International sizing
Why the same bra size can mean different things
A bra size is a label, not a measurement. Countries use different units for the band and different letter sequences for the cup, and individual brands publish their own charts.
By US Hosiery Editorial · Published · Updated
The short answer
Band labels use inches (US, UK), centimetre-based numbers (most of Europe, with France and Spain 15 higher) or dress-style numbers (Australia and New Zealand). Cup letters match up to D and then diverge. Use the chart of the brand you're buying, then confirm by fit.
A size has two parts
The band number describes the underband around your ribcage. The cup letter describes cup volume relative to that band, so a 34C and a 38C don't hold the same volume. That's also why sister sizes (one band up and one cup letter down, or the reverse) keep cup volume roughly the same. Sister sizes only work inside one sizing system, and similar volume doesn't mean the same cup shape. Our guide to cup volume, cup shape and sister sizes explains this with examples.
How common systems label sizes
This table summarises labelling conventions. It is not a conversion chart: brands within the same country differ.
| System | Band label | Cup letters after D |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Inches, even numbers (30, 32, 34…) | Double letters after D: D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG… |
| US | Inches, even numbers (30, 32, 34…) | Varies by brand after DD; both charts below show UK E as US DDD |
| EU (most of continental Europe) | Centimetre-based labels in steps of 5 (65, 70, 75, 80…) | Single letters: D, E, F, G, H… |
| France, Spain | Usually 15 higher than the EU label (EU 75 = FR/ES 90) | Single letters, as EU |
| Australia & New Zealand | Dress-size style numbers (8, 10, 12, 14…) | Follows UK-style double letters at first, but brands differ at larger cups |
Band labels for France and Spain follow Triumph's chart, which prints an FR/ES band row 15 above the EU row; PrimaDonna also describes French bands as the EU size plus 15. Shops in Belgium may use French labels too, so check which system a retailer uses.
Two real brand charts, side by side
Here is how two brands label the same three sizes across systems. Each row is assembled from the band and cup columns of that brand's own published chart. They happen to agree for these sizes, but that doesn't make them universal.
Freya (a UK-sized brand)
| UK | EU | France | AU/NZ | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34D | 75D | 90D | 12D | 34D |
| 34DD | 75E | 90E | 12DD | 34DD |
| 34E | 75F | 90F | 12E | 34DDD |
Triumph
| UK | EU | France | AU/NZ | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34D | 75D | 90D | 12D | 34D |
| 34DD | 75E | 90E | 12DD | 34DD |
| 34E | 75F | 90F | 12E | 34DDD |
What these examples show:
- Up to D, the letters match. UK 34D is EU 75D in both charts, not 75E.
- After D, they split. UK DD is EU E, and UK E is EU F and US DDD in both charts.
- Larger cups differ between brands. In Triumph's cup chart, the column where UK reads J shows AU/NZ as HH, so a UK-to-AU rule that works for small cups can't be assumed for larger ones.
- Your locale can change the chart. Freya's international page says it uses UK sizing, while its US page says it uses US sizing. Check which version of a site you're on.
Brands measure differently too
Even within one country, brands don't all turn tape measurements into a band size the same way. Some use your underbust measurement as the band; others add inches to it. Triumph, for example, tells you to pull the tape very firmly around your underbust and measure loosely over the fullest part of your bust. Fabric stretch, wire shape and cup depth vary as well, so two bras with the same label can fit very differently.
- Measure in the unit the brand's chart uses, and don't mix inches and centimetres.
- Read the brand's own size chart, including any notes on how they measure.
- When a brand uses a different system from your usual one, find your size in its chart rather than assuming the letters line up.
- Confirm with a fit check: band firm and level, cups smooth, no wire on breast tissue.
Next steps
- How to measure at home and use a brand's chart (inches and centimetres)
- Convert your measurements between inches and cm
- Reading an underwear size chart, which uses waist and hip measurements instead
Sources
- International size guide, Freya: band and cup rows for UK, Europe, France, AUS/NZ, USA and Japan.
- Size chart and bra size converter, Triumph: band rows including FR/ES and AU/NZ, a cup indicator by system, and measuring tips.
- French, European, or American bra sizing, PrimaDonna: French band = European band + 15.
Charts checked on 26 October 2026. Brands can change their charts, so always use the current one.