Jeans Size Converter
Stop guessing between 32, EU 48 and JP 81 — they are the same pair of jeans. Enter any size or waist measurement and get every international equivalent, plus the inseam length for your height.
100% client-side — your measurements never leave your browserConvert your jeans size
Pick a sizing system and enter your size — or start from a tape-measured waist. Works for men’s and women’s jeans.
How jeans sizing actually works
Men’s sizes: waist × inseam
Men’s jeans use the most honest system in clothing: the label is two body measurements in inches. 32×32 means a 32-inch waist and a 32-inch inseam (inside leg). The UK uses the same inch numbers, the EU adds 16 (32 → 48), Italy matches the EU number, and Japan usually prints the waist in centimeters (32 in ≈ 81 cm → JP 81).
Women’s sizes: the 00–20 scale
Women’s jeans abandoned raw inches for a numbered scale where the number is not the waist in inches. Size 00 fits about a 24-inch waist and each step adds roughly an inch, so size 10 is about a 30-inch waist. Many women’s jeans also print the waist in inches on the tag (28, 29, 30…) — that number is inches and is the most reliable thing to convert from. Internationally, a women’s 30-inch waist is UK 12, EU 40, IT 44 and JP 11.
Why the label lies: vanity sizing
The number on the tag is a nominal size, not a tape measurement. Mass-market brands add “vanity” room: a US W32 routinely measures 33–34 inches at the waistband. Japanese repro-denim brands are the famous exception — a W32 there fits a true 32-inch waist, which is why shoppers switching to Japanese denim often size down one. Stretch denim (2–4% elastane) fits looser and relaxes with wear; rigid 100% cotton denim does not give and can shrink 2–3 cm on the first wash.
Brands disagree — your tape measure does not
There is no ISO standard for jeans sizes, so two brands’ “size 32” can differ by a full inch. Conversion charts get you to the right neighborhood; the brand’s own size chart gets you to the right house. When in doubt, convert from a tape-measured waist using the Waist × Inseam tab above rather than from another brand’s label.
Men’s jeans size chart
Waist in inches with US, UK, EU, IT and JP equivalents plus international alpha size.
| Waist (in) | Waist (cm) | US | UK | EU | IT | JP | Alpha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 66 | 26 | 26 | 42 | 42 | 66 | XS |
| 27 | 68.6 | 27 | 27 | 43 | 43 | 69 | XS |
| 28 | 71.1 | 28 | 28 | 44 | 44 | 71 | S |
| 29 | 73.7 | 29 | 29 | 45 | 45 | 74 | S |
| 30 | 76.2 | 30 | 30 | 46 | 46 | 76 | S |
| 31 | 78.7 | 31 | 31 | 47 | 47 | 79 | M |
| 32 | 81.3 | 32 | 32 | 48 | 48 | 81 | M |
| 33 | 83.8 | 33 | 33 | 49 | 49 | 84 | M |
| 34 | 86.4 | 34 | 34 | 50 | 50 | 86 | L |
| 35 | 88.9 | 35 | 35 | 51 | 51 | 89 | L |
| 36 | 91.4 | 36 | 36 | 52 | 52 | 91 | L |
| 37 | 94 | 37 | 37 | 53 | 53 | 94 | XL |
| 38 | 96.5 | 38 | 38 | 54 | 54 | 97 | XL |
| 39 | 99.1 | 39 | 39 | 55 | 55 | 99 | XL |
| 40 | 101.6 | 40 | 40 | 56 | 56 | 102 | XXL |
| 41 | 104.1 | 41 | 41 | 57 | 57 | 104 | XXL |
| 42 | 106.7 | 42 | 42 | 58 | 58 | 107 | XXL |
| 43 | 109.2 | 43 | 43 | 59 | 59 | 109 | 3XL |
| 44 | 111.8 | 44 | 44 | 60 | 60 | 112 | 3XL |
Women’s jeans size chart
Waist in inches with US numeric, UK, EU, IT and JP equivalents plus international alpha size.
