Health calculator

Free dress size calculator

Find your dress size in two seconds. Enter your bust, waist, and hip measurements in inches or centimetres and the calculator returns your US, UK, and EU size — sized to fit your fullest measurement — plus the matching letter size and a full size chart, updated live, as you type.

On this page15 sections

InputsLive

Units

Bust

Waist

Hips

How your size is decided

Each measurement is sized on its own against the standard chart, and the calculator takes the largest of the three — so the dress fits your fullest part. UK = US + 4 and EU = US + 32. Brand charts vary, so it's a starting size, not a guaranteed fit.

Result

Your dress size

US 8

36.0 in bust · 28.0 in waist · 39.0 in hips · sized to your bust

US8

UK12

EU40

LetterM

Size chart (US · UK · EU)

US	UK	EU	Bust	Waist	Hips
0	4	32	≤30	≤24	≤33
2	6	34	30–32	24–25	33–35
4	8	36	32–33.5	25–26.5	35–37
6	10	38	33.5–35	26.5–28	37–38
8	12	40	35–36.5	28–30	38–40
10	14	42	36.5–38	30–32	40–41
12	16	44	38–40	32–33.5	41–42.5
14	18	46	40–42	33.5–35.5	42.5–44
16	20	48	42–44.5	35.5–37.5	44–45.5
18	22	50	44.5–47	37.5–40	45.5–48
20	24	52	47–49	40–42.5	48–50

A starting size from a standard chart, not a brand fit. Why sizes differ

Results are estimates. Consult a professional.

Definition

What is your dress size?

Your dress size is a single label — a US number like 8, a UK number like 12, or a letter like M — that stands in for the three measurements clothing is actually cut to: your bust, your waist, and your hips. It is shorthand a manufacturer uses to say 'a body roughly this big will fit this garment'. This dress size calculator takes those three measurements and returns your US, UK, and EU size at once, along with the exact chart row it matched.

The key thing to understand is that a dress size is a range, not a single body. A US size 8 covers a band of bust, waist, and hip measurements, not one exact figure, and the same body number means a different size in the US, the UK, and the EU. That is why the calculator gives you all three systems and shows you the band you landed in — so you can shop confidently whether the label says 8, 12, or 40.

Dress size is a fit and shopping label, not a health measure. It tells you which garment is cut to fit your measurements — nothing about fitness or body composition. Two people who are equally healthy can wear sizes several numbers apart, and the same person wears different size numbers across brands.

The inputs

The three measurements a dress size is built from

Every dress size calculator and brand size chart works from the same three circumference measurements. Getting them right is what makes the size accurate, so it is worth knowing exactly what each one refers to.

The circumference around the fullest part of your chest, tape level all the way around your back. Wear the bra you would wear with the dress, or a light non-padded one.

The circumference around the narrowest part of your torso — usually just above the belly button, where your body naturally bends to the side.

The circumference around the fullest part of your hips and seat, with your feet together. This is the widest point, not where a waistband sits.

Measure in whichever you prefer. The calculator converts centimetres to inches internally before matching the chart, so the size comes out the same either way.

Of the three, the largest relative to the chart tends to decide your size — see the next section. That is deliberate: a dress has to fit the fullest part of you, so a fuller hip or bust pulls the recommended size up even if your waist is smaller.

The method

How the dress size calculator picks your size

The calculator does not average your three measurements or match a single chart row. It sizes each measurement on its own against the chart, then returns the largest of the three. This is the standard 'fit the fullest part' rule that tailors and size charts use — a too-big dress can be taken in, but a too-small one often cannot be let out.

Size the bust. Find the smallest US size whose bust band still covers your bust measurement.
Size the waist. Do the same for your waist against the waist column.
Size the hips. And again for your hips against the hip column.
Take the largest of the three. That size — the one that fits your fullest measurement — is your recommended dress size. The calculator then reads the UK and EU equivalents straight off the same chart row.

If your three measurements land on different sizes — a common pattern, for instance a smaller bust with fuller hips — that is normal. It usually means your body shape isn't a straight up-and-down match for the standard block, and a size that fits your hips may need taking in at the waist. The size the calculator gives is the one that fits everywhere; tailoring handles the rest.

