Making Sense of Size Charts Online (Without a Measuring Tape)

Online shopping should be easy — but navigating confusing size charts without a measuring tape can feel impossible. Don’t worry. You can still find your correct size using smart comparisons, trusted tools, and simple at-home tips.

Here’s how.

1. Understand What Size Charts Actually Show

Size charts typically list body measurements (e.g. bust, waist, hips) for each clothing size.

Example from a standard UK size chart:

Size	Bust (cm)	Waist (cm)	Hips (cm)
10	86	68	92
12	91	73	97
14	96	78	102

But here’s the catch: those numbers vary by brand — and even by item (e.g. slim jeans vs. wide-leg).

2. How to Estimate Your Size Without a Measuring Tape

🧥 Use Well-Fitting Clothes You Already Own

Grab your favourite top, jeans, or dress — the one that fits best — and:

Lay it flat on a table
Measure key areas using a ruler, string, or A4 paper sheets (21 cm width each)
Multiply flat measurements by 2 to estimate full body size

Example:

Jeans waistband: 36 cm flat = 72 cm waist
Hip across: 48 cm flat = 96 cm hips

This gives you a good base to compare to brand size charts.

3. Use Smart Tools Like Tellar.co.uk

Even without a tape, tellar.co.uk can help you estimate your correct size in over 1,500 brands.

If you don’t know your exact measurements:

Use Tellar’s store-based option:
“I know my size in a certain brand”
→ Select the brand and your usual size
→ Tellar will estimate your bust, waist, and hip measurements
→ Then match them to every other brand on the platform

✅ Works in seconds

✅ Free and accurate

✅ No measuring tape needed

👉 Try the store-size method here

4. Know Your Brand Fit Tendencies

If you can’t measure yourself at all, just knowing how brands fit can help:

Brand	Fit Style	Size Notes
Zara	Slim fit	Runs small
H&M	Mixed	Basics true to size
Cos	Oversized	Size down
White Stuff	Generous	Runs large
Mango	Standard	Check hips closely

💡 Tellar factors in brand fit behaviour to give you the right size, not just a guess.

5. Watch Out for International Size Confusion

Don’t rely on number conversions alone:

UK 10 ≠ always US 6
EU 38 ≠ always UK 10

Brands interpret sizes differently. A UK 10 in Zara fits like an 8. In Next, it may fit like a 12.

Tellar.co.uk does the conversion and the fit check for you.

✅ Summary: What To Do Without a Tape Measure

Method	What You’ll Need	Accuracy
Use your clothes	A ruler or paper	✅ Good
Use store-based size on Tellar	Just brand + usual size	✅ Very good
Guess from brand chart alone	Size chart only	⚠️ Risky

Best option:

➡️ tellar.co.uk

Final Tip: Get a Free Printable Measuring Tape

Still want to measure properly later?

🎁 Download Tellar’s free measuring tape here — print it, cut it out, and you’re ready to go.

No more size chart headaches. No more returns. One quick setup and you're done.

“Find your size in 1,500+ brands real-time. It’s free & easy.”

➡️ tellar.co.uk