Clothing size reference
A quick shopping reference for men's sizes. These are typical body-measurement guides, not promises that every brand will fit the same way.
What to measure first
Around the fullest part of the chest, with the tape flat under the arms.
Around the waist where the body naturally bends. For trousers, also measure where the waistband actually sits.
Around the base of the neck where a shirt collar sits. Shirt labels often show centimetres or inches.
Around the fullest part of the seat. More important for fitted trousers and underwear.
From the crotch to the ankle or floor. Jeans often show waist/inside-leg, such as W36/L40.
Measure both feet standing, then use the longer foot. Measure at the end of the day and size up when between sizes.
T-shirts, knitwear, casual jackets
Typical chest fit. The EU jacket number is a useful tailoring reference, not a universal T-shirt label.
| International | Chest cm | Chest inches | EU jacket |
|---|---|---|---|
| XXS | 81–86 | 32–34 | 44 |
| XS | 86–91 | 34–36 | 46 |
| S | 91–96 | 36–38 | 48 |
| M | 96–101 | 38–40 | 50 |
| L | 101–106 | 40–42 | 52 |
| XL | 106–111 | 42–44 | 54 |
| XXL | 111–116 | 44–46 | 56 |
Smart shirts
The collar is the key number. A label such as 37/38 means a collar range in centimetres; US/UK labels commonly show inches.
| International | EU collar cm | US/UK collar in | Chest cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 35/36 | 13½/14 | 80–84 |
| S | 37/38 | 14½/15 | 88–92 |
| M | 39/40 | 15¼/15¾ | 96–100 |
| L | 41/42 | 16/16½ | 104–108 |
| XL | 43/44 | 17/17¼ | 112–116 |
| XXL | 45/46 | 17¾/18 | 120–124 |
Trousers, jeans and shorts
Jeans usually use inches: the first number is waist and the second is inside leg. EU equivalents are approximate.
| Waist in | Waist cm | Typical EU | International |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 71 | 42 | XS |
| 30 | 76 | 44–46 | S |
| 32 | 81 | 46–48 | S–M |
| 34 | 86 | 48–50 | M |
| 36 | 91 | 52–54 | L |
| 38 | 96 | 54–56 | L–XL |
| 40 | 102 | 56–58 | XL |
| 42 | 107 | 58–60 | XXL |
Your 100 cm inseam is about 39.4 inches. In a shop, look for L40, 40L, extra-long, or a long/tall option. Standard regular lengths are commonly L30, L32, or L34, so alterations may be needed.
Underwear and swimwear
Waist measurement is usually more reliable than the letter size.
| International | Waist cm | Waist inches |
|---|---|---|
| XXS | 66–71 | 26–28 |
| XS | 71–76 | 28–30 |
| S | 76–81 | 30–32 |
| M | 81–86 | 32–34 |
| L | 86–91 | 34–36 |
| XL | 91–96 | 36–38 |
| XXL | 96–101 | 38–40 |
Footwear
This is a common retailer-style reference, not a universal conversion.
| EU | UK | US men |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 6 | 7 |
| 41 | 7 | 8 |
| 42 | 8 | 9 |
| 43 | 9 | 10 |
| 44 | 10 | 11 |
| 45 | 11 | 12 |
| 46 | 12 | 13 |
Brand charts can differ materially. For example, Nike lists EU 44 as UK 9 / US men 10, while adidas lists EU 44 as UK 9.5 / US men 10. Check the shoe brand rather than converting once and assuming it applies everywhere.
Nike example
| EU | UK | US men | Foot cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 9 | 10 | 28.0 |
| 45 | 10.5 | 11 | 28.4 |
adidas example
| EU | UK | US men | Heel-to-toe cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 9.5 | 10 | 27.1 |
| 45⅓ | 10.5 | 11 | 28.0 |
What you already have on the site
- Monthly body measurements: waist, stomach, hip, chest, neck, thigh and biceps.
- Personal clothing profile: height, inseam, inside arm, shoe sizes and the formats you enter from brands.
For the standards behind body-based clothing sizing, see ISO 8559-2:2025. It defines the dimensions used for size designation; it does not make every brand use identical garment dimensions.
Source charts
- ASOS men's size guide for the practical chest, waist, inside-leg, underwear and common footwear tables.
- H&M men's size guide for collar, EU tailoring, trouser and long-measurement examples.
- Nike men's footwear chart and adidas men's footwear chart for brand-specific shoe conversions and foot measurement.