The difference between US and UK shoe sizing is not just a number—it varies by gender, brand, and even the type of shoe. Anyone who has ordered shoes from a UK retailer while living in the US has looked at a size 6 and wondered if it will fit.

4 related posts

US women’s 8 to UK: 5.5 ·
US men’s 8 to UK: 7.5 ·
EU 40 to US women’s: 8.5 ·
EU 40 to US men’s: 7.5

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Always measure your foot length in cm and compare to the brand’s specific chart (Famous Footwear (US retailer))

Six key conversion points, one pattern: the US to UK gap is not uniform across genders.

Label Value
US women’s 8 to UK 5.5
US men’s 8 to UK 7.5
EU 40 to US women’s 8.5
EU 40 to US men’s 7.5
US women’s to EU approx add 30–31
US men’s to EU approx add 33

Is US 8 the same as UK 7?

Not exactly. The relationship depends on whether you’re looking at women’s or men’s sizing. For women, a US 8 is typically a UK 5.5 or 6, while for men, a US 8 is a UK 7.5. The difference stems from the fact that the UK system uses a different starting point for women’s sizes.

Is a UK 9 the same as a US 9?

  • For men: UK 9 = US 9.5 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))
  • For women: UK 9 = US 11 (Size.ly (conversion database))

The implication: if you’re a woman who wears a US 11, ordering a UK 9 is safe—but a man wearing a US 9.5 should order a UK 9. The gender split is critical.

Is size US 6 in the UK?

  • US women’s 6 = UK 4–4.5 (Shoe Carnival (US shoe chain))
  • US men’s 6 = UK 5.5 (Shoe Carnival (US shoe chain))

The pattern: the US-to-UK subtract is about 1.5–2 for women and 0.5 for men, but half sizes can shift these relationships.

The catch

Brand-specific charts can differ by a full size. For example, Shoe City (US footwear retailer) lists US women’s 8 as UK 6, while Size.ly’s general chart shows the same. But Lucky Mag (fashion publication) shows a slightly different mapping for half sizes.

The implication: a single conversion rule will not survive contact with a brand’s own size chart.

Is a US size 8 a 38 or 39?

For women, a US 8 generally falls between EU 38 and 39. For men, the same US 8 corresponds to EU 41–42. The difference is about 3 EU sizes between genders.

Is shoe size 8 the same as 40?

  • US women’s 8 = EU 38–39 (not 40) (Size.ly (conversion database))
  • US men’s 8 = EU 41–42 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))

Is size 10 a 40 or 41?

  • US women’s 10 = EU 40–41 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))
  • US men’s 10 typically maps to EU 43–44

What this means: the common assumption that US 8 = EU 40 is only true for men’s sizes. Women’s US 8 is two EU sizes smaller.

What is 43 in British shoe size?

EU 43 is a common size for men. In UK sizing, it converts to 9 for men and 8.5 for women. In US, EU 43 is roughly a men’s 9.5–10.

Is size 9 43 or 44?

  • US men’s 9 = EU 42–43 (Size.ly (conversion database))
  • US men’s 10 typically maps to EU 43–44

Is shoe size 9 equal to 43?

  • For men: US 9 ≈ EU 42.5–43 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))
  • For women: US 9 is typically EU 39–40

The trade-off: EU sizing is more consistent across genders, but the US/UK split makes direct comparisons tricky without a gender-specific chart.

Is a size 40 a US 9?

No, EU 40 is closer to US women’s 8.5 and US men’s 7.5. The common myth that EU 40 = US 9 only holds for women’s narrow sizes.

What size is a 40 in US shoes?

  • Women’s: US 8.5 (Size.ly (conversion database))
  • Men’s: US 7.5 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))

Is a size 40 a size 7 shoe?

Why this matters: if you see a UK 7 on a label and assume it’s a US 7, you’ll order too small. The gap is about 1.5 sizes for women, 0.5 for men.

Is a UK 9 the same as a US 9?

Only for men in a limited range. For women, the difference is stark: UK 9 = US 11. For men, UK 9 = US 9.5.

