How to Measure Your Shoe Size at Home: UK, EU and US Sizes Explained

WHY SIZE STILL GOES WRONG

Most of us carry one number in our heads, often a size we were measured at years ago. Feet change with age, weight, pregnancy and long days on our feet. Brands also cut their shoes on different lasts, so a 42 in one sneaker can feel different from a 42 in an official shoe.

A few minutes with a ruler saves you a return and a pair that pinches.

WHAT YOU NEED

• A sheet of A4 paper
• A pencil
• A ruler or tape measure
• The socks you plan to wear with the shoes
• A wall and a flat, hard floor (tiles or wood, not a rug)

HOW TO MEASURE

1. Measure in the late afternoon or evening. Feet swell slightly through the day, especially after a matatu commute or a long day standing.
2. Place the paper flat on the floor with its short edge against the wall.
3. Stand on it with your heel touching the wall and your weight spread evenly on both feet.
4. Ask someone to mark the tip of your longest toe. This is not always the big toe.
5. Measure from the edge of the paper to the mark, in centimetres.
6. Repeat for the other foot. Most people have one foot slightly longer than the other. Always use the longer measurement.

For width, mark both sides of the widest part of your foot, usually across the ball, and measure between the marks. Keep this number too. It matters most for officials and loafers.

READING THE SIZE CHARTS

Shoes sold in Kenya usually show EU sizes, with UK and US sizes printed inside the tongue. As a rough guide to foot length:

• 24.5 cm: around EU 39 / UK 6
• 25.5 cm: around EU 40 to 41 / UK 7
• 26.5 cm: around EU 42 / UK 8
• 27.5 cm: around EU 43 to 44 / UK 9
• 28.5 cm: around EU 45 / UK 10

Treat this as a starting point, not a rule. Check the size details listed on each product, because brands vary. Also note that US men's and women's sizes differ: a US women's 9 is roughly a US men's 7.5.

LEAVE ROOM, BUT NOT TOO MUCH

How much space you want depends on the shoe.

• Sneakers and gym shoes: about a thumb's width (roughly 1 cm) beyond your longest toe, so your toes do not hit the front when you walk, jump or run.
• Official shoes: a closer fit. Leather softens and shapes to your foot with wear. Your heel should not lift much as you walk.
• Casuals and loafers: snug across the top of the foot, since there are no laces to adjust.

WHEN YOU ARE BETWEEN SIZES

If your measurement falls between two sizes, go up for sneakers and gym shoes. A thicker sock or an insole can take up a little extra space, but nothing fixes a shoe that is too short.

For leather officials, the smaller size can work if the width feels comfortable, because leather gives more across the foot than along its length. If in doubt, choose the size that does not press on your toes.

TEENAGERS AND GROWING FEET

Teenage feet can grow a size in a few months. Measure every term rather than guessing, and resist buying far too big. Shoes that are much too long change how someone walks and wear out unevenly.

SIGNS A PAIR DOES NOT FIT

• Red marks or rubbing after a short walk
• Toes touching the front when you stand
• Your heel slipping out with each step
• Laces pulled tight with the eyelets almost touching, a sign the shoe is too wide

BEFORE YOU ORDER

Write down your foot length in centimetres and keep it on your phone. When you find a pair you like, send us that number with the style name and we will tell you what the size details say for that shoe.

Browse the latest pairs, and read our delivery information before you check out.