H&M and GAP sit on opposite sides of an ocean, and it shows in the fit. GAP is the reference point for classic American sizing — true to size, leaning slightly generous, with relaxed shoulders and plenty of ease. H&M is European fast fashion with a split personality: numeric EU sizes that run small (bottoms by one to two sizes), letter sizes cut wide, and loose item-to-item consistency.
Conveniently, both brands publish US numeric equivalents, so their charts can be lined up cleanly — and when you do, GAP's measurements sit a touch larger at the same US number even before its roomier cut enters the picture. The tables below show exactly where the gap opens up.
The short answer
H&M runs smaller — GAP is true to size and cut roomier
Line the charts up by US number and they look close: a US 8 is a 90–94 cm bust at H&M and a 36.5–37.5" (92.5–95.5 cm) bust at GAP — GAP's figures run roughly an inch larger at most sizes. But the charts understate the real difference, which is in the garments. GAP cuts with generous American ease, while H&M cuts close and runs smallest in bottoms, where one to two sizes up is routine.
The practical upshot: most people keep the same US-equivalent size in tops at both stores, with GAP feeling noticeably more relaxed. In bottoms the brands diverge hard — GAP jeans are mostly true to size in the waist, while H&M jeans are the brand's worst offender. And GAP has its own quirk to manage: relaxed and oversized lines run genuinely big, so the size adjustments point in opposite directions.
H&M vs GAP at a glance
| H&M | GAP | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing system | EU numeric with letters; M spans EU 40–42 | US numeric with letters; M covers US 8–10 |
| Overall fit | Runs small — bottoms worst, by one to two sizes | True to size, leaning slightly generous |
| Cut | Close European cut, varies by item | Classic American fit with generous ease |
| Where to adjust | Size up in jeans, trousers, fitted skirts | Size down in relaxed and oversized styles |
| Consistency | Loose between items, even within a category | Fit drifts between items and seasons too — read the fit label |
Size labels mapped through US numbers
Both brands publish US numeric equivalents, so labels can be aligned through them. Note how H&M's letters span two EU sizes while GAP's letters span two US sizes — the letters end up agreeing, which is unusual.
| US size | H&M label (EU) | GAP label |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | XS (EU 34) | XS |
| 4 | S (EU 36) | S |
| 6 | S (EU 38) | S |
| 8 | M (EU 40) | M |
| 10 | M (EU 42) | M |
| 12 | L (EU 44) | L |
Women's bust and waist side by side
Body measurements aligned by US numeric size. GAP's ranges each cover two numeric sizes, so they repeat across paired rows; its figures run slightly larger than H&M's at the same US number.
| US size | H&M bust | GAP bust | H&M waist | GAP waist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 78–82 cm · 30.7–32.3" | 32.5–33.5" · 82.5–85 cm | 62–66 cm · 24.4–26" | 25.5" · 65 cm |
| 4 | 82–86 cm · 32.3–33.9" | 34.5–35.5" · 87.5–90 cm | 66–70 cm · 26–27.6" | 26.5–27.5" · 67.5–70 cm |
| 6 | 86–90 cm · 33.9–35.4" | 34.5–35.5" · 87.5–90 cm | 70–74 cm · 27.6–29.1" | 26.5–27.5" · 67.5–70 cm |
| 8 | 90–94 cm · 35.4–37" | 36.5–37.5" · 92.5–95.5 cm | 74–78 cm · 29.1–30.7" | 28.5–29.5" · 72.5–75 cm |
| 10 | 94–98 cm · 37–38.6" | 36.5–37.5" · 92.5–95.5 cm | 78–82.5 cm · 30.7–32.5" | 28.5–29.5" · 72.5–75 cm |
| 12 | 98–102 cm · 38.6–40.2" | 39–40.5" · 99–103 cm | 82.5–87.5 cm · 32.5–34.4" | 30.75–32" · 78–81.5 cm |
Men's tops aligned by chest
Body chest measurements, rows matched by chest. The even EU sizes 48 and 52 fall between GAP's bands; at the anchors shown, the letters agree and GAP runs a touch larger.
| H&M EU | H&M size · chest | GAP size · chest |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | S · 90–94 cm (35.4–37") | S · 36–38" (91.5–96.5 cm) |
| 50 | M · 98–102 cm (38.6–40.2") | M · 39–41" (99–104 cm) |
| 54 | L · 106–110 cm (41.7–43.3") | L · 42–44" (106.5–112 cm) |
Switching between H&M and GAP
- Convert through the US number, not the letter or your gut: an H&M EU 40 is a US 8, which is a GAP M. The letters happen to agree, but the numbers are the reliable bridge.
- Coming from GAP to H&M: keep your size in tops, but go up one to two in jeans, trousers, and fitted skirts — H&M bottoms run smaller than anything GAP sells.
- Coming from H&M to GAP: take your true size in classic fits and resist sizing up — GAP's generous ease does the work. Size down in anything labeled relaxed or oversized.
- At GAP, read the fit description (slim, straight, relaxed) before the chart; at H&M, check the product page's measurements — each brand's inconsistency lives in a different place.
Measurements are based on each brand's published size charts and may vary by garment, fabric, and region. For the full charts and fit notes, see the H&M size guide and the GAP size guide.
H&M vs GAP sizing FAQs
Which runs smaller, H&M or GAP?
H&M. GAP is true to size by US standards and leans slightly generous, while H&M runs small overall — most sharply in bottoms, which commonly fit one to two sizes under the label. Even on paper, GAP's chart runs about an inch larger at the same US size.
Is an H&M medium the same as a GAP medium?
On the chart they're close: H&M's M spans EU 40–42 (US 8–10) and GAP's M covers US 8–10 too. In the fitting room the GAP medium feels roomier, because GAP cuts with classic American ease while H&M cuts closer to the body.
What GAP size should I buy if I wear EU 38 at H&M?
An H&M EU 38 is a US 6, which is a GAP small. Because GAP cuts roomier, that small will likely fit more relaxed than your H&M 38 — if you like a closer fit and you're between sizes, stay with the smaller GAP option.
Do both brands run small in jeans?
No — this is where they differ most. H&M denim runs one to two sizes small and is the brand's least forgiving category. GAP jeans are mostly true to size in the waist; the caveats there are inconsistent lengths and stretchy washes that relax with wear, where sizing down can make sense.
Which brand is more consistent?
Neither is great, but the problems differ. H&M's fit varies item to item even within a category. GAP's drift is between fits and seasons — its slim, straight, and relaxed cuts fit very differently at the same size, so the fit label matters more than the size chart.
