This guide includes pants size conversion charts for men and women. Extra tips on pants size measurements are also discussed to help you pick the right pants size.
A perfect pair of comfortable and fitted pants not only give you extra confidence and energy but also reduce fatigue, regardless of where you are, from home to workplace, shopping mall, etc. You may be aware that the best outfit and proper fitting are really important, and so are the pants measurements.
So, if you are dealing with measuring pants size, you don’t need to worry about that anymore. The following pants size conversion charts and detailed guidelines will help you out.
Understanding Different Pants Sizes
It should be noted that there are three different pants size systems, including:
- W/L – Jeans Sizes: This sizing system is considered the most common one. It uses two different numbers, identified by a forward slash or an x. For example, 28/30 or 28×30. You will find this sizing system common in sizes for dress pants, pants, and jeans for both men and women.
- US Standard Pants Sizes: Ranging from XS to XXXL, this sizing system is typically used for lounge pants, jogger pants, and sometimes work pants. And of course, it is used for both women’s and men’s pants in these categories.
- EU Pants Sizes: Common numbers used in this size class are 50 for men and 40 for women. As the name implies, this pant size is commonly used in European countries, primarily the UK, Germany, Italy, and France.
W/L Sizes Explained
Since the EU and US pants sizes are very easy to understand, I will explain the W/L pants sizes. In particular, W signifies waist width, and L denotes leg length. So, W = Waist, and L = Length. Each pair of pants is sized in inches and usually includes these letters. For instance, if your jeans size is 32/34, then the number 32 means that your waist width is 32 inches. And the number 34 is equivalent to your leg length, which is 34 inches.
Note: You should measure your waist length first before measuring your leg length.
Women’s Pant Size Chart
Below is the standard women’s pant size chart with the hip and waist measurements in inches and centimeters. If you already have your waist and hip sizes, just compare them with the chart below to find your corresponding pants size.
| US Sizes | UK Sizes | Waist (inches) | Hips (inches) | Waist (cm) | Hips (cm) |
| XXS | 32 | 24-25 | 33-34 | 61-63 | 84-87 |
| XS | 34 | 25-26 | 35-36 | 64-66 | 88-91 |
| S | 36 | 27-28 | 37-38 | 67-70 | 92-95 |
| S | 38 | 28-29 | 38-39 | 71-74 | 96-98 |
| M | 40 | 29-30 | 39-40 | 75-78 | 99-101 |
| M | 42 | 31-32 | 40-41 | 79-82 | 102-104 |
| L | 44 | 33-34 | 41-42 | 83-87 | 105-108 |
| L | 46 | 35-37 | 43-44 | 88-93 | 109-112 |
| XL | 48 | 38-39 | 44-45 | 94-99 | 113-116 |
| XL | 50 | 40-41 | 46-48 | 100-106 | 117-121 |
| XXL | 52 | 42-43 | 48-50 | 107-112 | 122-126 |
| XXL | 54 | 44-46 | 50-52 | 113-119 | 127-132 |
| 3XL | 56 | 47-49 | 53-54 | 120-126 | 133-138 |
| 3XL | 58 | 50-52 | 55-57 | 127-133 | 139-144 |
| 4XL | 60 | 53-55 | 57-59 | 134-140 | 145-150 |
| 4XL | 62 | 56-58 | 60-61 | 141-147 | 151-156 |
Women’s Pants To Men’s Pants Size Converter Chart
If you can’t find an ideal size in the women’s pants section, you can consider the men’s department. Some women tend to be taller and bigger than normal, while others might have a bit different waist-to-hip ratio than the ladies’ pants. In some cases, some of you simply prefer men’s pants styles. No matter the reason, choosing a men’s size pair is still a good question.
But before jumping to the pants size conversion chart, you need to find out your inseam and waist measurements. This is because women’s pants sizes are typically denoted by numbers, such as 6,8, 12, etc., while men’s pant sizes are signified by inseam and waist sizes.
| Height of Men | Recommended Inseam Length for Men |
| Up to 5’4″ | 25” inseam |
| 5’5” | 26” inseam |
| 5’6″ | 26″ inseam |
| 5’7″ | 27″ inseam |
| 5’8” | 28” inseam |
| 5’9” and Above | 29” inseam (not currently available) |
But it is fine if you just know the numerical size of your pants in women’s sizes. Generally speaking, you can add 21 to your ladies’ size to have the closest men’s waist size equivalent. However, you should still consider the inseam length because women’s pants tend to have a narrower waist and wider hips than men’s.
Again, these might be estimated values and can vary depending on different brands.
