Shoe size
A shoe size is a numerical indication of the fitting size of a shoe for a person. Several different shoe-size systems are still used today worldwide. In some regions, it is even customary to use different shoe-size systems for different types of shoes (e.g., men's, women's, children's, sport or safety shoes).
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Foot length versus shoe length
The length of a foot (measured in centimeters) is commonly defined as the horizontal distance between two parallel lines that are perpendicular to the foot and in contact with the most prominent toe and the most prominent part of the heel. Foot length is measured with the subject standing barefoot and the weight of the body equally distributed on both feet.
Each shoe is suitable for a small interval of foot lengths. The length of the inner cavity of a shoe must typically be 15–20 mm longer than the length of the foot, but this relation varies between different types of shoes.
Some shoe-size systems indicate the average length of foot for which a shoe is suitable. With these, the customer only needs to remember a single number directly related to his or her foot size. Other systems indicate the length of the inner cavity of the shoe. Here, with different types of shoe, slightly different shoe sizes may be appropriate for the same foot.
Length unit
The following length units are commonly used today to define shoe-size systems:
- Millimeter (mm)
- Centimeter (cm) = 10 mm
- Paris point = 2/3 cm = 6.67 mm
- Barleycorn = 1/3 inch = 8.47 mm
Shoe sizes by country
Warning: None of the shoe-size systems listed in this section are formally standardized. The exact relationship between a labelled shoe size and the interval of foot lengths for which that shoe is suitable can vary substantially between different manufacturers. The following descriptions may only approximate the exact sizing systems used by individual manufacturers. Discrepancies and variantions occur in particular if shoes manufactured according to one shoe-size system are labeled in another system.
Continental Europe
In France, Germany, and most other European countries, the shoe size is the length of the foot, measured in Paris points:
| Shoe size [Paris points] | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean foot size [cm] | 10.0 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 12.0 | 12.7 | 13.3 | 14.0 | 14.7 | 15.3 | 16.0 | 16.7 | 17.3 | 18.0 | 18.7 | 19.3 | 20.0 | 20.7 | 21.3 | 22.0 | 22.7 |
| Min. foot size [cm] | 9.7 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 11.7 | 12.3 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 15.7 | 16.3 | 17.0 | 17.7 | 18.3 | 19.0 | 19.7 | 20.3 | 21.0 | 21.7 | 22.3 |
| Max. foot size [cm] | 10.3 | 11.0 | 11.7 | 12.3 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 15.7 | 16.3 | 17.0 | 17.7 | 18.3 | 19.0 | 19.7 | 20.3 | 21.0 | 21.7 | 22.3 | 23.0 |
| Shoe size [Paris points] | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 |
| Mean foot size [cm] | 23.3 | 24.0 | 24.7 | 25.3 | 26.0 | 26.7 | 27.3 | 28.0 | 28.7 | 29.3 | 30.0 | 30.7 | 31.3 | 32.0 | 32.7 | 33.3 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 35.3 | 36.0 |
| Min. foot size [cm] | 23.0 | 23.7 | 24.3 | 25.0 | 25.7 | 26.3 | 27.0 | 27.7 | 28.3 | 29.0 | 29.7 | 30.3 | 31.0 | 31.7 | 32.3 | 33.0 | 33.7 | 34.3 | 35.0 | 35.7 |
| Max. foot size [cm] | 23.7 | 24.3 | 25.0 | 25.7 | 26.3 | 27.0 | 27.7 | 28.3 | 29.0 | 29.7 | 30.3 | 31.0 | 31.7 | 32.3 | 33.0 | 33.7 | 34.3 | 35.0 | 35.7 | 36.3 |
United Kingdom
There are both children’s and adult’s shoe sizes, starting at about 4 inches foot length (for children) and 8 inches (for adults). Each size is one barleycorn, a distance of one third of an inch, larger than the previous. Lengths of shoes are typically around one third of an inch larger than the foot length, for example a size 8 shoe adult shoe would be <math>8+\frac{8}{3}+\frac{1}{3}=11<math> inches. Shoes are typically marked in both British and EU sizes nowadays due to links with the continent, and the import of shoes from the Far East.
