Overseas shoe size notation and conversion table [US/UK/EU]

Jun 30, 2021
Shoe sizing is different around the world. Therefore, when buying overseas shoes in Japan, it is necessary to know the size that corresponds to your own size. This time, mamian, a lady's shoe company, will explain the size notation of overseas shoes.

international shoe size chart

The major premise is that the units used in overseas shoes are different from those used in Japan. Centimeters are the most common unit for measuring length in Japan. On the other hand, the following units are used overseas. United States (US size): United States inch United Kingdom (UK size): United Kingdom inch Europe (EU size): Centimeters Japan: Centimeters Both the United States and the United Kingdom use the unit of "inch", but the length of 1 inch is used. slightly different. Also, both Japan and Europe use "centimeters", but be careful because even shoes with the same number have different sizes. This is due to the different way of thinking about shoe size.

Women's shoe size conversion table

There are ways to convert from centimeters to US or UK, but remembering your size number is easier than remembering how to calculate it. Also, if you remember that US and UK sizes go up and down by ±0.5 and EU sizes go up and down by ±1, just like in Japan, you can easily find out your size.

<Size conversion table for women's shoes>

Japan

America

(US size)

England

(UK size)

Europe

(EU size)

21.5

4.5

3

33

22.0

Five

3.5

34

22.5

5.5

Four

35

23.0

6

4.5

36

23.5

6.5

Five

37

24.0

7

5.5

38

24.5

7.5

6

39

25.0

8

6.5

40

25.5

8.5

7

41

26.0

9

7.5

42

Be careful when buying shoes made overseas!

The sizes of shoes made in Japan and overseas can be converted numerically, but just because the sizes match does not necessarily mean that you can wear them comfortably.

Japanese and Westerners have different foot shapes

More than 70% of Japanese people have feet that are called Egyptian type. Egyptian feet are the longest at the big toe and taper to the little toe. Also, many people tend to have relatively wide feet. On the other hand, in Europe and the United States, Greek foot shapes are common. The Greek foot has the longest index finger. Also, it is said that many Japanese people have narrower feet than Japanese people. In other words, Western shoes may not have been designed for Egyptian feet or wide feet. If your feet are more westernized, foreign-made shoes will also fit better. However, people with Egyptian-shaped feet may find it difficult to fit foreign-made shoes. It is also important to note that foreign-made shoes may not fit people with square-shaped feet, where the length of all toes is almost equal.

Thinking differently about size

As you can see from the difference in size development between Japan and Europe, even though we use the same unit of centimeters, Japan and Europe and the United States have different ways of thinking about shoe sizes. Overseas, size basically means the size of the shoe tree. As a result, sizing is often different between designs. On the other hand, in Japan, the size is considered to be the length of the foot, and the size is set. Just as sizing varies slightly between shoe manufacturers, there is also a difference in sizing between overseas and Japanese shoes.

What should I do when buying shoes made overseas?

If you find a design that you like among shoes made overseas, you should definitely buy it. However, considering the difference in size and shape of the foot, whether you buy it at a physical store or online, be sure to try on foreign-made shoes to make sure they fit your feet. will do.

walking, standing or sitting

When trying on shoes, I often see people saying, "I'm going to try them on while sitting on one leg," but this is not acceptable. When trying on shoes, be sure to wear both feet firmly. In the case of sneakers, tighten the laces and check. Also, if you are sitting, you cannot check the pressure and pain when walking. When you walk, your weight changes the pressure points in your shoe. When trying on the shoes, walk lightly, stand or sit down, and check that there are no areas that hit your fingers or rub your heels.

Also pay attention to the size of the waste

In general, there is a margin for the toes, so even if the foot is slightly shifted forward, the toes will not be pressed against the shoe. The length and thickness of your legs will always change when you put weight on them or walk. When trying on, make sure there is room for your fingertips. If your finger hits it, it may not be the right size.

Manian shoes can be returned!

When buying overseas shoes online, be aware of the difference in size and try them on before deciding. If you can't try them on or return them, the shoes you bought may be too painful to wear. If you have a hard time finding shoes that suit you, try mamian's women's shoes designed for Japanese women. You can return the shoes handled by mamian if they don't fit your feet when worn at home. You can carefully check the fit of pumps and heeled sandals that tend to hurt your feet. You should be able to find shoes that fit your feet.


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