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One of my favourite things to do while travelling is shopping. I love checking out the local style, materials and textiles. However, the one thing that puts me off is dealing with clothing sizes abroad. I’m used to the UK method of sizing (8,10,12, etc). When I’m in places like America or Asia I end up having to look at the clothes and visually assess whether or not they’ll fit.
This usually leads to an extended period of time in the dressing room trying on different sizes. And when there’s a language barrier it’s not like you can ask the sales assistant for their input. ANYWAY, I know there are women out there who have the same problem as me, SO I’ve decided to write a post full of tips for dealing with sizes in various parts of the world.
For my guys out there, I’m afraid I haven’t got the experience to be able to help you out! I must admit, I hate clothes sizes anyway because they can be COMPLETELY different from one shop to another, despite having the same number on the label. BUT, hopefully this article will give you some rough guidelines to help with any confusion while travelling.
Interpreting Clothing Sizes Abroad
U.S.A
America is relatively straight forward coming from the UK as you just take away 4 from your regular size. So a size 12 in the UK would be an 8 in the U.S.A. However, what makes it slightly more complicated is that they have half sizes in America.
So you might see clothes sizes like 7 or 9. These are in between our traditional sizes in the UK. Like a half size in shoes. Honestly, it’s a positive as there’s more variety and these extra sizes can only help you to find a better fit. What I usually do is calculate my size and then take one either side as well to try on in the dressing room.
Australia/NZ
In theory, the sizes down under are supposed to be the same as ours. However it is often said that Australia sizes are a slightly larger fit than UK. So if you’re a 12/14 in the UK you’ll probably be a 12 in Australia. But, as I mentioned above, sizes are variable depending on the brand much like our own. A 12 in Glassons might not be the same as a 12 in Cotton On. Much like a 12 in Topshop won’t be the same as a 12 in River Island.
| US / CAN | US / Letter | UK / AUS | Europe | Italy | France | JPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | X-Small | 6 | 32 | 38 | 34 | 7 |
| 4 | Small | 8 | 34 | 40 | 36 | 9 |
| 6 | Small | 10 | 36 | 42 | 38 | 11 |
| 8 | Medium | 12 | 38 | 44 | 40 | 13 |
| 10 | Medium | 14 | 40 | 46 | 42 | 15 |
| 12 | Large | 16 | 42 | 48 | 44 | 17 |
| 14 | Large | 18 | 44 | 50 | 46 | 19 |
| 16 | XL/1X | 20 | 46 | 52 | 48 | 21 |
| 18 | 1X/2X | 22 | 48 | 54 | 50 | 23 |
| 20 | 2X | 24 | 50 | 56 | 52 | 25 |
| 22 | 3X | 26 | 52 | 58 | 54 | 27 |
| 24 | 4X | 28 | 54 | 60 | 56 | 29 |
Chart via Asknumber.com
Asia
Let’s face it, Asian people are normally built much smaller than the Western frame. OK, I know that’s a stereotype, but some stereotypes are true. If you’re a small in the UK you might need a Large in China, or Thailand. It can sometimes be a bit of a slap in the face trying to shop in Asian countries. You might be told they don’t sell large sizes, or they have nothing to fit you. It’s a bit hit and miss, but my personal rule is two sizes up. Japan can be a bit easier, you just add 1. So a UK size 8 becomes a Japanese size 9 etc.
Continental Europe
Most UK stores will have the European sizes on the label too so you’ll probably be fairly familiar with this way of sizing. In most parts of Europe they use the “30s” sizing. So a UK size 8 is normally a European size 34. A size UK 10 would be a 36 and so on. If you’re lucky they’ll have the UK sizes on the label anyway as a lot of high-street stores are doing lately. Some parts of Europe might be 2 higher, so an 8 would be a 36 instead of a 34. Unfortunately, there’s no one rule for all of Europe.
Bra Sizes
This is the tricky one, the one that possibly matters most, and the one we’re least likely to ask about. Personally, I think Australia does this the easiest way. The back size is based on clothing size. So if you’re a size 12 on top in Australia your bra back size is a 12. Then all you have to do is choose your cup size as normal. UK and USA use the “30s” sizing for the back. So you might be a 32C, or a 34A etc.
Europe, Japan and China use a totally different way of sizing, what I’m going to call the “60s” way of sizing. It increases in increments of 5. So you could be a 60C or a 65D. Then France has gone completely off the walls and is using something like 80,85,90 etc.
With regards to cup sizes AA – D seems to be pretty universal. It’s only when it gets to DD and up that there is some variance. A woman with a DD chest might need to get an E in Europe or Australia. Japan doesn’t really do “double sizes” such as DD, it just goes through the alphabet in singles, which seems quite sensible to be honest. With bras you should always try them on first anyway, so it’s definitely something you’ll need to do when shopping for one in a foreign country.
Foreign Shoe Sizes
OK, finally, let’s talk about how to find the right show size in a foreign country. So I’m a size 6 in the UK. To find my size in the U.S.A I just add 2. So I should be a size 8 in America. I’m pretty sure I found that slightly big and ended up buying half sizes (7.5) when I was over there last.
In Europe, as a UK size 6, I’d be either either a size 38 or 39 (in France I’d be a 39, in Italy I’d be a 38). In Japan I’d be a 24, in China I’d be a 39.5 and in Brazil I’d be a 36.5. It’s all a bit of a headache, so what I recommend is finding a great size conversion chart like the one below from Lyst, printing it off and just sticking it in your purse/wallet so you have it with you to refer too. It’s especially handy when you’re somewhere where the internet isn’t great and there’s a language barrier. You can just point to the chart!
I hope that’s given you a bit of clarity on deciphering clothing sizes abroad, no matter what country you end up in. Of course, if you can ask the shop assistant that’s always a great way to go if you’re having trouble. If not, printing out a conversion chart can be incredibly handy too. And, if all else fails, just try on various sizes and see what fits. I guess it’s not rocket science! Good luck and happy shopping.
Recommended Reading
- How to Dress to Survive a Holiday in the Heat
- How to Look and Feel Great After a Long Haul Flight
- The Most Comfortable Shoes on Earth – The North Face Gear Review
