Zara size guide: how to decode the labels to find your perfect fit

Zara has long been a favourite for stylish shoppers on the high street. From timeless suiting to trend-led pieces and top-notch accessories, the Spanish retailer is regarded by many as a one-stop shop for all your 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 autumn/winter fashion trends 2025 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 expected. With our expert Zara size guide, you’ll soon be shopping the rails like a pro!

Quick tips

• Use the Find Your Size widget - available on each item's page. Treat this as a guide, not gospel.
• Size up in TRF, take your usual size in Zara Basic and consider sizing down in Zara Woman.
• Shoes tend to be true to size.

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.

Fashion Editor Matilda Stanley has this helpful 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. The brand has three separate but cohesive 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 tends to run 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 as they are designed with a slightly more seasoned customer in mind.

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!"

When shopping the collections, a quick glance at not only the numerical sizing but also the symbols on the label will swiftly help you find the best size for you.

Zara size chart symbols - what do they mean?

Have you ever noticed the little symbols next to the numerical sizes on the label inside your Zara clothing? They’re there to help you decode the fit. Each collection has its own symbol, and once you know what they mean, 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, this clothing will be from Zara Basic, the mainline collection. The sizing is the closest to true size, so start by taking 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 side.

If you’re shopping online, it may not be as obvious which collection pieces are from, but if you zoom into 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 10-12, I headed into store to try on items from each range to find out what 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, 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 forever on a quest to find my dream jeans, so I opted to try on several pairs of denim styles - a pair from each of Zara's collections - to compare the fit of each range.

From the Basic collection, I opted for a pair of cropped wide-leg belted jeans. This collection has a square on the label and around the tag's swing ribbon. At 5'3", I was fully prepared for even a cropped style to be slightly long in the leg, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that despite the size predictor suggesting a 12, they were too loose and that a 10 fitted me better in this particular style.

Next, I tried a style 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. I tried a pair of the mid-waist straight leg jeans - while the Find My Size tool had estimated I would once again need a size 12, in reality, the 10 fitted far better, although the website does also state that this particular design is slightly more generous than its usual fit for denim. With a delicate pinstriped detail, this pair would make a great jeans and blazer outfit when teamed with a navy jacket.

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 cool barrel leg style, opting for the Baggy Balloon Leg jeans.

Like the straight leg jeans before them, the website also suggests that this style runs larger than expected, although this is taken into account by the sizing tool. This time, the tool was right and the 12 was a far better fit than a 10, as expected.

How do EU sizes correspond to UK sizes?

As a Spanish-founded brand, Zara often 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 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 2025. Whether you’re looking for on-trend styles such as barrel leg jeans or you prefer a pair of slimming jeans, Zara is a treasure trove of denim in every colour, so you're bound to find the best jeans for your body type.

Matilda says: “There's 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: dresses

For comfort and ease when getting dressed for a busy day, a good dress can be a shortcut to getting ready and out of the house quickly. From structured styles to the best dresses with pockets, you can count on Zara dresses to bring the latest trends to our wardrobes at affordable prices, but does their sizing differ as much when it comes to dresses? I chose three styles to try on to find out.

From the Zara Woman collection, I chose a beautiful denim midi shirt dress. According to the size predictor, I would need a medium, allowing for the more generous cut of this collection. Slipping it on, I found the fit to be perfect - close to the body without being suffocating.

Feeling brave, I decided that it was time to give the Zara TRF dress that I'd selected a go. Checking the sizing for the shoulder pad mini dress, I was recommended an XL, but with none available in store, I opted to go for a large instead and prayed that my regular size would fit me. Easing into it, I was surprised to find that the large fit was perfect. While the dress didn't come home with me, I definitely felt my confidence boosted.

Buoyed by my experience with both the Zara Woman Dress and the Zara TRF dress, I moved on to my pick from Zara Basic, a fitted denim midi dress. Checking the sizing predictor, I was baffled when it suggested an XL, although there was a warning that the product ran small. Throwing caution to the wind, and seeing how I had sized down in the jeans, I decided to try on my normal size. After two attempts to wriggle in and one moment where I briefly considered calling for help from strangers, I was in! On reflection, I probably should've at least gone for a large on this occasion to allow for the smaller fit. Fashion bravado has a lot to answer for.

Overall, I found that the sizing predictor tool was not as accurate as it is with denim - it's important to remember that ultimately, it is just a suggestion of the size that will fit.

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 a 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 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!

And once you've mastered the art of shopping at Zara, you can move on to more of Inditex's brands like Massimo Dutti and Pull&Bear - check out our Oysho top picks here.

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.