SIZE CHARTS · PANTS & JEANS
Pants size chart.
Waist, hips and leg length for women's and men's trousers and jeans, with the US, UK and European numbers you'll see on labels.
Updated · By the Delve to Life editors · Editorial standards · How we built these tables
THE QUICK ANSWER
Women: go by whichever of waist or hips gives the larger size; denim sizes 26, 27, 28 ≈ US 2, 4, 6. Men: the label is waist then inseam in inches (W32 L32); EU trouser size is about the same as your EU jacket size.
Women's pants sizes
| US | UK / AU | Waist | Hips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 60 cm · 23.6 in | 83.5 cm · 32.9 in |
| 2 | 6 | 62.5 cm · 24.6 in | 86 cm · 33.9 in |
| 4 | 8 | 65 cm · 25.6 in | 88.5 cm · 34.8 in |
| 6 | 10 | 70 cm · 27.6 in | 93.5 cm · 36.8 in |
| 8 | 12 | 75 cm · 29.5 in | 98.5 cm · 38.8 in |
| 10 | 14 | 80 cm · 31.5 in | 103.5 cm · 40.7 in |
| 12 | 16 | 85 cm · 33.5 in | 108.5 cm · 42.7 in |
| 14 | 18 | 92.5 cm · 36.4 in | 116 cm · 45.7 in |
| 16 | 20 | 99 cm · 39.0 in | 122.5 cm · 48.2 in |
| 18 | 22 | 105.5 cm · 41.5 in | 129 cm · 50.8 in |
| 20 | 24 | 112 cm · 44.1 in | 135.5 cm · 53.3 in |
Women's jeans (denim) sizes
Denim brands label by a number that started as the waist in inches, but most now cut generously. Use this as a starting point.
| US | Denim size |
|---|---|
| 00 | 23–24 |
| 0 | 25 |
| 2 | 26 |
| 4 | 27 |
| 6 | 28 |
| 8 | 29 |
| 10 | 30 |
| 12 | 31 |
| 14 | 32 |
| 16 | 33 |
| 18 | 34 |
Men's pants sizes
| Label | Waist | Germany / EU |
|---|---|---|
| W28 | 71 cm | 42 |
| W29 | 74 cm | 42 |
| W30 | 76 cm | 44 |
| W31 | 79 cm | 44 |
| W32 | 81 cm | 46 |
| W33 | 84 cm | 48 |
| W34 | 86 cm | 48 |
| W35 | 89 cm | 50 |
| W36 | 91 cm | 52 |
| W38 | 97 cm | 54 |
| W40 | 102 cm | 56 |
| W42 | 107 cm | 58 |
| W44 | 112 cm | 60 |
Choosing a length (inseam)
| Your height | Men's inseam | Women's length |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5'6" · 168 cm | L29–30 | Petite / short: 28–29 in |
| 5'6"–5'10" · 168–178 cm | L30–32 | Regular: 30–31 in |
| 5'10"–6'2" · 178–188 cm | L32–34 | Tall / long: 32–34 in |
| Over 6'2" · 188 cm | L34–36 | Tall / long: 34 in+ |
Women's waist in inches to US size
The quickest lookup if you know your waist in inches. Check your hips too and take the larger size.
| Waist | US | UK / AU | Denim size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 in · 61 cm | 0 | 4 | 25 |
| 25 in · 64 cm | 2 | 6 | 26 |
| 26 in · 66 cm | 6 | 10 | 28 |
| 27 in · 69 cm | 6 | 10 | 28 |
| 28 in · 71 cm | 8 | 12 | 29 |
| 29 in · 74 cm | 8 | 12 | 29 |
| 30 in · 76 cm | 10 | 14 | 30 |
| 31 in · 79 cm | 10 | 14 | 30 |
| 32 in · 81 cm | 12 | 16 | 31 |
| 33 in · 84 cm | 12 | 16 | 31 |
| 34 in · 86 cm | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| 36 in · 91 cm | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| 38 in · 97 cm | 16 | 20 | 33 |
Rise: low, mid and high
The rise is the distance from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband at the front. It decides where trousers sit, and it is the measurement most likely to differ between two pairs labelled the same size.
