My bust is 86 cm — between size 10 and 12. Which do I take?

Start from size 10 and check the ease. A fitted dress adds 5–8 cm over the body bust, so a size-10 fitted style is built around an 84 cm bust with room to move; if the cut is relaxed, with 12–15 cm of ease, the smaller size usually still fits.

Is a US 8 the same as an EU 38?

No — a US 8 is an EU 36. The two scales sit three steps apart: US 6 = EU 34, US 10 = EU 38, US 12 = EU 40. Ordering an EU 38 when you wear a US 8 gets you a dress 4 cm bigger at the bust.

Why is my cotton dress smaller after one wash?

Untreated woven cotton shrinks 3–5% in the first wash. On an 88 cm bust that is roughly 3–4 cm — nearly a full size. Wash cold and check whether the fabric was pre-shrunk before blaming the size chart.

The label shows a tub with one dot — what setting is that?

A mild 30–40 °C cycle. Two dots would allow up to 60 °C, and a crossed-out tub means the garment must not be washed at all.

Dress size chart measurements

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A dress size is a measurement, not a mystery: each numeric size steps 4 cm at the bust and 4 cm at the waist, and the same body wears different numbers on US, UK and EU tags. This page lays out the size grid, the length bands, and the fabric and care-label numbers that decide whether a dress actually fits.

The size grid

Numeric sizes are a ruler: an 80 cm bust at size 8, plus 4 cm at bust and waist per step. US and UK tags sit three steps from EU numbers, so US 8 and EU 36 are the same dress.

The cloth

Weight in g/m² tells you how a dress hangs: voile at 60–100, poplin at 110–140, jersey at 180–220, outerwear cloth at 300 and up. Elastane percentage then sets the wash temperature.

The label

Care symbols are machine settings. One dot is a mild 30–40 °C cycle, two dots allow 60 °C, and a crossed-out tub means the garment is never washed.

A dress size is not a number on a tag; it is 4 cm of bust, 4 cm of waist and a length band somewhere between 138 and 166 cm.

Choose the fabric by its weight in g/m² and its elastane percentage, not by its name.

How the numeric size grid is built

Numeric dress sizes are a ruler in disguise: size 8 means an 80 cm bust, and each step up adds 4 cm at the bust and 4 cm at the waist.

The grid runs in even steps. Size 8 corresponds to an 80 cm bust, size 10 to 84 cm, size 12 to 88 cm and size 14 to 92 cm. The waist is graded with the same 4 cm step, so a dress that fits your bust follows a predictable waist measurement a size up or down.

Because the step is constant, you can place yourself on the grid even between labelled sizes: an 82 cm bust sits halfway between size 8 and size 10, and the better choice depends on the ease the dress was designed with.

Garment dimensions are not taken where you might expect: a dress bust is measured 2–3 cm below the bust line, the waist at the narrowest point of the torso, and length 15–20 cm above the hem. Compare any garment chart with your body using those same points.

Fabric weights at a glance

Six specification cards: the four weight bands and the two numbers that set the wash.

The key terms of this guide, drawn to one scale

The core measurements

The core fit numbers: bust per size and length per height band
Reference point	Size or band	Measurement
Bust	Size 8	80 cm
Bust	Size 10	84 cm
Bust	Size 12	88 cm
Bust	Size 14	92 cm
Dress length, shoulder seam to hem	Petite	138–141 cm
Dress length, shoulder seam to hem	Regular	150–153 cm
Dress length, shoulder seam to hem	Tall	163–166 cm

The core fit numbers: bust per size and length per height band

Questions readers actually ask

My bust is 86 cm — between size 10 and 12. Which do I take?: Start from size 10 and check the ease. A fitted dress adds 5–8 cm over the body bust, so a size-10 fitted style is built around an 84 cm bust with room to move; if the cut is relaxed, with 12–15 cm of ease, the smaller size usually still fits.
Is a US 8 the same as an EU 38?: No — a US 8 is an EU 36. The two scales sit three steps apart: US 6 = EU 34, US 10 = EU 38, US 12 = EU 40. Ordering an EU 38 when you wear a US 8 gets you a dress 4 cm bigger at the bust.
Why is my cotton dress smaller after one wash?: Untreated woven cotton shrinks 3–5% in the first wash. On an 88 cm bust that is roughly 3–4 cm — nearly a full size. Wash cold and check whether the fabric was pre-shrunk before blaming the size chart.
The label shows a tub with one dot — what setting is that?: A mild 30–40 °C cycle. Two dots would allow up to 60 °C, and a crossed-out tub means the garment must not be washed at all.

Where the numbers come from

The values quoted are the standard grading, fabric-weight and care-symbol conventions used across everyday women's wear; no commercial source is cited or endorsed.