European shoes sizes to us can be a bit confusing for shoe shoppers. Since the foot is three-dimensional, a two-dimensional measurement (such as a shoe size) cannot accurately represent your true shoe size. This is especially true because shoe manufacturers use different lasts to construct their shoes, and each last can have a different fit. The differences between country-specific sizing systems also make things even more complicated.
Shoe sizing can be particularly problematic when shopping online, as many shoes are listed in the EU, UK, or US sizes, and it is not always clear how these sizes correspond to one another. This confusion is further compounded by the fact that some retailers will oversimplify the conversion process and advertise shoes as being exact-match translations of EU sizes to UK or US shoe sizes – this can be extremely misleading for shoppers.
The simplest way to convert your EU or UK shoe size to US is to add 33 to the size you wear in your country of origin. For example, a UK size 6 will translate to an EU size 39, and a US size 7 will be a European size 38.
When buying shoes online, be sure to check the retailer’s return policy before you place your order. This will ensure that you can return the shoes if they are not a good fit, and it will save you the hassle of shipping them back to the seller.