US to UK Shoe Sizes: Charts for Women, Men & Kids

Ordering shoes from a UK retailer only to discover your “size 7” is actually a 4.5 — it’s a frustrating moment that millions of international shoppers have experienced. Sizing systems genuinely differ between the US, UK, and EU, and the rules aren’t always obvious. This guide cuts through the confusion with conversion charts you can actually trust, backed by measurements from retailers like Famous Footwear, Zappos, and Clarks.

EU 42 equivalent: UK 8, US Men’s 8.5 ·
Foot length for EU 42: 26.3 cm (10.4 inches) ·
Conversion rule: Subtract 1 from US men’s to get UK

What is US to UK shoe size?

The US and UK sizing systems share English roots, but they’ve drifted apart over centuries of independent development. The UK system starts its numbering from a different baseline — a barleycorn unit (about 8.46 mm) — which creates an offset from US sizes. For men’s shoes, the practical rule is straightforward: subtract 1 from your US size to get UK. Women’s conversions are less tidy: most retailers agree on subtract 0.5 from US to UK, though you’ll find half-size differences between sources.

General conversion overview

The core principle: UK sizes run about one full size smaller than their US equivalents for men’s footwear. For women’s, the gap narrows to roughly half a size. EU sizing, based on the Paris point (about 6.67 mm), follows its own scale and tends to be more consistent across genders than either US or UK systems.

According to the O’Neills Help Centre (retailer’s customer support resource), conversions can vary by brand, and shoppers should always check the retailer’s specific chart. Famous Footwear (major US retailer) provides detailed US, UK, and EU equivalents for women, men, and kids in their published size charts.

Key differences by gender

Gender-based sizing isn’t arbitrary — it reflects actual foot dimension differences. Women’s feet average smaller than men’s, which is why dedicated women’s charts exist. A men’s US 8 does not equal a women’s US 8; the women’s equivalent is typically US 9.5. The KEEN Footwear brand guide confirms the rule: subtract 1.5 sizes when converting women’s US to men’s US. EU sizes, by contrast, don’t shift as dramatically between genders.

How do I convert a US size to UK size?

Converting shoe sizes correctly requires three steps: measuring your foot, choosing the right conversion rule, and verifying against a retailer’s specific chart. The foot measurement is the anchor that keeps conversions honest — all the numerical rules exist to predict that measurement across systems.

Step-by-step conversion process

First, measure your foot length in centimetres while standing — weight-bearing measurements give a truer picture than seated ones. Place a sheet of paper on a hard floor, trace both feet (they’re often slightly different), and measure the longest point from heel to longest toe. According to Grivet Outdoors (outdoor retailer with detailed sizing data), US women’s size 6 corresponds to approximately 22.5 cm, while men’s size 7 is about 24.4 cm.

Second, apply the conversion rule for your category: for men’s US to UK, subtract 1; for women’s US to UK, subtract 0.5; for children’s sizes, the age category matters more than the raw number.

Third, verify the result against the specific retailer’s chart. The Morgans Shoes sizing guide (which covers Clarks brand products) shows Clarks Women’s US 5-5.5 maps to UK 3-3.5 and EU 36 — a range, not a single number, because brand fit varies.

Measurement tips

Measure both feet and use the larger measurement. Feet swell throughout the day, so afternoon measurements tend to be more accurate. A Zappos (online shoe retailer) sizing guide notes that kids’ sizes subdivide into infants (0-9 months), little kids (4-7 years), and big kids (7-12 years) — each with distinct measurement ranges. For growing children’s feet, measure every 2-3 months during growth spurts.

What size is 37 in the UK?

EU size 37 typically corresponds to UK size 4 and US women’s size 6.5-7, though the exact US equivalent depends on which retailer you consult. The ShoeCity conversion chart confirms Women’s US 7 converts to EU 37 and UK 4.5. Laughing Hens (UK specialty retailer) lists Women’s UK 5 as US 7.5, EU 38 — showing how the boundaries shift across systems.

