Tights sizes have nothing to do with your dress or trouser size. Manufacturers size them by height and weight, and in larger sizes by hip circumference. Tights that are too small slide down from the waist, wear through at the crotch and ladder as you put them on; tights that are too big wrinkle at the ankles and behind the knees. This guide shows how to read size labels, what a size chart looks like and what to choose when you fall between two sizes.
How to read tights size labels
On the pack you will find a number, a letter or both. The most common systems:
- Numbers 1–6 – the standard for most Polish and Italian manufacturers. Size 2 roughly corresponds to S, 3 to M, 4 to L, 5 to XL and 6 to XXL.
- Combined sizes 1/2 and 3/4 – one pair covers two sizes: 1/2 is the equivalent of S/M, 3/4 of M/L. Legs starts its range this way (1/2, then 3, 4 and 5), and Marilyn uses 1/2 and 3/4 for some of its tights, stockings and leggings.
- Number plus letter – both labels at once. Conte and Marilyn write 2-S, 3-M, 4-L, 5-XL, while Anmar shifts the letter by one: 2-M, 3-L, 4-XL, 5-XXL. The same “3” is therefore M at Conte and L at Anmar; in Anmar tights size 3-L covers heights up to 170 cm and hips up to 112 cm.
- Children's sizes – given as the child's height in centimetres (110, 122, 140), often together with the thickness, e.g. “20 / 122” means 20 denier tights for a height of 122 cm.
A number at one manufacturer does not have to mean the same at another, which is why every product at Zeprado comes with that brand's own chart. The table below shows how sizing works in practice.
Tights size chart by height, weight and hips
Marilyn's chart (sizes 2-S to 6-XXL). Other brands shift the limits by a few centimetres or kilograms, but the rule is the same: the size has to match your height and your weight at the same time.
| Size | Height | Weight | Hips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-S | 140–165 cm | 40–60 kg | 88–102 cm |
| 3-M | 140–172 cm | 50–68 kg | 90–112 cm |
| 4-L | 150–178 cm | 53–75 kg | 100–120 cm |
| 5-XL | 160–185 cm | 58–85 kg | 110–130 cm |
| 6-XXL | 170–195 cm | 65–92 kg | 120–140 cm |
The same manufacturer's tights in combined sizes (1/2, 3/4):
| Size | Height | Weight | Hips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 (S/M) | 140–165 cm | 40–60 kg | 88–102 cm |
| 3/4 (M/L) | 165–178 cm | 50–75 kg | 90–120 cm |
| 5 (XL) | 160–185 cm | 58–85 kg | 110–130 cm |
| 6 (XXL) | 170–195 cm | 65–92 kg | 120–140 cm |
The ranges overlap on purpose. Someone who is 168 cm tall and weighs 60 kg fits both 3-M and 4-L – then the third measurement, hip circumference, decides, together with the rules below.
What to choose between two sizes
Choose the larger size when:
- your height is at the top of the range – the leg length will not stretch endlessly, and tights that are too short pull the crotch down with every step;
- your hip circumference is above the range, even if your weight fits;
- the tights are sheer (8–20 denier) – they have less yarn and reach the limit of their stretch sooner, which ends in a ladder;
- the style has a shaping waistband, a high waist or built-in shorts – the extra layer must not dig in.
Choose the smaller size when your height and weight are at the bottom of the range and the tights are thick and opaque (60 denier and more) – dense yarn with plenty of elastane fits better and wrinkles at the ankles in a larger size.
Tights in larger sizes
From size 5-XL up, hip circumference matters most. At 120 cm and above, styles with a wider waistband and a crotch gusset work best: they do not slide down from the waist and do not rub on the inner thighs. In the tights collection the “Size” filter narrows the list to styles in sizes 5 and 6: among them Legs in size 5, Conte 5-XL and 6-XXL, and Anmar 5-XXL.
Stockings, knee-highs and socks
Stockings are sized much like tights – by height and thigh circumference. Legs uses the same numbers (1/2, 3, 4), while Sielei and Julimex use letters from S to XL. Knee-highs and socks, on the other hand, follow your shoe size, not your height – for those see our sock size chart.
How to check the size is right
- The waistband sits at the waist or on the hips (depending on the style) and does not slide down when you walk.
- The crotch gusset sits against the body instead of hanging a few centimetres lower.
- On the knees and thighs the knit is not stretched to transparency – in 20 denier tights the colour should look even along the whole leg.
- Your toes are not squeezed; the reinforced toe ends before the base of the toes.
- The tights do not wrinkle at the ankles or behind the knees.
If two of these points do not match, the size is wrong – and no amount of “breaking in” will change that. Once the size fits, careful putting on and washing make them last: we cover this in how to care for tights so they don't ladder. Choose the thickness with our denier guide, and find styles by thickness in the 20 den, 40 den and 100 den collections.