Shoe Size Converter

This converter takes a shoe size in one system, US men's, US women's, UK, EU or foot length in centimeters, and shows the equivalent in the others, along with the foot length in centimeters and inches and the Japanese (centimeter) size.

Use it when buying shoes from an overseas retailer, reading a European or Japanese size label, or switching between men's and women's styles. The most reliable starting point is your foot length: measure it as described below and enter it in centimeters, then check the retailer's own size chart, because brands cut their lasts differently and the same nominal size can vary by half a size or more.

Sizes here are for adults. Children's sizes in the US and UK use a separate scale that restarts partway through, so they need a children's chart. For other unit conversions, the length converter converts centimeters, inches and millimeters, and the ring size calculator does the same job for rings.

These are the traditional definitions of the English (barleycorn) and Continental (Paris point) sizing systems. Japanese sizes and the international Mondopoint system (ISO 9407) instead use foot length directly, in centimeters or millimeters, which is why foot length is the most dependable reference. Because the allowance between foot and last is not standardized, published brand charts can differ from each other and from this converter by half a size or more; always check the brand's own chart before buying.

Approximate equivalents as listed by many major footwear brands. Foot length is the measured length of the foot, not the shoe. Use this as a starting point and check each brand's own chart.

• Measure late in the day, when feet are at their largest, wearing the socks you would wear with the shoes.
• Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall and your weight on that foot.
• Mark the tip of your longest toe (not always the big toe) and measure from the wall to the mark in centimeters.
• Measure both feet and use the longer one; it is common for feet to differ by several millimeters.
• For wide feet, look for brands that offer width fittings (such as US D/2E/4E for men or UK E/F/G) rather than going up a length size.

There is no single binding international standard for the number printed on a shoe. US and UK sizes count in thirds of an inch, EU sizes in two-thirds of a centimeter, and each brand decides how much room to add beyond the foot. Athletic brands often run small and some European brands run large. Men's and women's US sizes also use different starting points, which is why a unisex sneaker may show two US sizes. Japan, China and Korea label shoes by foot length in centimeters or millimeters, the system closest to the Mondopoint standard used for ski boots and military footwear.