Pants and Jeans Sizing Guide

Size chart

Measure your waist at the point where you'd wear your pants (not necessarily your narrowest point) and your hip at its widest point. Use this chart as a general cross-brand reference — always check the specific brand's own size chart when possible, since actual measurements vary.

How to measure your waist and inseam

• Waist: wrap the tape around your body at the height you actually wear your pants, not necessarily your natural waistline — this differs by rise type (see below).
• Inseam: measure an existing well-fitting pair of pants from the crotch seam to the bottom hem, or measure your inner leg from the crotch to the floor while standing.
• Hip: measure around the fullest part of your seat and hips, keeping the tape level and parallel to the floor.
• Measure over the type of underwear you'll typically wear with the pants, since this can shift the number slightly.

Why the same size varies between brands

• Vanity sizing refers to brands labeling garments with smaller size numbers than their actual measurements to appeal to shoppers — it's why a 'size 8' can fit like a size 10–12 at some brands.
• There's no single industry standard pants size chart in North America, so each brand sets its own measurements behind each size number.
• Because of this, your best strategy is to know your actual waist and hip measurements in inches or cm and check them against each brand's specific chart, rather than assuming your size carries over.

Men's vs. women's sizing, and how rise affects fit

• Men's pants are typically sized by actual (or close to actual) waist measurement in inches, e.g. a 'size 32' is roughly a 32-inch waist.
• Women's pants use a numeric scale (0, 2, 4...) that doesn't map directly to a waist measurement and varies more between brands than men's sizing does.
• Low-rise sits below the natural waistline, mid-rise sits at or near it, and high-rise sits above it — the same waist measurement will feel different depending on where on your torso the waistband actually sits.
• If choosing between two sizes, consider the rise: a higher rise generally needs a slightly looser waist measurement than a low-rise style for the same comfort level.

Frequently asked questions