EU 37 to UK/US equivalents

EU size 37 sits at a crossroad between women’s sizing systems. The Grivet Outdoors sizing chart (outdoor footwear specialist) anchors Women’s US 4 at UK 2, EU 35, 8.1875 inches — with each full size incrementing roughly 0.25 inches. Using that progression, EU 37 falls at approximately 8.75 inches, corresponding to US 7. EU sizes remain more standardized across genders than US or UK systems, which Calculator.net (general conversion tool) confirms: EU sizes tend to be more consistent.

Women’s focus

For women’s footwear specifically, EU 37 lands between US 6.5 and US 7. If you’re buying from a UK retailer, EU 37 most commonly maps to UK 4. Famous Footwear’s women’s chart shows Women’s US 7 as UK 4.5, EU 37, while Laughing Hens places UK 5 at US 7.5, EU 38 — illustrating how EU boundaries can shift half a size between retailers.

US to UK sizes shoes women’s

Women’s shoe conversions require more care than men’s because the US-to-UK offset varies more between sources. A general rule of thumb — subtract 0.5 from US women’s to get UK — holds reasonably well, but you’ll find discrepancies of up to half a size between different retailers’ charts.

Women’s size chart

A reliable women’s US to UK conversion starts with US women’s 4 as UK 2, EU 35. From there, each full size increment shifts both UK and EU equivalents:

According to Famous Footwear, Women’s US 4 is UK 2, EU 35. Grivet Outdoors confirms the foot length: 8.1875 inches for EU 35. Women’s US 5 lands at UK 3, EU 35-36. Women’s US 6 corresponds to UK 3.5, EU 36-37 (with foot length around 23.2 cm). Women’s US 7 converts to UK 4.5, EU 37 per ShoeCity. Women’s US 8 reaches UK 6, EU 38-39 per Laughing Hens.

Common pitfalls

The biggest pitfall is assuming a single conversion rule works everywhere. Famous Footwear lists Women’s US 5 as UK 3, but Road Runner Sports charts the same size as UK 2.5. That’s a half-size difference — enough to cause a poor fit if you’re ordering blindly. Brand-specific ranges from Morgans Shoes show Clarks sizing sometimes spans US 7.5-8 for UK 5.5-6, acknowledging that individual shoes don’t follow a rigid chart.

US to UK sizes shoes kids

Children’s shoe sizing introduces a variable that adult sizing doesn’t: growth. Kids’ feet can grow half a size or more every few months, which means a conversion chart is only useful until the next growth spurt. Understanding the age-based categories — infants, toddlers, little kids, big kids — makes the numbers more meaningful.

Kids size chart

Kids’ sizes break into four categories with distinct conversion patterns:

Zappos’ (online shoe retailer) comprehensive kids’ chart shows Infants US 0 as EU 15, UK 0 (3.1 inches). Toddlers US 3.5 corresponds to EU 19, UK 2.5, 4.25 inches per Softmoc (Canadian retailer with detailed kids’ data). Little Kids US 10.5 maps to EU 27, UK 9.5, 6.625 inches — also from Softmoc. Big Kids US 3.5 converts to EU 35, UK 2.5, 8.625 inches per Zappos. Famous Footwear adds that Kids US 10.5 is UK 9, EU 27, while Baby US 1 has no UK listed — only EU 16 — because infant sizing conventions vary.

Growth considerations

Children’s feet grow fastest between ages 2-4 and again during puberty. The Morgans Shoes Clarks sizing guide recommends measuring kids’ feet every 6-8 weeks during peak growth periods. Unlike adults, children can’t reliably “break in” shoes that are slightly too small — constricted growth can lead to foot deformities. The Zappos kids’ guide emphasizes that sizes divide into infants (0-9 months), little kids (4-7 years), and big kids (7-12 years), each requiring fresh measurements before ordering across sizing systems.

Quick women’s to men’s shoe size conversion: Subtract 1.5 sizes. If you wear a women’s US size 9, you may want to try a men’s 7.5.

— KEEN Footwear (outdoor footwear brand)

Depending on the brand of footwear, there may be some slight variations.

— O’Neills Help Centre (retailer customer support)

Related reading: Size 5 UK in EU shoe conversion · Skechers shoes for men UK

Shoppers verifying US to UK conversions frequently cross-reference our guide with parallel US to UK shoe charts that break down sizing for women, men, and kids alike.

Frequently asked questions