UK to US Clothing Size Conversion: Complete Chart for Women and Men
Shopping a UK site from the US, or the other way around? Here is the full UK-US-EU conversion for women's and men's clothing, plus jeans, shoes, and the one formula that gets you there in your head.
Instant Size Converter
Want a number without doing the math? Our free Size Converter handles UK, US, and EU sizes for any clothing category in one click.
The UK to US Formula
For women's ready-to-wear, subtract 4 from the UK size to get the US size. Both countries describe the same body measurements; the UK scale simply runs 4 numbers higher. Wikipedia's clothing-size comparison tables show the same offset: a UK 12 lines up with a US 8 and an EU (French-scale) 40, and a UK 8 lines up with a US 4 and an EU 36.
Men's tailored clothing skips the offset entirely. Suit, jacket, and blazer sizes are identical between the UK and US: a 40 short in the UK is a 40 short in the US. Shirts and jeans are sized by body measurement in inches in both countries, so nothing needs converting there either.
UK Size − 4 = US Size
UK 8 → US 4
UK 10 → US 6
UK 12 → US 8
UK 14 → US 10
UK 16 → US 12
Women's Clothing Size Chart
The full conversion table below covers UK, US, and EU sizes side by side, with the letter size each one usually maps to.
| UK | US | EU | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK 4 | US 0 | EU 32 | XXS |
| UK 6 | US 2 | EU 34 | XS |
| UK 8 | US 4 | EU 36 | S |
| UK 10 | US 6 | EU 38 | M |
| UK 12 | US 8 | EU 40 | M/L |
| UK 14 | US 10 | EU 42 | L |
| UK 16 | US 12 | EU 44 | XL |
| UK 18 | US 14 | EU 46 | XXL |
| UK 20 | US 16 | EU 48 | 1X |
| UK 22 | US 18 | EU 50 | 2X |
| UK 24 | US 20 | EU 52 | 3X |
Prefer to shop by measurement rather than a size number? Our Dress Size Calculator turns your bust, waist, and hip measurements into a matching size across UK, US, and EU charts.
Men's Size Conversion
Men's clothing is more forgiving than women's, because most categories are measured directly in inches or centimeters in both countries. Suit and jacket sizes are one of the few places a number changes at all, and even then the UK and US figures match.
| UK/US Suit | EU Suit | Chest (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 46 | 36" / 91 cm |
| 38 | 48 | 38" / 97 cm |
| 40 | 50 | 40" / 102 cm |
| 42 | 52 | 42" / 107 cm |
| 44 | 54 | 44" / 112 cm |
Wikipedia's clothing-size comparison confirms the UK and US columns match exactly for men's suits and jackets, while the EU scale runs 10 numbers higher (UK/US 40 equals EU 50).
Shirt collars are sold by neck measurement in inches in both the UK and US, so a 15.5" collar is a 15.5" collar on either side of the Atlantic. No conversion is needed; just measure around the base of your neck where a collar would sit and add half an inch for comfort.
Jeans and Pants: UK to US Waist Sizes
Jeans are the one category where both countries mostly agree. Men's jeans are sold by waist measurement in inches everywhere, so a 32-inch waist is a 32 in the UK and the US alike. Women's jeans are more mixed: some brands use the dress-size scale (which does need the minus-4 conversion), while denim-focused brands label jeans by waist inches, matching the men's approach.
| UK Dress Size | US Dress Size | Waist (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| UK 6 | US 2 / 25 | 25" |
| UK 8 | US 4 / 26 | 26" |
| UK 10 | US 6 / 27 | 27" |
| UK 12 | US 8 / 29 | 29" |
| UK 14 | US 10 / 30 | 30" |
| UK 16 | US 12 / 31 | 31" |
| UK 18 | US 14 / 32 | 32" |
UK to US Shoe Sizes: A Different Scale
Shoe sizes do not follow the clothing formula at all. Wikipedia's shoe-size comparison tables, based on the ISO/TS 19407 sizing standard, show that a UK women's 3 equals a US women's 5 and an EU 35, and a UK 10 equals a US men's 11 and an EU 44.
