What is a 39 or 40 shoe size in the United States, you ask? Keep reading. We tapped a footwear expert to break down how women can find their shoe size in nearly every country. We also asked a Native Shoes footwear designer to share some tips on shopping for a shoe that will really fit. Keep scrolling for shoe expert Desiree Stimpert's guide to international shoe conversion for women.
Measure Your Feet
Serious about getting the perfect fit the first time around? Measure your feet.
- Make sure you're standing on a flat surface
- Trace the outline of your foot on a piece of paper. Keep your pen as perpendicular to the paper as possible to produce the most accurate outline
- On the tracing you've created, use a ruler to measure from edge of your heel to the tip of your longest toe
- Use Chart One below to convert the length of your feet to a U.S. shoe size
Chart One: Measurement | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Inches | Centimeters | U.S. & Canada | Europe | UK |
8-3/16 | 20.8 | 4 | 35 | 2 |
8-3/8 | 21.3 | 4.5 | 35 | 2.5 |
8-1/2 | 21.6 | 5 | 35–36 | 3 |
8-3/4 | 22.2 | 5.5 | 36 | 3.5 |
8-7/8 | 22.5 | 6 | 36–37 | 4 |
9-1/16 | 23 | 6.5 | 37 | 4.5 |
9-1/4 | 23.5 | 7 | 37–38 | 5 |
9-3/8 | 23.8 | 7.5 | 38 | 5.5 |
9-1/2 | 24.1 | 8 | 38–39 | 6 |
9-11/16 | 24.6 | 8.5 | 39 | 6.5 |
9-7/8 | 25.1 | 9 | 39–40 | 7 |
10 | 25.4 | 9.5 | 40 | 7.5 |
10-3/16 | 25.9 | 10 | 40–41 | 8 |
10-5/16 | 26.2 | 10.5 | 41 | 8.5 |
10-1/2 | 26.7 | 11 | 41–42 | 9 |
10-11/16 | 27.1 | 11.5 | 42 | 9.5 |
10-7/8 | 27.6 | 12 | 42–43 | 10 |
International "Women's" Shoe Size Conversion Chart
Now that you have an accurately measured U.S. shoe size, use Chart Two below to find its equivalent in China, Australia, Europe, Mexico, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Chart Two: International shoe size equivalents | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S./Canada | China | Australia | Europe | Mexico | Japan | U.K. |
5 | 35.5 | 5 | 35 | - | 21 | 2.5 |
5.5 | 36 | 5.5 | 35.5 | - | 21.5 | 3 |
6 | 37 | 6 | 36 | - | 22 | 3.5 |
6.5 | 37.5 | 7 | 37 | - | 22.5 | 4 |
7 | 38 | 7.5 | 37.5 | - | 23 | 4.5 |
7.5 | 39 | 8 | 38 | 4.5 | 23.5 | 5 |
8 | 39.5 | 8.5 | 38.5 | 5 | 24 | 5.5 |
8.5 | 40 | 9 | 39 | 5.5 | 24.5 | 6 |
9 | 41 | 10 | 40 | 6 | 25 | 6.5 |
9.5 | - | 11 | 41 | 6.5 | 25.5 | 7 |
10 | 42 | 12 | 42 | 7 | 26 | 7.5 |
How to Shop for Shoes Online
If you're buying shoes online, keep these tips in mind:
- Always check the retailer's return policy for any shoes you buy.
- These measurements don't take into account the thickness or width of your foot, so check if the shoes come in varying widths. These are usually denoted by "AA" (narrow), "B" (average), "C/D" (wide), or "E" (extra wide). Additionally, you might see "M," indicating a "medium" width.
- Consider the socks you plan to wear, if any. They can take up room and make shoes feel tighter.
- No two feet are exactly the same size—measure them both and use the larger measurement.
- Feet tend to swell a bit as the day goes on, or after you stand on them for a while. Measure your feet when they're at their largest.
- Consider the materials, manufacturing techniques, embellishments, and other factors that can affect the way a shoe fits.
- Check the reviews for the shoes you're considering and look for comments regarding how true to size they run.
Meet the Expert
Gabe Lam is a footwear designer at Native Shoes
How to Tell If a Shoe Fits
"The main telltale sign that a shoe doesn’t fit correctly is discomfort," says Native Shoes footwear designer Gabe Lam. "If any part of your foot feels uncomfortable in either the length or width of your foot you may need to reconsider the shoe size or style altogether. Foot pain and discomfort can look anything like hot spots, blisters, pinching, red marks left on your feet once you’ve taken the shoes off, or any other pain points experienced."
He adds: "People usually try on a shoe while sitting down, and if it feels okay then assume it fits. However, it’s important to stand up and walk around so there is pressure on your feet, and your sole and toes splay out as they would when walking."
Sizing by Shoe Style
Lam also recommends to take shoe style into account when trying to determine your size. "For example, when shopping for boots, you want a bit of slip in your heel so you can get it on and off with ease," he says. "When finding your perfect shoe size everything from the material, construction, silhouette, and purpose plays a role and is a factor to consider."
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