| Rise | Front rise (typical) | Where it sits | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low rise | under 8 in · 20 cm | On the hips, below the belly button | Relaxed jeans, longer tops |
| Mid rise | 8–10 in · 20–25 cm | Just below the belly button | Everyday jeans and chinos |
| High rise | 10–12 in · 25–30 cm | At or just below the natural waist | Tucked-in tops, wide-leg and flared trousers |
| Ultra-high rise | over 12 in · 30 cm | At the natural waist or above | Cropped tops, vintage looks |
Petite, regular and tall lengths
Many brands make the same waist size in three or four lengths. If your usual size always needs hemming or always looks short, the length range is the fix, not a different size.
| Length range | Women's inseam | Men's inseam | Height (rough guide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petite / short | 26–29 in · 66–74 cm | 28–30 in · 71–76 cm | under 5'4" (163 cm) women · under 5'7" (170 cm) men |
| Regular | 30–31 in · 76–79 cm | 30–32 in · 76–81 cm | 5'4"–5'8" women · 5'7"–6'0" men |
| Tall / long | 32–34 in · 81–86 cm | 34 in · 86 cm | 5'8"–6'0" women · 6'0"–6'3" men |
| Extra long | 35–36 in · 89–91 cm | 36 in+ · 91 cm+ | over 6'0" women · over 6'3" men |
Why your size changes between brands
- Vanity sizing: many women's brands now cut a US 8 bigger than they did twenty years ago, and some more than others. Measure a pair you love and compare it with the brand's garment measurements.
- Denim numbers are labels: a women's 28 is rarely a 28-inch waist; men's jeans are often 1–2 inches roomier than the label.
- Fabric: stretch denim and jersey give up to half a size; rigid denim, wool and linen don't.
- Cut: a relaxed or barrel cut is designed to be roomier at the hip; don't size down to make it fitted, size by your waist.
Fit tips
- Measure your natural waist for tailored trousers, and where you actually wear the waistband (often 2–5 cm lower) for jeans.
- Stretch denim (2% elastane or more) relaxes by up to half a size; rigid denim doesn't.
- For wide-leg and flared trousers, take the longer length and wear them with the shoes you'll use most.
Not sure of your waist size? Our calculator turns your measurements into every country's pants size.
Open the size calculatorLooking for a shape rather than a size? See types of pants, with pictures.
How we built these tables
Each country sizes clothes against a table of body measurements, so we compare countries through the body, not through the labels. UK, US and Australian women's sizes follow a large UK online retailer's published body chart; German, French and Italian sizes follow a large German retailer's chart (French is two numbers above German, Italian four). Japanese sizes follow the bust steps of the JIS standard, Chinese codes follow GB/T 1335 (height/bust or chest plus body type), and Korean sizes use the usual 44–99 (women) and 85–125 (men) chest numbers. Shoe sizes follow a major US sportswear brand's men's and women's charts.
Brands cut differently, so treat every result as your starting size and check the brand's own chart when it has one. Weight isn't part of any national size standard: two people of the same height and weight can be two sizes apart, so we use a tape measure, not the scales.
Questions people ask
How do women's jeans sizes (25, 26, 27…) compare to US sizes?
Denim numbers run about 26 higher than US sizes at the small end: 26 ≈ US 2, 27 ≈ US 4, 28 ≈ US 6, 29 ≈ US 8, 30 ≈ US 10. They're labels, not your waist in inches.
What does W32 L30 mean?
A 32 in waist and a 30 in inseam (the leg length from crotch to hem).
How do I choose inseam length?
Measure a pair that fits from crotch seam to hem. As a rough guide for men: L29–30 under 5'6", L30–32 for 5'6"–5'10", L32–34 for 5'10"–6'2", L34–36 above.
What is my pants size if my waist is 30 inches?
For men, a W30. For women, a 30 in (76 cm) waist sits right between a US 8 and a US 10 (UK 12–14): take the 10 in rigid fabrics, the 8 in stretch, and check your hips too.
What does high rise mean?
A high-rise trouser has a front rise of about 10–12 in (25–30 cm), so the waistband sits at or just below your natural waist. Mid rise sits just below the belly button; low rise sits on the hips.
What inseam is petite?
Petite trousers usually have a 26–29 in (66–74 cm) inseam, for women under about 5'4" (163 cm). Regular is about 30–31 in and tall 32–34 in.
What is the EU size for men's trousers?
German men's trouser sizes run with the jacket sizes: a 32 in (81 cm) waist is about a 46, a 34 in (86 cm) waist about a 48.