Ordering shoes online should be simple, but one number can mean three different things depending on where the shoe was made. A US 8 is a UK 6 and a European 39 — and if you’re shopping Japanese brands, it’s simply 25 centimetres. No wonder so many of us have ordered the wrong size at least once.
Shoe sizing systems grew up separately in different countries, and they don’t even count the same thing. American and British sizes are traditional label scales with centuries of history behind them; European sizes count in Paris points; Japanese sizes skip the labels entirely and tell you the actual foot length in centimetres.
This converter brings all four systems together in one place. Enter the size you already know — in any system — and see its equivalents instantly. Or skip the guesswork completely: measure your foot in centimetres and let the converter match you to your size in every system. Because centimetres measure your actual foot rather than a manufacturer’s label, measuring is the most reliable way to shop, especially when you’re buying from international brands.
Enter your usual size — it will be matched to the nearest standard size.
Stand on a piece of paper, trace around your foot, and measure from heel to longest toe in centimetres.
Women’s shoe size conversion chart
The standard equivalents, for reference. The converter above does this for you automatically, but a table is easier to scan if you already know your size and just want the number.
| US | UK | EU | JP / Foot length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 35.5 | 22.0 |
| 5.5 | 3.5 | 36 | 22.5 |
| 6 | 4 | 36.5 | 23.0 |
| 6.5 | 4.5 | 37.5 | 23.5 |
| 7 | 5 | 38 | 24.0 |
| 7.5 | 5.5 | 38.5 | 24.5 |
| 8 | 6 | 39 | 25.0 |
| 8.5 | 6.5 | 40 | 25.5 |
| 9 | 7 | 40.5 | 26.0 |
| 9.5 | 7.5 | 41 | 26.5 |
| 10 | 8 | 42 | 27.0 |
| 11 | 9 | 43 | 28.0 |
Why shoe sizes differ around the world
The reason shoe sizes feel so inconsistent is that the systems were never designed to agree with each other — they don’t even measure the same thing.
American and British sizes descend from the barleycorn, an old English unit equal to a third of an inch. Each whole size step represents one barleycorn of length. The two systems use the same unit but start counting from different points, which is why a US women’s 8 is a UK 6 — same unit, different zero.
European sizing uses the Paris point, equal to two-thirds of a centimetre. A European 38 isn’t a converted American size; it’s a direct measurement in Paris points, which is why EU sizes come in half steps like 37.5 and 38.5.
Japanese sizing — also called Mondopoint — is the most straightforward of all: the number is simply your foot length in centimetres. A 24.5 fits a foot that measures 24.5 cm. No conversion, no history lesson, no guessing — which is why foot length in centimetres is the most trustworthy number when you’re shopping across borders.
Width matters too
Two shoes in the same size can fit completely differently — and width is usually why. Length is only half the story; the width of your forefoot decides whether a shoe feels snug, perfect, or painfully tight.
Most women’s shoes are made in a standard medium width (labelled B in the US). Narrow feet may need an A width, while wider feet are more comfortable in C or D widths. If your toes feel squeezed but the length is right, the answer usually isn’t a bigger size — it’s a wider one. And when a brand offers width options, use them: it’s the simplest upgrade to comfort you’ll ever make.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of day to measure my feet?
In the evening. Feet swell slightly as the day goes on — sometimes by as much as half a size. A morning measurement can leave you with shoes that feel perfect at breakfast and pinch by afternoon.
My feet are different sizes — which measurement should I use?
Always fit the larger foot; almost everyone has one foot slightly bigger than the other. You can even things out with an insole or heel grip on the smaller side.
Should I buy running shoes a half size bigger?
Usually, yes. Feet swell and slide forward when you run, and your toes need room to splay — aim for about a thumb’s width between your longest toe and the front of the shoe. Try them on in the afternoon, wearing the socks you’ll actually run in.
Why does the same size fit differently across brands?
Every brand builds its shoes on its own last — the foot-shaped mould the shoe is formed around — and lasts vary as much as feet do. Materials stretch differently too, and some brands simply run small or large by design. Treat the labelled size as a starting point and check each brand’s own size chart.
My shoes show both EU and US sizes — which should I trust?
Lean on the EU size: it’s tied to a real unit (the Paris point) rather than a label scale, and it’s usually the size the shoe was actually manufactured to. But a centimetre (JP) measurement beats both.
Are women’s and kids’ sizes on the same scale?
They overlap but aren’t identical. A women’s US 5 is roughly a big kid’s 3.5, and the numbering can look continuous — but children’s shoes are built on different lasts with different proportions, so convert with care and always check the brand’s chart rather than assuming.
How to measure your feet at home
- Trace your foot: place a blank sheet of paper on a hard floor, stand on it, and trace the outline of your foot with a pen held upright.
- Measure heel to toe: with a ruler, measure the distance from the back of the heel to the tip of your longest toe, in centimetres.
- Measure in the evening — feet swell slightly during the day, so an evening measurement gives the most comfortable fit.
- Measure both feet and use the larger measurement — most people have one foot slightly bigger than the other.