What Shoe Size Converter does
Shoe sizes are labelled differently almost everywhere you shop — a US 9 is a UK 8 and an EU 42.5, and men's and women's scales differ from each other even for the exact same foot length. This converter takes a size in any one system and returns its equivalent across US, UK, EU and centimetre foot length, alongside the full reference chart for men's or women's sizing, so you can check a size before ordering from an overseas retailer or an unfamiliar brand.
How to use it
- 1
Choose men's or women's sizing.
- 2
Select which system your known size is in.
- 3
Enter the size.
- 4
Read the equivalent sizes and the full chart below.
Why there's no single formula between systems
US, UK and EU shoe sizing each grew out of different historical measuring conventions — UK sizing is based on barleycorns (a third of an inch) counted from a nominal smallest size, while EU sizing (Paris points) is based on two-thirds of a centimetre. Because the systems don't share a common unit or starting point, the mapping between them isn't a single exact multiplier, which is why brands publish size charts as lookup tables rather than a formula, and why this tool does the same.
Why men's and women's scales differ for the same foot
US and UK sizing use separate numbering scales for men's and women's shoes, offset from each other by roughly 1.5 to 2 sizes for an identical foot length — a US women's 8 and a US men's 6.5 correspond to a similar actual foot size. EU sizing and centimetre foot length are shared across both, which is why they're often the most reliable figures to compare when a men's/women's size doesn't obviously line up.
When you would reach for this
Ordering shoes from an overseas retailer
Convert a familiar US or UK size into the EU size a European retailer lists, before checking out on a site with no size guide of its own.
Buying a gift when you only know one size system
Work out what size to select on an unfamiliar brand's site from a size you already know the recipient wears elsewhere.
Comparing a shoe's fit against a known foot measurement
Cross-check a size against an actual foot-length measurement in centimetres, the one figure that doesn't vary by labelling convention.
A few pointers
- When comparing across brands, use the centimetre foot-length figure as the anchor — it's the only measurement not affected by differing numbered-size conventions.
- Sizing tends to vary more between brands than this general chart accounts for, so treat it as a starting estimate rather than a guarantee, especially for narrow or wide feet.
- Kids' shoe sizing uses yet another separate scale not covered here, since it resets rather than continuing the adult numbering.