Shop in Nairobi and you will see clothing labelled in several systems at once. A dress tag might say UK 12, the next rail shows US 8, and an online order arrives marked EU 40. Many shoppers in Kenya buy from brands made for different markets, so knowing how these systems relate saves time and returns.
This guide explains the main sizing systems you will meet and gives a common conversion table. It also shows why your own measurements are the most reliable guide of all, and why Fit Yangu sizes every customer by centimetres instead of labels.
Why Kenya sees so many size systems
Clothing sold in Kenya comes from many places: local designers and tailors, imports from Europe and Asia, and international online stores. Each market has its own size labels. Retailers often keep the original label, so one shop can carry three systems on the same rail.
At Fit Yangu, we take a different route. Every garment we sell is listed with its own measurements in centimetres, so you never have to translate a label.
The main systems
UK sizes
UK women's sizes use even numbers: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and up. They are common on clothing imported from Britain and on many Kenyan high-street labels.
US sizes
US women's sizes also use numbers, usually 0 to 16 and beyond. A US size is commonly listed as four numbers below the equivalent UK size, so a UK 12 is often labelled US 8.
EU sizes
European women's sizes run from about 32 upwards in steps of two. They are common on clothing from continental Europe and on many international online stores.
Letter sizes
XS, S, M, L and XL appear in every market. They cover a range of numbered sizes each, and that range changes from brand to brand.
Men's sizes
Men's clothing is more often labelled with measurements: chest size for jackets, collar size for shirts, and waist and leg length for trousers. These can be in inches (common on UK and US labels) or centimetres (common on European labels). One inch is 2.54 cm.
A common women's conversion table
The table below shows a widely used conversion between systems. Treat it as a starting point. Each brand sets its own measurements, so the same label can fit differently from one brand to another.
| UK | US | EU | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2 | 34 | XS |
| 8 | 4 | 36 | S |
| 10 | 6 | 38 | S to M |
| 12 | 8 | 40 | M |
| 14 | 10 | 42 | L |
| 16 | 12 | 44 | L to XL |
| 18 | 14 | 46 | XL |
A common men's conversion for trousers and jackets
| Waist (in) | Waist (cm, approx.) | Jacket chest (in) | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 76 | 36 | S |
| 32 | 81 | 38 | S to M |
| 34 | 86 | 40 | M |
| 36 | 91 | 42 | L |
| 38 | 97 | 44 | L to XL |
| 40 | 102 | 46 | XL |
Why the same size can fit differently
The international sizing standard ISO 8559 notes that companies use different sizing systems, so different size labels can fit people with identical or very similar body measurements. In practice, this means a medium from one label and a medium from another can measure several centimetres apart.
Brands also design with different amounts of ease, the extra room built into a garment. A slim-fit shirt and a classic-fit shirt in the same size will feel very different across the chest.
That is why Fit Yangu lists garment measurements, in centimetres, on every product, and why our size finder matches your body to those measurements rather than to a label.
How to shop across size systems
- Know your measurements. Height, chest or bust, waist and hips, in centimetres. Our guide on how to measure yourself shows you how, or the Fit Yangu size finder can measure you from two photos.
- Read the garment measurements. Look for a size chart that lists the measurements of the garment itself. Every Fit Yangu product page has one.
- Allow for ease. Woven garments need room to move. As a guide, a comfortable shirt or blazer is a few centimetres larger than your chest.
- Check the fit description. Slim, regular and relaxed fits change how a size feels.
- Keep a note of what fits. When a brand fits you well, note the size and the garment measurements for next time. With Fit Yangu, your measurements PDF does this for you.
How Fit Yangu makes this simpler
At Fit Yangu, you share your measurements once, in our Nairobi store or online. Our size finder compares them with every garment and shows you Your size, with a note on how it fits at the chest, waist and hips. UK, US or EU, the label on the tag matters less, because the centimetres do the work.
Ready to try it? Get your measurements with Fit Yangu, then shop the collection in your size.