In short: add 2 to a UK women's shoe size to get the US women's equivalent, and add 1 to a UK men's shoe size to get the US men's equivalent.
| UK Shoe | US Women's | US Men's | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5 | 4 | 35-36 |
| 4 | 6 | 5 | 37 |
| 5 | 7 | 6 | 38 |
| 6 | 8 | 7 | 39-40 |
| 7 | 9 | 8 | 41 |
| 8 | 10 | 9 | 42 |
| 9 | 11 | 10 | 43 |
| 10 | 12 | 11 | 44 |
Shoe sizing also varies more by brand and last shape than clothing does. For exact conversions across UK, US, EU, and Japanese sizing, plus a foot-length measuring guide, use our free Shoe Size Converter.
Why UK and US Sizes Don't Match
Both systems describe the same range of body measurements. They just start counting from different points. The UK scale traces back to British Standard sizing conventions, while the US scale was standardized separately through American ready-to-wear manufacturing. Neither system is more accurate than the other, and neither one means a garment runs bigger or smaller overall. A UK 12 and a US 8 are cut to fit the same body; the tag just uses a different number for it.
What actually varies between brands is vanity sizing and pattern-making choices, not the country of origin. A US size 8 at one retailer can measure differently from a US size 8 at another, regardless of whether either one also sells in the UK.
Getting It Right When You Order
1. Check the brand's own size chart first. The formulas above cover standard sizing, but individual brands can run a full size off in either direction.
2. Measure yourself before you convert anything. Bust, waist, and hip measurements compared directly to a brand's chart beat any size-number conversion.
3. Read fit notes in reviews. "Runs small" or "true to size" comments from other shoppers are often more reliable than the label.
4. Confirm the return policy before ordering cross-border. International returns can be slow or costly, so knowing the policy up front avoids a stuck exchange.
Know Your Body Shape
Knowing your body shape makes cross-border shopping easier, because you will know which cuts and silhouettes suit you no matter which country's size number is on the tag.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is UK size 10 in US sizes?
UK size 10 equals US size 6 in women's clothing. The formula is UK minus 4, so UK 10 minus 4 equals US 6. This applies to standard women's dresses, tops, and skirts, though individual brands can run a size in either direction.
What is size 12 in EU?
A UK size 12 is EU size 40. Since UK and EU sizes both track women's ready-to-wear, the conversion is UK plus 28, so 12 plus 28 equals 40. The same size 12 is US size 8, because US equals UK minus 4.
What is size 14 in EU?
UK size 14 converts to EU size 42 (UK plus 28) and US size 10 (UK minus 4). If a European retailer lists a garment as EU 42, that is the same cut as a UK 14 or a US 10.
What is US size 4 in UK?
US size 4 equals UK size 8. The formula runs both directions: UK minus 4 gives US, so US plus 4 gives UK. A US 4 dress and a UK 8 dress are the same physical garment sold under different labels.
Is UK size 8 small or medium?
UK size 8 typically falls in the extra-small to small range, depending on the brand's size chart. It converts to US size 4 and EU size 36. Brands that map letter sizes to numbers usually place UK 8 at XS or S.
Do UK and US shoe sizes convert the same way as clothing?
No. Shoe sizes use their own scale. For women's shoes, add 2 to the UK size to get the US size (UK 6 equals US 8). For men's shoes, add 1 (UK 9 equals US 10). Clothing sizes use the minus-4 formula instead. Our Shoe Size Converter handles both scales separately.
Instant Size Conversion
Use our Size Converter for instant conversions between UK, US, and EU sizes across all clothing categories.
Related Guides
Sources
Women's and men's clothing size comparison tables (UK, US, EU): Wikipedia, Clothing sizes.
Shoe size conversion tables (UK, US, EU) based on ISO/TS 19407: Wikipedia, Shoe size.
Women's jeans waist and hip measurements by numeric size: Levi's GB size chart.