How to Find Your Size in Bershka

By Ella Blake — Fashion Stylist | Tellar Fashion Hub — Always honest, unbiased & unsponsored

Bershka sizes small and cuts slim — as a general rule, go up one full size from your usual high street fit, and if you're between sizes, always go up rather than down. It's a Spanish brand (part of the Inditex group, same stable as Zara) and uses European sizing, which already runs a size smaller than UK labels. Add in the brand's deliberately youth-oriented, close-cut tailoring and you've got a recipe for sizing confusion if you're not prepared.

I'll be honest — I've had a complicated relationship with Bershka. I stumbled into one of their stores on a trip to Barcelona a few years back, spotted the most brilliant wide-leg cargo trouser, grabbed my usual size and practically had to peel them off in the changing room. Went up two sizes, they fit like a dream, and I wore them all summer. The moral: leave your ego at the door, take your measurements, and ignore the number on the label entirely.

How Bershka Sizing Actually Works

Bershka uses standard European sizing throughout their women's range. Because the brand is aimed at a younger, trend-driven customer, the cuts tend to be on the slimmer side — particularly in jeans, fitted tops, and tailored pieces. Here's what you need to know before you shop:

Bershka uses EU sizing, which runs approximately 2 sizes above UK sizing. A UK 10 is a EU 38, a UK 12 is a EU 40, and so on.
The fit skews small within each size. Unlike Zara (also EU-sized but generally more generous in cut), Bershka's garments tend to be narrower through the hip and waist. Factor in at least one extra size on fitted pieces.
Denim runs particularly narrow. Bershka are known for their trendy jean silhouettes — wide leg, low rise, barrel — but their denim has very little stretch in many styles, so always size up one and check the fabric composition before buying.
Knitwear and oversized pieces are usually fine at your standard EU conversion — the generous cut compensates for any tightness.
Online sizing can vary by garment. Always check the individual product measurements tab on the Bershka website, as their fits aren't entirely consistent across ranges.

Bershka Size Conversion Chart

UK SizeBershka / EU SizeUS SizeBust (cm)Waist (cm)Hips (cm)UK 6XS / 34280–8360–6386–89UK 8S / 36484–8764–6790–93UK 10M / 38688–9168–7194–97UK 12L / 40892–9572–7598–101UK 14XL / 421096–9976–79102–105UK 16XXL / 4412100–10380–83106–109

Tip: For fitted jeans or slim-cut trousers, I'd always recommend going up one size from your EU conversion above. If your measurements sit at the top of a size bracket, do the same for dresses and tailoring too.

How to Measure Yourself for Bershka

This takes about three minutes and will save you multiple returns. Grab a soft tape measure and note down:

Bust: Around the fullest part of your chest, tape parallel to the floor.
Waist: Around the narrowest point of your natural waist, usually a few centimetres above your belly button.
Hips: Around the widest part of your hips and seat, approximately 20cm below your natural waist.

Once you have those three numbers, cross-reference with the chart above and check against Bershka's own product measurements online. If you're between two sizes, go up — especially in denim.

What Bershka Does Really Well

Look, Bershka isn't trying to be a premium brand and they're not pretending otherwise. What they do well, they do brilliantly: on-trend denim, party-ready going-out tops, really good cargo and utility trousers, and the kind of pieces that land in your wardrobe for one brilliant season. I think of it as fashion rental without the admin — you get the trend at a genuinely affordable price point, wear it until you're done with it, and move on.

Their low-rise wide-leg jeans have been everywhere in street style edits for the past couple of years, and honestly — sized correctly — they look fantastic. Their knitwear is also better than you'd expect for the price, and their blazers punch well above their weight if you catch the right season.

Similar Brands Worth Knowing — High Street & Beyond

If you love what Bershka offers but want a slightly broader wardrobe with more longevity, these are the brands I'd mix in:

Zara — The obvious sister brand, and still the benchmark for high street trend translation. Better finishing than Bershka, slightly more grown-up cuts, and their denim is genuinely excellent. Sizes similarly — EU-based, but slightly more generous in cut.
Mango — Consistently brilliant for elevated basics and trend pieces that feel more considered. Their tailoring and denim both have a really strong following. Sizes true to EU.
ASOS — The best destination for finding Bershka-adjacent pieces with more size inclusivity. Their own-brand range covers similar trend territory across a much wider size range.
Topshop — The original home of great high street denim and party tops. Now exclusively online via ASOS, but the range is worth exploring if you haven't revisited it recently.
River Island — Excellent for going-out pieces, jeans, and bold occasion dressing. Their sizing tends to be slightly more generous than Bershka, which is a bonus.
Urban Outfitters — For the more editorial, vintage-influenced side of what Bershka does. Their denim and knitwear are consistently good, and their exclusives are often brilliant.
New Look — Brilliant value for trend pieces, and far more size-inclusive than Bershka. Great for finding similar silhouettes without the sizing headaches.
H&M — A reliable source of trend-led basics at a comparable price point. Their denim range has improved enormously and their seasonal pieces are worth a look.

Two Independent Brands to Add to Your Mix

If Bershka's aesthetic appeals but you want something with a slightly more independent edge for the pieces you actually invest in, these two deserve a spot in your wardrobe rotation:

Rouje — A Paris-based label that nails the same youthful, feminine energy as Bershka's best pieces but with significantly better fabric and construction. Their dresses and tops have a cult following for good reason. Sizing is French (same as EU), so the same conversion rules apply — though Rouje's fits tend to run slightly more true to size than Bershka's.
Lazy Oaf — A London-based independent with a brilliantly playful aesthetic. If you love Bershka for the fun, unserious side of fashion — the bold prints, the irreverent cuts — Lazy Oaf takes that energy and turns it up. Sizes in UK sizing, runs slightly generous, and the quality is genuinely good for the price.

Stop Guessing Your Size — Let Tellar Do the Work

Bershka's slim, youth-oriented cuts are a classic example of why generic size charts aren't enough — and exactly why Tellar.co.uk exists. It's the UK's leading free sizing tool: enter your measurements once and get your precise size matched instantly across 1,500+ brands. No more guessing, no more returns, no more changing room stress.

Step 1 — Measure once: Bust, waist, hips, or just use a brand size you already know fits you well.
Step 2 — Look up your size: Use the Tellar Store Size Lookup tool to find your exact fit at Bershka, Zara, ASOS, River Island, and 1,500+ other brands.
Step 3 — Shop with total confidence: Completely free, no app or download needed — works directly in your browser.

And while you're there, explore the Tellar Fashion Hub — a library of honest, unsponsored style guides written by real stylists. No ads, no brand deals, just straightforward fashion advice. Always free.