Dress Size & Brand Converter
US ↔ UK ↔ EU sizes across major pattern brands.
Fullest part, arms down.
Natural waistline.
Widest part of the seat.
US 12
Sized up to cover your waist.
- UK
- 16
- EU
- 44
- International
- L
Pattern brands vary, and drafting blocks for Vogue, McCall and Burda can differ by one or two sizes, so compare these body numbers to the specific finished-garment chart of the pattern you buy rather than the printed size alone.
About This Tool
The Dress Size and Brand Converter turns your bust, waist and hip measurements into a recommended US size along with its UK, EU and international letter equivalents, so you stop guessing which number to cut.
You enter the three body measurements and the tool reads a standard women's sizing chart.
It maps each measurement to a size and then lets the largest of the three drive the final recommendation.
The answer ends the frustration of ordering or cutting a pattern size that fits across the bust but not the hip.
Whether you are buying a woven dress or drafting from a paper pattern, one starting size keeps you honest.
It also flags when your figures run past the standard range into plus-size blocks.
Comparing brands becomes trivial once you see your body measured rather than the flattering label number.
Why Dress Size & Brand Converter Math Matters
Bodies are not proportional, so a single size number rarely fits a bust, waist and hip all at once.
Choosing by one measurement alone gives you a garment that binds somewhere and gaps elsewhere.
Pattern brands draft to different figures, and that variance is why the printed size misleads buyers.
Sizing up to your fullest area is the safe default, because ease can be taken back in but not conjured.
Reading the same body across US, UK and EU charts prevents costly mistakes on imported patterns.
Knowing where you sit versus a brand chart saves unpicking seams the length of a whole project.
A measured size beats vanity sizing every time, since the number on the box means nothing on its own.
Starting at the honest size turns a long fitting session into one quick take-in at the seams.
The Formula
For each of bust, waist and hip the tool finds the smallest standard size whose chart measurement is at least your body measurement, then recommends the largest of those three sizes so the fullest area is covered.
- Bust size —
- the chart size whose bust measure first reaches or exceeds your own bust
- Waist size —
- the chart size whose waist measure first reaches or exceeds your own waist
- Hip size —
- the chart size whose hip measure first reaches or exceeds your own hip
The final pick is the biggest of the three, and the tool tells you which measurement drove it so you know where to take in for a closer fit.
Worked Example: Step by Step
- 1Your bust measures 38, your waist 31 and your hip 44 inches.
- 2The chart maps 38 bust to a US 10, 31 waist to a US 10 and 44 hip to a US 14.
- 3Because the hip lands largest, the tool recommends US 14 rather than the smaller bust size.
- 4It then shows the equivalents, a UK 18, an EU 46 and an international L.
- 5You now know to cut a 14 for the hips and take the side seams in at the waist and bust.
- 6That single change turns a pattern that would have gapped at the hip into one that skims the body.
- 7You save an afternoon of fitting because you started at the honest size instead of the flattering one.
- 8The same reading transfers straight to a foreign pattern when you line up the letter and EU columns.
How to Use This Calculator
- Measure bust, waist and hip snugly with a tape kept level.
- Enter each number in inches into the matching field.
- Read the recommended US size shown in the result card.
- Check the UK, EU and letter columns for imported patterns.
- Note which measurement drove the size, then plan to take in there.
- Compare the final number to the finished-garment chart of your pattern.
Key Terms
- High bust
- the snug measure above the breasts used by many pattern brands to set the frame size
- Finished garment
- the body measurement plus ease that the completed piece actually measures
- Wearing ease
- the extra room added to a body measure so a garment can be moved in
- Vanity sizing
- the retail habit of labelling a larger garment with a smaller number to please buyers
- Size grade
- the fixed inch step between one size and the next on a chart
- Block
- a basic fitted pattern from which styled garments are drafted
- Pattern size
- a company-specific number drafted on its own model, rarely equal to a store size
- Straight size
- the standard sizing range before a brand moves into dedicated plus blocks
Dress Size & Brand Converter Reference Table
| US size | Approx bust | Approx hip |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 34.5 | 37 |
| 8 | 36.5 | 39.5 |
| 12 | 39.5 | 42.5 |
| 16 | 42.5 | 45.5 |
| 20 | 45.5 | 48.5 |
These are standard ready-to-wear averages, not law, because every brand and pattern company drafts to its own model figure, so always treat the finished-garment measurement printed on the envelope as the number that actually decides your cut.
Common Mistakes & Pro Tips
- Cutting the size that matches the bust and then being surprised when it will not close over the hip.
- Trusting the number printed on a store garment rather than measuring the body against the chart.
- Ignoring that pattern brands differ, so a size that fits one label runs large or small on another.
- Forgetting wearing ease and cutting exactly at body measurement, which seams the moment you sit down.
- Confusing ready-to-wear sizes with pattern sizes, which are drafted on a different scale entirely.
- Rounding down to a smaller size for flattering reasons, then spending hours letting every seam back out.
- Fitting only to the bust and ignoring that the hip drove the true starting size.
Real-World Use Cases
- Choosing a pattern size before buying an expensive envelope.
- Ordering a made-to-measure dress from an overseas seller.
- Translating a UK high-street size into a US pattern number.
- Deciding whether to grade between two sizes at waist and hip.
- Fitting a costume block against a friend's real measurements.
- Explaining sizing to a customer when starting a small clothing line.
Dress Size & Brand Converter: Frequently Asked Questions
Which measurement should I follow when the three differ?
Follow your largest measurement, since a too-fullest cut can be taken in but a too-small one cannot be let out past its seam allowance. So the tool sizes up to the biggest of the three.
Are pattern sizes the same as store sizes?
No. Pattern companies draft on a separate scale that runs larger than ready-to-wear, and many women wear different numbers in each. Fit to the finished-garment chart on the pattern, never your dressing-room size.
Why does the tool show an international letter too?
Because many imported and digital patterns are labelled only XS through XXL, the letter column matches a numeric size to that simpler scale. It is a convenience bridge, though true measurements still matter more.
What if my measurements are above the whole chart?
The tool flags when you sit past the standard range, a signal to look for blocks drafted for fuller figures rather than stretching the largest column. Plus patterns grade bust, waist and hip on different ratios.
Should I round up or down between two sizes?
For wovens, round up and take in, since removing fabric is easy while adding past the seam allowance is not. For real-stretch knits you can round down, as the fabric gives over the fullest area.
This page explains how the dress size & brand converter works, what each input means and where the numbers come from, so you can plan your next make with confidence.
Written by Bobbin & Form Editorial Team
Home sewists & machine-embroidery practitioners
Reviewed by Marie Delacroix
Custom sewist & machine-embroidery technician, 15 years at the machine
Formulas follow standard sewing and needlework references. Results are estimates — always confirm against your pattern and a pre-washed swatch.
Sources & further reading
- Threads Magazine — fabric cutting & yardage guides
- ISO 13934 — textile tensile & fabric property standards
- Your local fabric store's bolt-width charts