What size is a size 7 shoe in EU sizes?

[goodsapphic]

I have always thought that a size 7 is a 40. I have worn size 7 shoes in a 40 and they fit okay. However, I was given a pair of size 7s a few months ago which I thought would be okay. They are far too big and are actually a 41. I tried wearing them with insoles and two pairs of socks to pad them out, still too large. So why is it labelled as a 7, if it is a 41? And what size is a 40 in the UK?

I wear a UK 7 and it’s usually marked 41. 40 is always too small for me.

40 can be a 6.5 or a 7 depending on the brand.
41 would be more like 7.5. I’ve seen a 40.5 as a 7 in some shops too ....so totally inconsistent!

There is no absolute correspondence. EU size is a fixed measurement, so if you're a 40 you're a 40. UK sizing is a moveable feast. I'm a 6, but that means nothing in reality - I have to know the EU size to know if shoes will fit or not.

I think a 40 is 6.5 but sometimes labeled as 7. I’m 6.5 and it fits me perfectly in any case.

It really depends.

40 or 41 depending on country/brand.

41 is a 7 , 40 is generally a 6.5 but often ‘sold’ as a 7.

Having worked in a couple of shoe shops, UK ladies size 7 is usually equivalent to an EU size 40. UK ladies 8 is usually 41.

Not all brands work to that conversion - sometimes a 40 is more like an UK 6.5. If you're buying a specific brand online, search for their size chart and see what conversion they use.

To complicate matters, in the UK, men and womens shoe sizes are not the same, but they are in EU sizes. A ladies UK 7 is a UK mens 6. So EU 40 is mens 6, ladies 7.

So, better to check the EU sizes from now on then. Normally I would look for a 6.5 since I normally find a 7 to be slightly loose, but when there are only whole sizes I go for a 7. Adding an insole usually solves the problem for me but in this case it didn't because the difference was just too big.

Also thanks to everyone who replied on here so fast. Quickest responses I've ever had I think. Thanks for solving my problem for me :)

In women's shoes it is a 40 and mens 41

Yes, women's 7 is 40. Men's 7 is 41.

I think if you buy unisex shoe types, like running shoes, they sometimes say 7 / 41 because a men's 7 is a 41.

I'm a women's 7 and take a 40. I have to be careful ordering runners / hiking shoes, as they are often the wrong sizes. I've had this even when I think I'm looking at women's runners!

You also have to size down if buying men's brogues or flats from British shops, which I nearly did, as they were great quality and much cheaper than the exact same looking pair of women's .

Sometimes 40 sometimes 41

Definitely 41.
I am a 7 and am a 41 in every European brand I've ever had.

I’m a 7 and I’m 40 in the vast majority of European brands. So it’s not definitely one or the other...

Also depends on how wide your feet are, tbf.

How odd I've just rummaged through my shoes (and looked at the charts) and only have 7s and 41s. All fit me perfectly.
Perhaps my feet change size in different countries!

I'm a 7 and fit a 40 if EU/IT sizing and 41 if EU/FR.

Crazy that it's not consistent so you need to know which country your shoes are from.

HeyLala That's interesting. I never knew there was any difference between the two.

I've always worn a 7 which is a 41, but recently I've noticed that it's being marked as a 40 and an 8 as a 41. No idea what's changed but a 40 has always been too small as it's a 6.5