Size Matters – The Mysterious Numbers in Europe

After five years in Europe, you’d think I would have figured out this whole metric system. Ah, no. That has not happened. I still have no idea about my height in centimeters, my weight in kilos or my body temperature in Celsius. And European sizes? Good luck figuring that out.

When I wake up in the morning, I check my weather apps — in Fahrenheit. And then I look at the Celsius equivalent. I’m getting better at figuring it all out, but my brain still functions more like an American than a European.

Celsius vs. Fahrenheit

It was more than 40 years ago when I was exposed to the whole Celsius thing. Working as a newscaster at WHAM radio, a 50,000-watt clear channel radio station in Rochester, NY, I had to report the weather in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. I still remember the temperature the night I first met my ex-husband. “It is 51 degrees or 11 degrees Celsius,” I told our hundreds of thousands of listeners. 

Today, I still struggle with conversions. Okay, it’s 20 degrees outside. So, I double that to 40 and add 32 degrees, right? Yeah, that will bring me pretty close to the actual temperature. Thank goodness we have apps for that now.

Things are Hot in the Oven

And cooking? I’ll never figure out how to do conversions. Only the grill function is a no brainer. Most things I cook or bake are set for 200 degrees Celsius, or 392 degrees Fahrenheit. My one attempt at an American brownie recipe — with American measurements — was an epic fail.

When the lockdown started in March 2020, I signed up for HelloFresh. Okay, I have to admit this was amazing for a woman who could barely boil water or cook an egg. In fact, when I got married, my father told my husband that he shouldn’t expect more than Campbell’s soup from me. That wasn’t far from the truth. But HelloFresh was life changing. I actually found cooking fun! All of the recipes were in Dutch with Celsius temperatures, and measurements in centimeters and grams. I would never be able to convert them back to American temperatures and amounts without going a bit nuts.

How Tall is Tall?

Height and weight? During my mother’s last years, she had a phrase she’d shout when she was exasperated: “Oy, Gustava!| I’d like to echo the same phrase! This metric thing is so confusing, especially for those of us who are more right brained than left. 

If you weigh 135 pounds, that is 61.235 kilos or 9.64 stones. I have to admit, I like these smaller numbers better than the higher ones that Americans use. Maybe that is why so many American clothing manufacturers downsized their lines, using smaller numbers for what used to be larger sizes. It just makes us feel smaller and better than the higher European sizes.

Asleep at the Switch

So, buying a new mattress should be a breeze? Right? I thought it would be easy to get a new queen-size mattress. Ah, no. An American queen-sized mattress is 60 x 80 inches. Using the ever-so-irritating metric system, that is 152.4 x 203.2 inches. So, here is the first problem. The average size of a bed in Belgium is 160 x 200 centimeters, according to my friends at Sleepworld. The closest thing to an American queen-size bed is 150 x 200, which is a special order size. I thought I’d go with the larger size, but then I would need to get new linens. Aargh. I settled with the special order, smaller size.

European Sizes

And then there is the issue of clothing and shoes. European sizes are so darn confusing. An American woman’s size 8 shoe is a 7 in the UK. In Europe, it’s a 38.5. And the cut of the shoes seems to be different. Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to do better with buying shoes in Germany than in France. My French friends all seem to have thinner feet.

Want to buy a new dress? An American size 8 is a 10 in the UK and a 38 in Europe.  If you travel farther afield, it’s even more confusing. It’s a 13 in Japan and a 14 in Australia!

But, for women, the most challenging thing seems to be bra sizes. According to WorldData.com‘s, there are at least six different sizing systems with similar numbers and letters. And many companies vary sizes for their own products. No wonder bra shopping can be such a nightmare!

An American 34C is a 75C or 75D in Europe, But in France, it’s a 90C or D. In the Czech Republic, it’s a 2D, and in Australia and New Zealand, it’s a 12C. So much for the quick, sexy lingerie pick-up. If you’re planning a little shopping spree, you may want to pack some patience — and a sense of humor. 

Best Time to Shop

If you want to find some bargains in Belgium, the best time to shop is during the bi-annual sales in January and July. Happy shopping!