UK to EU Shoe Sizes, and How to Measure Your Feet at Home
Written by Artemis Clo
A UK to EU shoe size conversion looks as though it should follow a neat rule, and frustratingly it does not. The two systems count in different steps, so the numbers slide past each other. Below is an approximate chart, the reason behind the muddle, and the ten-minute way to measure your feet at home so you can stop guessing.
The UK to EU shoe size conversion chart
These are the conversions most makers use for women's shoes. They are approximate, and where brands disagree we have shown the range. If a product page gives a foot length in centimetres, that figure beats any chart.
| UK | EU | US (women's) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 35.5 to 36 | 5 |
| 3.5 | 36 | 5.5 |
| 4 | 37 | 6 |
| 4.5 | 37.5 | 6.5 |
| 5 | 38 | 7 |
| 5.5 | 38.5 | 7.5 |
| 6 | 39 | 8 |
| 6.5 | 39.5 to 40 | 8.5 |
| 7 | 40 to 41 | 9 |
| 8 | 41 to 42 | 10 |
| 9 | 42.5 to 43 | 11 |
The quick version: European sizes usually sit around 33 above UK sizes at the small end, drifting towards 34 at the larger end, and US women's sizes are usually your UK size plus 2. Some American brands use plus 2.5, so a UK 5 may appear as a US 7 or a 7.5.
Notice that a single European size does not always have a single UK partner. A European 40 might be sold as a UK 6.5 by one maker and a UK 7 by another. That is not a mistake on anyone's part. It is simply what happens when two rulers with different markings are laid side by side.
If you have your eye on a pair of suede-look ankle boots with a side zip, look for the size guide on the product page before you choose your number. The same goes for anything in our boots collection, where the shape of the toe and the height of the shaft both change how a size feels.
Boots worth a look
A few pieces that fit what you have just read.
Orthopaedic Suede-Look Ankle Boots with Side Zip
Faux-Fur Lined Ankle Boots with Side Zip
Orthopaedic Side Zip Ankle Boots with Pull Tab
Why UK and EU shoe sizes never line up neatly
British shoe sizes are counted in barleycorns, an old unit of a third of an inch, which is about 8.5 millimetres. Each full UK size is one barleycorn longer than the last. European sizes use the Paris point, two-thirds of a centimetre, so each European size is about 6.7 millimetres longer than the one before.
Because the steps are different lengths, there is no tidy formula. Roughly every three UK sizes cover four European ones, which is why some UK sizes land neatly on a whole European number and others fall awkwardly between two.
Both systems also measure the shoe, or rather the last it was made on, rather than your foot. The last is always a little longer than the foot it is meant for, to allow room for your toes to move. How much longer is up to the maker, and that is where the real differences between brands come from.
What this means when you shop
Your size is a range, not a single number. Most women are comfortable across a half size or so, depending on the style. Knowing your actual foot length lets you check where you fall in that range for each pair rather than hoping the conversion went your way.
US to UK shoe size, and the men's size trap
American women's shoe sizes usually sit two sizes above British ones, so a US 8 is roughly a UK 6. That part is easy. The trap is that American men's sizes use a different scale, sitting much closer to British sizes, so a US men's 8 is nothing like a US women's 8.
This matters more than you might think with trainers and unisex shapes, which are sometimes labelled in men's sizes or show both. If a label simply says US 7 and the style could be worn by anyone, check which scale it means before you order.
When you see a US size on a pair of lace panel trainers with polka dots or any other casual shoe, subtract two to get a starting UK size, then confirm it against the foot length on the size guide.
How to measure your feet at home
You need a sheet of plain paper larger than your foot, a pencil, a ruler or tape measure, and a wall. Ten minutes, and you will never need to guess again.
- Do it in the evening, when your feet are at their largest after a day of walking about.
- Wear the socks or tights you would normally wear with the shoes you have in mind. Thick winter socks and bare feet in sandals give different results.
- Tape the paper to a hard floor with one short edge pressed against the wall.
- Stand on the paper with your heel touching the wall and your weight evenly on both feet. Standing matters: your foot spreads when it carries your weight.
- Ask someone to mark the tip of your longest toe, holding the pencil upright. If you are on your own, mark it carefully while leaning as little as possible.
- Measure from the edge of the paper to the mark in centimetres. That is your foot length.
- Repeat with the other foot. Use the larger measurement.
Keep the figure on your phone alongside your clothing measurements. Our guide on how to measure yourself for clothes covers the rest of you with the same patient approach.
Turning foot length in cm into a size
Most good size guides list foot length in centimetres next to each size. Find your measurement and choose the size whose foot length matches it or sits just above it. If you fall between two, the next section will help.
Width, instep and the parts a chart ignores
Length is only half the story. Two women with the same foot length can need very different shoes if one has a broad forefoot or a high instep.
To check width, stand on a fresh sheet of paper and trace around your foot, keeping the pencil upright. Measure across the widest point, usually where your big toe meets the foot. Compare it with a width figure on the size guide if there is one.
In the UK, women's standard width is usually called D, a wider fitting E, and extra wide EE or more. European labels rarely use these letters and often describe width in words instead, such as wide or comfort fit. If your feet are broad, look for a roomy toe, soft uppers and adjustable fastenings rather than relying on a number. Touch straps, buckles and side zips all give you some leeway, as on a pair of walking sandals with touch straps.
