Guide
Espadrille Size Chart: UK, US and EU Sizes Explained
EU, UK and US espadrille sizes side by side, with foot length in cm and inches, how to measure your foot, and when to size up or down.
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Espadrille makers such as Morjas list European (EU) sizes first, so the safest way to order is to know your foot length in centimetres and read each brand's own chart. As a guide, here is the men's espadrille chart published by the shoemaker Morjas, which gives UK and US equivalents and the foot length each size is meant for.
Men's espadrille sizes (Morjas chart)
| EU | UK | US | Foot length (cm) | Foot length (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 5 | 6 | 25.1 | 9.9 |
| 40 | 6 | 7 | 26.6 | 10.5 |
| 41 | 7 | 8 | 27.1 | 10.7 |
| 42 | 8 | 9 | 27.6 | 10.9 |
| 43 | 9 | 10 | 28.6 | 11.3 |
| 44 | 10 | 11 | 29.6 | 11.7 |
| 45 | 11 | 12 | 30.1 | 11.9 |
| 46 | 12 | 13 | 30.6 | 12.1 |
| 47 | 13 | 14 | 31.1 | 12.3 |
Two things to note. First, the centimetre and inch columns are your foot length, not the inside length of the shoe. Second, on this chart the UK size is always one below the US size, and the EU size runs 34 above the UK size. Other brands may round differently, which is why the foot length matters more than the label.
We could not find a women's espadrille chart we were able to verify, so we do not print one: for women's styles, always use the brand's own women's table.
How to measure your foot
The method below combines the instructions given by Morjas and by the espadrille brand Viscata:
- Put on the socks you would wear with the shoes, or none if you plan to go barefoot.
- Stand on a sheet of paper.
- Mark the back of the heel and the tip of your longest toe.
- Measure the distance between the two marks.
- Compare with the chart, then adjust for the shape of your foot (see below).
Our own tip on top: measure both feet and keep the larger figure.
When to go up or down
Viscata gives a set of rules of thumb that make sense for espadrilles in particular:
| Situation | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Traditional flat canvas espadrille | your size, or slightly smaller: the fabric relaxes to the foot |
| Stiff back and heel (many wedges) | consider half a size up for comfort |
| Flexible back | usually true to size or slightly small; size up if unsure |
| Pointed toe | narrower than a round toe |
| Narrow foot | may suit a size smaller |
| Foot wider at the front than at the heel | your normal size or a little larger |
Morjas, for its part, recommends the same size for normal, wide and narrow feet on its own model, which shows how much advice depends on the cut.
UK and US buyers: a word of caution
Viscata warns that "it's not safe to assume that everything will be a direct conversion", and notes that European sizes can feel tight to some North American customers. In practice:
- order by foot length when the brand gives one;
- read the brand's advice on stretch, since natural materials give with wear (do espadrilles stretch?);
- check the returns policy before ordering online.
Once you have the right size, the next question is usually how to look after them: see how to wash espadrilles.
Frequently asked questions
What UK size is an EU 42 espadrille?
On the Morjas men's espadrille chart, EU 42 is a UK 8 and a US 9, for a foot of about 27.6 cm.
Should I trust a general shoe conversion chart for espadrilles?
Only as a starting point. Espadrille maker Viscata warns that sizes do not always convert directly, so check each brand's own chart and your foot length.
Sources
Pages consulted for this article: