What Is the Average Shoe Size for a Woman – Explained

In the United States, the average shoe size for a woman is between 8.5 and 9 equivalent to a UK 6.5 size. Although of course, it all depends on the person’s height.

average shoe size for a women

Although there is no official worldwide shoe size for women, size is determined by metrics. The most common metrics used in shoe size are the US, UK, Japan, and EU metrics. 

So, what is the average shoe size for women?  

Well, these sizes are usually divided into groups: some groups of shoe sizes are more common and sell out faster than others.  

Ultimately, this shows the average shoe size for women. 

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reported that the average shoe size for women worldwide is between 7 and 8, while the average American female shoe size is 8.5.  For men, it is up to 10.5

However, the difference between various sizes is not much and is really only about an inch difference. 

Average female shoe size by height 

Age  Height Average Shoe size (US)Average Shoe size (UK) Average Shoe size (EU) 
20 Above 4.9 to 5.3 5 to 8.5 2.5 to 5.5 35 to 39 
20 Above 5.4 to 5.7 6.5 to 10 4 to 7.5 37 to 42
20 Above 5.8 to 6 and more 9 to 15 6.5 to 1340 to 48.5 

Wearing the right shoe is an important thing for maintaining our foot health

As we get older, our feet tend to get longer and our shoe sizes increase because the tendons and ligaments stretch and lose elasticity. 

 Certain weight fluctuations and some medical conditions can also cause changes in shoe size. So, a lot of people will wear bigger shoes later in life. 

Is there a relationship between height and foot length? 

Foot size and height have a direct relationship with each other, although the exact calculation of this relationship cannot be precisely determined. 

This relationship has been questioned and studied over the years by scientific researchers and medical professionals and the results of such studies may explain how it can be used to predict it. 

From a physiological point of view, it stands to reason that taller people need larger feet to support a longer body and improve balance.  

Foot size and height depend on many factors such as gender, genetics, health, and environment. 

Some of these factors are subject to change due to genetic abnormalities, disability, poor diet, and hormonal imbalances. These variables can affect the relationship of height to foot size.

Does size matter? Explained

It is a fact that the number of women who wear a larger shoe size has increased significantly in recent times. 

However, the shoe market offer has not been able to perceive this new need well and many of them have to go around a lot to get their feet dressed in the right size, without having to give up their own style. 

Does shoe size change with weight loss?

Weight loss can cause general changes throughout your body.  

The extent of these changes largely depends on how much you weigh, how much you lose, and how quickly these changes happen. 

It takes time for the body to fully adapt to the change in body mass, particularly the skin and other parts of the body that may also be affected, as it is unlikely to lose fully proportionate weight. 

In some cases, you will notice that your foot gets smaller and may change size. 

If you are obese and have developed significant fat deposits in and around your foot, a weight loss program should help you gradually lose weight. 

 As you lose weight, you will notice that this happens in proportion to the rest of your body and it can happen for a long period of time.  

However, if the fat that has developed in the foot is resistant to removal through natural diet methods. 

Surgical procedures like liposuction suck out excess fat, slimming your foot and potentially changing your shoe size. 

 

Does shoe size change with pregnancy? 

Surely on more than one occasion, you have heard a woman who has had a baby say that since pregnancy her shoes are tighter, and perhaps she says the opposite, that she has more shoes to spare.  

The reason is that during pregnancy, the foot can grow, but it can also shrink. 

It sounds strange, it sounds unlikely, but it happens nonetheless.  

What’s more, it happens to 6 out of 10 women, to a greater or lesser extent (many hardly realize it). 

A study published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation not only confirms that the feet can increase in size during pregnancy, but also that they can shrink, and also gives us more data. 

The researchers found that in many women the height of their plantar arches changed during pregnancy, increasing or decreasing the size of the foot.  

The change in the foot seemed to be greater if the pregnancy was the first.  

The variations ranged from a 4mm reduction in the length of the foot to a 10mm increase (1cm). 

The most common is that: the foot grows between 2 and 4mm, which could mean an increase of half to one size in shoes. 

How Can I Measure My Foot Size at Home 

To calculate your size, you need two sheets of paper, a ruler, and a thin pencil. Follow these steps: 

  • Lay a sheet on the floor. 
  • Support your back against a flat surface. 
  • Support one foot and your body weight on the blade. 
  • Ask someone to draw the outline of your feet with a pencil. 
  • Mark the longest part of your foot with a line and measure it in centimeters. 
  • Add 7mm to the longest part because as you walk your foot expands and this will be your shoe size. 
  • Check the measurements with the size chart and choose the shoe size. Also, check this article if you want to learn more about measuring shoe widths

How to choose the right shoe size for you.

A social idea was built that indicates that our footwear speaks of us; Wearing sneakers is not the same as wearing high shoes, because we choose one or the other depending on what we want to communicate.  

Do we want to show that we choose comfort or that we are seductive and attractive? That apparently depends on what we choose to wear in the morning. 

However, what happens when our choice is conditioned by what we can use? 

Today, they are constructed as an object of desire that represents femininity and even power.  

It doesn’t matter if our feet hurt, because according to the logic of advertising, nothing is going to make us feel more desired and empowered than a good pair of high heels.  

The footwear for a woman would come to be what the car represents for the man in the supposed construction of his masculinity. 

Although we can question whether shoes play a fundamental role in building our self-esteem or not, there is an undeniable reality: they are a functional factor in the exclusionary system that continues to reproduce unattainable stereotypes and leaves out an important portion of society that it does not adapt to the norms of what is considered beautiful.

Final Thoughts 

I hope you enjoyed this article about average shoe size for women  

Now I’d like to hear from you: What is your shoe size? 

Let me know by leaving a quick comment below right now. 

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