Is UK 9 the same as US 9 for women?

  • No. UK 9 women’s = US 11 (Lucky Mag (fashion publication))

Is UK 9 the same as US 9 for men?

  • Almost. UK 9 men’s = US 9.5 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))

The pattern: the gender difference means that a UK 9 can be two full US sizes apart depending on the wearer’s sex.

Three conversion tables, one takeaway: the US to UK gap is roughly 1.5–2 for women and 0.5 for men, but brand exceptions abound.

US Women’s UK Women’s EU Women’s
6 4 36–37
7 5 37–38
8 5.5–6 38–39
9 6.5 39–40
10 7.5–8 40–41
11 8.5 41–42

One more table covering men’s conversions across the same range.

US Men’s UK Men’s EU Men’s
6 5.5 39
7 6.5 40
8 7.5 41–42
9 8.5 42–43
10 9.5 43–44
11 10.5 44–45
12 11.5 45–46

Confirmed facts vs what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • US women’s 8 = UK 5.5–6 (depending on retailer) (Famous Footwear (US retailer); Size.ly (conversion database))
  • US men’s 8 = UK 7.5 (Famous Footwear (US retailer))
  • EU 40 = US women’s 8.5 / US men’s 7.5 (Size.ly (conversion database))

What’s unclear

  • Exact half-size mappings vary by brand (Lucky Mag (fashion publication))
  • Women’s to men’s US conversion is not fixed: some charts subtract 1.5, others subtract 2 (Barefoot Brands (specialist barefoot shoe seller))
  • Kids’ sizes follow different rules and are not standardized (Shoe Carnival (US shoe chain))
Why this matters

For online shoppers without access to a fitting room, relying on a single conversion rule can lead to returns. Always cross-check the brand’s specific size chart before ordering.

The pattern: when a quick rule is wrong, returning shoes costs more than measuring your foot.

Expert perspectives on US to UK sizing

“A women’s US size 8 corresponds to a UK size 6.”

— Size.ly, conversion database

“In our men’s chart, US 8 equals UK 7 and US 10 equals UK 9.”

— Famous Footwear, US retailer

“To convert women’s to men’s shoe size, subtract 1.5 from the women’s US size.”

— Barefoot Brands, specialist barefoot shoe seller

“Retailers’ charts can differ in half-size mappings even when the whole-size anchor points match.”

— Lucky Mag, fashion publication

For the US consumer ordering from a UK retailer, the safe bet is to use the brand’s own size guide rather than a generic conversion table. If the guide is missing, measure your foot in centimeters and compare to the UK size chart using the length in cm—many UK brands include that on their site.

Related reading: M&S Bras Guide · H&M Online: Shop Ireland, UK, Europe, US, Canada – Guide

Additional sources

shoesizingcharts.com, barefoot-brands.com, finishline.com, size.ly, wearview.co

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Frequently asked questions

How do I measure my foot length?

Stand on a piece of paper with your heel against a wall, mark the longest toe, and measure the distance in centimeters. Use that length against the brand’s size chart.

Why are US and UK shoe sizes different?

The US system is based on the barleycorn unit (1/3 inch) and started at a different baseline than the UK system, which uses a larger starting point for women’s sizes.

Do all brands use the same conversion?

No. Retailers such as Shoe City and Famous Footwear show slightly different mappings for half sizes. Always check the brand’s official chart.

What is the difference between men’s and women’s sizing?

In US sizes, women’s is about 1.5–2 sizes larger than men’s. In UK, the difference is about 2 sizes. So a UK men’s 7 is roughly a UK women’s 9. (Size.ly (conversion database))

Is there a universal shoe size chart?

No single authoritative chart exists. The ISO standard (ISO 9407) recommends Mondopoint, but few brands use it. The best reference is the brand’s own size guide.

What size is EU 36 in US?

EU 36 is typically US women’s 5.5–6 and US men’s 4.5–5. For women, it’s a common small size.

The takeaway: every conversion rule has exceptions, so the final check is always the brand’s size guide.