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What’s the difference between US and European bra sizing?

What’s the difference between US and European bra sizing?

We get it - it can be hard enough to figure out your correct bra size without throwing international differences into the mix. When you find out that a 36DDD/F bra in US sizing is a 36E in the UK, but an 80E in Europe, it’s easy to get confused! 

Here at Lavinia, we aim to make it as easy as possible for you to shop for lingerie which is why we convert all of our intimates to US sizing when we place them on the website. This way you can feel confident ordering your usual size, regardless of whether the bra was made in the US, the UK or Europe.

We know, however, that it can be confusing when you receive your new order only to find that the size differs on the label, so here’s a short guide on what you need to know about American vs European bra sizes. 

US EU UK FR IT AUS

 
 
 

XS

33 - 36

XS

36 - 38

XS

8

S

36 - 38

S

38 - 40

S

10

M

38 - 40

M

40 - 42

M

12

L

40 - 42

L

42 - 44

L

14

XL

42 - 44

XL

44 - 46

XL

16

XXL

44 - 46

XXL

46 - 48

XXL

18

XXXL

46 - 48

XXXL

48 - 50

XXXL

20

XXXXL

48 - 50

XXXXL

50 - 52

XXXXL

22

XXXXXL

50 - 52

XXXXXL

52 - 54

XXXXXL

24

2XL

44

2XL

2XL

2XL

18

3XL

46

3XL

3XL

3XL

20

4XL

48

4XL

4XL

4XL

22

5XL

50

5XL

5XL

5XL

24

OS

OS

OS

OS

OS

OS

4

34

8

36

40

8

6

36

10

38

42

10

8

38

12

40

44

12

10

40

14

42

46

14

12

42

16

44

48

16

14

44

18

46

50

18

16

46

20

48

52

20

18

48

22

50

54

22

20

50

24

52

56

24

22

52

26

54

58

26

4/6

36/38

S/M

38/40

42/44

10/12

8/10

40/42

M/L

40/42

44/46

12/14

28DD/E

60E

28DD

75E

00E

6DD

28DDD/F

60F

28E

75F

00F

6E

28G

60G

28F

75G

00G

6F

28H

60H

28FF

75H

00H

6G

28I

60J

28G

75J

00J

6H

30A

65A

30A

80A

0A

8A

30B

65B

30B

80B

0B

8B

30C

65C

30C

80C

0C

8C

30D

65D

30D

80D

0D

8D

30DD/E

65E

30DD

80E

0E

8DD

30DDD/F

65F

30E

80F

0F

8E

30G

65G

30F

80G

0G

8F

30H

65H

30FF

80H

0H

8G

30I

65J

30G

80J

0J

8H

32A

70A

32A

85A

1A

10A

32B

70B

32B

85B

1B

10B

32C

70C

32C

85C

1C

10C

32D

70D

32D

85D

1D

10D

32DD/E

70E

32DD

85E

1E

10DD

32DDD/F

70F

32E

85F

1F

10E

32G

70G

32F

85G

1G

10F

32H

70H

32FF

85H

1H

10G

32I

70J

32G

85J

1J

10H

34A

75A

34A

90A

2A

12A

34B

75B

34B

90B

2B

12B

34C

75C

34C

90C

2C

12C

34D

75D

34D

90D

2D

12D

34DD/E

75E

34DD

90E

2E

12DD

34DDD/F

75F

34E

90F

2F

12E

34G

75G

34F

90G

2G

12F

34H

75H

34FF

90H

2H

12G

34I

75J

34G

90J

2J

12H

36A

80A

36A

95A

3A

14A

36B

80B

36B

95B

3B

14B

36C

80C

36C

95C

3C

14C

36D

80D

36D

95D

3D

14D

36DD/E

80E

36DD

95E

3E

14DD

36DDD/F

80F

36E

95F

3F

14E

36G

80G

36F

95G

3G

14F

36H

80H

36FF

95H

3H

14G

36I

80J

36G

95J

3J

14H

38A

85A

38A

100A

4A

16A

38B

85B

38B

100B

4B

16B

38C

85C

38C

100C

4C

16C

38D

85D

38D

100D

4D

16D

38DD/E

85E

38DD

100E

4E

16DD

38DDD/F

85F

38E

100F

4F

16E

38G

85G

38F

100G

4G

16F

38H

85H

38FF

100H

4H

16G

38I

85J

38G

100J

4J

16H

40A

90A

40A

105A

5A

18A

40B

90B

40B

105B

5B

18B

40C

90C

40C

105C

5C

18C

40D

90D

40D

105D

5D

18D

40DD/E

90E

40DD

105E

5E

18DD

40DDD/F

90F

40E

105F

5F

18E

40G

90G

40F

105G

5G

18F

40H

90H

40FF

105H

5H

18G

40I

90J

40G

105J

5J

18H

42A

95A

42A

110A

6A

20A

42B

95B

42B

110B

6B

20B

42C

95C

42C

110C

6C

20C

42D

95D

42D

110D

6D

20D

42DD/E

95E

42DD

110E

6E

20DD

42DDD/F

95F

42E

110F

6F

20E

42G

95G

42F

110G

6G

20F

42H

95H

42FF

110H

6H

20G

42I

95J

42G

110J

6J

20H

44A

100A

44A

115A

7A

22A

44B

100B

44B

115B

7B

22B

44C

100C

44C

115C

7C

22C

44D

100D

44D

115D

7D

22D

44DD/E

100E

44DD

115E

7E

22DD

44DDD/F

100F

44E

115F

7F

22E

European bra sizing vs the US sizing explained 

You may already know this, but what's unique about our lingerie shop is that we travel thousands of miles to bring you some of the finest European lingerie there is! We handpick beautiful intimates from dozens of suppliers and stock new collections shortly after we meet brands personally after the fashion and trade shows.

Now, let's discuss international bra sizing! First, the good news: Your band size number will be the same in both the UK and the US. When it comes to European sizes, though, it’s a different story. For example, the UK/US band sizes go from 28 to 52 whereas in most European countries it's 60-120. In France, however, they like to do things differently, so the corresponding band sizes are 75-105 instead.

As for cup sizing, everything is in sync up to the letter D — and after that, confusion reigns. A DDD/F in the US corresponds to an E cup in the UK and Europe, which then throws everything else out of alignment. To add to the confusion, the UK doubles up, with FF, GG, and HH, while the US and Europe progress in single letters up the alphabet. The letter I, meanwhile, is used as a cup size in the US, but not in the UK or Europe.

It's easy to see how all this American vs European bra sizing could send your head into a spin. Don’t panic, though, because we’ve done all the hard work for you and converted everything to the US sizing on every product page!

 

What's more, you can find the exact measurements by inches (or centimeters) when you've found the collections you line. When visiting any of our product pages, simply click on Size Chart just next to the size selector to reveal the individual size guide for that brand or item.

Check out our article on how to buy lingerie online at Lavinia if you'd like to know more about how to make the most of shopping on our website.

 

Discover more options with sister sizing

Have you heard of sister sizing? It’s a clever way to work out which size to try if your bra doesn’t quite fit — if you’re trying out a new brand, for example — and you need to move up or downsize while keeping the same cup volume.

So, how does it work? The key is to remember that the cup size (the letter) is always related to the band size (the number) and that they work together. So let’s say you are wearing a 32C and it feels a little tight in the band. If you were to simply size up to a 34C, the band might fit but the cups would be too big.

To find the cup size equivalent, you need to size down in the cup every time you size up in the band, and vice versa. So the sister sizes for a 32C are 34B and 30D.

Got it? To find your sister sizes, look for your bra size in the chart above. Your sister sizes will be the ones immediately before and after it, working horizontally. For more sizing help with bras as well as panties, and other lingerie, visit our fitting room page.

 

The differences in sizing among bra types and brands

Before we let you go, we wanted to make a note that if you want to achieve the perfect fit, you should consider two other things in addition to your bra size and these are the brand you choose and the type of the bra. Why are these important, you may ask?

Well, just like shops on the main street, every brand will do their sizing a little differently, that's why we recommend double-checking the measurements every time you buy a collection from a new brand. More importantly, perhaps, is to consider the style of the bra you're purchasing, especially if the type of fit is wildly different. For example, you may need to size up or down when shopping for a lace bralette compared to a deep plunge bra.

That's it for our sizing guide!

Did you enjoy our article about the differences in European bra sizing vs the US? Let us know by leaving a comment as we'd love to know!

P.S. If you'd like to receive exclusive deals on intimates and the latest news about the newest European lingerie we stock, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter!

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Comments

Erica - August 22, 2020

This article does NOTHING to help women that wear sizes that aren’t “average”. I wear a 36I/38H and STILL have no clue how to find the comparable European or UK sizes.We

Sadly, too many women wear the wrong size bra. They don’t know how to measure to find their accurate size. But if they do, then they can’t find a store that actually carries the correct size because it’s not “common” enough. I use to force myself into a 38DDD because that was the biggest size I could find that sorta fit & since there was no other option I just went with it.

I beg you…..for those of us who aren’t “average” PLEASE update this information for ALL of us!!!!!

Lavinia - February 11, 2020

Freya’s 28F would be 28G in the US sizing.

Linda - February 11, 2020

What if I am a 28 F from Freya?

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