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Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Although I am on vacation and have other things to ponder, this is a question of the ages, a conundrum to challenge even Nietzsche--I am 5'11" , not thin, and my shoe size is 9 1/2. How do American ladies get an average size 10? What, do they have some mysterious alternate scale? Have they become Saskwatch in my absence? Or merely giantesses? (Ooh, that might be interesting.)

johnslat · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:39 pm Post subject: If the shoe fits . . . .

Dear Sheik,

"Shoes, for example, have myriad numbering schemes. Legend has it that shoe sizes originated in the fourteenth century when King Edward II of England ordered shoes for his child and provided the shoemaker with the length of the child�s foot measured in barley corns.

Presumably, royal protocol prohibited access of the lowly shoemaker to the blue-blooded prince, so an indirect podiatric measurement was required. Today, the meaning of shoe sizes in the U.S. is still a mystery to most - even to those who make a living by selling shoes � and for reasons now lost to history, there exist different sizes for men, women, and children, although the latter do use the same number for any given size, whether boy or girl. This discrepancy between sexes is especially an inconvenience with sneakers or sport boots, of which men and women use basically the same type even if their numerical sizes should not agree.

Shoe sizes are generally related to the length of the �last,� which is a foot-shaped template used for shoe fabrication. The American size of the shoe is three times the heel-to-toe length of the foot, measured in inches, minus a constant (what for?), so each half size increment is 1/6 of an inch (4.23 mm). The subtractive constant is 22 for men, 21 for women (or is it 20.5?), and 9.75 for children (9.67?), but the latter only up to size 13 1/2, after which another constant is used! For instance, a man�s foot that is 10.5� long requires an American shoe size 3 x 10.5 � 22 = 9.5. By contrast, most countries in continental Europe and in Latin America follow some version of the French rule, which specifies a shoe size that is 1.5 times the length of the last measured in centimeters, irrespective of gender or age, so each step (or Paris point) is 2/3 cm (6.67 mm) long. Thus, a foot 26.7 cm in length, which for comfort demands a last that is some 2 cm longer than the foot, would correspond to a French shoe size 1.5 x (26.7+2) = 43. Shoe sizes in the U.K. follow a similar but not identical rule to those in the U.S., and (apparently) they do not differ between men and women. Fortunately, and despite regional variations, shoe sizes have remained consistent over the years, so a shoe of a given number from a generation ago is as large as a contemporary shoe of that same number."

http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/196/kausel.html

Now, aren't you sorry you asked?

Regards,
John

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Women's sizes are not the same as men's sizes. There is about a two size difference. So you would wear about a 11-12 women's.

My father was 6'1" and he wore a 12 (men's of course) with an A width which always required a special order.

VS

007 · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:05 pm Post subject:

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

killthebuddha · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 5:07 am Post subject:

Thanks johnslat,

I really enjoyed that. Dunno what that says about me, but there it is. BTW, where can I find that baby picture of Rowan Atkinson you recently posted? I'm thinking it'd make a novel Christmas card.

--ktb

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:16 pm Post subject:

He has a measurable I.Q.?

NCTBA

johnslat · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject:

Dear ktb,

"BTW, where can I find that baby picture of Rowan Atkinson you recently posted? I'm thinking it'd make a novel Christmas card.

Oh, baby:

http://tinyurl.com/2e79sse

Regards,
John

killthebuddha · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:41 pm Post subject:

You Rule johnslat,

I now have a new desktop background. (It goes well with all the Black Adder episodes I have. How DO you find all this great stuff?!) THANKS!

--ktb

johnslat · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 7:35 pm Post subject:

Dear ktb,

Ah, LOVE "Blackadder" (where I first encountered Hugh Laurie, aka Dr, Gregory House.) In fact, there was an episode in season two when Wilson was staying with House because Wilson had separated from his wife. He and House are sitting on the couch and checking cable TV to see what's on,
and about halfway down the screen it said "Blackadder."

How do I find the stuff? Praise be to Google (Images, in this case.)

Regards,
John

007 · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:07 pm Post subject:

Cleopatra · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:16 pm Post subject:

007 · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:36 pm Post subject: