👕 Clothing Size Converter
Convert clothing sizes between EU, US and UK standards.
Shopping for clothes across international borders can be a minefield of sizing confusion. An EU 38 dress might be a US 6 or a UK 10, and men’s shoe sizes differ wildly between the US, UK, and European systems. This clothing size converter takes the guesswork out of international fashion shopping by converting sizes between EU, US, and UK standards for women’s tops, men’s shirts, women’s shoes, and men’s shoes.
Say you have found the perfect pair of Italian leather boots in a size EU 40, but the retailer ships from the United States and you need to know your US size. Enter 40, select “EU” as the source and “US” as the target, and with women’s shoes selected you will see that EU 40 equals US 9.5. Or perhaps a British brand lists shirts in UK collar sizes, but you are used to the US system — a UK 15½ translates to a US men’s shirt size M, and the converter will show you the match instantly.
The conversion tables used by this tool are based on widely accepted industry standards. Women’s top sizes (EU 30–46 mapping to US 0–16), men’s shirt neck sizes, and shoe sizing for both genders are all covered. If your exact size is not in the table, the converter finds the closest match so you are never left guessing.
Whether you are ordering from a boutique in Paris, a high-street shop in London, or a department store in New York, keep this converter handy. It will save you the hassle (and the return shipping fees) that come with ordering the wrong size.
How the conversion works
Unlike unit converters that use formulas, clothing size conversion works from reference lookup tables. Each category — women’s tops, men’s shirts, women’s shoes, and men’s shoes — has its own table that lists equivalent sizes across the EU, US, and UK systems in a single row. The converter:
- Finds the row in the selected category’s table where the “from” system matches your input size.
- Reads the matching value in the “to” system from that same row and displays it.
This is why the tool can handle letter sizes (S, M, L) for shirts and tops, and half-sizes (like 9.5) for shoes — it is simply reading a curated equivalence table rather than computing a number. If your exact size is absent, the converter locates the closest entry by numeric distance and labels the result “Closest:” so you know it is an approximation.
Worked example: You select women’s tops, enter EU 38, and convert EU → US. The table row for EU 38 lists US 8 and UK 12, so the tool returns US 8. Switch the target to UK and the same row returns UK 12.
Worked example: You select men’s shirts and convert EU 42 → US. The shirt table maps EU 42 to US XL (and UK XL), so you know to order XL rather than L.
Practical examples with real data
The values below are taken directly from the conversion tables built into this tool, so they match exactly what the converter returns.
| Category | From | To | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s tops | EU 38 | US | US 8 |
| Women’s tops | EU 42 | UK | UK 16 |
| Men’s shirts | EU 40 | US | US L |
| Men’s shirts | EU 44 | US | US XXL |
| Women’s shoes | EU 37 | US | US 6.5 |
| Women’s shoes | EU 40 | US | US 9.5 |
| Men’s shoes | EU 42 | US | US 9 |
| Men’s shoes | EU 45 | US | US 12 |
A useful pattern emerges from the tables: for women’s shoes, the US size is almost always about 30.5 lower than the EU size (EU 37 → US 6.5, EU 40 → US 9.5), while for men’s shoes the US size is about 33 lower (EU 42 → US 9, EU 45 → US 12). These are rules of thumb only — the exact table always wins.
Edge cases and rounding
- Half sizes matter for shoes. The tables include half sizes (e.g., EU 38.5, US 8.5), so be sure to enter your exact size including the half. Entering a rounded-up or rounded-down size can put you in a different row.
- Not every size exists in every system. Some EU sizes have no direct US letter equivalent for shirts at the boundaries. The converter handles this with the closest-match logic and clearly labels approximate results.
- Brand variation. These tables reflect widely used industry standards, but sizing genuinely varies between brands. An EU 38 from one label can fit like a US 6 while another fits like a US 8. Always check the specific brand’s size chart when available.
- Men’s vs. women’s tables differ. Shoe and top conversions are separate per gender, so you must select the correct category. The same EU number maps to different US sizes depending on gender.
- Letter sizes for tops/shirts. Sizes like S, M, L are not numeric, so the converter reads them straight from the table rather than computing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do EU clothing sizes compare to US sizes?
For women's tops, a general rule of thumb is to subtract 30–32 from your EU size to get your US size. For example, EU 38 is approximately US 6–8. For men's shirts, EU collar sizes 36–46 map to US S–3XL. Remember that sizing varies between brands, so always check the specific brand's size chart when possible.
Are UK and US shoe sizes the same?
No — UK shoe sizes run about 1–2 sizes smaller than US sizes for both men and women. For example, a UK women's size 5 is roughly a US women's size 7.5. Men's sizes differ too: a UK men's size 9 is approximately a US men's size 10. EU shoe sizes are the same for both men and women, which simplifies things if you shop across genders.
What if my exact size is not listed in the converter?
If your exact size is not found, the converter automatically finds the closest match from the lookup table. It will display a "Closest:" message so you know it is an approximation. Keep in mind that clothing sizes are not standardized across all brands — a US 8 from one label might fit differently than a US 8 from another.
Why does EU sizing use numbers while US and UK use letters?
EU sizing is based on body measurements in centimeters (e.g., EU 38 corresponds to a chest measurement of about 88 cm for women). US and UK sizing historically evolved from different standards — US women's sizes originated from an arbitrary numbering system, while UK sizes sometimes follow imperial measurements. The letter system (S, M, L, XL) is a universal shorthand used alongside numerical sizes.
Can I convert shoe sizes between men's and women's?
Not with a single conversion, because men's and women's shoe scales are different. This tool keeps men's and women's shoe tables separate. If you need to cross genders, a rough rule is that a men's size is about 1.5 sizes larger than the women's equivalent, but fit varies by brand.
Why does my exact size return a "Closest" result?
The conversion table contains a fixed set of sizes. If your input falls between two table rows (for example, a half size that isn't listed for a particular category), the converter picks the nearest row and labels it "Closest" so you can judge whether to size up or down.
Does this converter work for children's clothing?
No — this tool currently covers women's tops, men's shirts, women's shoes, and men's shoes. Children's sizing uses its own age- and measurement-based scales that differ significantly from adult sizes, so it is not included here.
How reliable are these size tables for online shopping?
The tables follow widely accepted industry standards, so they are a good starting point. However, because brands size differently, the safest approach is to compare your measurements against the specific retailer's size chart and read any fit reviews before ordering.
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This converter is maintained by Aren Breur, the editor of ConvertAny.app. Aren builds fast, free browser-based tools that make everyday conversions simple without sign-ups or data collection. If you have feedback or a converter you would like added, reach out via the contact page or email aren2connect@gmail.com.