A shoe size is an alphanumerical indication of the fitting size of a shoe for a person. Often it just consists of a number indicating the length because many shoemakers only provide a standard width for economic reasons.
There are several different shoe-size systems that are used worldwide. These systems differ in what they measure, what unit of measurement they use, and where the size 0 (or 1) is positioned. Only a few systems also take the width of the feet into account. Some regions use different shoe-size systems for different types of shoes (e.g., men's, women's, children's, sport, or safety shoes).
Deriving the shoe size
Foot versus shoe and last
The length of a foot is commonly defined as the 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.
The size of the left and right foot is often slightly different. In this case, both feet are measured, and the shoe size is based upon the larger foot.
Each size of shoe is suitable for a small interval of foot lengths. The inner cavity of a shoe must typically be 15–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) longer than the foot, but this relation varies between different types of shoes.
There are three characteristic lengths that a shoe-size system can refer to:
- The median length of feet for which a shoe is suitable. For customers, this measure has the advantage of being directly related to their body measures. It applies equally to any type, form, or material of shoe. However, this measure is less popular with manufacturers, because it requires them to test carefully for each new shoe model, for which range of foot sizes it is recommendable. It puts on the manufacturer the burden of ensuring that the shoe will fit a foot of a given length.
- The length of the inner cavity of the shoe. This measure has the advantage that it can be measured easily on the finished product. However, it will vary with manufacturing tolerances and provides the customer only very crude information about the range of foot sizes for which the shoe is suitable.
- The length of the "last," the foot-shaped template over which the shoe is manufactured. This measure is the easiest one for the manufacturer to use, because it identifies only the tool used to produce the shoe. It makes no promise about manufacturing tolerances or for what size of foot the shoe is actually suitable. It leaves all responsibility and risk of choosing the correct size with the customer. Further, the last can be measured in several different ways resulting in different measurements.
All these measures differ substantially from one another for the same shoe.
Length unit
Sizing systems also differ in what units of measurement they use. This also results in different increments between shoe sizes because usually, only "full" or "half" sizes are made.
The following length units are commonly used today to define shoe-size systems:
- The Paris point equals to ⅔ centimetres (6. 6 mm or ~0.26 in). Usually, only full sizes are made, resulting in an increment of ⅔ centimetre. This unit is commonly used in Continental Europe.
- The barleycorn is an old English unit that equals to ⅓ inch (8.4 6 mm). Half sizes are commonly made, resulting in an increment of 1 ⁄ 6 inch (4.2 3 mm). This unit is the base for the English and the U.S. sizing system.
- Further, metric measurements in centimetres (cm) or millimetres (mm) are used. The increment is usually 0.5 cm (5 mm or ~0.20 in), which is between the step size of the Parisian and the English system. It is used with the international Mondopoint system and with the Asian system.
Due to the different units of measurements, converting between different sizing systems results in round-off errors as well as unusual sizes such as "10⅔".
Zero point
The sizing systems also place size 0 (or 1) at different locations:
- If size 0 is placed at a foot's length of 0, the shoe size is directly proportional to the length of the foot in the chosen unit of measurement. Sizes of children's, men's, and women's shoes, as well as sizes of different types of shoes, can be compared directly. This is used with the Mondopoint and the Asian system.
- However, size 0 can also represent a length of the shoe's inner cavity of 0. The shoe size is then directly proportional to the inner length of the shoe. This is used with systems that also take the measurement from the shoe. While sizes of children's, men's and women's shoes can be compared directly, this is not necessarily true for different types of shoes that require a different amount of "wiggle room." This is used with the Continental European system.
- Further, size 0 (or 1) can just be a shoe with a given length, typically the shortest length deemed practical. This can be different for children's, teenagers's, men's, and women's shoes, making it impossible to compare sizes. For example, a women's shoe at size 8 is a different length from a men's shoe at size 8.
Width designators
Some systems also include the width of a foot. There are different methods indicating the width:
- The measured width is indicated in millimetres (mm). This is done with the Mondopoint system.
- The measured width is assigned a letter (or combination of letters), which is taken from a table (indexed to length and width) or just assigned on an ad-hoc basis: Examples include (each starting with the narrowest width):
The exact foot width for which these sizes are suitable can vary significantly between manufacturers. The A-E width indicators used by some US and UK shoe manufacturers are typically based on the width of the foot, and common step sizes are 1/16 of an inch.
Common sizing systems
Mondopoint
The International Standard is ISO 9407 :1991, Shoe sizes—Mondopoint system of sizing and marking, that recommend a shoe-size system known as Mondopoint .
It is based on the mean foot length and width for which the shoe is suitable, measured in millimetres. A shoe size of 280/110 indicates a mean foot length of 280 millimetres (11 in) and width of 110 millimetres (4.3 in).
Because Mondopoint also takes the foot width into account, it allows for better fitting than most other systems. It is, therefore, used by NATO and other military services.
European standard EN 13402, used also for clothes, recommends, instead, that shoes be labelled with the interval of foot lengths for which they are suitable, measured in centimetres.
United Kingdom and Ireland
Shoe size in the United Kingdom (British size) is based on the length of the last, measured in barleycorn (approx 1/3 inch) starting from the smallest practical size, which is size zero. It is not formally standardised.
A child's size zero is equivalent to a hand (4 in, 12 barleycorns or 10.16 cm), and the sizes go up to size 13½ (8½ in or 21.59 cm). Thus, the calculation for a child shoe size in the UK is:
An adult size one is then the next size up (8⅔ in or 22.01 cm) and each size up continues the progression in barleycorns. The calculation for an adult shoe size in the UK is thus:
United States and Canada
In North America, there are different systems that are used concurrently. The size indications are usually similar but not exactly equivalent, especially with athletic shoes at extreme sizes.
Customary
The traditional system is similar to English sizes but start counting at one rather than zero, 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).
So the calculation for a male shoe size in the USA or Canada is:
Women's sizes are almost always determined with the "common" scale, in which women's sizes are equal to men's sizes plus 1.5 (for example, a men's 10.5 is a women's 12). In other words:
In the less popular scale, known as the "standard" or "FIA" (Footwear Industries of America) scale, women's sizes are men's sizes plus 1 (so a men's 10.5 is a women's 11.5).
Children's
Children's sizes are equal to men's sizes plus 12.33. Thus, girls' and boys' sizes do not differ, even though men's and women's do.
Children's shoe stores in the United States use a sizing scheme which ends at 13, after which it starts at 1 again as adult sizes.
Brannock Device
A slightly different sizing method is based on a measurement device designed by shoe seller Charles Brannock.Many are now found in shoe stores. Men's size 1 is equivalent to a foot's length of 7 ⅔ in; women's sizes are one size up.
The method also measures the le
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