To measure your feet, stand on a piece of paper (or two taped together) and trace the outline of your foot. Measure the width and length of each foot, using the longer length and width as your measurements. It is best to measure in the evening when the foot is at its fullest shape.
What You’ll Need
Measuring your feet at home is easy. It’s very easy to calculate your shoe size without using any special equipment, and once you have your measurements, you can refer to any manufacturer’s size charts to find a proper fit.
But remember: our feet are three-dimensional, and most size charts only account for two dimensions. The only way to guarantee a perfect fit is by trying shoes on.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A chair
- Socks
- Two pieces of paper, each larger than your feet
- A pencil, pen, or marker
- Tape
- A ruler or measuring tape
First, tape the paper down to the floor.
Trace Your Feet
You’ll want to measure your feet while wearing a pair of socks similar to the ones you’d wear with the shoes you’re buying.
Sit on the chair with one foot on the floor and slightly bent forward, positioning your shin just ahead of your ankle.
Trace the outline of your foot by keeping the pencil upright and perpendicular to the paper. Avoid angling the pencil, as this may result in an incorrect measurement by tracing beneath your foot.
Ensure the pencil is firmly pressed against your foot as you trace its outline.
Having someone else trace your foot can be helpful; however, as demonstrated in the photo, it can also be done solo.
Mark the Length and Width of Each Foot
Once you’ve traced your feet, it’s time to measure.
It’s crucial to trace and measure both feet, as most people have feet of varying lengths and widths, sometimes differing by half or a full shoe size.
Mark the widest and longest parts of your feet with your pencil, measuring from the tip of your longest toe to your heel.
Measure the Length of Your Feet
Use a ruler to measure the length.
Locate the nearest mark on your ruler, using the closest 16th mark for inches. Avoid rounding too greatly up or down.
Write the measurement down and repeat this process on your other foot.
Measure the Width of Your Feet
Many people think of their shoe size as just one measurement, but width is also an important factor. Though widths vary slightly from size to size, the actual shoe size only considers the length of the foot.
Knowing your shoe width can make a world of difference when it comes to finding comfortable footwear, and since many people need narrow or wide shoes, this step is just as important as the last.
The width of a shoe is marked by a letter after the size of the shoe. Like shoe sizes, there are different width markings for women and men.
Measure the widest parts of your feet using a ruler, making sure to locate the nearest mark. For inches, utilize the closest 16-inch mark.
Write this number down and measure your other foot.
How to Use Your Measurements
Use the largest of each of these measurements to determine your shoe size.
For instance, if your left foot is longer by 1/4 inch, use its length measurement. If your right foot is wider, use its measurement for width.
After you have the length and width, you’ll want to subtract 3/16 of an inch from each of those numbers. This is to accommodate for the slight space between your actual foot and the line made by the pencil.
These final numbers are your actual foot measurements. Using the links below, you can convert them to the appropriate size and width. Still, again, it’s important to know that these shoe size charts will not give results that are as accurate as what you’d get by visiting a shoe store and having your feet measured by a professional.
Women’s Shoe Widths and Sizes:
Men’s Shoe Widths and Sizes:
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
