Waist Size Converter — inches, cm, jeans and clothing sizes
Convert a waist measurement between inches and centimetres, and read it as a jeans size, a US, UK or EU clothing size, and a belt length.
1 in = 2.54 cm. The number on jeans is the waistband measurement, not your body measurement — many brands cut their waistbands 1–2 in larger than the label. Women's sizes are a scale rather than a measurement and vary between brands; check the maker's own chart in centimetres where it is published.
About the Waist Size Converter
The number printed on a pair of jeans is a waist measurement in inches, which is why a 32 and a 34 are two inches apart and nothing more complicated than that. Converting it to centimetres is straightforward — one inch is 2.54 cm, so a 32 in waist is about 81 cm — but converting it into a clothing size is where the systems part company. Men's trousers in Europe are numbered at roughly the waist in inches plus 16, so a 32 in waist is a EU 48. Women's sizing does not use the waist measurement at all: it uses an arbitrary scale that runs 0, 2, 4, 6 in the US, 4, 6, 8, 10 in the UK and 30, 32, 34, 36 in the EU, all describing the same body.
There is also a gap between the waist you measure and the waist on the label. Most jeans are cut to sit below the natural waist, on the hip, so the tag size usually matches the waistband of the garment rather than the narrowest part of your torso — and vanity sizing means some brands print a number one or two inches smaller than the garment actually measures. If you are buying online, measure a pair that already fits you flat across the waistband and double it, rather than measuring your body.
For a belt, the rule is your trouser waist plus about two inches: the belt has to pass through the loops, around the garment, and still reach a middle hole. Belt sizes are quoted to the middle hole, not the tip. Everything here is calculated in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
How to use it
- Pick whether you are entering inches or centimetres.
- Enter your waist measurement, or the number printed on jeans that already fit you.
- Read across for the metric equivalent, the men's alpha and EU size, the women's US, UK and EU size, and the belt length to order.
- To measure yourself, run a tape around the narrowest part of your torso, above the navel, without pulling it tight or holding your breath.
- To size jeans online, lay a pair that fits flat, measure straight across the closed waistband and double that number — it is a better guide than your body measurement.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 32 inch waist in cm?
A 32 in waist is 81.3 cm. The conversion is simply inches times 2.54. In men's European trouser sizing that is a EU 48, and in alpha sizing a medium.
What size is a 32 waist in jeans?
The 32 is the waist measurement in inches, so it is its own size — a "32 waist". In alpha sizing that lands in medium for men, and in European sizing it is a EU 48. The second number on jeans, as in 32×34, is the inside leg length, not part of the waist size.
How do I measure my waist properly?
Stand relaxed and breathe out normally. Run a tape around the narrowest part of your torso, which is usually just above the navel, keeping it level all the way round. Do not pull it tight and do not hold your breath. If you are buying jeans that sit on the hip, measure around the hip bones instead, since that is where the waistband will sit.
Why does my waist measurement not match my jeans size?
Two reasons. Jeans are usually cut to sit below the natural waist, so the label refers to where the waistband sits, not the narrowest part of your body. And many brands practise vanity sizing, printing a number an inch or two below the garment's actual measurement. Measuring a pair that already fits is more reliable than converting from your body.
What women's size is a 28 inch waist?
A 28 in (71 cm) waist is roughly a US 8, a UK 12 and a EU 38. Women's sizing is not a measurement, so it varies noticeably between brands — use it as a starting point and check the brand's own measurements in centimetres where they publish them.
What belt size should I buy for a 34 waist?
About a 36. The convention is your trouser waist plus two inches, because the belt has to go around the garment as well as your body and still fasten near the middle hole. Belt sizes are measured from the buckle to the middle hole, not to the tip of the leather.