Shoe shopping
I just bought a pair of Fila-branded casual shoes last week as they were on sale and they looked just right for the season (and yes, they were really cheap!). It was delivered on Saturday afternoon while I was out taking an exam (that didn’t go well) at a Korean university. Korea has a different shoe sizing method. Just measure your feet from heel to toe and the result you get in millimeters (rounded to the nearest 0 or 5) is your shoe size. The biggest size for women’s shoes here is 250 (or 250 mm), equivalent to a US size 8 1/2.
The shoes that I ordered are sized 250, and on the tag inside it says that it’s a US size 8! The shoes fit… just not comfortably. I’ve been wearing it around the house hoping that they’d break in. These are just the second pair of shoes I ever bought in Korea. The other one is a pair of winter shoes that I got for my first winter.
I’d say I’m really frustrated that I couldn’t buy shoes here well. I guess I’m back to ordering shoes online from a US-based department store that ships to Korea. So if your feet are US women’s size 9 (like mine) and you’re planning to come here, better buy and pack your shoes in your home country because you’re gonna get a hard time buying them here. Better check Shopwiki for shoes that fit!
Tags: korean shopping, online shopping
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May 15th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Wow, how interesting… I am surprised, as small as Koreans are (foot-wise!), that they do not have “just-in-case” sizes like the US does.
It is strange, but I used to be 13 Men’s, but I think they changed the sizes, because 12 is loose for me now.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
well, i have the same problem that you have, i’m a size 10~10 1/2 (depending on the brand of shoes) in u.s. size and as expected i can’t buy shoes (sometimes i get lucky and buy sneakers or rubber shoes, but i buy it from the men’s department…kkkk….i cant expect it to be that pretty right?)in korea. i only have two options, buy the shoes from the philippines (like when i go there for a visit- the last time i went home i bought about 4 to 6 pairs of shoes- or when my mom comes to korea for a vacation…bwahahahah) or ask my husband to buy my shoes from the u.s. whenever he goes there on a business trip (lucky me….he goes to the u.s. 2-3 times a year…kkkk…)…….where do you buy your shoes online? i think it’s not only the shoe sizes that are small in korea, the same goes for their clothes (literally …..it’s too small…..), i think the concept of large to X-large is quite far fetched in korea. there are stores online and in dongdaemun for plus size women but my goodness it’s quite expensive and the design of clothes for plus size women in korea doesn’t fit my taste at all….bwahahahahaha
May 16th, 2008 at 10:15 am
how interesting…i have the opposite problem. I live in the US and well the sizes here are huge! The shoe sizes have changed before I could fit a size 5 women’s, but now it’s way too big. I have really small feet so it’s hard for me to find shoes especially pumps or just dress shoes. I can only fit the children’s sizes so it’s really hard for me to find shoes for work, which is a business casual dress code. When I went back to the Philippines I bought 3 pairs for work. Those three pairs will have to last me til my next visit to the Philippines hahaha.
May 16th, 2008 at 10:16 am
hello I got here from post on international linkages and I hope you can check out my site and leave a message if you want to ex-link with me. I have no idea that koreans have small feet? I think it would also be difficult on my part if I were you because my size is 7 & 1/2. Here in the Philippines not all shoes have half size so I end up wearing size 8 that doesnt fit well but I’m use to it now.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Betchay, we are such kindreds! I also wear US size 9 (Europe 40).
Shoe shopping can be torturous (haha!)for me. Whenever I need to get a new pair of shoes, the first question I ask is: Do you have a size 9 for that style?
May 16th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
@AzureWolf >> wow! you have big feet
i don’t think you’ll have an easy time finding shoes here…
@cher >> i order from jcpenney, they ship to Korea… i also sometimes ask my siblings to buy from me and send the items to the philippines… my “ate” in RP then sends my things to me… a 10kg package from RP is only 1,300 pesos
@maricel >> i also find it difficult to shop for shoes in the philippines, sometimes they don’t have size 9 shoes
@annz >> thanks for the visit… i’ll send your daughter a gift later
@Tesha >> here, the shoes are organized by sizes… bought a pair of pumps last time i was there, saleslady said it’s size 9… hurt my feet when i wore them… turned out their Eu size 39!