The word “Size” on this site does not always mean the same thing. On a sweater it is a letter. On a dog coat it is your dog’s weight. On a blanket it is the actual measurement in inches. Picking the wrong one is the single most common reason an order comes back, so this page explains each system separately — and how to tell which one you are looking at.
Which system am I looking at?
Look at the Size buttons on the product page before anything else. The buttons themselves tell you which system is in use, because we put the measurement in the option name wherever the letter alone would be ambiguous.
| If the buttons say | You are looking at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| S, M, L, XL, 2XL on a garment | Clothing letter sizes | Use the charts below, measured from a garment you own |
| 7, 8, 9, 10 — or 5.5, 6.5 | US shoe sizes | Measure your foot and use the shoe chart |
| M (10 – 15 lbs) | Pet sizing, by the animal’s weight | Weigh your pet. Never use a human size here |
| 59x79 Inches, 30ml, 15 M | A literal measurement, volume or length | Measure the space or compare to what you are replacing |
| XL, 2XL, 3XL on a cover or a case | Product sizing, not body sizing | Check the Specifications tab for the covered dimensions |
A motorcycle cover in “XL” is sized to the machine, not to a person. A phone case in “L” is sized to the handset. If a letter appears on anything that is not worn by a human being, treat it as a product code and read the Specifications tab for the dimensions it actually covers.
Clothing — letter sizes
Our garments are cut to a standard US block. The most reliable way to buy clothing online is not to measure your body — it is to measure a garment you already own and wear happily, and match those numbers to the charts below.
How to measure a garment, not a body
Lay the item flat on a table, do not stretch it, and measure in a straight line from seam to seam. Chest, waist and hip are measured across the flat garment and then doubled. Sleeve runs from the shoulder seam to the cuff. Inseam runs from the crotch seam to the hem.
Women — tops, knitwear and outerwear
| Size | US | Bust (in) | Waist (in) | Hip (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 0 – 2 | 32 – 33 | 24 – 25 | 34 – 35 |
| S | 4 – 6 | 34 – 35 | 26 – 27 | 36 – 37 |
| M | 8 – 10 | 36 – 37.5 | 28 – 29.5 | 38 – 39.5 |
| L | 12 – 14 | 39 – 41 | 31 – 33 | 41 – 43 |
| XL | 16 – 18 | 42.5 – 45 | 34.5 – 37 | 44.5 – 47 |
| 2XL | 20 – 22 | 46.5 – 49 | 38.5 – 41 | 48.5 – 51 |
Women — trousers
| Size | US | Waist (in) | Hip (in) | Inseam (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 24 – 25 | 24 – 25 | 34 – 35 | 29 |
| S | 26 – 27 | 26 – 27 | 36 – 37 | 29.5 |
| M | 28 – 29 | 28 – 29.5 | 38 – 39.5 | 30 |
| L | 30 – 31 | 31 – 33 | 41 – 43 | 30.5 |
| XL | 32 – 33 | 34.5 – 37 | 44.5 – 47 | 31 |
Men — tops, knitwear and outerwear
| Size | Chest (in) | Waist (in) | Neck (in) | Sleeve (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 35 – 37 | 29 – 31 | 14.5 | 32 – 33 |
| M | 38 – 40 | 32 – 34 | 15.5 | 33 – 34 |
| L | 41 – 43 | 35 – 37 | 16.5 | 34 – 35 |
| XL | 44 – 46 | 38 – 40 | 17.5 | 35 – 36 |
| 2XL | 47 – 49 | 41 – 43 | 18 | 36 – 37 |
Men — trousers
| Size | Waist (in) | Hip (in) | Inseam (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 29 – 30 | 36 – 37 | 32 |
| M | 31 – 33 | 38 – 40 | 32 |
| L | 34 – 36 | 41 – 43 | 32 |
| XL | 37 – 39 | 44 – 46 | 34 |
| 2XL | 40 – 42 | 47 – 49 | 34 |
Kids
| Size | Age (guide) | Height (in) | Chest (in) | Waist (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2T | 2 years | 33 – 35 | 21 | 20.5 |
| 3T | 3 years | 36 – 38 | 22 | 21 |
| 4 | 4 years | 39 – 41 | 23 | 21.5 |
| 5 – 6 | 5 – 6 years | 42 – 46 | 24 – 25 | 22 – 22.5 |
| 7 – 8 | 7 – 8 years | 47 – 51 | 26 – 27 | 23 – 24 |
| 10 – 12 | 10 – 12 years | 52 – 58 | 28 – 30 | 25 – 26.5 |
| 14 – 16 | 14 – 16 years | 59 – 63 | 31 – 33 | 27 – 28.5 |
Age is a rough guide only. Height is the more useful number for children’s sizing.
