Shopping from international brands is one of the most common sources of sizing confusion, since the US, UK, EU, and major Asian markets all use different numbering systems for describing the same body. This guide breaks down how each system relates to the others across women's clothing, men's clothing, and shoes, plus how Asian sizing and men's-to-women's conversions fit into the picture.
Women's clothing: US, UK, and EU
For women's clothing, the general rule of thumb is that EU sizes run about 30–32 higher than the equivalent US size, while UK sizes run about 4 lower than US sizes. So a US 8 is roughly a UK 12 and an EU 40. These are useful starting points, but actual body measurements still vary by brand, so always cross-check with a chart when possible.
| US size | UK size | EU size | Approx. waist (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 2 | UK 6 | EU 34 | 25–26 |
| US 4 | UK 8 | EU 36 | 26–27 |
| US 6 | UK 10 | EU 38 | 27–28 |
| US 8 | UK 12 | EU 40 | 29–30 |
| US 10 | UK 14 | EU 42 | 31–32 |
| US 12 | UK 16 | EU 44 | 33–34 |
Men's clothing: US, UK, and EU
Men's casualwear (T-shirts, sweaters) uses the same letter sizes (S, M, L, XL) across the US and UK, so a US men's Medium is a UK Medium as well. Suits and tailored jackets are more numeric, and EU sizes for men's suits and jackets run about 10 higher than US chest sizes — a US 38 jacket is roughly an EU 48.
Looking for a specific brand?
Fit varies far more between brands than between size systems.
Browse 30+ brand size charts| US chest size | UK size | EU size | Chest (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 36 | UK 36 | EU 46 | 36 |
| US 38 | UK 38 | EU 48 | 38 |
| US 40 | UK 40 | EU 50 | 40 |
| US 42 | UK 42 | EU 52 | 42 |
| US 44 | UK 44 | EU 54 | 44 |
Shoe sizing across regions
Shoe conversions are less straightforward than a fixed offset because they're rooted in different measurement traditions (EU sizing is based on the Paris point system, roughly two-thirds of a centimeter per size). For women, add approximately 30–31 to a US size to estimate the EU equivalent; for men, add approximately 33. UK shoe sizes run about half a size to one full size smaller than US sizes for both men and women.
| US size (women) | UK size | EU size | US size (men) | EU size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4 | 36–37 | 7 | 40 |
| 7 | 5 | 37–38 | 8 | 41 |
| 8 | 6 | 38–39 | 9 | 42 |
| 9 | 7 | 40–41 | 10 | 43 |
| 10 | 8 | 41–42 | 11 | 44 |
See our dedicated shoe size conversion guide for a deeper breakdown of foot-length measurements in centimeters, which are the most reliable reference when a brand's shoe sizing feels unusual.
Asian sizing vs. US sizing
Asian sizing, as used by many Japanese, Korean, and Chinese brands, is generally cut smaller than US sizing by roughly one to two labeled sizes — an Asian Medium often fits closer to a US Extra Small. For tops, an Asian Large is roughly a US Small, and an Asian XXL is roughly a US Large. Pants sold by Asian brands often use a centimeter waist measurement (66, 70, 74 cm, and so on) rather than inches, and even when the number looks similar to a US inch waist, the rise and leg opening are usually cut narrower. Shoe sizing in much of Asia is based directly on foot length in centimeters, which many shoppers find more reliable than converting through a letter or number size — a 25 cm foot length is roughly a US men's 7 or a US women's 8.
| Asian size label | Approx. US equivalent |
|---|---|
| S | US XS |
| M | US S |
| L | US S/M |
| XL | US M |
| XXL | US L |
Because the size jump between Asian and US labeling is inconsistent across brands, it's safest to order at least one size up from your usual US size when trying an Asian brand for the first time, and to check the item's actual body measurements in centimeters whenever they're listed.
Converting between men's and women's sizes
Men's and women's sizing systems were developed independently, so converting between them isn't a simple like-for-like swap. For tops and shirts, a common approximation is that a women's size equals a men's size plus two letter sizes — a men's Small is roughly equivalent to a women's Large. For numeric tops, women's sizing runs about two sizes above the men's chest-based number. Pants are structured differently altogether: men's pants use a waist measurement in inches, while women's jeans typically use an index (0, 2, 4, 6...), so a men's 32-inch waist is roughly a women's size 14.
Shoes are the most frequently searched men's-to-women's conversion, and the rule is simple: add 1.5 to a men's US shoe size to estimate the women's equivalent, since the physical shoe length in centimeters is identical and only the label changes. A men's size 8 is a women's 9.5, and a men's size 9 is a women's 10.5. This is especially useful for sneaker releases that only launch in men's sizing — a women's 9.5 shopper can look for a men's 8 and typically get an identical fit.
Practical takeaways
- Body measurements in inches or centimeters never change between regions — when in doubt, compare those directly rather than converting label to label.
- Use a size converter for a quick lookup across US, UK, EU, and Asian systems.
- Check individual brand size charts before ordering internationally, since actual measurements can shift the conversion by half a size in either direction.