Zara size guide - tips and tricks to get the perfect fit 

Spanish retailer Zara has long been a favourite for stylish British shoppers on the high street. From timeless suiting to trend-led pieces inspired by the latest looks from the catwalks and excellent accessories, Zara is regarded by many as a one-stop shop for shoppers fashion needs.

It’s not just the best Zara jeans that fashion insiders swear by – with a crack team of designers, Zara’s latest styles are heavily influenced by the latest street style as well as the key spring/summer fashion trends 2024 from international catwalks.

If you’re looking for pieces to build the perfect capsule wardrobe, at Zara you will find classic essentials such as the best jumpsuits, chic dresses, and stylish blazers to pull your look together, all with a hint of designer style at affordable prices - especially in the Zara sale.

However, one thing that can be confusing about Zara is sizing, with many shoppers complaining that pieces often run smaller or larger than they expect. With our expert advice on how to decode Zara sizing, you’ll soon be shopping Zara’s rails like a pro!

How do you know your size in Zara? 

Guessing your size in Zara can be a minefield as the brand uses Small, Medium and Large and European sizing as well as standardised UK sizes throughout their collections. If you’re shopping online, Zara’s app and website both feature a handy Find Your Size widget on product pages that will help you determine your size based on information that you add in, including your height, weight and age as well as basic details about your body shape.

Once you’ve entered your details on one item online, the best size will update and appear for each piece of clothing, based on which collection it is from. However, even this handy tool has scope for error due to it being based on an AI generated algorithm and the sizing differences between collections, so it’s best to use it as a guide rather than sizing gospel.

Freelance Fashion Editor Matilda Stanley has this helpful additional advice: “There’s also a handy ‘Measurement Guide’ that will show you the average hip, waist and bust measurements for each of the UK sizes at Zara, so you can compare your own body shape and be more sure of what to go for.”

Do Zara sizes run big or small?

When it comes to finding the perfect fit in Zara, it’s important to consider which collection it is that you’re shopping. Freelance Fashion Editor and Stylist Anna Woodham has this advice:

“Like most high street shops, Zara sizing can vary from product to product. In general they're known for having longer leg lengths so great for the tall-ies! If you're shopping online, there's a handy tool called 'Find Your Size' where you can enter your height, weight and age and it'll predict the best fit for your measurements.”

Zara has three main collections – TRF, Basic and Woman. TRF is aimed at a younger audience, so tends to run on the smaller side of sizing, while the Basic collection runs true to size – a size Small is a UK 8, Medium is a 10 and so on. Zara’s popular Woman range features more classic styles, aimed at an older audience. You may find that in comparison to the other collections available, these pieces run slightly larger and are more generous in their fit.

Zara size chart symbols - what do they mean?

If you’ve ever noticed the little symbols next to the sizes on the label inside your Zara clothing, they’re there to help you decode the sizing. Each collection has its own symbol, and once you know what each one means, you’re one step closer to finding the perfect size for you!

If you spot a triangle on your label, that means the item is from Zara TRF, the most youth-oriented collection, whose sizes tend to run on the smaller side compared to average sizing. If your label has a square, your clothing will be from Zara Basic, the mainline collection. The main collection’s sizing is the closest to true size, so take your normal size when shopping this range. And finally, if the label has a circle on it, it indicates that the item of clothing is from Zara Woman, where the item fit skews a little on the larger size.

If you’re shopping online, it may not be as obvious as to which collection pieces are from but if you zoom in to the product image, you may be able to spot the symbol on the label.

Is Zara medium a size 12? 

If you’re a UK size 12, you might find that a medium in Zara doesn’t fit how you expect it to! If you’re shopping in store, make sure to check the symbol on your item before figuring out which size you’ll need. As a size UK 12, I headed into store to try on items from each range to find out what is the nearest approximation in each collection is to a size 12, including jeans. Before heading in, I used the online Find My Size tool to give me a rough idea of what sizes to pick up. According to its calculations, a size 12 would be the best size in jeans and medium sizing would fit me in both the Basic and Woman collections, while large would be my best fit in TRF.

I’m still trying to find the perfect pair of leopard jeans, so decided to try various styles that I found in-store as well as chinos, wide-leg trousers and jeans - I tried on two styles of trousers from each collection.

From the Basic collection, I opted for a pair of wide-leg linen trousers with an elasticated waist and another slim-cut style, both in leopard print. This collection has a square on the label and around the tag's swing ribbon. While the wide-leg trousers fitted in medium, the cut was overly generous so I ended up swapping for a size small. However, when I tried to squeeze into the slim cut pair in a small, it became clear that medium was definitely my size for more fitted styles!

