Enter your bare foot length, not a shoe size
Start from the foot, not from a size
A US men’s 8 sits on a foot of about 260 mm — but the 8 counts barleycorns along the last, the form the shoe is built over, not along your foot. UK sizes count the same way from a different zero, so a US men’s 8 is a UK 7, and EU sizes step in 6.67 mm Paris points. Foot length is the only number every system shares, which is why this converter asks for it and nothing else.
Measure standing, against a wall
Put a sheet of paper on the floor against a wall, stand on it with your heel touching the wall, and mark the tip of your longest toe. Sitting shortens the reading. Most people’s feet differ slightly in length, so measure both and go by the longer one.
Buy 5–10 mm longer than the foot
Your foot slides forward with every step, so a shoe that matches your foot exactly ends up hitting the toes. Sneakers want 5–10 mm of room and running shoes about 10; dress shoes are cut closer. The green suggestion below adds about 7 mm for exactly this reason.
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Frequently asked questions
Q. Why does the same size fit differently across brands?
A size describes the last, and every brand shapes its own. Two shoes marked US 9 can differ by half a size in usable length, and width often is not marked at all. Treat the chart as a starting point and the returns policy as part of the purchase.
Q. Why measure in the evening?
Feet lengthen and widen through the day: after hours of standing and walking, load and fluid add a few millimetres. Measured in the morning, your feet will buy you shoes that pinch by dinner — measure when they are at their largest.
Q. Caught between two sizes — up or down?
For sneakers and anything worn with thick socks, go up: the half size costs nothing but a touch of room. Going down only makes sense in shoes meant to fit snugly, such as climbing or cycling shoes.