French sizes to jeans waist
38 FR = 28 W. Type your own value in FR below.
That is a waist of about 71.12 cm (28 in). Labels run from W27 to W29 between brands.
Convert the other way: W to FR
What it means
Where does that waist sit?
The math
How to convert FR to W
Women: EU = 2 × W − 18, US = EU − 32, UK = EU − 28, Italian = EU + 4. Men: EU = W + 16, French = W + 8, US and UK = W.
Example: 38 FR = 28 W.
The table below uses Women’s sizes. Switch above and the EU, French, US and UK columns shift.
In practice
When you’d convert French sizes to jeans waist
A French size to read on a Levi’s label. Men: subtract 8, so a 40 is a W32, a 42 is a W34 and a 44 is a W36. Women: the French number is the European one, so a 38 is a W28 and a 40 is a W29.
Common mistake: Treating a 40 as W40: a man’s French 40 is a W32 and a woman’s 40 is a W29. A W40 is a 48 for men.
Men: FR 38 is W30, FR 40 is W32, FR 42 is W34, FR 44 is W36, FR 46 is W38 and FR 50 is W42. Women: FR 34 is W26, FR 36 is W27, FR 38 is W28, FR 40 is W29 and FR 42 is W30.
Every unit
That size in every system
Tables
FR to W conversion table
| FR | W |
|---|---|
| 24 FR | 21 W |
| 26 FR | 22 W |
| 28 FR | 23 W |
| 30 FR | 24 W |
| 32 FR | 25 W |
| 34 FR | 26 W |
| 36 FR | 27 W |
| 38 FR | 28 W |
| 40 FR | 29 W |
| 44 FR | 31 W |
W to FR conversion table
| W | FR |
|---|---|
| 21 W | 24 FR |
| 22 W | 26 FR |
| 23 W | 28 FR |
| 24 W | 30 FR |
| 25 W | 32 FR |
| 26 W | 34 FR |
| 27 W | 36 FR |
| 28 W | 38 FR |
| 29 W | 40 FR |
| 31 W | 44 FR |
Quick answers
Quick answers
- How many W is 1 FR?
- 1 FR is 9.5 W.
- How many W is 10 FR?
- 10 FR is 14 W.
- How many W is 38 FR?
- 38 FR is 28 W.
The units
About these units
French sizes (FR)
French size: the same as EU for women, eight below EU for men.
Jeans waist (W)
The waist in inches printed after the W on a Levi’s, Wrangler or Lee label.
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What people use next
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