Worked example

A worked example using the dress size calculator

Example: a 36-28-39 figure

Hannah measures herself and gets a 36" bust, 28" waist, and 39" hips. She wants to know what dress size to order, in US, UK, and EU sizing. Here is exactly how the calculator works it out.

Step 1 — Size each measurement on its own

The calculator matches each measurement to the smallest size that still covers it. Her bust of 36 falls in the US 8 band (35.1–36.5), her waist of 28 falls in the US 6 band (26.6–28), and her hips of 39 fall in the US 8 band (38.1–40). So the three measurements point to US 8 · 6 · 8.

Step 2 — Take the largest of the three

The bust and hips both land on US 8, and the waist on US 6. The calculator takes the largest — US 8 — because a dress cut for US 8 fits her bust and hips, whereas a US 6 would be too tight there. Her smaller waist can be taken in if needed; it can't be made to fit the other way around.

Step 3 — Read the UK and EU equivalents

US 8 · UK 12 · EU 40 (size M)

US 8 reads straight across the chart row to a UK 12 and an EU 40 — a letter size M. Hannah orders a US 8 from a US brand, a 12 from a UK brand, and a 40 from a European one.

Why not US 6? If Hannah went by her waist alone she'd order a US 6 and find the dress pulled across the bust and hips. The 'largest measurement' rule is exactly what stops that — it sizes to the part of you that needs the most room.

The chart

Women's dress size chart — US, UK, and EU

Here is the full standard women's dress size chart the calculator uses, with the US, UK, and EU numbers and the bust, waist, and hip ranges for each size in inches. Find the row your fullest measurement falls into to read your size across all three systems.

US	UK	EU	Letter	Bust (in)	Waist (in)	Hips (in)
0	4	32	XS	29–30	23–24	31.5–33
2	6	34	XS	31–32	24–25	33–35
4	8	36	S	32–33.5	25–26.5	35–37
6	10	38	S	33.5–35	26.5–28	37–38
8	12	40	M	35–36.5	28–30	38–40
10	14	42	M	36.5–38	30–32	40–41
12	16	44	L	38–40	32–33.5	41–42.5
14	18	46	L	40–42	33.5–35.5	42.5–44
16	20	48	XL	42–44.5	35.5–37.5	44–45.5
18	22	50	XL	44.5–47	37.5–40	45.5–48
20	24	52	XXL	47–49	40–42.5	48–50

Standard women's dress size chart. UK = US + 4; EU = US + 32. Brand charts vary — always check the specific brand's chart before buying.

Notice the pattern in the conversions: a UK size is always the US size plus 4, and an EU size is the US size plus 32. So a US 8 is a UK 12 and an EU 40; a US 12 is a UK 16 and an EU 44. The body measurements stay the same — only the number on the label changes.

Getting it right

How to measure your bust, waist, and hips

Your size is only as accurate as your measurements, and an inch in the wrong place can move you a whole size. Use a soft cloth tape measure and follow this routine.

Measure on bare skin or thin underwear. Measuring over clothing adds inches and inflates the size.
Keep the tape level. Make sure the tape stays parallel to the floor all the way around — letting it ride up at the back is the most common mistake.
Bust. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest and back, wearing the bra you'll wear with the dress. Snug, not tight.
Waist. Find the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button, and measure there. Bend to the side to find the natural crease.
Hips. Stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips and seat, not where a waistband sits.

Measuring routine follows standard tailoring and dress-size-calculator guidance: tape level to the floor, on bare skin or thin fitted underwear, snug but not compressing.

The caveat

Why your dress size changes between brands (vanity sizing)

If you have ever fit a size 8 in one shop and a size 12 in another with no change to your body, you have met vanity sizing (also called size inflation). There is no legally enforced women's sizing standard in the US or UK, so every brand sets its own chart — and many have quietly assigned smaller numbers to larger measurements over the decades, because a flattering label sells.

The practical takeaway is to trust your measurements, not the number. The size this calculator gives is based on a standard, mainstream chart — a reliable starting point — but the only chart that's exact for a given garment is that brand's own. A few habits help:

Check the brand's size chart, not just the number. Compare your measurements to their bust/waist/hip ranges, which sit on most product pages.
Mind the fabric. Stretchy knits and jersey are forgiving, so the smaller size often works; stiff wovens like linen or poplin have no give, so size up to your fullest measurement.
EU sizing tends to run slimmer than the US/UK equivalent for the same number, so lean toward your measurements rather than the converted figure.

