Men's to Women's Shoe Size Conversion Chart

To convert a US men's shoe size to women's, add 1.5. A men's 9 is a women's 10.5. To go the other way, subtract 1.5, so a women's 9 is a men's 7.5. The two sizes describe the same foot length. The width is different: a standard men's shoe is one step wider than a standard women's shoe.

If you are a man shopping the women's section, our guide on whether men can wear women's shoes covers which styles cross over best and how to buy them.

Men's to Women's Shoe Size Chart

Find your men's size in the left column and read across.

UK, EU, and centimeter values are approximate and vary by brand. The UK column uses the common rule of US men's minus 1. Some brands, including Adidas, use US men's minus 0.5. Most women's lines stop at size 11 or 12, so men above a 10.5 will need brands that offer extended women's sizes.

Women's to Men's Shoe Size Chart

Find your women's size in the left column. Subtract 1.5 to get the men's size.

EU and centimeter values are approximate. Many men's lines start at size 6 or 7. Women who convert to a men's size below that should look at youth sizes, which use the same scale.

Youth and Big Kids Sizes

Youth sizes, also labeled big kids or grade school (GS) and marked with a Y, sit on the same scale as men's sizes. A youth 6Y is the same length as a men's 6. That makes youth shoes a useful option for women and for men with small feet, and youth versions often cost less than the adult shoe.

Youth sizes usually stop at 7Y, which caps this route at about a women's 8.5. Youth shoes are also built a little differently: they tend to be narrower, with less cushioning and simpler materials than the adult model.

Men's vs Women's Shoe Widths

The same width letter means different things in men's and women's shoes. This matters as much as the length conversion.

• A women's wide (D) fits about the same as a men's standard (D).
• A women's standard (B) fits about the same as a men's narrow (B).
• A woman with a standard-width foot will find a men's standard shoe roomy.
• A man with a standard-width foot will find a women's standard shoe tight, and should look for women's wide.

For how width should feel on the foot, see how dress shoes should fit.

Size Conversion by Brand

Most brands use the 1.5 gap. These are the common exceptions.

Brands update their charts, so confirm on the product page before you order. Many unisex shoes, including Chuck Taylors and Vans, print both the men's and women's size on the box and tongue label.

The most reliable cross-check is the centimeter number on the size label, shown as CM or JP. If a women's shoe and a men's shoe from the same brand show the same centimeters, they are the same length.

How to Measure Your Foot

1. Tape a sheet of paper to a hard floor with one edge against a wall.
2. Stand on it with your heel touching the wall, wearing the socks you plan to wear.
3. Mark the tip of your longest toe. Keep the pen vertical.
4. Measure from the edge of the paper to the mark in centimeters.
5. Repeat for the other foot and use the larger number.
6. Find that number in the foot length column above, or in the brand's own size chart. If you fall between two rows, take the larger size.

Measure in the afternoon or evening, when your feet are at their largest. For width, mark the widest points on each side of your foot and compare the distance with the brand's width chart.

Can Women Wear Men's Shoes?

Yes. Subtract 1.5 from your women's size and check three things.

• Width. A men's standard shoe is wider through the forefoot and the heel. Women with wide feet often prefer it. Women with narrow or average feet may get heel slip. A thicker sock, a heel grip, or a half size down can fix it, as long as your toes still have room.
• Smallest size. Many men's styles start at a 6 or 7, which is a women's 7.5 or 8.5. Below that, check youth sizes.
• Volume. Men's shoes are taller over the instep. Lace-up styles let you take up the extra room. Slip-ons do not.

The easiest men's styles for women to wear are sneakers, Chelsea boots, and lace-up boots, since many are sold as unisex already. Loafers are harder, because a slip-on has to fit the heel closely with no laces to adjust.

One More Conversion: Sneakers to Dress Shoes

These charts work when you compare the same type of shoe. Dress shoes follow a different pattern from sneakers. Most people wear a dress shoe a half to a full size smaller than their sneaker size, in either the men's or the women's scale. See dress shoe size vs sneaker size before you buy a leather dress shoe using your sneaker size.

Frequently Asked Questions