Need help with US clothes sizes! (UK advice welcome too)

asyouseefit

I have decided to buy some retro clothing when I reach my GW. However, I'm a bit lost with US sizes... Read further before copy/pasting a conversion table!

I'm a EU size 38-40 (M) which should match a US size 8-10 and a UK 12-14. I'm 5'5 and 134lbs.
(I used German sizes for EU because that's we use in Belgium too)

However, when I see MFPers posting their pics and clothes size, i'm under the impression that the US sizes are a larger fit. Women with a build similar to mine are often a size 4-6.

Could you post your stats and US clothes size? It would help me getting a general idea. Uk sizes welcome too as I'm going to London very soon! (just mention it)

Edited to add: I am not in the US so trying clothes on is not an option!

Thanks!

LizC26

I'm 5'4" and 130 and wear a 4 in US size.

jenfactor

Actually, your best bet is going to be to try things on until you get a feel for certain brands... check out this article: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/04/28/variations-in-size-and-proportions-across-u-s-designers/

asyouseefit

Actually, your best bet is going to be to try things on until you get a feel for certain brands... check out this article: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/04/28/variations-in-size-and-proportions-across-u-s-designers/

That's not really an option, I'll be buying online!

cheeksv

H&M has stores at Malls across the US and all there pants are done by inches not the US size charts. If I were you though I would just try some pairs on. Not all brands are gonna fit the same way even if they do say the same size lol.

If you are buying online usually the site will have a size chart to help you determine your size. It helps if you have measuring tape.

DisneyMommy

I'm 5'4" and currently 134 lbs and wear between a US size 6 and 4. Oddly enough though when I was younger I weighed 128 lbs and wore a size 8! I think two things have changed, 1) our clothing sizes may be a bit bigger than they were many years ago and 2) my body shape is different than it was even when I weighed less in my younger 20s. I'm more tone now.

meeperoon

God help you in london cos every store has different sizes that fit me! Generally at 5"7 181lbs a 14uk will definately fit and im just getting back into 12uk tops so size 8-10 US.

asyouseefit

H&M has stores at Malls across the US and all there pants are done by inches not the US size charts. If I were you though I would just try some pairs on. Not all brands are gonna fit the same way even if they do say the same size lol.

If you are buying online usually the site will have a size chart to help you determine your size. It helps if you have measuring tape.

I was thinking of buying a vintage dress from Etsy. From what i understand, vintage dresses are a smaller fit so maybe closer to European sizes.

AdAstra47

Clothing sizes drive me nuts because they assume a couple of things that are not true when it comes to me:
1. a bust that's larger than the waist
2. a waist that's significantly smaller than the hips
People who are apple-shaped (like me) have a terrible time finding clothes that fit. If they fit properly around the waist, they're almost always baggy & too big on the rear and legs. Sigh. I often buy two-piece outfits and buy the top and bottom in different sizes!

To answer your question, I am 5'10". I was recently 300 lb and wore a 26W in pants/skirts, 3X in shirts. Now I'm down to 260, 20W in pants, and depending on how they're cut I can wear 2X or 1X shirts.

Edestiny7

I am 5' 6.5", 122 pounds, with 34 C chest, 27" waist, 37" hips, and I buy size 4 bottoms which are too big in the waist. Size two fit in the waist, but are too snug below. I buy size small tops and dresses. I think our sizes are larger than other countries sizing. I tried on a German dress that was supposed to convert to our size 6, but was WAY too snug on me! They say our US sizes have increased over the years to make women feel better about themselves. So a size 4 today, is not the same as a size 4 from 50 years ago.

meggers123

I live in Germany, and wear anything from 38-42 depending on the clothing (dress-38, cardigan/jeans 40-42).

In the US I would wear an 8-12 in most bottoms, and a Medium or Large in most tops. Unfortunately it is so different.

I'd recommend websites with free returns (though hard to find internationally), or using online sizing charts.

On a site note, retro clothing tends to fit more similar to EU I think, since that's also more similar to how US sizing used to be.

Good Luck!

asyouseefit

On a site note, retro clothing tends to fit more similar to EU I think, since that's also more similar to how US sizing used to be.

Good Luck!

That's what I've read too... I'm lucky people on Etsy usually use measurements too. You can go wrong with measurements but it's less likely then with sizes!

Lozzy_82

I am 5'3", 143lbs and currenty a UK 14 (mostly - but it depends on the shop).

I am totally baffled by UK - US size conversions. Most tables I can find online say that there is one size's difference, so a UK 14 is equivalent to a US 12. However, I have clothes from several stores whose labels say "UK 14 / US 10", and in the media I often hear size 0 referred to as a UK size 4.

becky2967

at present im a Uk top 16 and a trouser UK 18, usa sizes im a 12 top and 14 bottom x