Next, I tried styles from the Woman collection, which is considered to have a more classic cut that is true to size - the labels are marked with a circle. The first pair I tried were a cool cut off chino style, with the medium fitting perfectly (so much so that they came home with me). Next up, I tried a pair of the bootcut cropped leopard jeans that are a great Ganni lookalike - while the Find My Size tool had estimated I would need a size 12, in reality the 10 fitted far better as the jeans have some stretch to them. I can't wait to wear them with my best blazer, sandals and a white tee this summer.

Finally, it was the turn of TRF, Zara's most youthful collection where sizes usually run slightly smaller than the other collections - look at the swing tag or clothing labels and you'll find an upside down triangle which indicates this collection. According to the Find My Size tool, the best fit for me would be a large or size 12 in the jeans. Curious to test this, I picked a pair of cool Noughties-inspired lightweight cargo trousers and a classic pair of blue jeans.

In the cargo trousers, I found that while a medium did fit, it was too fitted in the legs for my liking - cargos are meant to be worse loose and baggy, so the pair in size large fitted best.

However, when it came to trying on jeans, I was pleasantly surprised to once again find that the size 10 was the better fit. With a slight stretch to them (they're made with 2% elastane), I had to jump about and wriggle in but from experience this would lead to the best fit once they had stretched slightly. However, if you prefer a slightly more forgiving fit, a size 12 would probably be the best Zara size.

How do euro sizes correspond to UK sizes?

As a Spanish-founded brand, Zara often also uses European sizing for many of their collections and while they usually have UK sizing alongside on the labels, if you’re making a lunchtime dash around the shops it’s good to know what your sizing translates to.

Matilda Stanley says: "The labelling can be a little confusing at Zara, and there’s a lot of info on their labels. To keep it simple, a UK size 6 is a European size 34 and a UK size 8 is a European size 36. The European sizes go up by 2 for each UK size, so an 18 will be a European 46."

Zara size guide - jeans

Zara is known for their fantastic range of jeans, nailing many of the key denim trends 2024. Whether you’re looking for on-trend styles such as barrel leg jeans or want take inspiration from Jennifer Aniston’s jeans and white t-shirt combination, Zara is a treasure trove of denim in every colour so you're bound to find the best jeans for your body type.

Matilda Stanley says: “There is an amazing range of jeans shapes and styles available at Zara, and they often have the most on-trend denim available on the high street. The size range is impressive too – most jeans are available in sizes 4-18. It’s worth looking at the composition details too – if the jeans contain elastane, they will have more give and stretch, whereas if they are 100% cotton, they will have a much more rigid fit and may feel a little less forgiving on your thighs and waist. You may want to size up on the more stiff and rigid denim pieces.”

Zara size guide - shoes

While their clothing sizes may differ between collections, Zara’s shoe sizes tend to be true to fit. However, our feet can shrink or spread as we age and even from elements such as the weather, so if you’re not sure what size your feet are, measure the distance from the tip of whichever toe is longest (usually your big toe) in straight line to the back of your heel. You might find it easiest to rest your foot on a piece of paper and draw straight lines across the two points before measuring with a ruler, rather than trying to measure your feet directly. Sizes go up by between 6 and 7mm, which may not sound like a lot but can make a world of difference when it comes to the comfort of your feet!

Anna Woodham has this advice when it comes to shoe shopping at Zara: “In general Zara shoes are true to size although you may find with closed-toe pointed styles, which Zara is known for, it's worth sizing up for a more comfortable fit.”

With all of this information, you’re bound to find the perfect fit next time you’re shopping in Zara, so go forth and hit the new in section with gusto!

Anna Woodham

Anna Woodham is a London based Fashion Stylist with over 20 years experience working in the women's magazine sector as well as styling for global commercial brands. Anna has previously held Fashion Editor positions on magazines, styling both celebrities for covers as well as the main fashion pages. Anna now works on a freelance basis available for editorial and advertising styling and art direction work.

Matilda Stanley

Matilda Stanley is a freelance style editor covering all things fashion, beauty and interiors. She writes and styles for both print and online and covers everything from the latest catwalk trends to bargain skincare buys. With over fifteen years of experience in the industry, Matilda has worked on TV shows including 'Gok's Fashion Fix' and written and styled for publications including Closer, Heat, Bella, Look, Woman, Good Housekeeping, Now, and The Daily Mail.