What Size Is IT 48? A Clear Guide to Italian Clothing Sizes

Shop designer clothing long enough and you'll meet a label that reads IT 48, or IT 40, or IT 52, and wonder what it means in the sizes you know. Italian sizing uses numbers that look like other systems but mean something different. A men's IT 48 isn't a 48-inch chest. A women's IT 42 isn't a French 42.

This guide translates it, for men and women, with charts and three rules of thumb you can do in your head. You'll see Italian sizes on many of our product pages too, so it's worth getting right.

The Short Answer

• Men's jackets, suits and knitwear: subtract 10 from the Italian size to get your UK/US chest size. IT 48 = UK/US 38 = Medium.
• Men's trousers: subtract 16 from the Italian size to get your waist in inches. IT 48 = W32.
• Women's clothing: subtract 32 to get the UK size, or 36 to get the US size. IT 40 = UK 8 = US 4.

These rules are most precise in the middle of the range. In the largest sizes they drift slightly, and the centimetre measurements in the charts below are the better guide.

Italian Size Chart for Women

Italian and French numbers are four apart. An Italian 42 is a French 38. This matters more than it sounds. French houses such as Saint Laurent label womenswear in French sizes, while Italian houses such as Gucci use Italian ones, so the same number on two labels can mean two different sizes.

German sizes sit two below French. That's why a "European 42" can mean three different things: a US 6 in Italian sizing, a US 10 in French, a US 12 in German. Always check which system the label uses. Letter sizes vary most of all between brands, so treat that column as a guide, not a rule.

Italian Size Chart for Men

Jackets, suits, shirts and knitwear

In menswear, Italian and French numbers are the same. The UK/US number roughly matches your chest in inches, and the Italian number is about half your chest in centimetres. The two scales drift slightly apart in the larger sizes, so from IT 52 up, trust the centimetres.

Trousers

Designer denim is often labelled either in Italian sizes or in waist inches, and the same rule converts between the two. Italian sizes go up in 4 cm steps and US waist sizes in 2-inch (5 cm) steps, so in the larger sizes the centimetres are the more reliable guide.

Shoes: Mostly Simpler

Italian and French shoe sizes use the same European system, so an Italian 38 and a French 38 are the same length. The catch is men's shoes from some Italian houses. Gucci, for example, labels men's shoes in UK sizes, so a Gucci 9 is a European 43. Check the size system on the listing before converting, whether you're browsing men's shoes, women's shoes or the Gucci selection.

Why the Same Size Can Fit Differently

Conversion charts tell you what a number means. They don't tell you how a garment is cut.

The cut. Italian and French houses tend to cut closer to the body than many American brands. Tailoring is where you notice it most, as anyone who has tried on a structured Italian jacket knows, and it's part of what Zegna built its reputation on.

The house and the season. Fit can change between lines and seasons within the same brand, so a size that worked for one piece isn't a guarantee for the next.

The honest fix is a tape measure. Europe has a standard built on exactly that idea: EN 13402 describes sizes by body measurements in centimetres rather than abstract numbers. Labels don't always follow it, but the principle is the right one.

How to Measure Yourself in Two Minutes

• Chest or bust: around the fullest part, keeping the tape level.
• Waist: around your natural waistline, the narrowest part of your torso.
• Hips: around the fullest part of your hips and seat.

Then compare those numbers, not the label, against the chart. Our full size guide covers clothing, shoes and accessories, with step-by-step measuring instructions.

Sizes at Aulæ

On our product pages, some pieces show the Italian number next to its letter size (IT 48 | M, for example), others the letter size alone. Our size guide covers both. If you're between two sizes, write to us before ordering: a real person answers.

A good place to put the charts to work: men's suits and blazers, men's jackets and coats, women's dresses and women's jackets and coats.

Quick Answers

Is IT 48 a medium?

In menswear, yes: IT 48 corresponds to a UK/US 38 chest, usually labelled M. In womenswear, IT 48 is a UK 16 and a US 12.

What is IT 40 in US women's sizes?

A US 4. It's also a UK 8, a French 36 and a German 34.

Are Italian and EU sizes the same?

Not exactly. "EU" is used loosely, and for womenswear it can mean French or German numbering, both of which differ from Italian. Check which system the label uses.

Do Italian clothes run small?

Often slightly, because Italian houses tend to cut closer to the body. If you're between two sizes, the larger one usually works for knitwear and unstructured pieces; for tailored jackets and structured outerwear, go by your measurements rather than the label.