We need global size charts for clothes shoes & lingerie. EN 13402 is a European standard for labelling clothes sizes. It is based on body dimensions, measured in centimetres. It aims to replace many older national dress-size systems, starting in the year 2006. But, to appeal to the ego of shoppers, UK retailers have been adding extra inches of material without changing the labels.
We aren’t there just yet.
So maybe these charts will help, especially if you’re travelling.
Women’s clothing sizes
| UK |
6
|
8
|
10
|
12
|
14
|
16
|
18
|
20
|
22
|
| USA |
4
|
6
|
8
|
10
|
12
|
14
|
16
|
18
|
20
|
| Germany |
32
|
34
|
36
|
38
|
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
| Spain/France |
34
|
36
|
38
|
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
| Italy |
38
|
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
52
|
54
|
| Russia |
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
52
|
54
|
56
|
| Japan |
3
|
5
|
7
|
9
|
11
|
13
|
15
|
17
|
19
|
Women’s shoe sizes
| UK |
3
|
3.5
|
4
|
4.5
|
5
|
5.5
|
6
|
6.5
|
7
|
7.5
|
8
|
8.5
|
| USA |
4.5
|
5
|
5.5
|
6
|
6.5
|
7
|
7.5
|
8
|
8.5
|
9
|
9.5
|
10
|
| Europe |
36
|
37
|
37
|
38
|
38
|
39
|
39
|
40
|
40
|
41
|
41
|
42
|
| Russia |
34
|
–
|
35
|
–
|
36
|
–
|
37
|
–
|
38
|
–
|
39
|
–
|
| Japan |
–
|
23
|
–
|
24
|
–
|
25
|
–
|
26
|
–
|
27
|
–
|
28
|
Women’s lingerie sizes
| UK |
24
|
26
|
28
|
30
|
32
|
34
|
36
|
38
|
| USA |
8
|
10
|
12
|
14
|
16
|
18
|
20
|
22
|
| France |
38
|
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
52
|
| Germany |
36
|
38
|
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
| Russia |
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
52
|
54
|
56
|
| Waist (cm) |
63-65
|
66-69
|
70-74
|
75-78
|
79-83
|
84-89
|
90-94
|
95-97
|
| Hips (cm) |
89-92
|
93-96
|
97-101
|
102-104
|
105-108
|
109-112
|
113-117
|
118-122
|
Women’s bra sizes
| UK / USA |
30
|
32
|
34
|
36
|
38
|
40
|
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
| Spain / France |
80
|
85
|
90
|
95
|
100
|
105
|
110
|
115
|
120
|
125
|
| Ital |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Germany |
65
|
70
|
75
|
80
|
85
|
90
|
95
|
100
|
105
|
110
|
| Russia |
42
|
44
|
46
|
48
|
50
|
52
|
54
|
56
|
Women’s hat sizes
| UK (inch) |
6 5/8
|
6 3/4
|
6 7/8
|
7
|
7 1/8
|
7 1/4
|
7 3/8
|
7 1/2
|
7 5/8
|
7 3/4
|
7 7/8
|
| USA (inch) |
6 3/4
|
6 7/8
|
7
|
7 1/8
|
7 1/4
|
7 3/8
|
7 1/2
|
7 5/8
|
7 3/4
|
7 7/8
|
8
|
| European (cm) |
54
|
55
|
56
|
57
|
58
|
59
|
60
|
61
|
62
|
63
|
64
|
Calculating your own hat size
To calculate your metric (European) hat size a measurement of the head circumference should be taken in centimetres. This is best achieved by passing a cloth tape measure around the head. Alternatively a piece of string may be used and measured against a ruler or tape measure. It is important that this measurement is taken where a hat would normally rest.
To take a measurement position the tape measure or string so that it rests just above the brow at the front of the head, touching the top of the ears at the side. Pull the tape so that is taught but not too tight and take a measurement.
Hats are sized to the nearest whole centimetre so it is advisable to size up if your head falls between two measurements.
Forget size 14, try a size 76cm!
The end of UK women’s traditional dress sizes could be just around the corner thanks to the European Union. Bust, waist, hip and height measurements in centimetres will replace traditional labels under new guidelines, according to Which? magazine.
The removal of traditional labels for sizes such as 10, 12 and 14 would bring women’s clothes in line with men’s sizing.
Frank Moore, head of the European Committee for Standardisation which has proposed the new measurements, told the consumer magazine that change was on the way. He said, “It could be the end of the size ten. It will take some time but will mean better sizing for consumers. The sizing will happen on the continent first and then UK consumers will get used to it after seeing it there.”
He spoke out after Which? discovered that women’s size 14 clothes vary by several centimetres in different high-street chains:
- A Dorothy Perkins size 14 bust measurement is 97cm compared with 93cm at Marks & Spencer, according to the magazine.
- Waist measurements vary from 76cm at high street chains Next and M&S to 77cm at Tesco and 78cm at Dorothy Perkins.
- Tesco uses the biggest hip measurement at 103cm compared with 101.5cm at Dorothy Perkins and 100cm at M&S.
- Marks & Spencer said that it updates its sizes every ten years after conducting extensive research, including using real women. A spokeswoman said, ‘Fit rather than size is really important. We offer a breadth of choice; for example trousers come in three different leg lengths.’
- New Look said it doesn’t make its sizing information public, saying its range comes in sizes 8 to 28 so ‘customers should find something to fit’.
Vanity sizing
Women have long complained about the difference in clothes sizes, which means you slip into size 12 trousers in one shop but squeeze into a size 14 in another. Retailers admit their clothing ranges are designed to fit their type of customers rather than standard measurements.
And while many publish their measurements online, research has highlighted vanity sizing, where clothes are bigger than claimed on labels to flatter customers.
But some say variety is necessary. Andrew Crawford, from Size UK, which carried out a national sizing survey in 2002 – the first since the 1950s – said: “It’s beneficial that there’s no agreement between shops over sizes. It means consumers can find a shop selling clothes that fit them.” The survey showed that the average waist for a woman went up from 27.5in to 34in, the hips were 1.5in wider at 39in and the bust increased by the same amount to 38.5in. Women were also 1.5in taller at an average of 5ft 4.5in. A similar pattern was seen with men.
Source Metro and Which? July 4th 2007
Before we buckle under once more to the dictators in Brussels, here it is in inches:
The UK high street stores below sell clothes to women size 14 based on the following measurements (in inches). To appeal to the ego of shoppers, retailers have been adding extra inches of material without changing the labels.
Is it any wonder that we all have so much trouble finding clothes to fit?
| UK store – size 14 |
Bust (ins)
|
Waist (ins)
|
Hips (ins)
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Marks & Spencer |
36.6
|
29.9
|
39.4
|
| Tesco |
37.8
|
30.3
|
40.6
|
| Next |
37.0
|
30.0
|
39.5
|
| Jaeger |
40.0
|
32.5
|
42.5
|
| Dorothy Perkins |
38.2
|
30.7
|
40.0
|
| Top Shop |
38.2
|
31.2
|
40.0
|
| Jaeger |
40.0
|
32.5
|
42.5
|
| River Island |
37.5
|
30.0
|
40.0
|
| French Connection |
37.4
|
31.1
|
41.3
|
| H&M |
36.2
|
30.7
|
39.4
|
Source: Daily Express 5th July 2007