British clothing sizes

I'm a size what? U.K. clothing and shoe size conversion charts and how to convert American clothes sizes to British (and European) ones

The United States, Britain, and Continental Europe all use different systems for measurements to make sure, no matter who we are, nothing will quite fit properly.

As anyone who's ever carried more than the allowed four items into a dressing room knows, clothing size is rather more subjective than it should be (especially for women), and sizes vary between manufacturers and from store to store.

Basically: you gotta try it on no matter what. But at least the following charts will give you a ballpark size to take off the rack and start with.

U.K., U.S., and metric sizes for women's clothing and shoes

Figuring out U.K. dress sizes from U.S. ones is pretty easy: just add 4 (and try not to feel too insulted by it).

When it comes to continental European sizes, things get trickier, since many countries have their own formula, usually a variation on diving the bust circumference in half (Italy stops at that, but France divides then subtracts 4, Germany subtracts 6).

Women's shoes
U.K.	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
U.S.	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Europe	35	35-36	36-37	37-38	38-39	39-40	40-41	41-42	42-43

 

Women's dresses, coats, and suits
U.K.	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28
U.S.	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24
Italy	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60
France	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56
Germany	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54

U.K., U.S., and metric sizes sizes for men's clothing and shoes

Men have it easy. Shoe measurements in the U.K. are just half a size smaller than in the U.S., and most British clothing manufacturers use the same measurements as does the U.S. (though a few prefer the continental European sizing—and might do so increasingly as the metric system slowly takes over). 

Men's shoes
U.K.	5.5	6.5	7.5	8.5	9.5	10.5	11.5	12.5	13.5
U.S.	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Europe	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47

 

Men's jackets
U.K./U.S.	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54
Continental Europe	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62	64

 

Men's shirts
U.K./U.S.	14	14-1/2	15	15-1/2	16	16-1/2	17	17-1/2
Europe	36	37	38	39	41	42	43	44

 

Men's pants: Waist
U.K./U.S.	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	36	38	40	42	44
Europe	64/68	68/72	72/76	76/80	80/84	84/88	88/92	92/96	96/100	100/104	104/108	108/112	112/116
Italy	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55

 

Men's pants: Length
U.K./U.S.	25/26	27/28	29/30	31	32	33	34	36
EU	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48