The size charts below show you the average shoe sizes for women from cradle to adulthood. It equally gives you insight into the average shoe sizes of women for the various designs of women’s shoes available on the market today. Plus, you’ll also find shoe sizes for various countries.

We’ll walk you through some history on women’s shoe sizing, followed by shoe size charts by women’s age, from teen to adult. Finally, our experts answer all frequently asked questions concerning shoe sizing for women.

Related: Heels size for women with wide feet

Table of Content of Average Shoe Size for Women

• Average Shoe Size Sandals for Women
• Women’s Heels Sizes for Women
• Average Sneakers Size for Women
• Average Shoe Size for Age 7 – 12 Years Female
• Average Shoe Size for Age 4 – 7 Years Female
• What is the perfect foot size for a woman?
• What is the average foot size for a woman?
• What is a normal shoe size for a woman?
• Is an 8.5 size shoe pretty big for a woman?
• What does the average shoe size for a woman mean?
• What is the most common size shoe for ladies?
• What is the average shoe size for a 17 year old female?
• Conclusion

History of Women’s Shoe Sizes

These changes in the average shoe sizes over the years are attributed to significant alterations in the human body structure, especially in women. It is believed that there are taller people these days than before. These facts are not scientifically proven, but they are observable facts.

Generally, after the ages of 15 to 16 years, most especially for American women shoe sizes remain constant throughout most part of their adult life. According to Healthline, the average shoe size of women across the United States has changed consistently over the past decades. Women in the 21st Century use larger sizes than any other generation before, due to their larger foot sizes. As of the 1960s, the average shoe size for women was 6.5. In the following decades, the 80s and 90s, it was measured at 7.5+. As the new millennium closed in, the average shoe size was found to be between 8.5 to 9. 

The sizes of our shoes influence a lot of things about us — How we feel, walk, and how people perceive us. It is vital to mention that shoe sizes are not the same for everybody because of the vast difference in our body structure and body sizes. And, women tend to use smaller sizes than men. Usually, their sizes are greatly influenced by their heights. But what is the average shoe size for a woman? And is it a true size?

Related: Here you can convert men to women’s shoe sizes

Average Shoe Size for Women Sandals

Related: Here you can convert US into Mexico sizes

Women’s Heels Sizes for Women

Related: Women’s heel size for wide feet

Average Sneakers Size for Women

Average Shoe Size for Age 7 – 12 Years Female

Average Shoe Size for Age 4 – 7 Years Female

How to measure my feet for my shoe size?

How do i know my shoe size as a woman?

How to understand shoe width with more parameters can be found here.
Find out How to measure your shoe size correctly here.

10 easy steps to measure your feet correctly:

1. Measure your feet in the afternoon.
   Your feet swell during the day, it’s best to measure your feet at their fullest
2. Stand When Measuring
   When in a wheelchair there’s no pressure on the feet, so it’s unnecessary to stand up.
3. Wear socks
   In many shoes you most probably wear socks. Make sure you wear socks when you measure your feet.
4. Be precise
5. Measure both feet
   Measure your left and right foot separately as they’re not the same length. Take the biggest measurement to determine your shoe Size
6. Stand on your piece of paper
   Keeping your body weight over your foot, trace a thin line around the outside of your entire foot.
7. Start drawing
   When drawing the line, hold the pen perpendicular to the ground.
8. Measure the length of your feet
   Measure vertically down the length of your foot tracing. This is your foot length.
9. Find your width fitting by drawing or with measuring tape
   Measure horizontally across the widest part of your foot tracing. This is your foot width.
10. Determine your shoe size in the conversion charts
    Start from the measurement in inches or centimeters and define your size in the charts for women

Frequently Asked Questions about Women’s Shoe Sizing

What is the perfect foot size for a woman?

Pointing out a perfect foot size for women may be a little complicated, due to the wide variation in the sizes of the female feet. However, the size of a woman’s foot size would be influenced by her height. Some other experts believe that the body weight of a woman can also determine their foot size due to the increased width and girth. In most cases, a woman with a shorter height often has a smaller foot size and a taller woman is likely to have a larger foot, which is also true for the American female population. Generally, 7.5+ should be ideal for regular women. 8.5 size is expected for sportswomen to help them avoid foot pain and maintain stability. 9.0 is ideal for taller women.

What is the average foot size for a woman?

According to experts, from the 20th century, the 1960s, till now, the average foot size of women has grown significantly. In the 60s shoe sizes for an average woman is in the range of 6.5. However, women’s sizes are in the ranges of  8.5 and 9 inches. These sizes may vary from one country to another. But it is believed that from the ages of 15 or 16 upward, ladies use footwear of sizes 7.5+ and it hardly changes until during old age when the leg begins to shrink again. However, if a lady starts to add up extra weight, it is likely that there is an increase in shoe sizes and they may require a larger pair of shoes, which might return to normal when she shed the weight. 

What is a normal shoe size for a woman?

The normal foot size for women depends on who they are and why. For regular women, the normal shoe size should be between 8.5 and 9 inches, according to Healthline. However, the sizes vary slightly for women in sports, athletics or some other specialized fields and career. 

Is an 8.5 size shoe pretty big for a woman?

No. The average shoe size for women is between 8.5 and 9. Women using 8.5 sizes still fall within the average size for women according to the shoe size charts above. However, for girls below the ages of 15 and 16, the sizes may be pretty big. However, there are instances where girls have grown enough to fit into much larger sizes as a result of growth hormones.

What does the average shoe size for a woman mean?

The average shoe size for a woman is the size that fits a wide spectrum of women in most situations. It is determined by taking the foot sizes of several women and finding the most common size or sizes. But it is best to mention that this average size would not fit several women due to disparity in sizes foot width and girth sizes.

What is the most common size shoe for ladies?

The most common shoe sizes for ladies also happen to be the same as the most common foot sizes. The sizes between 8.5 and 9 are the most demanded shoes in the united states and worldwide. This is because it is the average foot size of a grown-up woman. Shoe companies create more pair of shoes in these size ranges to cater for the needs of adult women and that is why it is by far the most common shoe size found on the market. Next to this is the sizes for toddlers, which are also very common. 

What is the average shoe size for a 17 year old female?

Female foot stops growing at 15 to 16 years. Therefore, females of age 17 share similar footwear sizes with most adult females. The average size ranges from 7.5 inches to 9 inches. The sizes depend on their height and body weight. 

Average shoe sizing for women explained

Conclusion

The average shoe size for women changes from one generation to another. Currently, it is pegged at 8.5 to 9. It may grow bigger or smaller for the next generation of women, depending on how the human body changes over that period. The shoe size conversion charts above should give you an idea of what the average sizes look like for various women’s footwear, especially for women who are trying to battle foot pain or who always fall victim to the wrong shoe sizes. If you are finding it hard to use the charts to determine the correct sizes for you, shear your concerns in the comments below and you’ll get an immediate response. Also if you have any questions or need further clarification about any of the charts, leave them in the comments as well. Remember to share the article. 

Picture in this post by Apostolos Vamvouras on Unsplash

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