how to convert eu shoe size to us

 

The difference between US shoe sizes (also called American size) and European shoe sizes is not constant, 

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but varies by manufacturer or country to country, with differences of up to a size or two between the continents in either direction sometimes being found on the same label (Euro 40/US 7, for example).

 

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This is why I created a table to convert between US, European, and other worldwide shoe and other size systems (S, M, L) all in one simple table.

 

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The left column converts between the 2 main shoe sizes in the US (listed in inches) and European (listed in millimeters). 

 

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The right column converts between most other worldwide shoe sizes. One thing to note: While there are a few exceptions to the system of round equivalents used here, they 

 

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The reason we call them (North American, British, Irish, etc.) shoe size"s" is because of the way their feet are measured in the 19th century: They were compared to a piece of wood they called the "standard ruler". 

 

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To buy shoes you had to measure your feet and then have them cut to the right length. This meant that you had a "footed" standard ruler (what I'm calling "rod") of what your foot should be.

 

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 The rod was made from wood, so it was bendy if you wanted to squeeze your foot into a shoe you had to pick up. 

 

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When measuring your feet this way, the rod was placed in your shoe and your measurement (in inches) told you how many shoes you were allowed to buy.

 

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According to a local cobbler in Brussels (who has been studying shoemaking since he was 16):

There is not really a conversion formula. The US have fixed standard sizes, while there is no such thing in Europe or anywhere else on the planet. 

 

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Shoe sizes depend on the manufacturer and the country they are sold in (but even there it can vary!).

 

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 Shoe sizes are proportional to the size of the foot. In other words they increase in size by a certain increment depending on how big or small you feet are.

 

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In Europe, shoe sizes are calculated by adding the length of certain parts of the foot and subtracting 0.5 centimetres. 

 

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This is also how Chinese shoe sizes work but as it depends on individual brands, I will not start a discussion about that here.

 

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The US have fixed standard sizes for men and women [1], where men normally have bigger feet than women (based on models used for research). Consequently men's shoes can be more difficult to find if you do not fit the criteria .