Stockings Size Guide: Finding Your Size from XS to 5XL

To find your stockings size, measure your natural waist and the fullest part of your hips in inches, then find the row on the size chart that covers both. If the two measurements point to different sizes, choose the larger one. Height matters too: if you are tall and at the top of a range, go up a size.

Shapify stockings size chart, XS to 5XL

This chart is for the anti-scratch stretchable stockings. Measurements are body measurements in inches, not the size of the garment.

The fleece-lined winter stockings also come in XS to 5XL; check the size chart on that product page before ordering. You will find every Shapify chart, for stockings, tummy tuckers and bodysuits, on the size guide page and the dedicated stockings size chart.

How do you measure yourself for stockings?

1. Use a soft tailor's tape. Measure over light underwear, not over jeans or a petticoat.
2. Stand straight with your feet together and breathe out normally. Don't suck in.
3. Waist: find the narrowest part of your torso, usually an inch or two above your navel. Wrap the tape around it, level all the way round, snug but not pressing in.
4. Hips: find the fullest part of your hips and bottom, usually 7 to 9 inches below your waist. Check in a mirror that the tape is level at the back.
5. Write both numbers down. If your tape is in centimetres, divide by 2.54 to get inches.
6. Measure once more. If the readings differ, use the larger one.

Measure at the end of the day if you can. Many of us are a little fuller around the waist by evening, and that is when stockings get their hardest test. Our guide on measuring bust, waist and hips at home shows the common tape mistakes in more detail.

Which measurement matters more, waist or hips?

For stockings, the hips usually decide. The stocking has to pass over your hips and seat without being stretched to its limit; the waistband has more give. When the two measurements agree, the choice is easy. When they don't, take the larger size. A few worked examples using the chart above:

• Waist 24, hips 33: both fall in S. Choose S.
• Waist 29, hips 39: waist says M, hips say L. Choose L.
• Waist 26.5, hips 36: waist sits between S and M, hips say M. Choose M.
• Waist 41, hips 47: both fall in 3XL. Choose 3XL.
• Waist 44, hips 49: waist says 4XL, hips say 3XL. Choose 4XL.

Choosing smaller "for a firmer fit" backfires with stockings. An undersized pair is stretched thinner over the thighs, so it looks shinier, snags more easily and pulls the waistband down as you walk.

Does height affect your stockings size?

The chart works on waist and hips, but stockings also have to cover the full length of your legs. Height changes how a size fits.

• Tall (around 5'7" or 170 cm and above): if your measurements are at the top of a range, go up one size. Too little length shows up as a crotch that sits low, a waistband that won't reach your waist and fabric that looks thin over the thighs.
• Petite (around 5'0" or 152 cm and under): stay with the size your measurements give you. If there is a little extra length, ease it up the leg evenly when you put them on rather than leaving it at the ankles.
• Fuller thighs: size by your hips, even if your waist is a size smaller. The thigh is where an undersized pair strains first.

Signs you have the wrong stockings size

Check yourself after half an hour of normal moving and sitting.

• Too small: the waistband rolls or digs in, the crotch sits below where it should, the fabric looks stretched and shiny over the thighs, and they are a struggle to pull up.
• Too large: wrinkles collect at the knees and ankles, the seat looks baggy, and the waistband slides down to your hips.
• About right: smooth from ankle to waist, the waistband sits flat at your natural waist, and you only need a small adjustment, if any, after a few hours.

If your pair keeps falling, our guide on how to stop stockings sliding down covers the fixes beyond size.

Sizing when you layer or buy for someone else

If you plan to wear a shaper over your stockings, which is a good way to keep the waistband in place, size each piece on its own chart. Your stockings size and your tummy tucker size won't necessarily match, and choosing one to match the other usually means one of them fits badly. The tummy tucker has its own tummy tucker size chart.

Buying stockings as a gift is harder, because guessing from a dress size or a kurta size is unreliable. If you can't ask for measurements directly, a pair of her well-fitting, non-stretch trousers gives a rough waist reading: lay them flat, measure straight across the closed waistband and double the number. When in doubt, go up a size; a slightly roomy pair is wearable, a tight one isn't.

Why it pays to measure before you order

Stockings are intimate wear, so for hygiene reasons they can't be returned for size or preference. A replacement or exchange is only possible for a wrong item or a manufacturing defect, requested within 1 day of delivery with an unboxing video sent to help.shapify@gmail.com. Five minutes with a tape measure is the surest way to get it right the first time. If you are still unsure after measuring, you can write to the same address with your waist, hips and height before you order.

The rule to remember: measure waist and hips, find the row that covers both, size up when in doubt, and size up again only if you are tall and at the top of the range.

Frequently asked questions

Is my stockings size the same as my dress size?

Not necessarily. Dress sizes vary from brand to brand, so measure your waist and hips and use the stockings chart rather than guessing from a label.

What size stockings should I buy for a 32-inch waist?

A 32-inch waist falls in L (31–33). Check your hips as well: if they measure over 40 inches, choose XL.

Do stockings stretch after you wear them?

They relax slightly with body heat during the day and recover after washing. Don't buy a size down expecting them to loosen.

Can I exchange stockings if the size doesn't fit?

No. Stockings are intimate wear and can't be returned or exchanged for size. Exchanges are only for a wrong item or a manufacturing defect reported within 1 day of delivery with an unboxing video.