How to measure your foot at home and choose your shoe size online
When you buy shoes online, choose by foot length in centimetres, not by the number you are used to. Here is how to measure your foot correctly, how centimetres relate to EU sizes, and how to use the size table on each Babylon product page.
In short
Measure your foot in the evening, standing, on a sheet of paper against a wall: from the heel to the tip of the longest toe, both feet, and use the larger figure. An EU size is roughly 1.5 × foot length in cm + 2, but every manufacturer has its own chart. Babylon, a Ukrainian footwear manufacturer, makes almost every model on its own last, so compare your foot length with the size table of the specific model.
How do I measure my foot at home?
Measure your foot in the evening, standing, on a sheet of paper against a wall: from the heel to the tip of the longest toe. Do both feet and use the larger figure. You need five minutes, an A4 sheet, a pencil and a ruler or tape measure.
Step by step:
- Pick the time. Measure in the evening or after a walk: feet swell slightly during the day, which is why UK NHS advice is to try shoes on later in the day.
- Prepare the sheet. Lay the paper on a hard floor (not a carpet) with its short edge flush against the wall.
- Stand on it. Barefoot or in thin socks, heel firmly against the wall, weight evenly on both feet — the way your foot sits in a shoe.
- Mark the longest toe. Hold the pencil strictly upright, at 90° to the floor. If you tilt it under the toes, the result comes out shorter — Babylon's “How to choose the size” page warns about this too.
- Measure. From the edge of the paper (the wall) to the mark — that is your foot length. Round to 0.5 cm.
- Repeat for the other foot. Feet are often slightly different; go by the larger one.
How do centimetres relate to EU sizes?
The European system counts sizes in Paris points of 2/3 cm. A rough formula is: size ≈ 1.5 × foot length in cm + 2. So a 24 cm foot is about a 38, and a 26 cm foot about a 41. It is an approximation: every manufacturer has its own lasts and charts.
The international Mondopoint system (ISO 9407) simply labels a shoe with foot length in millimetres, and ISO 19407 provides conversion tables between systems. Below is an approximate chart based on the European formula.
| EU size | Foot length, cm (≈) | Mondopoint, mm (≈) |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 22.0 | 220 |
| 36 | 22.7 | 225 |
| 37 | 23.3 | 235 |
| 38 | 24.0 | 240 |
| 39 | 24.7 | 245 |
| 40 | 25.3 | 255 |
| 41 | 26.0 | 260 |
| 42 | 26.7 | 265 |
| 43 | 27.3 | 275 |
| 44 | 28.0 | 280 |
| 45 | 28.7 | 285 |
| 46 | 29.3 | 295 |
Why do you need the table for your exact model?
Because size depends on the last — the form a shoe is built on. Almost every Babylon model is made on its own last, so every product page has its own “Size — Foot length, cm” table. The same size 40 in sneakers and in sheepskin boots can correspond to different foot lengths.
How to use the table:
- Open the product page and find the size table.
- Find the foot length closest to your measurement.
- If your foot falls between two values, take the larger size or ask the shop.
- For fur-lined winter shoes or thick socks, ask whether to size up for that particular model.
Don't carry over your size from another brand, or even from another of our models. Measure your foot and check the table of the exact pair you're ordering — almost every model of ours has its own.
How much room should you leave?
Do not add anything to your measured foot length: the allowance is already built into the last and the manufacturer's chart. When you try the pair on, check that there is about 1 cm between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
UK NHS footwear guidance suggests looking for around 1 cm of room in front of the toes of a closed shoe and making sure the foot is not squeezed at the sides; another NHS leaflet describes it as the width of your little finger. According to reference sources, a last is typically 13–17 mm longer than the foot — which is why the EU formula adds roughly two sizes to the bare foot length.
What if your feet are wide or have a high instep?
Length is not the only measurement. If your feet are wide, have a high instep or a bunion, pay attention to toe shape and fastening.
- Measure the width. Trace your foot on the same sheet and measure the widest part across the toes. Send this figure to the shop.
- Look for a wide fit. Some Babylon product pages, such as Space-90, state that the model also suits wide feet.