Australia, New Zealand
In Australian and New Zealand men’s scale, shoe sizes are the same as in the UK. The Australasian Women’s scale typically has sizes 2 greater than the UK/Aus men’s.
United States
The US men’s scale can be obtained from the British by adding one half unit. The standard US women’s scale is 1½ sizes greater than the British. However, an alternate "FIA" scale also exists, which is ½ of a size smaller.
Japan
Japanese shoe sizes state the foot length in centimeters.
Korea
Korean shoe manufacturers use the Mondopoint system (mean foot length in millimeters).
Formal standards
Various national and international standards (ISO 9407) recommend a shoe-size system known as Mondopoint. It is based on the mean foot length for which the shoe is suitable, measured in millimeters.
European standard EN 13402 recommends instead that shoes should be labeled with the interval of foot lengths for which they are suitable, measured in centimeters.
Conversion chart
Warning: There exists no internationally standardized conversion table. The exact relationship between shoe sizes can vary substantially between different manufacturers, especially where shoes manufactured according to one show-size system are labeled in another one.
| Mondopoint / ISO 9407 (mm) | 228 | 231 | 235 | 238 | 241 | 245 | 248 | 251 | 254 | 257 | 260 | 267 | 273 | 279 | 286 | 292 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Mens | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 7 | 7½ | 8 | 8½ | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13½ |
| UK Womens | 2½ | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 7 | 7½ | 8 | 9½ | 10½ | 11½ | 13 |
| US Mens | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 7 | 7½ | 8 | 8½ | 9 | 10½ | 11½ | 12½ | 14 |
| US Womens | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 7 | 7½ | 8 | 8½ | 9 | 9½ | 10 | 10½ | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15½ |
| Australia Mens | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 7 | 7½ | 8 | 8½ | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13½ |
| Australia Womens | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 7 | 7½ | 8 | 8½ | 9 | 10½ | 11½ | 12½ | 14 |
| Japan Mens | 21.5 | 22 | 22.5 | 23 | 23.5 | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 26.5 | 27.5 | 28.5 | 29.5 | 30.5 | 31.5 |
| Japan Womens | 21 | 21.5 | 22 | 22.5 | 23 | 23.5 | 24 | 24.5 | 25 | 25.5 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Europe | 35 | 35½ | 36 | 37 | 37½ | 38 | 38½ | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46½ | 48½ |
| EN 13402 (cm) | 22.7–22.9 | 23.0–23.2 | 23.3–23.6 | 23.7–23.9 | 24.0–24.2 | 24.3–24.6 | 24.7–24.9 | 25.0–25.2 | 25.3–25.5 | 25.6–25.8 | 25.9–26.2 | 26.3–26.9 | 27.0–27.5 | 27.6–28.1 | 28.2–28.8 | 28.9–29.5 |
| Mexico | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12.5 | |||||
| Foot length (cm) | 22.8 | 23.1 | 23.5 | 23.8 | 24.1 | 24.5 | 24.8 | 25.1 | 25.4 | 25.7 | 26 | 26.7 | 27.3 | 27.9 | 28.6 | 29.2 |
| Foot length (inches) | 9 | 9 1/8 | 9¼ | 9 3/8 | 9½ | 9 5/8 | 9¾ | 9 7/8 | 10 | 10 1/8 | 10¼ | 10½ | 10¾ | 11 | 11¼ | 11½ |
Myths
The myth that a man's foot size is correlated to the size of his penis has been discredited in anthropometric studies [1].
References
- EN 13402
- International Standard ISO 9407:1991, Shoe sizes — Mondopoint system of sizing and marking
- British Standard BS 4981:1984, Specification for Mondopoint footwear sizing and marking system
External links
Categories: Section stubs | Standards | Measurement | Footwear