Clothing sizes

Clothing sizes

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, skirts, and trousers. Made-to-order garments require measurements to be taken, but these do not need to be converted into national standard form.

Contents

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 circumference, 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 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.[1] This has resulted in variations between manufacturers and a tendency towards vanity sizing.[2]

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.

Women

Women's dresses and suits
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
Women's clothing sizes
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
Women’s blouses and sweaters
EU 40 42 44 46 48 50
UK 34 36 38 40 42 44
US 32 34 36 38 40 42
Children’s junior misses dresses and coats
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

Men's suits, sweaters, overcoats
EU 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64
UK / US 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54
Men's shirts
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[3] S S M M L L LL,XL LL,XL LL,XL
Korea[3] 90 95 100 105 110

See also

References

  1. ^ See table of sizes.
  2. ^ Stephanie Clifford: One size fits nobody: seeking a steady 4 or a 10, New York Times, 2011-04-24
  3. ^ a b http://www.korea4expats.com/article-men%27s_clothing_size_conversion_chart.html

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