
Clothing sizes

Clothing size refers to the label sizes used for garments sold off-the-shelf. There are a large number of standard sizing systems around the world for various garments, such as dresses, tops, skirts, and trousers. Made-to-order garments require measurements to be taken, but these do not need to be converted into national standard form.
There are three approaches for size-labelling of clothes:
Traditionally, clothes have been labelled using many different ad hoc size systems, which has resulted in varying sizing methods between different manufacturers made for different countries due to changing demographics and increasing rates of obesity, a phenomenon known as vanity sizing. This results in country-specific and vendor-specific labels incurring additional costs, and can make internet or mail order difficult. Some new standards for clothing sizes being developed are therefore based on body-dimensions, such as the EN 13402 "Size designation of clothes".
History of standard clothing sizes.
Before the invention of clothing sizes in the early 1800s, all clothing was made to fit individuals by either tailors 
or makers of clothing in their homes. Then garment makers noticed that the range of human body dimensions was relatively small. Therefore, sizes were based on:
However, because of the drape and ease of the fabric, not all measurements are required to obtain a well-fitting apparel in most styles.
Standards.
International.
ISO.
There are several ISO standards for "size designation of clothes", but most of them are being revised and replaced by one of the parts of ISO 8559 which closely resembles European Standard EN 13402:
Europe.
CEN.
The European Standards Organisation (CEN) produced a series of standards, prefixed with EN 13402:
France.
- Sizes - Designation - Marking
United Kingdom.
BS 3666:1982, the standard for women's clothing, is rarely followed by manufacturers as it defines sizes in terms of hip and bust measurements only within a limited range. This has resulted in variations between manufacturers and a tendency towards vanity sizing.
Former Yugoslavia.
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia still use the JUS (F.G0.001 1979, F.G0.002 1979, F.G0.003 1979) standards developed in the former Yugoslavia. In addition to typical girth measurements clothing is also marked to identify which of 5 height bands: X-Short, Short, Medium, Tall, X-Tall, and body types: Slim, Normal, or Full, it is designed to fit.
North America.
United States.
There is no mandatory clothing size or labeling standard in the U.S, though a series of voluntary standards have been in place since the 1930s. The U.S. government, however, did attempt to establish a system for women's clothing in 1958 when the National Bureau of Standards published "Body Measurements for the Sizing of Women's Patterns and Apparel." The guidelines of the book was made a commercial standard and was even updated in 1970. But the guide was eventually degraded to a voluntary standard until it was abolished altogether in 1983. Private organization ASTM International started to release its own recommended size carts in the 1990s.
Since then, the common US misses sizes have not had stable dimensions. Clothing brands and manufacturers size their products according to their preferences. For example, the dimensions of two size 10 dresses from different companies, or even from the "same" company, may have grossly different dimensions; and both are almost certainly larger than the size 10 dimensions described in the US standard. Vanity sizing may be partly responsible for this deviation (which began in earnest in the 1980s).
Women.
Comparison tables.
Note: a Japanese dress marked 13-Y-PP or 13-Y-P would be designed for someone with an 89 cm bust and 89 cm hips, while a dress marked 13-B-T would be targeted at a taller individual with 105 cm hips, but the same 89 cm bust. The B fitting adds 12 cm and the T height modifier 4 cm to the base hip measurement 89 + 16 = 105 cm. Additionally there are a set of age based waist adjustments, such that a dress marketed at someone in their 60s may allow for a waist 9 cm larger than a dress, of the same size, marketed at someone in their 20s. The age based adjustments allow for up to a 3 cm increase in girth, per decade of life.
Italian sizes (ITA).
Dress sizes are calculated as follows: 
French sizes (FRA/BEL).
Dress sizes are calculated as follows: 
German sizes (DE/AT/NL/SE/DK).
Dress sizes are calculated as follows: 
Men.
French sizes (FRA/BEL).
Chest / Suit sizes are calculated as follows:
German sizes (AT/DE/NL/DK/SE/FI).
Chest / Suit sizes are calculated as follows:
Size dividers.
Size dividers are used by clothing stores to help customers find the right size. Like index cards, they are found on racks between sizes. There are three basic types: the rectangular, round and the king size. Among the stores that use them are Marshalls and TJ Maxx.