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The ultimate guide to dress size conversion
Find out what size you are when ordering from other countries online.
Wondering if you’re actually a size 12 or a 14? Sizes seem to differ from store to store in New Zealand alone, so online shopping opens up a whole new world of confusion with international sizing. To try and make sense of it, we’ve researched a few different sources and constructed a few handy conversion charts for all your international online shopping needs.
A few easy rules to remember:
- NZ dress sizing is the same as AU and UK
- Minus 2 sizes to get your US size
- S/M/L can vary hugely – always check the retailer’s own sizing chart
- French sizes are also used in Belgium and Portugal
- German sizes are also used in Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway
If you’re shopping for a dress, why not take a peek at our top sales and discount codes. Maybe the dress you want is on sale!
Women’s dress sizes in measurements
| New Zealand Size | Bust | Waist | Hips | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | CM | Inches | CM | Inches | CM | |
| 4 | 32 | 78 | 24.5 | 60 | 34 | 84 |
| 6 | 33 | 80.5 | 25.5 | 62.5 | 35 | 86.5 |
| 8 | 34 | 83 | 26.5 | 65 | 36 | 89 |
| 10 | 36 | 88 | 28.5 | 70 | 38 | 94 |
| 12 | 38 | 93 | 30.5 | 75 | 40 | 99 |
| 14 | 40 | 98 | 32.5 | 80 | 42 | 104 |
| 16 | 42 | 103 | 34.5 | 85 | 44 | 109 |
| 18 | 45 | 110.5 | 37.5 | 92.5 | 47 | 116.5 |
| 20 | 50 | 127 | 42.9 | 109 | 54.7 | 139 |
| 22 | 52.8 | 134 | 45.7 | 116 | 57.5 | 146 |
| 24 | 55.5 | 141 | 48.4 | 123 | 60.2 | 153 |
Women’s dress size chart – international
| New Zealand | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
| UK | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
| France & Spain | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 |
| Germany | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 |
| Italy | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 56 |
| USA | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| Japan | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 27 |
Men’s shirt sizes in measurements
| Size | Chest | Neck | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | CM | Inches | CM | |
| XXXS | 30-32 | 76-81 | 14 | 36 |
| XXS | 32-34 | 81-86 | 14.5 | 37.5 |
| XS | 34-36 | 86-91 | 15 | 38.5 |
| S | 36-38 | 91-96 | 15.5 | 39.5 |
| M | 38-40 | 96-101 | 16 | 41.5 |
| L | 40-42 | 101-106 | 17 | 43.5 |
| XL | 42-44 | 106-111 | 17.5 | 45.5 |
| XXL | 44-46 | 111-116 | 18.5 | 47.5 |
| XXXL | 46-48 | 116-121 | 19.5 | 49.5 |
Men’s jacket/suit size chart – international
| USA | UK | Italy | France | New Zealand | Japan | Chest (Inches) | Chest (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 34 | 44 | 44 | 34 | S | 34 | 86 |
| 36 | 36 | 46 | 46 | 36 | 36 | 92 | |
| 38 | 38 | 48 | 48 | 38 | M | 38 | 97 |
| 40 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 40 | L | 40 | 102 |
| 42 | 42 | 52 | 52 | 42 | 42 | 107 | |
| 44 | 44 | 54 | 54 | 44 | LL | 44 | 112 |
Men’s trouser size chart – international
| USA | UK | Italy | France | New Zealand | Japan | Waist (Inches) | Waist (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 28 | 44 | 28 | 28 | XS | 28 | 71 |
| 29 | 29 | 45 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 74 | |
| 30 | 30 | 46 | 30 | 30 | S | 30 | 76 |
| 31 | 31 | 47 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 79 | |
| 32 | 32 | 48 | 32 | 32 | M | 32 | 81 |
| 33 | 33 | 49 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 84 | |
| 34 | 34 | 50 | 34 | 34 | L | 34 | 86 |
| 35 | 35 | 51 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 89 | |
| 36 | 36 | 52 | 36 | 36 | XL | 36 | 92 |
| 37 | 37 | 53 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 94 | |
| 38 | 38 | 54 | 38 | 38 | 2XL | 38 | 97 |
| 39 | 39 | 55 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 99 | |
| 40 | 40 | 56 | 40 | 40 | 3XL | 40 | 102 |
What clothes size should I be for my height?
There is no specific size you should be for your height. Your overall health cannot be determined by dress size alone, so it’s best to see a doctor if you want advice on what a healthy size would be for you. The average height and weight for a woman in New Zealand is 72kg and about 165cm tall.
What dress size is a “medium”?
This varies from brand to brand and by country. Some stores will consider a medium to be a size 10, while others a size 12–14. As an average, a medium is likely to be around a size 12. Generally a small will be a NZ 8–10 and a large a NZ 14–16. An extra small is likely to be a size 6, with an extra large likely to be a size 18. This is all dependent on retailers, dress cut and shape – so we’d always recommend trying a dress on, checking the store’s own sizing chart or using a retailer with free returns.
What dress size is plus size?
It absolutely depends on the retailers, but a lot of plus size–specific retailers will stock from size 14 or 16 upwards.
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