# Buying a man’s shoe for my wife **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 2, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-man-s-shoe-for-my-wife/333719 "2005-12-02T14:03:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aceospades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Aceospades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aceospades)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-man-s-shoe-for-my-wife/333719/1 "2005-12-02T14:03:24Z")
Quick question. If my wife’s shoe size is a 7.5 in woman’s shoes, what would be her size for a man’s shoe? I want to get her this shoe: [http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceM574ISS.htm](http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceM574ISS.htm) I think she’ll like the black on black color, but black on black only comes in a man’s style. I figure I could buy a smaller size in men’s and no problem. Will this work? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-man-s-shoe-for-my-wife/333719/2 "2005-12-02T14:08:58Z")
You’ll probably have to take a foot tracing (or a tennis shoe you know fits her) to a men’s department to verify the shoe size to be certain. I wear an 8 1/2 to 9 wide in women’s shoes, I got a pair of size 7 men’s work boots for hiking. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-man-s-shoe-for-my-wife/333719/3 "2005-12-02T14:41:02Z")
> [@Aceospades](#): > > Quick question. If my wife’s shoe size is a 7.5 in woman’s shoes, what would be her size for a man’s shoe? I want to get her this shoe: [http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceM574ISS.htm](http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceM574ISS.htm) I think she’ll like the black on black color, but black on black only comes in a man’s style. I figure I could buy a smaller size in men’s and no problem. Will this work? The usual shoe size drop is 1 to 1.5 size(s) to adjust between a woman’s and man’s shoe size so 6 to 6.5 is her probable men’s size. Men’s shoes also tend to run a bit wider for a given size than women’s, a men’s medium width might be a woman’s med-wide. Women also sometimes have slightly different sole “last” topography than men. For something like a mountain boot this might be important, but for a flexible running shoe it’s unlikely to matter. My last suggestion is _not_ to buy shoes for women even if you think they’ll like them. I’m serious, I speak from experience. People generally & women especially often have very specific ideas about acceptable looking footwear. See [International Shoe Size Conversion Charts/Converter Tables for Shoes Sizes](http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/shoes.html). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-man-s-shoe-for-my-wife/333719/4 "2005-12-02T14:41:28Z")
I wear an 8.5-9 in women’s and about a 7-7.5 in men’s. Your wife will most likely have to wear a boy’s shoe. I believe men’s shoes only go down to 7 correct? She will probably be wearing a size 5.5 to 6 in boys. ---
**Author:** ![Hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@Hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hombre)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-man-s-shoe-for-my-wife/333719/5 "2005-12-02T14:41:40Z")
> [@Aceospades](#): > > Quick question. If my wife’s shoe size is a 7.5 in woman’s shoes, what would be her size for a man’s shoe? I want to get her this shoe: [http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceM574ISS.htm](http://www.nbwebexpress.com/newbalanceM574ISS.htm) I think she’ll like the black on black color, but black on black only comes in a man’s style. I figure I could buy a smaller size in men’s and no problem. Will this work? Former running shoe salesperson. If she will be using this for extended running or sports, I would advise against it. If you do I suggest getting insoles to increase the ‘snug’ factor as men’s shoes are cut wider than women’s. That aside take **Zabali\_Clawbane** ’s advice.