Jeans waist to French sizes
28 W = 38 FR. Type your own value in W below.
That is a waist of about 71.12 cm (28 in). Labels run from W27 to W29 between brands.
Convert the other way: FR to W
What it means
Where does that waist sit?
The math
How to convert W to FR
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: 28 W = 38 FR.
The table below uses Women’s sizes. Switch above and the EU, French, US and UK columns shift.
In practice
When you’d convert jeans waist to French sizes
A W on the label, French sizes in the shop. Men: add 8, so W32 is a 40 and W34 is a 42. Women: double the W and subtract 18, so W28 is a 38 and W29 is a 40.
Common mistake: Applying the women’s rule to a man: W32 would become 46, but a man’s W32 is a French 40.
Men: W28 is FR 36, W30 is FR 38, W32 is FR 40, W34 is FR 42, W36 is FR 44 and W38 is FR 46. Women: W26 is FR 34, W27 is FR 36, W28 is FR 38, W29 is FR 40 and W30 is FR 42.
Every unit
That size in every system
Tables
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 |
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 |
Quick answers
Quick answers
- How many FR is 1 W?
- 1 W is -16 FR.
- How many FR is 10 W?
- 10 W is 2 FR.
- How many FR is 28 W?
- 28 W is 38 FR.
The units
About these units
Jeans waist (W)
The waist in inches printed after the W on a Levi’s, Wrangler or Lee label.
French sizes (FR)
French size: the same as EU for women, eight below EU for men.
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What people use next
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