Shoe Size Converter
This shoe size converter switches between US, UK and EU sizes for men, women and kids. Pick a size and the equivalents update live as you choose, along with the foot length in inches and centimeters behind the size, which is the most reliable number when brands disagree.
Shoe Size Converter tool
How to use it
- Choose men, women or kids.
- Pick the size system you know and select your size.
- Read the US, UK and EU equivalents and the foot length.
What is a shoe size?
A shoe size is a code, or sizing number, that stands in for foot length. US and UK sizes step by one barleycorn, a third of an inch, while EU sizes step by a Paris point, two-thirds of a centimeter. A rough rule links foot length to the EU scale:
EU size ≈ foot length (cm) × 1.5 + 2The formula shows the idea: a 27 cm foot lands near EU 42.5 once the maker adds toe room. Because the three systems start counting from different points, the same foot gets three different shoe size numbers, and men's, women's and kids' scales differ again. That is why every conversion here runs through foot length.
Worked example
Fit tips by shoe type
| Shoe type | Typical fit advice |
|---|---|
| Running shoes | Often fit best a half size up, since feet swell on long runs |
| Dress shoes | Usually true to size; fit them to your longer foot |
| Boots | Leave room for thicker socks before sizing down |
| Sandals | The footbed should outline the whole foot with no overhang |
| Kids' shoes | Leave about a thumb's width of growing room and re-measure every few months |
| Between sizes | Size up, especially in styles known to run narrow |
These are typical patterns, not guarantees; fit varies by brand and model.
Reading a shoe size chart
Shoe sizes are really a stand-in for foot length. US and UK sizes both count in one-third-inch steps, an old unit called the barleycorn, but they start at different points, which is why a US men's size runs about half a size larger than the same UK number on most retail charts. A half size is therefore one-sixth of an inch, about 4.2 mm. EU sizes use the Paris point, two-thirds of a centimeter, so they climb in whole and half numbers that do not line up neatly with the others.
Men's, women's and kids' scales are separate. In the US, a women's size is about 1.5 to 2 sizes higher than the men's size for the same foot, so a women's 9.5 and a men's 8 are close. Kids' sizes run from 0 up to 13, then start over at 1 for youth sizes, which continue into the adult men's scale. Japan skips the whole tangle and labels shoes by foot length in centimeters, so a JP 27 fits a 27 cm foot.
How to measure your foot
Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, mark the tip of your longest toe, and measure the distance in centimeters. Do it late in the day, when feet are slightly larger, and measure both feet, since most people have one that is a bit longer; use the larger one. Then find the row on the chart whose foot length is at or just above your measurement. A fit that leaves about a thumb's width in front of the toes is the usual guide for everyday shoes.
Every chart is an approximation, and brands cut shoes differently. Width matters too: US men's shoes default to a D width and women's to a B, with narrower and wider fittings marked by other letters. If you are between two sizes, the length in centimeters settles it better than the label, and for a shoe that runs narrow, sizing up half a step is the common fix.
Common uses
- Buying shoes from a US, UK or EU retailer
- Reading size labels while traveling
- Gifting shoes when you only know one system
- Checking kids' sizes as they grow
- Matching a measured foot length to a size
- Buying unisex or opposite-gender styles
When to use it
- You found a great price on a UK site and need your US 9 in UK sizing.
- You are buying European-brand sneakers and wonder what size is EU 42 in US (about a US men's 9).
- You measured a 24 cm foot and want the matching women's shoe size.
- You are gifting shoes and only know the person's size in one system.
Related tools
The Length Converter turns a foot measured in inches into the centimeters shoe charts use.
The Weight Converter helps with the same US-versus-metric puzzle on product labels.
The Temperature Converter completes the travel kit for reading weather abroad.