International Clothing Size Guide: US, UK, EU, and More

Shopping for clothes internationally — whether traveling, buying from overseas retailers online, or ordering from brands based in other countries — constantly requires size conversion. A US men's medium shirt is a different thing than a European medium, which is different again from a Japanese medium. This guide gives you the complete reference for converting clothing sizes across all major international systems.

Why Sizes Differ Between Countries

There is no international standard for clothing sizes. Each country (and often each brand within a country) developed its own sizing system independently, leading to a patchwork of incompatible conventions. The United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Italy, France, and Japan all use different scales — and within Europe, French and Italian sizing diverges from the standard EU system used by most other European countries.

The situation is made more complex by vanity sizing — the decades-long trend of brands labeling clothing with smaller size numbers than the actual measurements would suggest, to make customers feel good. A US size 8 dress in 2025 is roughly equivalent to a size 12 from the 1970s. This makes historical size guides unreliable and means you should always check current brand-specific size charts rather than relying on general conversion tables alone.

Men's Shirt Size Conversion

Men's shirts are sized either by letter (S, M, L, XL) or by collar size in inches. Here are the key conversions:

• XS: US/UK XS | EU 44 | Italy 44 | France 1 | Japan SS | Neck 13–13.5" | Chest 34–36"
• S: US/UK S | EU 46 | Italy 46 | France 2 | Japan S | Neck 14–14.5" | Chest 37–38"
• M: US/UK M | EU 48 | Italy 48 | France 3 | Japan M | Neck 15–15.5" | Chest 39–41"
• L: US/UK L | EU 50 | Italy 50 | France 4 | Japan L | Neck 16–16.5" | Chest 42–44"
• XL: US/UK XL | EU 52 | Italy 52 | France 5 | Japan LL | Neck 17–17.5" | Chest 45–47"
• XXL: US/UK XXL | EU 54 | Italy 54 | France 6 | Japan 3L | Neck 18–18.5" | Chest 48–50"

Women's Tops and Blouses

• XS (US 0–2): UK 6–8 | EU 32–34 | Italy 36–38 | France 34–36 | Japan 5–7
• S (US 4–6): UK 8–10 | EU 36–38 | Italy 40–42 | France 38–40 | Japan 9–11
• M (US 8–10): UK 12–14 | EU 40–42 | Italy 44–46 | France 42–44 | Japan 13–15
• L (US 12–14): UK 16–18 | EU 44–46 | Italy 48–50 | France 46–48 | Japan 17–19
• XL (US 16–18): UK 20–22 | EU 48–50 | Italy 52–54 | France 50–52 | Japan 21–23

Shoe Size Conversion

Shoe sizing is particularly confusing because US men's and women's sizes use different scales. A US women's size 9 is equivalent to a US men's size 7.5 — the women's scale runs 1.5 sizes higher. UK sizing runs approximately 0.5–1 size smaller than US men's. Japanese sizes are in centimeters (foot length), making them the most straightforward system.

• US Men's 8 / US Women's 9.5: EU 41 | UK 7 | Japan 26cm
• US Men's 9 / US Women's 10.5: EU 42 | UK 8 | Japan 27cm
• US Men's 10 / US Women's 11.5: EU 43–44 | UK 9 | Japan 28cm
• US Men's 11 / US Women's 12.5: EU 45 | UK 10 | Japan 29cm
• US Men's 12 / US Women's 13.5: EU 46 | UK 11 | Japan 30cm

Men's Suit and Jacket Sizes

Men's suit sizing uses the chest measurement in inches plus a length designation. A "40R" means 40-inch chest, Regular length. Short (S) is for men under 5'7", Regular (R) for 5'7"–6'0", Long (L) for 6'0"–6'3", and Extra Long (XL) for 6'3"+.

• US/UK 36R: EU 46 | Italy 46 | Japan M
• US/UK 38R: EU 48 | Italy 48 | Japan M–L
• US/UK 40R: EU 50 | Italy 50 | Japan L
• US/UK 42R: EU 52 | Italy 52 | Japan LL
• US/UK 44R: EU 54 | Italy 54 | Japan 3L

Tips for Shopping Internationally

Always use measurements, not labels. Every brand sizes differently, and the conversion charts above are general guidelines. When shopping online from an international brand, find their specific size guide and use your actual measurements (chest, waist, hip, inseam in centimeters) rather than converting from your usual labeled size.

Check the return policy first. International returns can be expensive and time-consuming. Before ordering from an overseas retailer, confirm that returns are possible and understand who covers return shipping costs. Some brands offer free returns; others charge fees that can approach the value of cheaper items.

For shoes, know your foot length in centimeters. Japanese sizing in centimeters is the most universal reference point. Measure your foot length and use that number as your Japanese shoe size — it converts more accurately than going label to label.