A shoe size is an alphanumerical indication of the fitting size of a shoe for a person.
Often it just consists of a number indicating the length because many shoemakers only provide
a standard width for economic reasons. There are several different shoe-size systems that
are used worldwide. These systems differ in what they measure, what unit of measurement
they use, and where the size 0 is positioned. Only a few systems also take the width of
the feet into account. Some regions use different shoe-size systems for different types of shoes.
Deriving the shoe size Foot versus shoe and last
The length of a foot is commonly defined as the distance between two parallel lines that
are perpendicular to the foot and in contact with the most prominent toe and the most prominent
part of the heel. Foot length is measured with the subject standing barefoot and the
weight of the body equally distributed on both feet.
The sizes of the left and right feet are often slightly different. In this case, both feet
are measured, and purchasers of mass-produced shoes are advised to purchase a shoe size
based upon the larger foot because, contrary to the reality of foot sizes, most manufacturers
do not sell pairs of shoes in non matching sizes.
Each size of shoe is considered suitable for a small interval of foot lengths. The inner
cavity of a shoe must typically be 15–20 mm longer than the foot, but this relation varies
between different types of shoes. There are three characteristic lengths that
a shoe-size system can refer to: The median length of feet for which a shoe
is suitable. For customers, this measure has the advantage of being directly related to
their body measures. It applies equally to any type, form, or material of shoe. However,
this measure is less popular with manufacturers, because it requires them to test carefully
for each new shoe model, for which range of foot sizes it is recommendable. It puts on
the manufacturer the burden of ensuring that the shoe will fit a foot of a given length.
The length of the inner cavity of the shoe. This measure has the advantage that it can
be measured easily on the finished product. However, it will vary with manufacturing tolerances
and provides the customer only very crude information about the range of foot sizes
for which the shoe is suitable. The length of the "last", the foot-shaped
template over which the shoe is manufactured. This measure is the easiest one for the manufacturer
to use, because it identifies only the tool used to produce the shoe. It makes no promise
about manufacturing tolerances or for what size of foot the shoe is actually suitable.
It leaves all responsibility and risk of choosing the correct size with the customer. Further,
the last can be measured in several different ways resulting in different measurements.
All these measures differ substantially from one another for the same shoe.
Length Sizing systems also differ in what units of
measurement they use. This also results in different increments between shoe sizes because
usually, only "full" or "half" sizes are made. The following length units are commonly used
today to define shoe-size systems: The Paris point equates to ⅔ centimetres.
Resulting in an increment of ⅔ of a centimetre in whole sizes, and 1/3 of a centimetre between
half sizes. This unit is commonly used in Continental Europe.
The barleycorn is an old English unit that equates to ⅓ inch. Half sizes are commonly
made, resulting in an increment of 1⁄6 inch. This measure is the basis for current UK and
U.S. shoe sizes, with the largest shoe size taken as twelve inches and then counting backwards
in barleycorn units. Further, metric measurements in centimetres
or millimetres are used. The increment is usually 0.5 cm, which is between the step
size of the Parisian and the English system. It is used with the international Mondopoint
system and with the Asian system. Due to the different units of measurements,
converting between different sizing systems results in round-off errors as well as unusual
sizes such as "10⅔". Zero point
The sizing systems also place size 0 at different locations:
If size 0 is placed at a foot's length of 0, the shoe size is directly proportional
to the length of the foot in the chosen unit of measurement. Sizes of children's, men's,
and women's shoes, as well as sizes of different types of shoes, can be compared directly.
This is used with the Mondopoint and the Asian system.
However, size 0 can also represent a length of the shoe's inner cavity of 0. The shoe
size is then directly proportional to the inner length of the shoe. This is used with
systems that also take the measurement from the shoe. While sizes of children's, men's
and women's shoes can be compared directly, this is not necessarily true for different
types of shoes that require a different amount of "wiggle room". This is used with the Continental
European system. Further, size 0 can just be a shoe with a
given length, typically the shortest length deemed practical. This can be different for
children's, teenagers', men's, and women's shoes, making it impossible to compare sizes.
For example, a women's shoe at size 8 is a different length from a men's shoe at size
8 in the US system, but not the British. Width
Some systems also include the width of a foot. There are different methods indicating the
width: The measured width is indicated in millimetres.
This is done with the Mondopoint system. The measured width is assigned a letter, which
is taken from a table or just assigned on an ad-hoc basis: Examples include:
A, B, C, D, E, EE, EEE, EEEE, F, G 4A, 3A, 2A, A, B, C, D, E, 2E, 3E, 4E, 5E,
6E C, D, E, F, G, H
N, M or R, W
The width for which these sizes are suitable can vary significantly between manufacturers.
The A-E width indicators used by most American & Canadian and some British shoe manufacturers
are typically based on the width of the foot, and common step sizes are 3/16 of an inch.
Common sizing systems Mondopoint
The International Standard is ISO 9407:1991, "Shoe sizes—Mondopoint system of sizing
and marking", which recommends a shoe-size system known as Mondopoint.
It is based on the mean foot length and width for which the shoe is suitable, measured in
millimetres. A shoe size of 280/110 indicates a mean foot length of 280 millimetres and
width of 110 millimetres. Because Mondopoint also takes the foot width
into account, it allows for better fitting than most other systems. It is, therefore,
used by NATO and other military services. Mondopoint is also used for ski boots.