| Waist (in) | Waist (cm) | US | UK | EU | IT | JP | Alpha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 61 | 00 | 4 | 28 | 38 | 5 | XXS |
| 25 | 63.5 | 0 | 6 | 30 | 39 | 7 | XXS |
| 26 | 66 | 2 | 8 | 32 | 40 | 7 | XS |
| 27 | 68.6 | 4 | 8 | 34 | 41 | 7 | S |
| 28 | 71.1 | 6 | 10 | 36 | 42 | 9 | S |
| 29 | 73.7 | 8 | 10 | 38 | 43 | 9 | M |
| 30 | 76.2 | 10 | 12 | 40 | 44 | 11 | M |
| 31 | 78.7 | 12 | 12 | 42 | 45 | 11 | L |
| 32 | 81.3 | 14 | 14 | 44 | 46 | 13 | L |
| 33 | 83.8 | 16 | 14 | 44 | 47 | 13 | XL |
| 34 | 86.4 | 18 | 16 | 46 | 48 | 15 | XL |
| 35 | 88.9 | 20 | 18 | 48 | 49 | 15 | XXL |
Inseam guide by height
Inseam is the inside-leg length in inches. When you sit, jeans ride up about an inch — if you are between lengths, the longer one usually looks better with shoes.
| Height | Women’s inseam | Men’s inseam |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 1 in or shorter | 28 | 28 |
| 5 ft 2 in – 5 ft 3 in | 30 | 28 |
| 5 ft 4 in – 5 ft 5 in | 32 | 30 |
| 5 ft 6 in – 5 ft 7 in | 32 | 30 |
| 5 ft 8 in – 6 ft 0 in | 34 | 32 |
| Over 6 ft 0 in | 34 | 34 |
Worked examples
Example 1 — men’s US 32 to every system
Step 1. Start from the US waist: 32.
Step 2. UK matches the US number: UK 32. EU and IT add 16: 32 + 16 = 48.
Step 3. JP is the waist in centimeters: 32 × 2.54 = 81.28 → JP 81. Waist in cm: 81.3.
Step 4. Alpha band for a 32 waist is M.
Answer: US 32 = UK 32 = EU 48 = IT 48 = JP 81, alpha M, 32 in (81.3 cm) waist.
Example 2 — woman with a 29-inch waist, 5 ft 5 in tall
Step 1. Women’s US number: 2 × (29 − 25) = 8.
Step 2. Chart lookup for a 29-inch waist: UK 10, EU 38, IT 29 + 14 = 43, JP 9, alpha M.
Step 3. Height 65 in falls in the 5 ft 4 in–5 ft 7 in band → 32-inch inseam (81.3 cm).
Answer: US 8 = UK 10 = EU 38 = IT 43 = JP 9, alpha M — buy a 29 waist with a 32 inseam.
Fit guide: cut and rise
Leg cuts
- Skinny: hugs thigh, knee and ankle. Needs stretch (2%+ elastane) unless you like a fight.
- Slim: close through the thigh, slight taper below the knee. The safe default.
- Straight: same width from knee to ankle. Timeless, works with boots.
- Bootcut: slight flare from the knee to cover boots.
- Wide-leg / relaxed: roomy thigh with a wide opening. Size by the waist — the leg takes care of itself.
Rise
- Low rise (under ~8 in): sits below the navel.
- Mid rise (~8–10 in): sits at the navel. The most common cut.
- High rise (over ~10 in): sits above the navel; elongates the leg line.
Rise changes where the waistband lands, not the waist size — a 32 waist is a 32 waist in any rise. Measure rise on jeans you like (crotch seam to top of waistband) and compare when shopping.
How to measure yourself for jeans
- Waist: wrap the tape around your natural waistline — the narrowest point, usually near the navel. Keep it snug but not tight and breathe normally. This single number drives every conversion on this page.
- Hips: measure around the fullest part of your hips with the tape level. Matters most for skinny and high-rise cuts.
- Inseam: stand straight and measure from the crotch down the inside of the leg to the ankle bone. Easier alternative: lay flat jeans that fit you well and measure the inside seam.
- Thigh: measure around the fullest part of the thigh. Compare with the “thigh” spec on size charts when buying skinny or slim fits.
Write the numbers down in inches — the converter above turns them into centimeters and every international size automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a US jeans size to an EU size?
For men’s jeans, add 16: EU = US + 16. A men’s US 32 is EU 48 (and IT 48, UK 32, JP 81). For women’s jeans there is no single formula — use the chart: a women’s US 8 (29-inch waist) is EU 38, and a women’s US 10 (30-inch waist) is EU 40. Always confirm against the brand’s own chart, because vanity sizing shifts labels by up to an inch.
