Men to Women Shoe Size Converter
The standard rule: a women's shoe is about 1.5 US sizes up from the men's equivalent. Convert precisely in either direction, with the caveats that matter.
Tip: measuring your foot in cm or inches is the most accurate starting point — see how to measure. Conversions between named size systems are approximate by nature.
How this conversion works
Men's and women's US scales describe the same feet on two offsets: a foot that measures US men's 8 is labeled US women's 9.5 on the common retail scale (some charts using the FIA scale show one size less — a reminder that the whole mapping is convention, not physics).
Width is the honest caveat: women's shoes are cut on a narrower last. If you are crossing categories to buy (for example, buying a men's model because you have wide feet), going up 1.5 sizes gets the length right but the forefoot may still be roomier than a women's model in that size — which wider feet actually appreciate.
Men's to women's conversion table
| US Men | US Women | UK | EU (Paris point) | Centimetres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6.5 | 4 | 36–36.5 | 22.9 |
| 5.5 | 7 | 4.5 | 36.5–37 | 23.3 |
| 6 | 7.5 | 5 | 37–38 | 23.7 |
| 6.5 | 8 | 5.5 | 38–38.5 | 24.1 |
| 7 | 8.5 | 6 | 38.5–39 | 24.6 |
| 7.5 | 9 | 6.5 | 39–40 | 25.0 |
| 8 | 9.5 | 7 | 40–40.5 | 25.4 |
| 8.5 | 10 | 7.5 | 40.5–41 | 25.8 |
| 9 | 10.5 | 8 | 41–41.5 | 26.2 |
| 9.5 | 11 | 8.5 | 41.5–42.5 | 26.7 |
| 10 | 11.5 | 9 | 42.5–43 | 27.1 |
| 10.5 | 12 | 9.5 | 43–43.5 | 27.5 |
| 11 | 12.5 | 10 | 43.5–44 | 27.9 |
| 11.5 | 13 | 10.5 | 44–45 | 28.4 |
| 12 | 13.5 | 11 | 45–45.5 | 28.8 |
| 12.5 | 14 | 11.5 | 45.5–46 | 29.2 |
| 13 | 14.5 | 12 | 46–47 | 29.6 |
Sizes between rows are normal — the tool above shows both candidates when you land on a boundary.
Common questions
What size men's shoe is a women's 9?
Subtract 1.5: a US women's 9 is a US men's 7.5 (approximately UK 6.5, EU 39.5–40).
Can women buy men's shoes and vice versa?
Yes — convert the size, then judge the last. Men's shoes run wider and higher-volume; women's run narrower. The length conversion is reliable; the fit depends on foot shape.
Why do some charts say +1 instead of +1.5?
Two US women's scales exist: the FIA scale sits one size above men's, while the common retail scale sits 1.5 above. Most brand charts today use +1.5, which is what our table shows.
Do youth sizes convert to women's too?
Yes — youth (big kids) sizes continue into women's numbering: add roughly 2 to a youth size for the women's equivalent. Our kids converter handles that path.