Three categories, three different sizing rules. Bust, waist and hip charts for shapewear, sleepwear and lingerie sets in teen and adult sizing, in inches and cm.
These three categories share the same three measurements — bust, waist and hip — but they use them in completely different ways. Shapewear is cut to your true measurement and compresses. Sleepwear is cut loose with ease built in. Lingerie sets are sold in letters but built around a bra size. Getting one right does not mean you have the others right, so this guide gives a separate chart for each, in teen and adult sizing, in inches and centimetres.
Shapewear is the one category where sizing down is actively counterproductive. The compression is engineered into the fabric at your true measurement. Going smaller does not smooth more — it displaces tissue into a ridge above and below the garment, restricts your breathing and rolls within an hour.
| Size | UK | Bust | Waist | Hip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 6–8 | 31–32″ / 79–81cm | 24–25″ / 61–64cm | 34–35″ / 86–89cm |
| S | 10 | 33–34″ / 84–86cm | 26–27″ / 66–69cm | 36–37″ / 91–94cm |
| M | 12–14 | 35–37″ / 89–94cm | 28–30″ / 71–76cm | 38–40″ / 97–102cm |
| L | 16–18 | 38–40″ / 97–102cm | 32–34″ / 81–86cm | 42–44″ / 107–112cm |
| XL | 20–22 | 41–43″ / 104–109cm | 36–38″ / 91–97cm | 46–48″ / 117–122cm |
| XXL | 24–26 | 44–46″ / 112–117cm | 40–42″ / 102–107cm | 50–52″ / 127–132cm |
Shapewear is sized to your true measurement. Sizing down does not smooth more — it creates bulges and cuts circulation.
If your measurements straddle two rows, take the larger one. A shaping garment at the correct size holds a smooth line all day; one size too small creates the exact silhouette it is meant to prevent.
Which of the three measurements decides your size depends on the style:
| Shapewear style | Measurement that decides | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Waist cincher / tummy band | Waist | Only the waist row matters |
| Shaping brief / high-waist brief | Hip | Hip decides; the waist panel stretches |
| Thigh shaper / shaping short | Hip and thigh | Size up if your thighs sit above the row |
| Bodysuit / full-body shaper | Largest of bust, waist, hip | One measurement out of range means sizing up |
| Shaping slip | Bust and hip | Bust sets the top, hip sets the skirt |
For more on matching a shaping style to a particular outfit, see our guide to which shapewear style suits your outfit.
Sleepwear is cut with deliberate ease, which is why the ranges below are wider than the shapewear ranges at the same letter. The same body that takes an M in shapewear usually takes an M in sleepwear too — but with far more room.
| Size | UK | Bust | Waist | Hip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 6–8 | 31–33″ / 79–84cm | 24–26″ / 61–66cm | 34–36″ / 86–91cm |
| S | 10 | 33–35″ / 84–89cm | 26–28″ / 66–71cm | 36–38″ / 91–97cm |
| M | 12–14 | 35–38″ / 89–97cm | 28–31″ / 71–79cm | 38–41″ / 97–104cm |
| L | 16–18 | 38–41″ / 97–104cm | 31–35″ / 79–89cm | 41–45″ / 104–114cm |
| XL | 20–22 | 41–44″ / 104–112cm | 35–39″ / 89–99cm | 45–49″ / 114–124cm |
| XXL | 24–26 | 44–47″ / 112–119cm | 39–43″ / 99–109cm | 49–53″ / 124–135cm |
Sleepwear is cut with ease built in, so the ranges are wider than shapewear at the same letter.
A few notes on cut. Pyjama sets are usually sized to the bust for the top and the hip for the bottom, so check both. Nightdresses and slips fall from the bust, so bust is the measurement that matters. Robes are generous by design; if you want a wrap-over that actually overlaps, take the larger row. And woven cotton pyjamas will shrink slightly on the first wash, while knits and satins will not.
Two-piece lingerie sets are labelled S to XXL, but the top is built to a bra size. That is why the first column to check is the bra equivalent rather than the bust measurement — a set sold as an M assumes a specific band and cup combination.
| Set size | Equivalent bra size | Bust | Waist | Hip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 30A – 32A | 31–32″ / 79–81cm | 24–25″ / 61–64cm | 34–35″ / 86–89cm |
| S | 32B – 34A | 33–34″ / 84–86cm | 26–27″ / 66–69cm | 36–37″ / 91–94cm |
| M | 34B – 36B | 35–37″ / 89–94cm | 28–30″ / 71–76cm | 38–40″ / 97–102cm |
| L | 36C – 38C | 38–40″ / 97–102cm | 32–34″ / 81–86cm | 42–44″ / 107–112cm |
| XL | 38D – 40D | 41–43″ / 104–109cm | 36–38″ / 91–97cm | 46–48″ / 117–122cm |
| XXL | 40DD – 42DD | 44–46″ / 112–117cm | 40–42″ / 102–107cm | 50–52″ / 127–132cm |
Two-piece sets are sold by letter but cut to a bra size — check the bra column before the bust column.
If your bra size and your hip measurement point to different letters, buy the set to your bra size and accept a slightly loose brief, or look for a set sold as separates. The top is the piece that has to fit precisely. If you are not sure what band and cup you take, work through our bra size chart for teens and adults first.
Bodysuits, teddies and one-piece styles are different again: they are sized by the torso length as well as the three measurements. If you are tall through the body, size up regardless of what the bust and hip columns say, because a bodysuit that is short in the torso pulls uncomfortably at the shoulder and the gusset.
Teen sleepwear uses the same relaxed cut as adult sleepwear, scaled down. Shapewear and lingerie sets are adult categories and are not included here.
| Teen size | Bust | Waist | Hip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teen XS | 28–30″ / 71–76cm | 22–24″ / 56–61cm | 29–31″ / 74–79cm |
| Teen S | 30–32″ / 76–81cm | 24–26″ / 61–66cm | 32–34″ / 81–86cm |
| Teen M | 32–35″ / 81–89cm | 26–28″ / 66–71cm | 35–37″ / 89–94cm |
| Teen L | 35–37″ / 89–94cm | 28–30″ / 71–76cm | 38–40″ / 97–102cm |
| Teen XL | 37–39″ / 94–99cm | 30–32″ / 76–81cm | 40–42″ / 102–107cm |
Teen sleepwear is cut loose. If you are between rows, take the larger one.
With teen sleepwear, comfort and room to grow matter more than a precise fit. If a measurement sits between two rows, take the larger one — nothing about sleepwear benefits from being close-fitting.
No. Sizing down reduces the effect rather than increasing it, because the compression is engineered at your true measurement. A smaller size pushes tissue into a visible ridge and will roll within an hour. Choose the correct size in a firmer control level instead.
Follow the measurement that the style relies on: waist for a cincher or tummy band, hip for a shaping brief or short, and the largest of the three for a full bodysuit. When in doubt, take the larger row.
Usually a little more generous. Sleepwear is cut with extra ease, so the same letter gives you more room than it would in a fitted top. If you like a close fit, taking the smaller of two rows is safe here in a way it is not in shapewear.
Start with your bra size, not your dress size. Match it to the bra column in the chart above, then check that your hip measurement is in the same row. If it is not, the bra size is the one to follow.
Yes, particularly through the shoulder and the rise. A Teen XL is roughly an adult XS through the bust but shorter in the body, so once the measurements reach the top of the teen chart, adult sizing will fit better.