What is a 32 waist in UK, EU, IT and JP sizes?
A men’s 32-inch waist is UK 32, EU 48, IT 48 and JP 81 (32 × 2.54 = 81.28, rounded to 81), with an international alpha size of M. The waist measures 81.3 cm. If the jeans are labeled 32×32, the second 32 is the 32-inch inseam.
How do women’s jeans sizes (00–20) relate to waist inches?
The number is not the waist in inches. Size 00 fits about a 24-inch waist, size 0 about 25 inches, and from there each size up adds roughly one inch: size 6 is about 28 inches, size 8 about 29 inches, size 10 about 30 inches, size 20 about 35 inches. As a rule of thumb for sizes 0–20: waist ≈ size ÷ 2 + 25.
What size is a 30-inch waist in women’s jeans?
A 30-inch waist is US 10, UK 12, EU 40, IT 44 and JP 11, alpha size M. The waist is 76.2 cm.
What do the two numbers on men’s jeans mean, like 32×32?
The first number is the waist in inches and the second is the inseam (inside leg) in inches. So 32×32 means a 32-inch waist with a 32-inch inseam. Common inseams are 28 (short), 30 (regular), 32 (long) and 34 (extra long).
How is Japanese jeans sizing different from US sizing?
For men’s jeans, Japanese sizes are often just the waist in centimeters: a US 32 (81.3 cm waist) is JP 81. Japanese repro-denim brands may instead use inch waist labels (W32) with no vanity sizing — a Japanese W32 fits a true 32-inch waist, while a mass-market US W32 often fits 33 inches. For women’s jeans, Japan uses an odd-number scale: JP 9 is about US 6 (28-inch waist), and JP 11 about US 10 (30-inch waist).
What inseam length do I need for my height?
As a starting point: women 5 ft 1 in or shorter → 28 in; 5 ft 2 in–5 ft 3 in → 30 in; 5 ft 4 in–5 ft 7 in → 32 in; 5 ft 8 in or taller → 34 in. Men: under 5 ft 4 in → 28 in; 5 ft 4 in–5 ft 7 in → 30 in; 5 ft 8 in–6 ft → 32 in; over 6 ft → 34 in. Example: a 5 ft 5 in woman (65 in) gets a 32-inch (81.3 cm) inseam suggestion.
Why does the same jeans size fit differently between brands?
Vanity sizing: the label rarely equals a tape measurement. A mass-market US W32 often measures 33 to 34 inches at the waistband, while Japanese repro brands cut a true 32. Stretch denim (2–4%% elastane) also fits looser than rigid 100%% cotton denim, which can shrink about 2–3 cm on the first wash. When switching brands, trust your tape-measured waist over the label.
How do I measure my waist and inseam for jeans?
Waist: wrap the tape around your natural waistline (the narrowest point, usually near the navel), snug but not tight, and breathe normally. Inseam: stand straight and measure from the crotch down the inside of the leg to the ankle bone — or measure the inseam of jeans that already fit you. Hips: measure around the fullest part, keeping the tape level. Note the inches; this tool converts to centimeters automatically.
Should I size up or down if I am between jeans sizes?
For comfort, size up — especially in rigid non-stretch denim, which does not give and can shrink slightly when washed. Size down only if the jeans contain elastane and you want a skin-tight fit, since stretch denim relaxes with wear. A 29.5-inch waist, for example, rounds to a 30 waist (US 10 women’s / W30 men’s) rather than squeezing into 29.
What is the difference between low, mid and high rise jeans?
Rise is the distance from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband. Low rise sits below the navel (under about 8 inches), mid rise sits at the navel (about 8–10 inches), and high rise sits above the navel (over about 10 inches). Rise changes where the waistband lands, not the waist size — a 32 waist is a 32 waist in any rise.
Can men wear women’s jeans and vice versa — how do sizes convert?
The cuts differ — women’s jeans allow more room through the hip while men’s are straighter — so there is no exact conversion. As a rough rule, match the waist label: a women’s 28 (28-inch waist) is close to a men’s 28 waist, often sold as men’s 28–30 depending on the brand. This tool converts within men’s or within women’s sizing; crossing over needs a fitting room, not a formula.
Free tool by NRTechStudio