International Clothing Sizes
Encyclopedia
In clothing
, clothing size refers to the label sizes used for garments sold off-the-shelf
. There are a large number of standard sizing systems around the world for various garments, such as dresses, tops, skirt
s, and trousers
. Made-to-order garments require measurements to be taken, but these do not need to be converted into national standard form.
However, because of the drape and ease of the fabric, not all measurements are required to obtain a well-fitting dress in most styles.
The European Union has produced a standard EN 13402
intended to replace existing standards in the member countries. This is not yet in common use.
The United Kingdom has an existing standard for women's clothing BS 3666:1982, however this is rarely followed by manufacturers as it defines sizes in terms of hip and bust measurements only within a limited range. This has resulted in variations between manufacturers and a tendency towards vanity sizing
.
The standard sizes have not had stable names, however. For example, the dimensions of two size 10 dresses from different companies, or even from the same company, may have grossly different dimensions; and both are almost certainly larger than the size 10 dimensions described in the US standard
. Vanity sizing
may be partly responsible for this deviation (which began in earnest in the 1980s).
The new European standard EN 13402
seeks to address this problem, since it is an absolute scale and mandatory; there is no mandatory clothing size standard in the U.S. In the US there exists a US standard clothing size
.
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, clothing size refers to the label sizes used for garments sold off-the-shelf
Off-the-shelf
Off the shelf may refer to:* Off-the-shelf component* Commercial off-the-shelf, a phrase in computing terminology* Ready-to-wear* Shelf corporation, a type of company...
. There are a large number of standard sizing systems around the world for various garments, such as dresses, tops, skirt
Skirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
s, and trousers
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
. Made-to-order garments require measurements to be taken, but these do not need to be converted into national standard form.
Types of measurements in standard sizes
Standard sizes take into account the combinations of body measurements of the general population:- Horizontal torso measurements include the neck circumference, the shoulder width, the bustline measurements - over-bust circumference, the full bust circumference, the bust-point separation, and the under-bust (rib-cage) circumference - the natural waist circumferenceWaistline (clothing)The waistline is the line of demarcation between the upper and lower portions of a garment, which notionally corresponds to the natural waist but may vary with fashion from just below the bust to below the hips. The waistline of a garment is often used to accentuate different features...
, the upper hip circumference and the lower hip circumference. - Vertical torso measurements include the back (neck-waist) length, the shoulder-waist length (not the same as the back length, due to the slope of the shoulder), the bust-shoulder length, the bust-waist length, and the two hip-waist lengths.
- Sleeve measurements include the under-arm and over-arm lengths, the fore-arm length, the wrist circumference and the biceps circumference.
However, because of the drape and ease of the fabric, not all measurements are required to obtain a well-fitting dress in most styles.
Standards
There are several ISO standards related to Size designation of clothes:- ISO 3635:1981 Size designation of clothes -- Definitions and body measurement procedure
- ISO 4416:1981 Size designation of clothes -- Women's and girls' underwear, nightwear, foundation garments and shirts
- ISO 5971:1981 Size designation of clothes -- Pantyhose
- ISO 8559:1989 Garment construction and anthropometric surveys -- Body dimensions
- ISO/TR 10652:1991 Standard sizing systems for clothes
The European Union has produced a standard EN 13402
EN 13402
EN 13402 is a European standard for labelling clothes sizes. It is based on body dimensions, measured in centimetres. It replaces many older national dress-size systems in popular use before the year 2007. Acceptance of this form of standardization varies from country to country...
intended to replace existing standards in the member countries. This is not yet in common use.
The United Kingdom has an existing standard for women's clothing BS 3666:1982, however this is rarely followed by manufacturers as it defines sizes in terms of hip and bust measurements only within a limited range. This has resulted in variations between manufacturers and a tendency towards vanity sizing
Vanity sizing
Vanity sizing, also known as size inflation is used to refer to the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time...
.
The standard sizes have not had stable names, however. For example, the dimensions of two size 10 dresses from different companies, or even from the same company, may have grossly different dimensions; and both are almost certainly larger than the size 10 dimensions described in the US standard
US standard clothing size
US standard clothing sizes were developed from statistical data in the 1940s-1950s. They were similar in concept to the EN 13402 European clothing size standard....
. Vanity sizing
Vanity sizing
Vanity sizing, also known as size inflation is used to refer to the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time...
may be partly responsible for this deviation (which began in earnest in the 1980s).
The new European standard EN 13402
EN 13402
EN 13402 is a European standard for labelling clothes sizes. It is based on body dimensions, measured in centimetres. It replaces many older national dress-size systems in popular use before the year 2007. Acceptance of this form of standardization varies from country to country...
seeks to address this problem, since it is an absolute scale and mandatory; there is no mandatory clothing size standard in the U.S. In the US there exists a US standard clothing size
US standard clothing size
US standard clothing sizes were developed from statistical data in the 1940s-1950s. They were similar in concept to the EN 13402 European clothing size standard....
.
Women
| United States | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 |
| UK and Ireland | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
| France, Spain and Portugal | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 |
| Germany and Scandinavia | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 |
| Italy | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 |
| New Zealand | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 28 |
| UK | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| Continental | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
| Japanese | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
| Bust | 32" | 34" | 36" | 38" | 40" |
| Waist | 24" | 26" | 28" | 30" | 32" |
| 61cm | 66cm | 71cm | 76cm | 81cm | |
| Hip | 35" | 37" | 39" | 41" | 43" |
| 89cm | 94cm | 99cm | 104cm | 109cm |
| EU | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
| US | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
| EU | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 |
| US | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
Men
| EU | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 62 | 64 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK / US | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 |
| Australia | 14 | 14½ | 15 | 15½ | 15¾ | 16¼ | 16½ | 17 | (May be inaccurate) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU / Japan | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 |
| UK / US | 14 | 14½ | 15 | 15½ | 15¾ | 16¼ | 16½ | 17 | 17½ | |||
| Japan | S | S | M | M | L | L | LL,XL | LL,XL | LL,XL | |||
| Korea | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | 110 |
See also
- AnthropometryAnthropometryAnthropometry refers to the measurement of the human individual...
- BWHBWHBWH is an abbreviation of bust, waist, and hip measurement. Also informally called vital statistics, these measurements are a common method of specifying body proportions for the purpose of fitting clothes. It is also often used in women's personal ads or Internet profiles to indicate their...
- EN 13402EN 13402EN 13402 is a European standard for labelling clothes sizes. It is based on body dimensions, measured in centimetres. It replaces many older national dress-size systems in popular use before the year 2007. Acceptance of this form of standardization varies from country to country...
– metric clothes sizes - US standard clothing sizeUS standard clothing sizeUS standard clothing sizes were developed from statistical data in the 1940s-1950s. They were similar in concept to the EN 13402 European clothing size standard....
- Petite sizesPetite sizesIn fashion and clothing, a petite size is a standard clothing size designed to fit women of shorter height, typically or less.-Changes in pattern measurements and design:...
- Vanity sizingVanity sizingVanity sizing, also known as size inflation is used to refer to the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time...
- Size zeroSize ZeroSize 0 is a women's clothing size in the US catalog sizes system. Size 0 and 00 were invented due to the changing of clothing sizes over time , which has caused the adoption of lower numbers...
- Shoe sizeShoe sizeA shoe size is an alphanumerical indication of the fitting size of a shoe for a person. Often it just consists of a number indicating the length because many shoemakers only provide a standard width for economic reasons....
- Brassiere measurementsBrassiere measurementsBrassiere measurement refers to determining what size of bra a woman wears and mass producing bras that will fit most women....
- Shorts size