A high instep, the top of your foot, needs depth rather than width. Shoes with laces, straps or an opening that comes well down the foot are easier than closed slip-ons. Ankle boots with a long zip help too, like these ruched ankle boots with a side zip.
If you want the full picture of what a good fit feels like, from toe room to heel grip, our guide to how shoes should fit goes through it step by step.
Half sizes and in-between feet
Many European makers only offer whole sizes, which can leave a UK half size stranded. Here is how to choose.
- Closed shoes and boots: go up rather than down. A little extra length is easy to manage with a thin insole or thicker socks; a shoe that is too short cannot be fixed.
- Sandals and slides: the half size down often works, because nothing encloses your toes and a sandal that is too long tends to slap and look borrowed. Check that your toes and heel both sit fully on the sole, with no overhang at either end.
- Shoes with adjustable straps or laces: choose for length and let the fastening take care of width.
- Slip-ons with no fastening: these are the least forgiving, so lean on the foot length measurement more than ever.
If one of your feet is longer than the other, and most of us have one, size for the larger foot.
Converting shoe sizes by type of shoe
The same conversion can feel quite different depending on what kind of shoe it is on. A few patterns are worth knowing.
Before you read them, line up the pairs you actually wear most, not the ones you keep for best. Look inside each for the size, and note which country's system it uses. You may find you are a 38 in one pair, a 39 in another and a UK 5.5 in a third, all perfectly comfortable. That spread tells you more about your feet than any chart. The pairs that feel right all day are your reference; the ones that sit at the back of the cupboard are usually there for a reason, and it is worth asking yourself what that reason is. Too short, too narrow, too slippery at the heel: each answer points you to a different choice next time.
Boots
Think about the socks you will wear with them. If you live in thick socks from November to March, measure your feet wearing them and choose accordingly. Lined boots, such as faux-fur lined ankle boots with a side zip, take up room inside, so some women prefer half a size up. Shaft width matters too if you have fuller calves; look for the measurement around the top of the boot on longer styles like knee-high boots with lace detail and a block heel.
Everyday shoes and loafers
Closed shoes without laces need to fit well at the heel. Your heel should sit snugly without slipping when you walk, and there should be a little room in front of your longest toe, roughly a finger's width. A pair of colour-block penny loafers with a low heel is a good example of a shape where length really counts. Browse the shoes collection with your foot length to hand.
Sandals
Sandals are the most forgiving shoes to convert, because there is no toe box to squeeze into. Look at where the straps sit. A toe-post sandal with a block heel needs the right length so the post sits comfortably between your toes, while slides with wide straps adapt to more feet. You will find plenty of both in our sandals.
When a pair is nearly right
Sometimes a pair is almost perfect. A little room in the heel, or a touch firm across the toes. A few small fixes can make the difference, provided the length is right to begin with.
If a shoe feels slightly loose, a thin insole or heel grip takes up the extra space. If it feels a little firm across the widest part of your foot, a shoe stretcher can ease the upper over a few days. Neither can add length, so a shoe that pinches at the toes is the wrong size, not a project.
New shoes also soften with wear, especially once they have warmed up on your feet a few times. Our guide on how to break in new shoes gently explains how to do that indoors first, so you can still change your mind. Our FAQ covers returns.
If your feet are uncomfortable in most shoes, or something hurts rather than simply feeling unfamiliar, it is worth seeing a qualified professional rather than hunting for the perfect size.
Before you order from a European size chart
A short routine saves a lot of trips to the post office.
- Know your foot length in centimetres, measured in the evening.
- Read the size guide on the product page rather than a generic chart.
- Check the shape: pointed toes and slim slip-ons usually need more length than round toes.
- Look for fastenings that adjust, especially if you have wide feet or a high instep.
- For boots, consider socks and lining, and the measurement around the shaft.
If you are also converting clothing sizes for the same trip or the same order, our UK, EU and US clothing size guide works the same way: a chart to start, your measurements to finish. And if you are packing for a break abroad, our notes on which shoes to pack for a holiday will keep your suitcase light.
Measure once, keep the number, and the next pair can arrive with no surprises.
Next, from our sandals
Something from a neighbouring rail, for the same moment.
Orthopaedic Walking Sandals with Touch Straps
Orthopaedic Toe-Post Sandals, Block Heel
Orthopaedic Slide Sandals with Two Wide Straps
Your questions, answered
Is a UK 5 a European 38?
Usually, yes. A UK 5 is most often labelled a 38 in Europe. Some makers put it closer to 37.5 or 38.5, so check the foot length in centimetres on the size guide if you can.
Is a UK 6 a size 39 or 40?
Most charts put a UK 6 at a European 39. If the brand comes up small, or you have a wide foot, a 39.5 or 40 can feel better, which is why your foot length is a better guide than the number alone.
Do my feet change size over the years?
They often do. Many women find their feet become a little longer or wider over time, and they can change after pregnancy too. It is worth measuring again every few years rather than relying on the size you wore at thirty.
Should I measure my feet in the morning or the evening?
Measure later in the day. Feet tend to swell slightly as the hours go by, so an evening measurement is closer to how your shoes will feel at the end of a long day.
What if one foot is bigger than the other?
That is very common. Choose the size that fits your larger foot, then use a thin insole or a thicker sock on the smaller side if it needs a little help.
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