The ratio of shoes sizes: the US and Russia on modern shelves

Anyone from time to time facesthe need to buy new shoes or boots. Fortunately, this poses no problem: just go to any boutique, shoe store or just drop into the market and choose a new one to your taste. And this is where the difficulties begin.

Products from around the world: a wide selection and warm-up for the mind

On the modern stalls you can find shoes fromGermany, China, Italy, the United States and dozens of different countries, and - and this is the most unpleasant - almost everyone has their own size designations. Which, of course, do not coincide with the familiar to us domestic. Russian shoe sizes are one of the largest in size. As a result, it is almost impossible to stop the choice without having measured a couple of dozen visually suitable options. And what to do if you order the attracted ballet flats through the online store, and the product return service is not provided in it? In this case, to make a mistake even by one size means to lose not only money, but also the time that will be spent on the second purchase and delivery.

The biggest problems usually arise inRussian buyers with designations on US products. For example, the size of women's shoes 8.5 and 9.5 can plunge almost any customer into confusion. Meanwhile, these are the most "popular" Russian shoes 38 and 39.

What does the difference in size depend on?

What is so strange ratioshoe sizes? The United States and Russia, like other countries, are regular trading partners and, it would seem, should be interested in a unified measurement system. The reason for these differences is simple. It lies in the method of calculating the shoe size and in the units used in different countries. In Russia, the sole number is in centimeters, while Americans traditionally use inches for this purpose (1 inch-254 mm). This is one of the reasons why US shoe sizes are translated into Russian sizes with such difficulty: with an accurate recalculation, the result will almost always be a fractional number.

It should also be borne in mind that in Russia the numbering isfrom the minimum to the maximum, without breaks, and in the United States there are also children's sizes, which are calculated separately from adults. For example, the number "1" on the shoes does not mean that the inhabitants of the overseas neighbor young children flaunted a leg, comparable to the leg of a Russian teenager. Just shoes for babies are in another department of the boutique, and there you will surely find the same label. In matters such as the ratio of shoe sizes, the United States and Russia will hardly ever come to an agreement, so it’s better to remember such nuances before going for a new thing.

Rules for calculating shoe size

Currently, there are several systems for calculating shoe size:

• International Standard. According to him, the size of the leg is equal to its length in centimeters, rounded to 5 mm.
• European standard. It is also calculated in centimeters, but the unit is 2/3 cm.
• English metric system. It uses inches and takes into account solely the length of the insole.
• US standard. Like English, he also prefers inches. The minimum child size in it is 3.9 inches, and the “step” of 1/3 inches is taken as the unit of calculation.

In addition to these, the most common standardscan be identified numbering of China, Brazil, France and some other countries. However, they are increasingly using the European or international system, which facilitates fitting shoes.

Shoe Size Ratio: US and Russia in a dispute of civilizations

The minimum size in the US is "0.5", this is the sizeshoes of a newborn baby. Its length is slightly less than 4 inches; in the Russian tradition, this is 10.1 cm and is designated as “16.5”. An example of how US shoe sizes are translated into Russians can be seen in the following table:

How to find out the size of your legs?

Some people find it easier to memorizeshoe size ratio. The USA and Russia, fortunately, do not change their metric tables every year. However, for most people, remembering such a number of numbers (even if you decide to choose only “your” size range) turns out to be quite a challenge. There is a solution here. For example, you can remember only Russian shoe sizes - it's good that they are found on our shelves most often. Or carry a printed table with you and check with it before fitting. But all this is half measures. US sneakers may be the most desirable in the entire boutique, and a table or smartphone with Internet access - forgotten at home. Therefore, it is most convenient to remember once and for all the principles on which shoe sizes are calculated, and if necessary, simply carry out a simple mathematical operation in your head.

Calculate your size

Attach a ruler or tailor meter to the foot andmeasure its length, from the heel to the most prominent toe. In the English and American systems, traditionally it is traditionally considered to be large, but in reality it can be both a middle finger and a ring finger. You should not chase the "norm": you still can not walk in shoes that are too tight, so it is better to calculate the real, rather than the average, size in advance.

The most convenient way is to put your foot on a piece of paper andcircle it with a marker. At the same time, if the value for the right and left legs turned out to be different, choose the greatest one. It is best to do the measurement at the end of the day or after a long walk, as the legs slightly swell from the load and become larger.

The resulting figure must be transferred to the usual number on the sole.

• For boots or shoes of the Russian manufactureryou have to divide the length of your foot by 2 and multiply by 3, then add to the resulting number one and a half cm: the so-called “functional allowance” left by manufacturers just in case of a bulging finger or legs of different lengths.
• For goods from the United States, the easiest way is to first calculate the domestic shoe size: Russia “overtakes” America by 22 points in this respect. Which you will need to subtract from the resulting size of the legs.

A little about convenience

When calculating your size, it is worth remembering thatthere is also such a parameter as the “fullness” of the shoe or the volume of the foot. This number is calculated by a rather complicated formula and, as a rule, is rarely used for casual shoes. You will need a fullness indicator if you decide to buy skates, ski boots or other stiff shoes where you need a snug fit to the foot. In this case, the easiest way is to use a permanent table.

In general, it is worth remembering that now it’s not a problem to calculate the ratio of shoe sizes. The main thing is not to get lost, seeing an incomprehensible designation on the sole, and not to rush to measure everything.