Tights sizing depends on height and weight or height and hip measurements, not dress size, so measure yourself and check the brand’s chart first.
Most tights brands skip dress sizes entirely. They want your height and weight, or your height and hip circumference, because stretch fabric fits bodies differently than woven clothing does. One brand’s medium might be another brand’s large. The right approach takes five minutes with a tape measure and saves you from buying three pairs to find one that fits.
What Measurements Do You Need for Tights?
Take four measurements before you open any size chart. Stand barefoot against a wall and measure from the top of your head to the floor for height. Weigh yourself in the morning for the most consistent number. For hips, wrap the tape around the fullest part of your buttocks and hips, keeping it level. For waist, measure around the narrowest part of your natural waistline, usually just above your belly button.
Most brands ask for height and weight. Some, like Elegante UK, size by height and hip circumference instead. A few use waist and hips. Check which two measurements the specific brand requests before you look at its chart.
How to Read a Tights Size Chart
Find your two measurements on the chart and trace them to where they intersect. That letter or number is your size. If your height falls in one row and your weight falls in another, choose the row where both measurements fit together.
Between sizes? Guidance varies by brand. Many recommend sizing up for comfort and to avoid sagging or overstretching the fabric. Others tell you to follow your waist or hip measurement. When the chart doesn’t say, sizing up is the safer bet for all-day comfort.
Here’s how a typical chart breaks down, using Kohl’s and Hanes tights sizing:
| Size | Height Range | Weight Range |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4’11″–5’5″ | 95–125 lb |
| B | 5’1″–5’7″ | 110–140 lb |
| C | 5’4″–5’10” | 120–150 lb |
| D | 5’6″–6’0″ | 135–165 lb |
| E | 4’11″–5’5″ | 145–175 lb |
| F | 5’1″–5’7″ | 160–190 lb |
Notice how sizes E and F overlap with A and B in height but carry heavier weight bands. That’s why dress size alone never works for tights — two women can wear the same dress size but need different tights sizes based on height.
How to Find Your Exact Size With Any Brand
The method stays the same across every brand. Take the measurements the chart asks for, find both numbers, and pick the size where they intersect. Some brands add a twist. Snag US tells shoppers to find their regular clothing size, trace across to their height, and land on a letter. ASOS provides a height-to-length chart alongside height and hip combinations, which matters if you’re tall and worried about crotch sag.
Manufacture Perrin takes a different route entirely, sizing by EU trouser size and height: Size 1/2 fits EU 34–38 and 145–165 cm, 3/4 fits EU 38–46 and 160–180 cm, and 5/6 fits EU 46–54 and 170–190 cm. The lesson holds: read that specific brand’s chart, not the one from the last pair you bought.
Common Sizing Mistakes to Avoid
The biggest mistake is assuming tights sizing is standardized. It isn’t. Sizing varies between brands, and even within one brand, different products can use different charts. Always check the chart attached to the specific pair you’re buying.
Other frequent errors: measuring at the wrong points (waist must be the natural waistline, hips the widest part, tape level all the way around), skipping the between-size guidance, and buying by dress size out of habit. When you put tights on, ease them up gradually and pull from the waistband rather than the fabric to avoid snags and overstretching. If you’re looking for extra support in the midsection, our roundup of the best control top tights covers tested picks for shaping and comfort.
References & Sources
- Kohl’s / Hanes. “Size Charts.” Provides height-and-weight tights sizing bands used in the table above.
- ASOS. “Women’s Tights & Socks Size Guide.” Covers height-to-length charts and height/hip sizing methods.
- DIM. “Women’s Size Guide for Stockings and Tights.” Details measurement points and between-size guidance for hosiery.