. Add brand-specific fit models (each label grades from one real body), fabric stretch, and cut intent (bodycon vs oversized), and the same body legitimately spans two to four numbers. Measurements are the constant; the number is marketing.
Should I buy for my bust, waist or hips?
Buy for the largest measurement relative to the chart and alter the rest, because taking in fabric is routine while letting out depends on seam allowance the dress may not have. For most figures that means the bust for tops and dresses (shoulder fit cannot be tailored cheaply), the waist for skirts and trousers. A dress that fits the shoulders and bust with a loose waist is a $15 alteration; the reverse is often unwearable.
Do US and EU kids' sizes convert the same way?
No - children's sizing is by height (and sometimes age) in Europe, not by the graded numbers: an EU 128 is a child of about 128 centimeters, roughly 8 years old, while the US still uses number scales that differ by brand. For teens between kids' and women's ranges, the bridge is measurements, not numbers: check bust and waist against this table's smaller rows, because a junior 'large' can equal a women's 0-2 depending on the label.