The formula
How it works
Convert a foot length into US, UK and EU shoe sizes. Measure your foot from heel to longest toe in centimetres, choose men’s or women’s sizing, and the calculator gives the approximate size in each system.
FAQ
How do I measure my 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 centimetres. Measure both feet and use the larger one, ideally late in the day when feet are at their biggest. This length drives every size the calculator shows.
Why are the sizes approximate?
Shoe sizing is not standardised — brands and countries vary, and lasts differ in width and shape. The conversions here use the standard barleycorn and Paris-point systems, which get you to the right size, but always try shoes on or check a brand’s own chart where you can.
Why do men’s and women’s sizes differ for the same foot length?
Men’s and women’s scales are offset from each other by convention, not because the sizing formula itself changes with foot shape. A women’s US size is roughly a size and a half higher than a men’s size for the same length of foot.
How do I convert to kids’ shoe sizes?
This calculator is built for adult sizing, so it is not accurate for children’s shoes. Kids’ scales use their own numbering that resets and runs separately from adult US, UK and EU sizes.
Why did I get a half size?
Foot lengths rarely land exactly on a whole size, so the calculator rounds to the nearest half size for a closer match. If a half size is not sold in your desired shoe, sizing up is usually the safer choice.
Does foot width affect the size shown?
No — the calculator only converts length, since none of the three systems it covers officially encode width. If you have wide or narrow feet, use the length result as a starting size and check a specific brand’s width options.
Which foot should I measure if my feet are different sizes?
Measure both feet and use the longer one. It is normal for feet to differ slightly, and sizing to the larger foot avoids buying shoes that are too tight.
About the shoe size converter
This converter turns a foot length in centimetres into US, UK and EU shoe sizes for men or women. Because shoe sizing systems grew up separately in different countries, a single foot maps to three quite different numbers. The calculator applies the standard formulas behind each system so you can find your size in an unfamiliar scale — useful when buying abroad or online.
How to use it
Measure your foot from heel to longest toe in centimetres and enter it, then choose men’s or women’s sizing. The calculator shows the matching US, UK and EU sizes. For example, a 26 cm foot in men’s sizing is roughly a US 9, a UK 8 and an EU 42. Measure both feet and go by the larger one, since most people’s feet differ slightly.
The formula
The US and UK sizes come from the barleycorn system, where each size is a third of an inch. Men’s US size is , with the UK size one below it. The EU size uses the Paris point, roughly . Women’s sizes shift the US scale up by about a size and a half against the same foot length.
Where it is used
Shoppers use it when a store lists sizes in a system they do not know — a UK site, a European brand, an American retailer. Travellers use it to buy shoes abroad with confidence, and gift-buyers use it to convert a size someone quoted in another scale. Since return postage on ill-fitting shoes is a common annoyance, converting correctly up front saves both time and money.