Converse Shoe Size Chart: UK, EU, US and cm Conversions

by YDA UK

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck 70 trainers run large, so most people in the UK should order half a size down from their usual size. The chart below converts UK, EU, US men’s, US women’s and foot length in centimetres, so you can match your own measurement to the right pair without guessing.

Below you will find the chart, a worked example, how to measure your foot properly, how Converse compares with other trainers, and what to check if you have diabetes or a foot condition that makes a poor fit more than an annoyance.

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TL;DR

  • Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck 70 run about half a size large, so go half a size down from your usual size.
  • On the chart, UK size matches US men’s size. US women’s is two sizes higher than UK (UK 5 is US women’s 7).
  • Measure your foot length in cm, in the evening, and use the chart to find the nearest size rather than relying on the number in your other shoes.
  • Other Converse styles can fit differently from the classic canvas high-top, so check the size guide for the specific model before ordering.
  • If you have diabetes or a sensitive foot, a shoe should feel comfortable at once. Do not buy a size you plan to “break in”.

Table of Contents

Converse size chart: UK, EU, US and cm

The figures below follow the brand’s published UK chart for the Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck 70. They list the foot length each size is built around, not the length of the shoe itself. Use the UK column if you are used to British sizing.

UK EU US men’s US women’s Foot length (cm)
3 35 3 5 22
3.5 36 3.5 5.5 22.5
4 36.5 4 6 23
4.5 37 4.5 6.5 23.5
5 37.5 5 7 24
5.5 38 5.5 7.5 24.5
6 39 6 8 24.5
6.5 39.5 6.5 8.5 25
7 40 7 9 25.5
7.5 41 7.5 9.5 26
8 41.5 8 10 26.5
8.5 42 8.5 10.5 27
9 42.5 9 11 27.5
9.5 43 9.5 11.5 28
10 44 10 12 28.5
10.5 44.5 10.5 12.5 29
11 45 11 13 29.5
11.5 46 11.5 13.5 30
12 46.5 12 14 30.5
13 48 13 15 31.5
14 49 14 16 32

Two things stand out. First, UK and US men’s numbers are identical, which is unusual: most brands put UK half a size to one size below US men’s. Second, UK 5.5 and UK 6 share the same foot length of 24.5 cm, so a measurement of 24.5 cm could point to either size. In that case, read the fit notes below and think about sock thickness and foot width.

How the chart reads in practice

Take someone whose right foot measures 25.5 cm. The chart puts that at UK 7, EU 40, US men’s 7 or US women’s 9. If they are buying classic Chuck Taylors, the half-size rule comes into play, and you will see how that works in the next section.

If you only know your size in another system, our guides on US to European shoe size conversion and the US shoe size chart explain how the systems relate before you come back to the Converse numbers.

Do Converse run true to size?

Not quite. According to the brand, as reported by Gear Patrol, both the Chuck Taylor All Star and the Chuck 70 run half a size large. A person who usually takes a 7 and measures as a 7 should therefore order a 6.5.

That is why the same foot can feel lost in a pair of Converse and perfect in another brand’s trainers at the same printed number. A size comparison tool, size.ly, goes further for one popular sports brand, suggesting about a full size down in Converse compared with that brand’s numbers. Treat comparisons like this as a starting point: every brand cuts its shoes differently.

Why sizes differ between brands

The gap is not a manufacturing error. Foot-health analysts quoted by Gear Patrol describe it as a design choice tied to the last, the foot-shaped model a shoe is built around, and to what the shoe is meant to do. A court shoe and a casual canvas shoe are shaped for different jobs, so their sizes seldom match.

The practical lesson: stop thinking of your size as a single number. You have a foot length in centimetres, and every brand turns that into its own label.

Using the half-size rule

  1. Work out your usual size, ideally from a measurement rather than from the shoes already in your wardrobe.
  2. For Chuck Taylor All Star or Chuck 70, subtract half a size.
  3. Check the result against the chart to see the foot length that size is designed for.
  4. If your foot is wide, or you wear thick socks, stay with the smaller reduction or ask whether the style offers a wider fit.

Styles other than the classic canvas high-top and low-top, such as basketball-inspired or platform models, are cut on different lasts. The brand publishes separate guidance for those, so do not assume the half-size rule carries over.

How to measure your foot for Converse

A tape measure and a sheet of paper are enough. The steps below take about five minutes.

  1. Measure in the late afternoon or evening, when feet are at their largest. CDC guidance on shoe fitting gives the same advice.
  2. Stand on a sheet of paper against a wall, wearing the socks you would normally wear with trainers.
  3. Mark the tip of your longest toe. Remember that the longest toe is not always the big toe.
  4. Measure from the wall to the mark in centimetres.
  5. Repeat with the other foot. Use the larger measurement, since most people have one foot slightly bigger.
  6. Find that figure in the chart’s last column and take the matching size. If you fall between two sizes, think about width and go up.

Our step-by-step guide on how to measure your foot correctly includes tips for tracing the outline and checking width as well as length.

Allowing room for your toes

A measurement is foot length only. A shoe also needs space beyond the toes, usually about a thumb’s width, so that toes can spread and move when you walk. If you can feel the end of the shoe with your longest toe when standing, it is too small, however well the chart agrees.

