What do American women's clothing sizes (S, M, L) and numbers mean?
Finding the right size in an online store is often difficult. Sizes change significantly over time, clothing is often mislabeled, and the wearer's personal preference (baggy or tight) can lead to various errors.
Unfortunately in the fashion world, there is no industry standard for sizing. Each brand uses its own random measurements to determine their sizing, meaning that a person who fits M in one brand may need an L in another. You just can't know for sure if something will fit you without trying it on. But what if we buy online. In this article, we will find out what all these letters and numbers translate into in terms of size.
Standard American Name and Sizes
What does Women's Extra Small (XS) mean?
XS means very small, which is roughly equivalent to women's size 0-2 in most brands.
Chest: 31½ to 32½ inches (80 to 82.5 cm)
Waist: 23 to 24 inches (58 to 60 cm)
Hips: 33½ to 35 inches (85 to 90 cm)
What does M Women's Medium stand for?
M means medium, which is roughly equivalent to a women's size 8-10.
Chest: 35½ to 37½ inches (90 to 95 cm)
Waist: 27 to 28 inches (68.5 to 71 cm)
Hips: 38 to 39 inches (96.5 to 99 cm)
What does L Women's Large mean?
L means above average and is roughly equivalent to women's sizes 12 to 14.
Chest: 38 to 39 ½ inches (96.5 to 100 cm)
Waist: 29.5 to 31 inches (75 to 79 cm)
Hips: 40½ to 42 inches (103 to 106.5 cm)
What does XL Women's Extra Large mean?
XL means large and fits US women's sizes 16-18.
Chest: 40 to 42 inches (101.5 to 106.5 cm)
Waist: 31 to 33 inches (79 to 84 cm)
Hips: 42 to 44 inches (107 to 112 cm)
What does 2XL women's size mean, or Extra, Extra Large?
2XL is a women's size extra large, roughly equivalent to women's US sizes 18 to 20.
Chest: 44 to 46 inches (112 to 117 cm)
Waist: 35 to 37 inches (90 to 94 cm)
Hips: 46 to 48 inches (117 to 122 cm)
3XL Women's triple large?
3XL is an extra large women's size that is roughly equivalent to US women's sizes 22-24 or larger.
Chest: 48 to 50 inches (122 to 127 cm) or more
Waist: 38 to 40 inches (96.5 to 102 cm) or more
Hips: 50 to 52 inches (127 to 132 cm) or more
How to measure to find your size
Use a soft, flexible sewing tape to measure sizes.
Be sure to keep it flat and tight (but not tight) parallel to the floor.
Measure on the body, not over clothing.
Don't hold your breath and don't pull yourself in, that defeats the purpose! :)
How to measure chest correctly:
Wrap the tape measure around the widest part of your chest under your arms. It will be accurate if you raise both hands up and ask a friend to measure the size.
How to measure your waist:
Place the tape measure on the smallest part of your waist, just above your belly button. Try to keep the tape measure horizontal.
How to measure hips:
Measure the widest part of your thigh. Hold the tape measure exactly parallel to the floor.
Some helpful tips to follow
What if I don't have a tape measure?
Don't worry - just take a piece of yarn, string, or even shoelace, then measure it with a ruler or yardstick. Whichever method you choose, knowing your measurements will make shopping online easier.
What should I measure: myself or clothes?
Measure part of your body, not clothing. If you are going to copy and sew new clothes, you will need to measure the clothes themselves, but if you are just hoping to find clothes that fit, then measure your body.
Measure the pair of jeans you already have.
In addition to measuring your waist and hips, it doesn't hurt to measure a pair of jeans that fit you well. For a waist measurement, measure the back waistband and multiply by 2. For a hip measurement, measure the front of your pants at the base of the zipper.
See size chart and customer reviews.
Pay attention to the size charts from the store. Sizes vary so much from brand to brand that it's almost impossible to choose a uniform trouser size from one brand to another. So instead of choosing another brand's pants size, compare your individual measurements with the size chart. We also read customer reviews. Some brands even have a simple chart of what shoppers think of the right size (e.g. fit true to size; full size too small or half a size too big, etc.).
