UK Shoe Sizes and Conversion Charts to EU and US Sizes
80China uses European standard for clothes and shoe sizes. EU standard recommends that shoes should be labelled with the foot lengths for which they are suitable, measured in centimetres.
I haven’t bought any shoes for a couple of years since I moved to UK because I brought several pairs with me from China. I was totally confused when I was buying shoes for my daughter. If I wear size 4 which equals EU size 37, how can it be there is a baby shoe size 4 too? After a half hour wandering in the shoes shop, I started to understand that there are child sizes and adult sizes in UK standard.
UK and US shoe sizes
Shoe size in UK is based on the length of the last, measured in barleycorns (thirds of an inch) starting from the smallest practical size, which is size zero. A child's size zero is equivalent to a hand (or handbreadth. which is a unit of length measurement, originally based on the breadth of a hand. It is standardised at 4 inches or 10 cm or 12 barleycorns), and the sizes go up to size 13 (8″). An adult size one is then the next size up (9″) and each size up continues the progression in barleycorns.
Shoe sizes in North America are similar to those in UK but start counting at one rather than zero and so equivalent sizes are one greater. This is similar to the way that floors in buildings are numbered from one rather from zero (ground) in these regions.
Conversion chart
The following chart shows how to convert UK shoe sizes to EU and US sizes.
• Childs UK 0 = EU 16 = USA & Canada 1
• Childs UK 1 = EU 17 = USA & Canada 2
• Childs UK 2 = EU 18 = USA & Canada 3
• Childs UK 3 = EU 19 = USA & Canada 4
• Childs UK 4 = EU 20 = USA & Canada 5
• Childs UK 5 = EU 22 = USA & Canada 6
• Childs UK 6 = EU 23 = USA & Canada 7
• Childs UK 7 = EU 24 = USA & Canada 8
• Childs UK 8 = EU 26 = USA & Canada 9
• Childs UK 9 = EU 27 = USA & Canada 10
• Childs UK 10 = EU 28 = USA & Canada 11
• Childs UK 11 = EU 30 = USA & Canada 12
• Childs UK 12 = EU 31 = USA & Canada 13
• Childs UK 13 = EU 32 = USA & Canada 1
• Adult UK 1 = EU 34 = USA & Canada 2
• Adult UK 2 = EU 35 = USA & Canada 3
• Adult UK 3 = EU 36 = USA & Canada 4
• Adult UK 4 = EU 37 = USA & Canada 5
• Adult UK 5 = EU 38 = USA & Canada 6
• Adult UK 6 = EU 39 = USA & Canada 7
• Adult UK 7 = EU 40 = USA & Canada 8
• Adult UK 8 = EU 41 = USA & Canada 9
Age to size guide for children
• Upto 1 = Child size UK 0-4
• Age 2 = Child size UK 5-6
• Age 3 = Child size UK 7-8
• Age 4 = Child size UK 9-10
• Age 5 = Child size UK 10-11
• Age 6 = Child size UK 11-12
• Age 7 = Child size UK 12-13
• Age 8+ = UK adult sizes
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Comments
thank you so much for this , there are so many shoe brands that go by their own measurements you really have to try a shoe sometimes to get the right fit
i need to by a gucci shoe in America thru my sisiter and am confused about my size in America.My size in UK,is is size 11,what will be my size in USA??????
I LIVE IN NIGERIA,AND I WISH TO BUY A GUCCI SHOE IN AMERICA THROUGH MY SISITER WHO LIVES IN THE US.I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH USA SHOE SIZE I DONT KNOW MY REAL SIZE IN THE US,COULD YOU PLEASE HELP.MY SIZE IN THE UK,IS SIZE 11 WHAT WILL BE MY U.S.A. SIZE??????
THANK YOU.
US ladies sizes run 2 sizes bigger than the UK size for example a size 5 UK is converted to size 7 US. I found out the hard way when i bought some shoes and for my mum only to return to the UK and they were small as i had bought only 1 size up as this is the typical conversion for men (1 size up).
AEvans says:
12 months ago
Thank you for this information as their sizes have always been confusing to me, so we are not the first ones out there that has this problem. I am certainly happy that I livein the U.S . as I am a size 7 and that makes me feel comfortable, if I were there then I would be a 6=39 and 39 to me is HUGE!!!:) Great Article!!