Between two sizes?
- Knitwear, fleece and outerwear: size up. These are cut to sit over another layer.
- Stretch fabrics — quick-dry hiking trousers, anything with elastane in the Specifications tab: take the smaller size. They relax by roughly half a size in wear.
- Jersey, t-shirts and lounge sets: true to size.
- Thermal layers meant to sit under a coat: true to size, or down if you want them close to the skin.
Shoes and boots
Shoe buttons on this site are US numeric sizes, and some listings carry half sizes. Do not order the number you usually buy — measure the foot instead. Factory-direct footwear is cut to the length below, and it is the only number that transfers reliably between makers.
How to measure
- Stand on paper, late in the day Feet swell through the day. Measuring in the evening gives the size you will actually be comfortable in.
- Trace around the foot, pencil upright Wear the sock you intend to wear with the shoe. Hold the pencil vertically, not angled under the foot.
- Measure heel to longest toe The longest toe is not always the big toe. Measure both feet and use the larger one.
Women
| US size | Foot length (in) | Foot length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8.5 – 8.7 | 21.6 – 22.0 |
| 6 | 8.9 – 9.1 | 22.5 – 23.0 |
| 7 | 9.3 – 9.5 | 23.5 – 24.1 |
| 8 | 9.6 – 9.8 | 24.4 – 24.9 |
| 9 | 10.0 – 10.2 | 25.4 – 25.9 |
| 10 | 10.3 – 10.5 | 26.2 – 26.7 |
| 11 | 10.7 – 10.9 | 27.1 – 27.6 |
Men
| US size | Foot length (in) | Foot length (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 9.5 – 9.7 | 24.1 – 24.6 |
| 8 | 9.9 – 10.1 | 25.1 – 25.6 |
| 9 | 10.2 – 10.4 | 26.0 – 26.5 |
| 10 | 10.6 – 10.8 | 26.8 – 27.3 |
| 11 | 10.9 – 11.1 | 27.7 – 28.2 |
| 12 | 11.3 – 11.5 | 28.6 – 29.1 |
| 13 | 11.6 – 11.8 | 29.4 – 30.0 |
Snow boots and hiking shoes are usually worn over a thick sock. If your measurement lands at the top of a size band, take the next size up for those rather than the one your measurement technically falls in.
Pet sizing
Pet items use their own systems and none of them relate to human sizes. A dog coat in “L” has nothing to do with a person’s L.
Beds, crates, bowls and toys are sized by their own dimensions in inches — the figure in the Size button is the product, not the pet. Check it against the space you have.
Household, garden, kitchen and car
Across the other departments, the Size button is simply the measurement, the capacity or the quantity. There is no chart to look up, because the number is already the answer.
| You will see | It means | Measure this before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| 59x79 Inches | Finished size of a blanket, throw or protector | The mattress or sofa it has to cover, including depth |
| 16 in / 24 in | Length of a rail, rack or shelf | The wall run, and the fixing centres |
| 15 M (591 Inches) | Length of hose, cable or trimmer line on the reel | Tap to the furthest point you need to reach |
| 2.4 Mm (0.10 Inch) | Gauge — the thickness of the line, not its length | What your trimmer head is rated for, in its manual |
| 30ml / 100ml / 300ml | Volume in the bottle | How much coverage you need — stated per listing |
| 1 Roll / 3 Rolls | Quantity in the pack, not a dimension | Total area, then divide by the roll coverage shown |
For blankets and throws, compare the listed size with the bed or sofa it is for — a throw is usually smaller than the bed itself.
If you get it wrong
Ordering the wrong size is a change-of-mind return. That means:
- You have 30 days from delivery to open the return by email.
- You pay the return postage. We do not deduct a restocking fee — there is no restocking fee on this site in any circumstance.
- The item price is refunded in full. The original shipping you paid is not refunded on a change of mind.
- The item has to come back unused beyond trying it on, with its packaging and any labels still attached.
If the size you received does not match the chart or the measurement printed on the option you selected, that is not a change of mind — it is a fault on our side. We pay the return postage and refund the original shipping too. Send a photograph of the item against a tape measure and we will settle it that way.
If you are between sizes or unsure which system a listing uses, email support@bgalz.com with the product link. We will take the item off the shelf and measure it. That costs nothing and takes one business day; a return costs you postage and takes a fortnight.