A worked example
A US women's size 8 converts to a UK 6, EU 38.5, and a foot length of about 25 cm.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the same US size different for men's and women's shoes?
Men's and women's shoe sizing scales start counting from different reference points, even though both measure the same underlying foot-length system — a men's size 8 and a women's size 8 correspond to different actual foot lengths.
Why doesn't EU sizing split by gender the same way?
EU sizing is fundamentally based on foot length in a unit called the Paris point (about ⅔ cm) and is technically unisex — though retailers sometimes apply slightly different EU labels by gender in practice, which is part of why conversions aren't perfectly consistent across brands.
Why might this not exactly match a specific shoe's size chart?
These are standard rule-of-thumb conversions — actual fit varies by brand, shoe last (the foot-shaped mold a shoe is built on), and style. Foot length in centimeters is the most reliable anchor when comparing across brands.