| Size Letters | Women’s Pants Size | Waist Inches | Men’s Pants Size |
| XXS | 0 | 24 – 25.5″ | 21 |
| XS | 2 | 25 – 26.5″ | 23 |
| S | 4 | 27 – 28.5″ | 25 |
| S | 6 | 28 – 29.5″ | 27 |
| M | 8 | 29 – 30.5″ | 29 |
| M | 10 | 31 – 32.5″ | 31 |
| L | 12 | 33 – 34.5″ | 33 |
| L | 14 | 35 – 37.5″ | 35 |
| XL | 16 | 38 – 39.5″ | 37 |
| XL | 18 | 40 – 41.5″ | 39 |
| XXL | 20 | 42 – 43.5″ | 41 |
| XXL | 22 | 44 – 46.5″ | 43 |
| 3XL | 24 | 47 – 49.5″ | 45 |
| 3XL | 26 | 50 – 52.5″ | 47 |
Men’s Pant Size Chart
As mentioned above, men’s jeans or pants, in general, are measured in waist and inseam sizes. But before going into the separated charts, let’s have a look at the following men’s pant size chart:
| Size Letters | Size Numeric | Waist (inch) | Hip (inch) | Inseam |
| XXS | 24 | 24-25 | 29-30 | 31.5 |
| XS | 26 | 25-27 | 31-33 | 32 |
| XS | 28 | 27.5-29 | 34-35 | 32 |
| S | 30 | 29.5-31 | 35-36.5 | 32 |
| S | 32 | 31-32 | 37-38.5 | 32 |
| M | 33 | 32.5-33 | 39-40 | 32.5 |
| M | 34 | 33.5-34.5 | 40-41.5 | 32.5 |
| L | 36 | 35-36 | 42-43.5 | 33 |
| L | 38 | 36.5-37.5 | 44-45 | 33 |
| XL | 40 | 38-40 | 45-46 | 33 |
| XL | 42 | 40-42.5 | 46-47.5 | 33 |
| XXL | 44 | 43-44 | 48-49.5 | 33.5 |
| XXL | 46 | 44-46 | 50-51 | 33.5 |
Men’s Pants Sizes (Waist)
Firstly, you should know your waist measurement to compare with the size in the chart below. You just need to measure your natural waistline in centimeters or inches using a soft measuring tape.
| Size | Waist in Inches | Waist in Centimeters |
| XS | 28-30 | 71-76 |
| S | 30-32 | 76-81 |
| M | 32-34 | 81-86 |
| L | 34-36 | 86-91 |
| XL | 36-38 | 91-96 |
| XXL | 40-44 | 101-111 |
| 3XL | 46-50 | 117-127 |
| 4XL | 52-54 | 132-137 |
| 5XL | 56-60 | 142-152 |
| 6XL | 62-64 | 157-162 |
Men’s Pants Size (Inseam/Length)
In addition to waist measurements, inseam or leg length can also be used in the men’s pants size chart. Simply take the measurement of your inner leg to get your inseam length.
| Size Length | Length in Inches | Length in Centimeters |
| Extra Short | 27 | 69 |
| Short | 29 | 74 |
| Regular | 31 | 79 |
| Long | 33 | 84 |
| Extra Long | 35 | 89 |
How To Measure Pants Size
As I mentioned previously, men’s pants sizes and women’s are denoted differently. Therefore, measuring women’s pants and men’s jeans are also not the same. Let’s dig into this part to know how to measure pants sizes for women and men.
Measuring Women’s Pants
It seems to be a little bit tricky to measure women’s pants size. This might be because of the different leg shapes, waistband height, leg width, etc. So, there are two main factors affecting women’s pants sizes, including women’s pant fitting and cuts.
Here are some of the most common pant styles for women. They will give you an overview of the measurements to take.
- Baggy: women’s pants that are broader cut, with a waistband sitting just below the hips
- Bootcut: women’s pants with a wider cut of the lower leg region
- Cargo: women’s pants that are slimmer than baggy, but the waistband doesn’t sit under the waist
- Flared: women’s pants with a wider bottom and a narrower top
- High waist: women’s pants with an extremely high waistband
- Hipsters: women’s pants with a lower waistband
- Hot pants: women’s pants with a narrower cut
- Straight cut: women’s pants with straight legs from hip to bottom
Measuring Men’s Pants
The right pants size makes a huge difference in style, no matter if it is a suit or just a casual outfit. Not only do you need to look fashionable, but you also need to feel comfortable. So, if a man is observant about his particular pant size, he will be able to wear any style of pants with ease.
Nowadays, different man pants cuts and sizes are all available on the market. This makes you have more choices, such as baggy, skinny fit, slim fit, loose fit, boot cut, relaxed, drop crotch, etc., just like different types for women. But the critical thing here is how to measure men’s pants size. The answer is to measure both waistline and inseam.
Waistline Measurement For Men
One of the best ways for men to wear pants is at or below the naval and above the hip bones. If you have a wide frame, you will see the slimming effect when wearing pants at the waist.
So, if the measurements are mid-hip and in the naval, and you are comfortable sitting down, that means you are choosing the right size for your waist.
Use a measuring tape, wrap it around your natural waistline. Make sure you don’t wrap it too tightly. Add an inch to the result, and you will get your perfect pants waist size.
Inseam Measurement For Men
You can measure the inseam to get the measurement of men’s pants’ length. It will start from the crotch down to the bottom side of your ankle. When correctly measured, it should cover your entire ankle and make sure there is enough space between the bottom of your pants and the shoes.
Be careful when measuring the inseam. Also, don’t forget to wear your shoes for exact measurements.
For precise measurements, add a quarter to a half an inch to the waist length measurements for an accurate measurement. Repeat the process on the other leg and record the measurements.
Conclusion
All things considered, you should remember that pants sizes vary between various cuts and brands for both women and men. Since no obvious standards are available, it is important to refer to the specific pants size charts of every brand to find out the most suitable pants size for you. At the end of the day, wearing a precisely fitting pair of pants makes you not only look more stylish but also feel much more comfortable.