Dress size vs. body shape — what's the difference?

Dress size answers how big you are; body shape answers what proportions you have. They use the same three measurements but ask different questions. Two people can wear the same US 8 and have completely different shapes — one an hourglass with a defined waist, the other a rectangle that runs straighter — and that shape is what decides how a given cut hangs on you.

Once you know your size here, the natural next step for shopping and styling is your shape. The body shape calculator sorts the same bust/waist/hip measurements into hourglass, pear, apple, or rectangle — which tells you which cuts and silhouettes suit you, not just which size to order. If you want the single health-relevant number those measurements carry, that is your waist-to-hip ratio, and overall weight status is the BMI calculator.

Use dress size to order the right size, and body shape to choose the right cut. They answer different halves of 'will this look good on me?'.

Accuracy

How accurate is this dress size calculator?

For the standard chart it uses, the calculator is exact: it maps each of your three measurements to a size and returns the largest every time, with no rounding surprises, and reads the UK and EU equivalents straight off the same row. It is the right tool for finding a reliable starting size and for converting between US, UK, and EU systems.

Two honest limits are worth knowing. First, the result is only as good as your measurements — a tape that rides up can move you a whole size, so re-measure if a result surprises you. Second, because there is no universal sizing standard, the only chart that is guaranteed exact for a specific dress is that brand's own. Treat the calculator's size as a confident first pick and a conversion guide, then confirm against the brand chart before you buy.

Methodology

Data sources and methodology

The size chart is the mainstream standard women's dress size chart used by major calculators and size-chart references, with bust, waist, and hip ranges in inches and the corresponding US, UK, and EU numbers. The conversions follow the standard relationships UK = US + 4 and EU = US + 32, which are self-consistent across the chart (US 0 = UK 4 = EU 32; US 8 = UK 12 = EU 40). The matching rule — size each measurement and take the largest — is standard tailoring practice for fitting the fullest part of the body.

Standard women's dress size chart (US/UK/EU) with bust/waist/hip ranges, as published by mainstream dress-size calculators and apparel size-chart references.Body shape and waist-to-hip context: see the linked body shape and waist-to-hip ratio calculators.

Questions

Frequently asked questions about the free dress size calculator

A dress size calculator is a free online tool that helps you convert your bust, waist, and hip measurements into a US, UK, and EU dress size. Each measurement is sized against the standard chart and the largest of the three is taken, so the dress fits your fullest part; UK = US + 4 and EU = US + 32. It runs entirely in your browser with instant results and no sign-up.

Measure your body accurately at three points — bust (the fullest part of your chest), waist (the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button), and hips (the fullest part of your hips and seat). Then compare each measurement to a dress size chart and take the largest of the three sizes, so the dress fits your fullest part. This calculator does that and returns your US, UK, and EU size at once.

An EU 38 is a US size 6 (and a UK 10). It corresponds to roughly a 33.5–35 inch bust, a 26.5–28 inch waist, and 37–38 inch hips. The rule across the chart is EU = US + 32, so subtract 32 from any EU number to get the US size.

A UK 12 is a medium (M). Letter sizes each cover about two numeric sizes — medium typically spans UK 12–14 (US 8–10, EU 40–42). A UK 12 equals a US 8 and an EU 40.

There's no legally enforced women's sizing standard, so every brand sets its own chart, and many assign smaller numbers to larger measurements — a practice called vanity sizing. Trust your bust, waist, and hip measurements rather than the number on the label, and check the specific brand's size chart before buying. Stretchy fabrics are forgiving; stiff wovens should fit your largest measurement.

No. Dress size tells you how big a garment to order; body shape tells you what proportions you have (hourglass, pear, apple, or rectangle) and which cuts suit you. Two people can wear the same US 8 with very different shapes. Use a dress size calculator to pick the size and a body shape calculator to pick the cut.

About

About this dress size calculator

This dress size calculator runs entirely in your browser. Your measurements never leave your device — nothing is sent to a server, logged, or shared. It sizes your bust, waist, and hips against the standard US/UK/EU chart, takes the largest of the three, and updates instantly as you type.

Calculators Cloud offers 400+ free tools with no sign-up. The whole Health calculators shelf includes the body shape, waist-to-hip ratio, and BMI tools alongside this one. Or browse the full calculator directory.