Stocking sizing is not a very precise art: there are many factors to consider when assessing the size you might require.
The first thing is to get the foot size correct.
Sizing of stockings is a measurement from the tip of the toe of the stocking to the point at which the heel turns to become the leg. Thus a size '9' is 9 inches long on the foot.
The next measurement is the length of the stocking, but is not usually given by manufacturers. This is the measurement from the 'turning' point of the heel to the top of the welt of the stocking, and is given in inches. This measurement gives one an indication of the length of the stocking.
The actual length when the stocking is worn is somewhat different in that the length is affected by the shape of the wearer's leg — the slimmer the leg, the higher up the leg the stocking will reach. Also, the nature or the 'knit' and the 'resilience' of the yarn will have an effect on the length; as will the 'cut' of the stocking.
Some manufacturers shape the stocking to be very full, and this gives a longer effective length, whereas some will be less generous in the width and thus the stocking can have a shorter length when worn than the actual measurement would have you believe.
When choosing vintage hosiery from our extensive stock, it is important to note that nylon degrades slightly over the years and becomes more 'brittle', hence it is more likely that a stocking in a size that is too small for the wearer will suddenly rupture causing ladders (runs), and thus spoil the stocking.
Here is a useful conversion chart: please note that the stocking sizes are approximations derived from the conversion to inches.
The chart is provided for guidance purposes only!!
| UK shoe size | - | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocking Size | - | 8 | 8½ | 9 | 9½ | 9½ or 10 | 10 | 10½ | 11 | 11 or 11½ | 11½ | - | - |
| Alternative stocking sizing | - | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 or 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | - | - | - | - |
| European shoe size | 34 | 35.3 | 36.75 | 38 | 39.25 | 40.5 | 42 | 43.25 | 44.6 | 46 | 47.25 | 48 | - |
| US male shoe size | - | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| US female shoe size | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | - | - | - | - |
| Japan shoe size | - | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 |
| Mexico shoe size | - | - | - | 4½ | 5½ | 6½ | 7½ | 8½ | 9½ | 10½ | 11½ | 12½ | - |
| centimetres | 21.4 | 22.4 | 22.9 | 23.8 | 24.9 | 25.7 | 26.6 | 27.6 | 28.3 | 29.3 | 30.1 | - | - |
| mondopoint | 214 | 224 | 229 | 238 | 249 | 257 | 266 | 276 | 283 | 293 | 301 | - | - |
| inches | - | 83⁄8 | 8¾ | 91⁄16 | 97⁄16 | 913⁄16 | 101⁄8 | 101⁄2 | 107⁄8 | 113⁄16 | 119⁄16 | 117⁄8 | - |