Size Studio
Men’s Clothes Size Converter: Suits, Jackets & T-Shirts
Men’s suit and jacket sizes are the chest measurement in inches in both the UK and US, and European (Italian) sizes add 10, so a 40R is an EU 50 and fits a chest of about 102 cm. Enter your chest in this clothes size converter for men to get your suit, jacket and T-shirt size in UK, US and EU sizing.
Your conversion appears here. The full chart is below.
| UK | US | EU / IT | Chest | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 34 | 44 | 86 cm | XS/S |
| 36 | 36 | 46 | 91 cm | XS/S |
| 38 | 38 | 48 | 97 cm | S |
| 40 | 40 | 50 | 102 cm | M |
| 42 | 42 | 52 | 107 cm | L |
| 44 | 44 | 54 | 112 cm | XL |
| 46 | 46 | 56 | 117 cm | XXL |
| 48 | 48 | 58 | 122 cm | 3XL |
| 50 | 50 | 60 | 127 cm | 3XL |
| Size | Chest (in) | Chest (cm) | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 32–34 in | 81–86 cm | 44 |
| S | 34–36 in | 86–91 cm | 46 |
| M | 38–40 in | 97–102 cm | 48–50 |
| L | 42–44 in | 107–112 cm | 52 |
| XL | 46–48 in | 117–122 cm | 54 |
| XXL | 50–52 in | 127–132 cm | 56 |
How to measure your chest
You only need one measurement for this converter, and it is easier with someone to help.
- Wear a thin shirt or T-shirt, not a jumper (sweater) or jacket.
- Stand relaxed with your arms by your sides.
- Pass a soft tape measure under your armpits and round the fullest part of your chest, across the shoulder blades at the back.
- Keep the tape level all the way round and snug, not tight. Breathe out normally before you read it.
- Enter the figure in inches or centimetres. Suits come in 2-inch steps, so the converter rounds to the nearest even size.
- Check your height for the jacket length: short (S) under about 5′7″ (170 cm), regular (R) in between, and long (L) over about 6′1″ (185 cm).
How suit and jacket sizes work
A suit or jacket size such as 40R has two parts. The number is your chest in inches, and the letter is the length of the jacket: S for short, R for regular and L for long. The UK and US use the same numbers, so a UK 40R is a US 40R.
European sizing, and Italian tailoring in particular, uses a different number that is 10 higher, so a 40 becomes a 50 and a 42 becomes a 52. You will often see this on tailoring bought from European brands. It is a size label, not a measurement in centimetres, which catches people out: a 40-inch chest is about 102 cm, not 50.
The size describes your body, not the jacket. A 40 jacket is made to fit a 40-inch chest with room to move, so the jacket itself usually measures more than 40 inches round the chest.
T-shirts, knitwear and letter sizes
T-shirts, jumpers and most casual tops use letter sizes. On this chart, S fits a 34–36 inch chest, M a 38–40 inch chest, L a 42–44 inch chest and XL a 46–48 inch chest. European T-shirt sizes are 46 for S, 48–50 for M, 52 for L and 54 for XL. If your chest falls in the gap between two bands, the converter puts anything up to 37 inches in S and anything above that in M, and the fit you like decides the rest: size up for a relaxed look, stay put for a close fit.
For trousers and jeans, sizing is by waist instead of chest, and shirts are sized by neck. Both have their own converters.
Quick answers
- 38-inch chest: suit 38R, EU 48
- 40-inch chest: suit 40R, EU 50, T-shirt M
- 42-inch chest: suit 42R, EU 52, T-shirt L
- 44-inch chest: suit 44R, EU 54
- UK 40 jacket in EU: 50
- EU 52 jacket in UK and US: 42
- 102 cm chest: suit 40R (EU 50)
- T-shirt size M: 38–40 inch chest (97–102 cm)
FAQs
What does 40R mean?
A jacket for a 40-inch chest in a regular length. The same jacket in a short or long length would be 40S or 40L.
What is an EU 50 suit in UK sizes?
A UK and US 40. Take 10 off the European number to get the UK and US size.
Are UK and US men’s clothing sizes the same?
For suits, jackets and shirt collars, yes, because both use inches. Letter sizes such as M or L can still differ between brands on either side of the Atlantic.
What size T-shirt fits a 40-inch chest?
A medium on this chart. If you prefer a looser fit, or the brand runs small, a large is worth trying.
Should I choose a short, regular or long jacket?
Go by height as a starting point: short under about 170 cm, long over about 185 cm. Arm length matters too, so try the sleeve length if you can.
For dress shirts, use the men’s shirt size chart, and for trousers the jeans and trousers converter. All of our converters are listed in the size guide.
Suit and jacket sizes use the chest in inches for the UK and US, and UK + 10 for EU and Italian sizes. The chest in centimetres is the size × 2.54, rounded. T-shirt and knitwear bands are typical values, not a standard, and brands vary. The short, regular and long height cut-offs are rough guides.
Look up one size
Suit jackets: UK/US
Suit jackets: EU
Men's T-shirts
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