Buying guides by country · 5 October 2026 · 4 min read

EU size 42 in inches: German, French or Italian?

EU size 42 in UK sizes depends on the label: about UK 14 if French, UK 16 if German and UK 10 if Italian. The inches behind each, and why to measure anyway.

Inspiration

Which 42 is it?

There is no single EU size 42. By the usual conversion tables, a French 42 is a UK 14, a German 42 is a UK 16 and an Italian 42 is a UK 10. A British high-street label that prints “EUR 42” beside the UK size is following the French count, so it means UK 14.

On our size chart those three come out very differently. UK 10 is drawn for a bust of 86 cm (34 inches), UK 14 for 96 cm (38 inches) and UK 16 for 101 cm (40 inches). The same number on a label can therefore describe bodies 15 cm apart, which is why the standard sizes on our quote form are UK sizes with measurements you can check, and why your own measurements decide the cut.

Three counts for one garment

Continental Europe never agreed on one scale. Three are in everyday use, and for the same garment they sit a fixed distance apart.

The French count: used in France and commonly in Belgium and Spain. Take 28 off to reach the UK size: a French 38 is UK 10, a 40 is UK 12 and a 42 is UK 14.
The German count: used in Germany and Austria, and commonly in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. It runs 2 below the French number, so take 26 off: a German 36 is UK 10, a 38 is UK 12, a 40 is UK 14 and a 42 is UK 16.
The Italian count: runs 4 above the French number, so take 32 off: an Italian 42 is UK 10, a 44 is UK 12 and a 46 is UK 14.

Our UK sizes in centimetres and inches

Once the list above has given you a UK size, these are the reference body measurements behind it on our size guide: bust, waist and hips in centimetres, then to the nearest half inch. A French 38 or an Italian 42 points to UK 10, and a German 40 or a French 42 to UK 14.

UK 8: 81, 64 and 89 cm (32, 25 and 35 inches).
UK 10: 86, 69 and 94 cm (34, 27 and 37 inches).
UK 12: 91, 74 and 99 cm (36, 29 and 39 inches).
UK 14: 96, 79 and 104 cm (38, 31 and 41 inches).
UK 16: 101, 84 and 109 cm (40, 33 and 43 inches).
UK 18: 106, 89 and 114 cm (41.5, 35 and 45 inches).

Why the table is only a first guess

A conversion table turns one label into another. It does not measure anything, and three things undermine it. First, a tag marked simply “EU” does not say which count the brand used, and international chains print whichever they prefer, so two shops’ EU 42 can be a size apart. Look for the UK column on the brand’s own chart.

Second, each system grows by a different amount from one size to the next, so the tables drift as you move away from the middle of the range. A German 42, for example, is commonly drawn for a bust of about 96 cm, which is nearer the UK 14 on our chart than the UK 16 the table gives. Third, every brand cuts generously or sparingly as it chooses.

The reliable route takes five minutes: measure your bust, waist and hips in centimetres and compare them with the list above. If two of the three land on one UK size, start there; if they scatter, pick “Between sizes” or, better, enter the measurements themselves. Our article on UK, EU and US dress sizes explains why labels disagree.

Ordering from Europe with a size or a tape

On the quote form you can choose a standard UK size, and we then confirm the key measurements with you before anything is cut, or you can enter your own figures in centimetres. Either way the outfit is cut and stitched in Pakistan and shipped to you. A kameez also needs your shoulder width, your sleeve length and the length you like, which no dress size carries; the measuring guide shows each one.

Our pages for Germany, France and Italy explain delivery and currency for each country, and the Europe overview covers the rest. Custom stitching explains the service, and you can request a quote from Europe whenever you are ready.

Common questions

What is a German size 40 in UK sizes?

Conversion tables put a German 40 at UK 14. A German 40 is commonly drawn for a bust of about 92 cm, though, which sits nearer the UK 12 on our chart, so compare your bust, waist and hips before choosing.

What is a French size 38 in inches?

A French 38 converts to a UK 10. On our chart a UK 10 is drawn for a bust of 34 inches, a waist of 27 and hips of 37, which is 86, 69 and 94 cm. French brands vary, so check against your own measurements.

Is an Italian 42 the same as a French 42?

No. Italian numbers run four above French ones and six above German ones, so an Italian 42 matches a French 38 or a German 36, about a UK 10. An Italian 42 is two sizes smaller than a French 42.

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