European standard EN 13402, used also for clothes, recommends instead that shoes be
labelled with the interval of foot lengths for which they are suitable, measured in centimetres.
United Kingdom and Ireland Shoe size in the United Kingdom and Ireland
is based on the length of the last, measured in barleycorn starting from the smallest practical
size, which is size zero. It is not formally standardised.
A child's size zero is equivalent to a hand, and the sizes go up to size 13½. Thus, the
calculation for a child shoe size in the UK is:
An adult size one is then the next size up and each size up continues the progression
in barleycorns. The calculation for an adult shoe size in the UK is thus:
United States and Canada In North America, there are different systems
that are used concurrently. The size indications are usually similar but not exactly equivalent
especially with athletic shoes at extreme sizes.
Customary The traditional system is similar to English
sizes but start counting at one rather than zero, so equivalent sizes are one greater.
This is similar to the way that floors in buildings are numbered; the British count
the ground floor as zero, whereas the Americans count the ground floor as one.
So the calculation for a male shoe size in the USA or Canada is:
Women's sizes are almost always determined with the "common" scale, in which women's
sizes are equal to men's sizes plus 1.5. In other words:
In the less popular scale, known as the "standard" or "FIA" scale, women's sizes are men's sizes
plus 1.
Children's Children's sizes are equal to men's sizes
plus 12.33. Thus, girls' and boys' sizes do not differ, even though men's and women's
do.
Children's shoe stores in the United States and Canada use a sizing scheme which ends
at 13, after which it starts at 1 again as adult sizes.
Brannock Device
A slightly different sizing method is based on the Brannock Device, a measuring instrument
invented by Charles F. Brannock in 1925 and now found in many shoe stores. The formula
used by the Brannock device assumes a foot length ⅔ inch less than the length of the
last; thus, men's size 1 is equivalent to a foot's length of 7 ⅔ inches. Women's sizes
are one size up.
The method also measures the length of the distance of the heel and the widest point
of the foot. For that purpose, the device has another, shorter scale at the side of
the foot. If this scale indicates a larger size, it is taken in place of the foot's length.
For children's sizes, additional wiggle room is added to allow for growth.
The device also measures the width of the foot and assigns it designations of AAA, AA,
A, B, C, D, E, EE, or EEE. The widths are 3/16 in apart and differ by shoe length.
Foot Scanner Some shoe stores use optical devices to precisely
measure the length and width of both feet and recommend the appropriate shoe model and
size. Europe
The Continental European system is used in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, most other
continental European countries, Brazil—which uses the same method but subtracts 2 from
the final result—and, commonly, Hong Kong. In this system, the shoe size is the length
of the last, expressed in Paris points, for both sexes and for adults and children alike.
Because a Paris point is ⅔ of a centimetre, the formula is as follows:
To compute the size based on actual foot length, one must first add a length of about 1.5 to
2 cm. For instance, for a shoe having an internal length 1.5 cm longer than the foot:
Asia
The Asian system is based on metric measurements and standardised as JIS S 5037:1998, CNS 4800,
S 1093, or KS M 6681. Foot length and girth are taken into account.
The foot length is indicated in centimetres; an increment of 5 mm is used. This system
was also used in the GDR. The length is followed by designators for
girth, which is taken from a table indexed to girth and length. There are different tables
for men's, women's, and children's shoes. The tables also include the width as supplemental
indications. Not all designators are used for all genders and in all countries. For
example, the largest girth for women in China is EEEE, whereas in Japan, it is F.
Shoe size comparison Please note that the following tables indicate
theoretical sizes calculated from the standards and information given above. Differences between
these tables and makers' tables or other tables found on the Web are usually due to the following
factors: The systems are not fully standardised. Differences
between shoes from different makers, which are due to different methods of measuring
the shoes, different manufacturing processes, or different allowances are sometimes related
to different countries. A “German” size may then differ from a “French” size,
although both countries use the Continental European system.
Different widths may have the result that for wide feet, a shoe multiple sizes larger
may be required. This may also result in different size indications, especially if different
typical widths are attributed to different sizing systems or countries.
Some tables for children take future growth into account. The shoe size is then larger
than what would correspond to the actual length of the foot.
An indication in centimetres or inches can mean the length of the foot or the length
of the shoe's inner cavity. This relation is not constant but varies due to different
amounts of wiggle room required for different sizes of shoes.
There are several U.S. systems, which differ substantially for sizes far above or below
medium sizes. Further, some tables available on the Web
simply contain errors. For example, the wiggle room or different zero point is not taken
into account, or tables based on different U.S. systems are simply combined although
they are incompatible. Children
Example: A child's foot that is 185 millimetres long requires a shoe that is about 15 millimetres
longer. The inner length of 200 millimetres is EU shoe size 29 or UK size 11.
Adults
See also
List of shoe styles References
This article incorporates information from the German Wikipedia.
External links The Complete International Shoe Sizing Chart
Increased hallux angle in children and its association with insufficient length of footwear,
biomedcentral.com Austrian research team children's feet - children's
shoes. Useful information for parents A Study on the parameters of the feet of adolescent
boy PDF (122 KB), cueronet.com Correct Calculation of Footwear Sizes
AmericanEuropean Shoe Sizes Chart of US shoe widths by size.
A state of the art technology could replace different shoe sizing systems by measuring
feet and shoe inner dimensions