Vintage and modern clothing sizes inhabit entirely different worlds. Understanding the gap between them is crucial for every vintage buyer.
| US | EU | UK | USSR/RU | Bust cm | Waist cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0/XS | 32 | 4 | 36 | 76 | 60 |
| 2/XS | 34 | 6 | 38 | 80 | 64 |
| 4/S | 36 | 8 | 40 | 84 | 68 |
| 6/S | 38 | 10 | 42 | 88 | 72 |
| 8/M | 40 | 12 | 44 | 92 | 76 |
| 10/M | 42 | 14 | 46 | 96 | 80 |
| 12/L | 44 | 16 | 48 | 100 | 84 |
| 14/L | 46 | 18 | 50 | 104 | 88 |
| 16/XL | 48 | 20 | 52 | 108 | 92 |
| 18/XXL | 50 | 22 | 54 | 112 | 96 |
The Scale of the Difference
Research published by fashion historians shows that a women's dress labelled size 14 in 1958 measured a 34" bust and 27" waist. By 2011, a size 14 had expanded to 41" bust and 33" waist — a difference of 7" at the bust in 50 years.
Why Soviet Sizes Stayed Consistent
Soviet GOST sizes, being based directly on body measurements rather than arbitrary numbers, changed very little from their 1960s introduction to the end of the USSR in 1991. A Soviet 50 from 1965 and a Soviet 50 from 1989 are the same size.