Dress Size Calculator
Turn a tape measure into a dress size. Enter bust, waist, and hip in inches or centimeters and get your US misses size, the matching alpha size (XS-XXL), and EU and UK conversions — sized to your largest measurement, the way fitters do it.
Example: with Bust (fullest point) 36 · Natural waist 28 · Hip (fullest point) 38.5 · Measurement unit inches → US dress size: US 8 (misses).
- Alpha / EU / UKM | EU 38 | UK 12
- Which measurement decided itBust, waist, and hip all point to US 8
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
US misses sizing from a composite chart (size 8 = 36-28-38.5); brands cut to their own charts, so verify against the label's chart. EU ≈ US + 30, UK ≈ US + 4.
How dress sizes map to measurements
A US misses size is shorthand for a trio of body measurements. On the composite chart this calculator uses, a size 8 means roughly 36-28-38.5 (bust-waist-hip, inches), with about one inch between sizes through size 10 and about 1.5 in per size above that. Fitters size a dress to your largest-relative measurement — a dress that closes over your bust and hips can be taken in at the waist, but nothing rescues a dress two inches too small in the bust. That is why this tool reports the size implied by each measurement and recommends the largest.
US sizing is a convention with no legal standard. ASTM publishes voluntary tables, and brands drift from them freely — a mass-market 8 is often cut like this chart's 10 (vanity sizing), while bridal runs the other way, one to two sizes smaller than street wear. Always cross-check the specific brand's chart; use this result as your starting size.
How it’s calculated
Each measurement is matched to the closest row of a composite US misses chart: size 0 = 32-24-34.5 in, stepping about 1 in per size to size 10 (37-29-39.5), then about 1.5 in per size to 20 (44.5-36.5-47). Recommended size = the largest of the bust-, waist-, and hip-implied sizes. Alpha: 0-2 XS, 4-6 S, 8-10 M, 12-14 L, 16-18 XL, 20+ XXL. Conversions: EU = US + 30, UK = US + 4. Centimeters convert at 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly.
US misses sizing is brand-variable — real charts deviate from this composite by a full size in either direction, and EU/UK offsets are approximations, so confirm with the specific brand's chart before ordering.
US misses chart used by this calculator
| US size | Bust | Waist | Hip | Alpha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 33 in | 25 in | 35.5 in | XS |
| 6 | 35 in | 27 in | 37.5 in | S |
| 10 | 37 in | 29 in | 39.5 in | M |
| 14 | 40 in | 32 in | 42.5 in | L |
| 18 | 43 in | 35 in | 45.5 in | XL |
Composite of widely used US misses charts (ASTM-informed); individual brands vary by a size or more.
Common mistakes
- Measuring over regular clothes — measure over underwear with the tape snug but not compressing.
- Sizing to the waist when the bust or hip number is larger; the dress has to close at the biggest point.
- Treating EU/UK conversions as exact — they are offsets that hold roughly, and European cuts run slimmer.
- Assuming your usual store size transfers to bridal or formalwear, which typically runs 1-2 sizes smaller.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my dress size from measurements?
Measure bust at the fullest point, natural waist at the narrowest, and hips at the fullest. Find the size each maps to on the chart (size 8 ≈ 36-28-38.5 in) and take the largest of the three — that is the size to try first.
What size is a 38 inch bust?
On this chart, 38 in falls between a US 10 (37 in) and 12 (38.5 in), rounding to the 12. If your waist and hips map to a 10 or smaller, a 12 sized for the bust with waist tailoring usually fits best.
Why do I wear different sizes in different brands?
There is no enforced US sizing standard. Brands cut to their own blocks and many label garments smaller than the ASTM-style tables on purpose (vanity sizing). A one-size spread across brands is completely normal.
How do US dress sizes convert to EU and UK?
Rule of thumb: EU = US + 30 and UK = US + 4, so a US 8 is roughly an EU 38 and UK 12. These are approximations — European brands also cut slimmer through the waist, so check the garment's own measurements when you can.
Should I size up or down between sizes?
Up. Taking in a seam is routine tailoring; letting one out depends on seam allowance that may not exist. This is also why the calculator recommends the size of your largest measurement rather than the average.