Convert shoe sizes between EU, US (men's/women's), UK, Japan/Mondopoint and foot length in cm – calculated via the foot length.
Fill in the fields below and click "Calculate".
Converting Shoe Sizes: EU, US, UK and the Foot Length Behind Them
All sizing systems ultimately describe the same thing – the length of the last the shoe is built on. This converter therefore uses foot length as the pivot: EU sizes follow the Paris point (one point = 6.67 mm, formula: EU = 1.5 × (foot length + 1.5 cm allowance)), UK and US count in barleycorns (⅓ inch), and Japan simply states the foot length in centimetres (Mondopoint). An EU 43 thus corresponds to roughly US men's 10, UK 9 and a 27.2 cm foot.
Why men's and women's sizes differ
In Europe one size fits all genders. The USA, however, uses separate scales: US women's sizes sit about 1.5 numbers above men's sizes for the same foot length. A US women's 9 and a US men's 7.5 describe the same foot – important when buying sneakers online, which are often listed as unisex models in men's sizing.
Measuring your foot correctly
In the evening (feet expand during the day), stand barefoot on a sheet of paper against a wall, mark your longest toe and measure the distance to the wall. Measure both feet – they almost always differ – and use the larger value. The usual allowance of 1 to 1.5 cm for the rolling motion is already included in the EU formula.
Limits of the conversion
Manufacturers round differently and cut their lasts differently: a size 43 sneaker from brand A can fit like a 42.5 from brand B. The calculated values are the best starting point but no substitute for trying shoes on. For children's shoes, always start from the measured foot length plus 1.2 to 1.7 cm allowance – children's feet grow in spurts of up to a millimetre per month.