Illustration showing toe clearance inside a shoe

Quick conversions people search for

A few conversions come up constantly. These come straight from the chart above.

Men comparing sizes across countries can also use our men’s foot size chart.

If you have ever wondered what a size 8 is in centimetres, the chart answers it: UK 8 is built around a foot of 26.5 cm. A “9C” refers to a child’s size in the US system, which the adult chart above does not cover, so look for the children’s table before ordering for a young child.

Men’s, women’s and unisex sizing

Converse lists the Chuck Taylor as a unisex shoe. The brand’s size guides base unisex pairs on men’s sizing, which is why the table sits on the UK and US men’s numbers. Women’s sizes are a different scale: US women’s is the men’s number plus two.

For a woman buying a unisex pair, the safest route is still foot length. Go from your measurement to the UK column, then apply the half-size rule, instead of working through several conversions in a row, where small errors build up.

When fit is a health matter

For most people, the wrong Converse size means a sore heel or a pair sent back. For people with diabetes, nerve damage or poor circulation, a bad fit can start a wound that goes unnoticed. This is where the chart helps least and professional advice matters most.

UK NHS guidance says shoes should be long enough, deep enough and wide enough for the foot. The NHS footwear advice for reducing amputation risk also warns against going barefoot, even indoors, and recommends shoes with a lace or velcro fastening that holds the foot firmly. A South Tees NHS podiatry page gives the same direction: enough length, width and depth, plus a lace, velcro or buckle fastening.

Some points follow directly:

  • Skip “breaking in”. The NHS Scotland guidance says a correctly fitting shoe should feel comfortable at once. If you have diabetic foot issues, rubbing can cause blisters that turn into infections. If a pair is not comfortable on the first try, it is not the right fit, whatever the chart says.
  • Lace-up beats slip-on. Classic lace-up Converse can suit this, while slip-on styles hold the foot less securely.
  • Have your feet measured. The American Podiatric Medical Association advises having new shoes properly measured and fitted, because foot size and shape change over time.
  • Check inside the shoe. Run your hand inside for seams, creases or rough areas before every wear.

If you have diabetes, poor sensation in your feet or a history of ulcers, speak to your podiatrist or diabetes foot protection team before choosing everyday trainers. They can tell you whether a standard canvas shoe is suitable or whether you need a shoe with more depth or a custom insole.

Our view on size charts

We sell footwear for people who care about how their feet feel, so we see the same problem every week: people trust a printed number more than their own foot. A chart is a good translation tool, but it cannot know whether your foot is wide, high in the instep, or swollen after a long day.

Our view on size charts — overview diagram

The habit we would pass on is simple. Measure in centimetres, keep that figure somewhere you can find it, and use it for every purchase in every brand. Then treat the first try-on as the real test. A shoe that needs weeks to feel right was the wrong size on day one, and for anyone with a vulnerable foot it is a risk, not an inconvenience.

And think about the shoe’s job. Flat canvas shoes are fine for short walks and relaxed days. If you are on your feet all day, or you want support built into every step, look for a design made for that purpose rather than hoping a larger size will fix it.

— Panagiotis

If you want support built into everyday shoes

If you love the look of a casual trainer but want more help for your feet, take a look at our high performance footwear. Our shoes are designed around foot health, comfort and energy efficiency for daily wear, and you can read how the approach works on our technology of YDA shoes page. Our guide to choosing everyday shoes covers what to look for whichever brand you buy.

Tips for buying Converse online in the UK

  • Know your measurement before you browse. Write down both feet in cm.
  • Check the model. The half-size advice applies to the classic Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck 70, not automatically to every style.
  • Read the returns policy. Ordering two sizes and returning one is common, but check the conditions and who pays for the postage.
  • Think about socks. Fit tests with thin socks can mislead if you wear thick ones in winter.
  • Do not buy second-hand pairs for fit alone. Worn shoes mould to the previous owner’s foot, and the APMA’s shoe-buying advice warns against handing down footwear, partly because sharing shoes can spread fungal infections such as athlete’s foot.

FAQ

How do I know my Converse shoe size?

Measure your longest foot in centimetres in the evening, then find that figure in the chart above. For classic Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck 70 styles, take half a size down from your usual size, since these run large. Try the shoes on late in the day and check that you have about a thumb’s width in front of your longest toe.

What is EU size 39 in UK shoes?

In the Converse chart, EU 39 is UK 6, which is also US men’s 6 and US women’s 8. It corresponds to a foot of about 24.5 cm. Other brands may convert it slightly differently, so use the centimetre measurement when in doubt.

What is size 8 in cm?

On the Converse chart, UK 8 corresponds to a foot length of 26.5 cm, and that equals EU 41.5. A US women’s 8 is smaller, at around 24.5 cm, so check which system a size is written in before comparing.

Should I size up or down in Converse?

For the classic canvas styles, size down by half a size from your usual size. If your foot is wide or you wear thick socks, you may prefer to keep your usual size or choose the half size in between. Always check the guide for the specific model, because other Converse styles can fit differently.

Sources

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