Dress size conversion: US, UK, EU and more explained

For a typical dress size conversion, add 4 to a US size to get the UK and Australian size, add 30 to get the EU (German) size, add 32 for French and add 36 for Italian. A US 8 is therefore a UK 12, an EU 38, a French 40 and an Italian 44. All of these are rules of thumb, not a standard every label follows. Your bust, waist and hip measurements, checked against the brand’s own chart, are what settle the size you order.

Why one dress has several size numbers

Every country built its own size scale from its own starting point. The US counts in even numbers from 0. The UK and Australia also count in even numbers, but they start higher. Continental Europe uses larger numbers again, and France and Italy each sit a step or two above the German scale.

The steps between sizes are close to even across these systems, which is why a single chart can line them up. The numbers name the same body measurements in different languages. A label in another country is only describing your fit in its own terms, so a bigger number there does not mean you have changed.

The conversion at a glance

This dress size chart covers US sizes 0 to 24. Read across a row to find the matching size in each system.

US	UK and AU	EU (German)	FR	IT
0	4	30	32	36
2	6	32	34	38
4	8	34	36	40
6	10	36	38	42
8	12	38	40	44
10	14	40	42	46
12	16	42	44	48
14	18	44	46	50
16	20	46	48	52
18	22	48	50	54
20	24	50	52	56
22	26	52	54	58
24	28	54	56	60

Japanese sizes run in odd numbers, from JP 7 at US 0 up to JP 31 at US 24, which works out to the US size plus 7. Letter sizes cover two US sizes each, apart from the smallest: XXS is US 0, XS is US 2 to 4, S is 6 to 8, M is 10 to 12, L is 14 to 16, XL is 18 to 20 and XXL is 22 to 24.

US to UK and Australian sizes

The UK to US dress size rule is the easiest one to keep in your head: take 4 off the UK number. A UK 10 is a US 6, and a UK 16 is a US 12. Going the other way, add 4 to the US size.

Australian sizing follows UK numbering, so the same subtraction works. An AU 14 is a US 10. If you are shopping across all three countries, a UK and an Australian label with the same number should describe the same typical fit.

One thing to watch: the gap stays at 4 all the way up the chart. That holds from the smallest size to the largest, so you never need a different rule at either end.

European, French and Italian sizes

The European dress size conversion uses German numbering as its base. Add 30 to a US size and you have the EU size, so a US 6 becomes an EU 36.

French sizes run 2 above the German scale, and Italian sizes run 4 above French. That means a US 10 is an EU 40, a French 42 and an Italian 46. The difference between EU 40 and IT 46 trips people up, because both are “European.” Check which system a label uses before you compare it with anything else.

If a size tag gives only a number in the 30s to 50s with no country, ask the seller which scale it follows. Without that, a guess could be off by several sizes.

Japanese and letter sizes

Japanese sizes on this chart are matched by bust measurement against the Japanese standard body table. That makes them a useful guide for the bodice of a dress, but check the waist and hip figures on the brand’s chart too, since a skirt or a fitted sheath depends on more than the bust.

Letter sizes are broader. Because most of them span two US sizes, the same letter can fit differently from one label to the next. For a dress with a structured bodice or a close fit through the hips, a numbered size gives you more precision than a letter.

Measure first, then convert

A conversion chart gives you a starting point, not a final answer. Labels cut to their own patterns, and bridal and evening designers in particular publish their own charts. When the label’s chart and a general table disagree, follow the label’s chart. That matters most for a fitted gown, like the ones in our guides to bridesmaid dresses and plus-size wedding dresses, where a single size makes a visible difference.

How to take your measurements

Use a soft tape and wear the underwear you plan to wear with the dress.

• Bust: wrap the tape around the fullest part, keeping it level across your back, with your arms relaxed at your sides.
• Waist: measure your natural waist, the narrowest point of your torso. Lean to one side and the crease you see marks it.
• Hips: stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips.
• Hollow to hem: wearing the shoes you plan to wear, measure from the dip at the base of your neck straight down to where you want the hem to fall.

For a closer walkthrough, see how to measure for a dress.

When you fall between sizes

Each size on a chart covers a range of measurements. If a measurement falls inside a range, that is your size. If it falls between two sizes, go up to the larger one.

When your bust, waist and hips point to different sizes, order the largest size any one of them needs. A tailor can take in a dress that is a little roomy, but there is rarely enough fabric to let out one that is too tight. The Size Converter does the same check: enter your measurements and it finds the size that fits all of them.

FAQ

Is a UK 12 the same as a US 12?

No. A UK 12 is a US 8, because the UK scale runs 4 above the US scale. Ordering a US 12 when your UK size is 12 would give you a dress two sizes larger in US terms.

Why do my sizes differ between two dresses from the same country?

Every label sets its own pattern, and a chart like the one above shows only typical conversions. A stretch knit and a structured satin can also fit differently at the same size. Check the measurements on each label’s chart instead of relying on the number you usually wear.

Should I convert or measure for a dress I am having altered?

Measure, then order to your largest measurement, and plan time for the fitting. Alterations need a few weeks before the event, so build them into your plan with the Outfit Timeline Planner, which works back from your event date to give you order-by and fitting dates.

Do these conversions work for men’s suits?

No. This chart covers women’s dress sizes only. Suit jackets and trousers use their own chest, waist and length measurements, so they need a separate chart.