- Prefer laces. Lace-up shoes are easier to adjust to a high instep than slip-ons.
How do I choose my size at Babylon from abroad?
Measure your foot, open the product page and find your foot length in the size table. If unsure, send the shop three numbers: the size of your favourite pair, its insole length in centimetres, and your foot length.
Babylon is a Ukrainian footwear manufacturer with its own factory in Kharkiv, producing since 1997; its shoes are handmade. Size ranges and size tables depend on the model and are listed on its product page: for example, the men's Pulse-13 sneakers come in 39–45, while for the women's Pulse-14 sneakers check the range on the product page.
Shipping is free worldwide and takes about 14–20 days; import duties, if any, are paid by the recipient. If the size does not fit, international returns and exchanges are accepted within 30 days of delivery, and every pair has a 30-day warranty. For more on materials, read “Genuine leather or faux leather” and “Genuine sheepskin boots”.
What are the most common measuring mistakes?
The most common mistakes are measuring in the morning, sitting down, or with a tilted pencil. They usually give a shorter length and, as a result, tight shoes.
- Measuring in the morning. Your foot has not reached its daytime size yet.
- Measuring seated. The foot is not loaded with your body weight as it is when walking.
- Tilted pencil. The mark ends up under the toe instead of in front of it.
- One foot only. The other may be longer.
- “My size in another brand's sneakers.” Every brand's lasts differ.
- Sizing up “to grow into” or “for thick socks” without checking the table. Shoes that are too big rub just like tight ones.
FAQ
How do I measure my foot length at home?
Put a sheet of paper on the floor flush against a wall and stand on it barefoot with your heel against the wall. Holding a pencil strictly upright, mark the tip of your longest toe. Measure from the edge of the paper to the mark with a ruler. Repeat for the other foot and use the larger figure.
How do I convert centimetres to EU shoe sizes?
The European system counts sizes in Paris points of 2/3 cm. A rough formula is: size ≈ 1.5 × foot length in cm + 2. So a 24 cm foot is about a 38, and a 26 cm foot about a 41. Manufacturers' charts differ, though, so always check the size table of the specific model.
What EU size is a 24 cm foot?
By the European formula a 24 cm foot corresponds to about size 38, but different manufacturers may list it as 37 or 38. Almost every Babylon model has its own last and its own “size — foot length” table, so look up 24 cm in the table of the pair you are ordering.
Why do I wear a 40 in one model and a 41 in another?
Because size depends on the last — the form a shoe is built on — and on construction: lining thickness, fur, toe shape. Lasts differ even within one brand. That is why Babylon publishes a separate size table on every product page instead of one chart for all models.
How much room should there be in front of my toes?
UK NHS footwear advice suggests about 1 cm between your longest toe and the end of a closed shoe — roughly the width of your little finger. This allowance is already built into manufacturers' charts that map foot length to size, so do not add anything to your measured foot length.
What if the size does not fit?
For international orders Babylon accepts returns and exchanges within 30 days of delivery; items must be unworn and in their original condition. Shipping is free worldwide and takes about 14–20 days. If you are between sizes, send the shop your foot length before ordering and they will advise using the model's size table.
Head of production technology at Babylon's own factory in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The factory employs 25 craftspeople and 2 technologists; leather and fur come from Spain and Turkey, soles are made to order, and every pair is made by hand. All articles by this author
Sources and notes
- Paris point (2/3 cm), EU size formula, 13–17 mm last allowance, Mondopoint (ISO 9407:2019), ISO 19407: “Shoe size”, Wikipedia.
- Size system conversion tables: ISO 19407:2023 “Footwear — Sizing — Conversion of sizing systems”.
- About 1 cm of room and trying shoes later in the day: Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, “Footwear”.
- Little-finger-width gap, buying shoes in the afternoon: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, “Footwear advice”.
- Measuring method and information for the shop: Babylon “How to choose the size”; size ranges from product pages Pulse-14, Pulse-13, Space-90 (as of 6 October 2026).
- International returns: Returns & Exchanges.
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