Two men, both weighing 70 kg, stand in front of a fitting-room mirror. The first buttons up a size 46 and it fits snugly. The second has to go all the way up to a 50 before he can breathe. Identical weight, yet the sizes are two steps apart. That is why the question "what weight is suit size 46?" can only be half answered: the chart below gives you a quick estimate, and the other half lies in your chest measurement and your shoulders.
Quick answer
A suit size 46 usually fits a man weighing about 54–60 kg and standing 1.60–1.66 m tall. A size 48 fits 60–66 kg and 1.64–1.70 m. The number in the size is half the chest circumference in centimetres: size 46 corresponds to a 92 cm chest, size 48 to 96 cm. Weight is only a guide; chest and shoulders settle the size.
Men's suit size chart by weight and height
Men's suits in Vietnam are usually labelled in European sizing. The rule of thumb is simple: size = chest circumference divided by two. A 96 cm chest is a size 48, a 100 cm chest is a size 50. The chart below gives commonly used reference ranges for a balanced build; it is not a definitive measurement.
| EU size | Letter size | Chest | Reference height | Reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | XXS | 84 cm | 1.50 – 1.58 m | 42 – 48 kg |
| 44 | XS | 88 cm | 1.55 – 1.62 m | 48 – 54 kg |
| 46 | S | 92 cm | 1.60 – 1.66 m | 54 – 60 kg |
| 48 | M | 96 cm | 1.64 – 1.70 m | 60 – 66 kg |
| 50 | L | 100 cm | 1.68 – 1.74 m | 66 – 73 kg |
| 52 | XL | 104 cm | 1.71 – 1.77 m | 72 – 80 kg |
| 54 | XXL | 108 cm | 1.74 – 1.80 m | 79 – 87 kg |
| 56 | 3XL | 112 cm | 1.76 – 1.83 m | 86 – 95 kg |
| 58 | 4XL | 116 cm | 1.78 – 1.85 m | 94 – 104 kg |
You will notice the weight ranges overlap. A man who is 1.68 m tall and weighs 66 kg sits exactly on the border between a 48 and a 50. At borders like this the chart can no longer answer, and the tape measure has to speak.
If you want a more detailed lookup by height, see our men's suit size chart by height and weight.
What weight is suit size 46 or 48, and who does it fit?
Size 46 (92 cm chest) is the size for compact men with narrow shoulders. Slim Vietnamese men around 1.60–1.66 m meet this size most often. The thing to watch is the shoulder line: men with small shoulders very often go straight to a 48 "for comfort", and the result is a shoulder seam that drops down the arm and sleeves that cover half the hand.
Size 48 (96 cm chest) is the most common size for an average build, 1.64–1.70 m tall. It comes with two notes. First, a man at 66 kg who carries a belly often finds the chest fits but the waist is tight; in that case do not rush up to a 50, look at the shoulders first. Second, a slim man taller than 1.70 m may still wear a 48, but needs the jacket one step longer.
Suit size 42 is a very small size (chest about 84 cm), for lightweight men or those with a small frame. Ready-to-wear rarely carries a full run of this size, which is one of the reasons small men so often turn to made-to-measure.
Why can two men at 70 kg be a 46 and a 50?
Body weight is the sum of bone, muscle, fat and water. A suit only cares about four things: chest circumference, shoulder width, torso length and where the fat sits. The three builds below are common illustrative cases, not specific clients.
1.80 m, 70 kg, tall and slim. By weight he reads as a 48–50, but his real chest may be only 92–94 cm. Most of his weight is in his height. He fits a 46 or 48, but needs a longer cut. Take a 50 by weight and the shoulders are too wide and the jacket skirts bag out.
1.65 m, 70 kg, with a belly. The chest measures 100 cm or more, but the shoulders belong to a size 46–48. This is the build that struggles most with ready-to-wear: go up to a 50 to fit the belly and the shoulders are too wide; stay with a 48 for the shoulders and the jacket pulls tight at the waist. The most reliable approach is to choose by the shoulders and then let out the waist, or go made-to-measure so the pattern is cut for the belly.
1.70 m, 70 kg, lifts weights. Developed chest and shoulder muscles push the chest to 102–104 cm while the waist stays small. He needs a size 52 in the upper body and a smaller size at the waist, a difference that ready-to-wear seldom accommodates.
Same number on the scale, three men, three sizes. That is why a chart by kilograms should only be the first step.
Large suit sizes: what to watch from size 52 up
For large suit sizes (52, 54, 56 and above), the three points below matter more than the number on the scale.
- Shoulders do not grow in proportion to the belly. A man at 95 kg may have shoulders no wider than a man at 80 kg. Force the shoulders to follow the belly and the jacket droops off the shoulder and makes the figure look bigger.
- Jacket length. The jacket must cover the seat. Too short on a large man looks as if it has shrunk; too long makes the legs look shorter.
- Fabric and colour. Solid dark colours such as deep navy and charcoal, in a fine wool, keep the lines cleaner. Shiny fabric, large checks or horizontal stripes make a man look wider.
For big men, ready-to-wear usually just scales every measurement up evenly, while bodies do not grow evenly. This is precisely where made-to-measure has its clearest advantage.
How to check your suit size in three minutes
- Put on a shirt that fits (a thick or loose shirt will throw off the feel).
- Button the jacket. One button on a two-button jacket. The front must lie flat. X-shaped creases around the button are a sign of a tight chest.
- Look at the shoulder line. The shoulder seam should sit exactly at the tip of the shoulder bone. If the shoulder sticks out past the bone, the jacket is too big; if it caves inward, it is too tight.
- Raise your arms forward and turn. The collar must not be dragged away from the back of your neck, and the sleeves must not ride up past the wrist.
- Breathe deeply. The jacket should not press on the chest or pull tight across the back.
Tips from Mon Amie's master tailors
Tailors have a familiar rule: choose the shoulders first and fix the rest afterwards. A jacket that fits the shoulders but is a little loose at the belly can be adjusted in minutes. A jacket that fits the belly but has the wrong shoulders can almost never be saved, because the shoulder is bound up with the shoulder construction, the lapels and the collar.
The second tip: don't choose a size by the number you want to see on the label. Many men are reluctant to wear a larger size and try to squeeze into a smaller one. A jacket straining at the button makes you look bigger than a jacket that fits exactly in the larger size.
The third tip: if three shops give you three different results, it is not your fault. Each maker has its own cut, so one maker's 48 may be another's 50.
Frequently asked questions
What weight is suit size 46, and what weight is size 48?
Size 46 fits a man of about 54–60 kg, 1.60–1.66 m tall, with a chest of about 92 cm. Size 48 usually fits about 60–66 kg, 1.64–1.70 m tall, with a chest of about 96 cm. If you carry a belly, take your chest measurement as the standard rather than your weight.
What suit size is 70 kg?
For a man 1.68–1.74 m tall, 70 kg falls in size 50. But a shorter man with a belly may need a 50–52, while a tall slim man may need only a 46–48. Measure your chest and halve it to get an approximate size number.
Who is suit size 42 for?
Size 42 corresponds to a chest of about 84 cm, for small-framed men about 1.50–1.58 m tall. Since ready-to-wear rarely carries a full run of this size, small men often choose made-to-measure to get shoulders and sleeves that fit.
Are suit size and shirt size the same?
No. A suit is sized by chest (European numbers such as 46, 48, 50), while a shirt is usually sized by neck circumference or by letter size. A man may wear a medium shirt and a size 50 jacket.
When the chart is no longer enough
A chart by kilograms narrows things down in seconds, but nobody is a row in a table. With our Bespoke made-to-measure service, the craftsman takes more than 30 measurements and keeps them for life, so you no longer have to guess your size. If you are far away, online tailoring can take your measurements by video call. When you are ready to be measured, you can book a measuring appointment at one of Mon Amie's 5 showrooms in Ho Chi Minh City. If you are still torn between two sizes, the article how to choose a men's suit size when you fall between two sizes will help you decide faster.