what is sock size compared to shoe size?

Over our many years in the biz, we sock fairies have picked up a drawer-ful of crucial information about sock sizes, which can be surprisingly confusing! Sizes can vary across different brands, and sock sizes are different than shoe sizes, taking the confusion to a whole new level.

Have you ever wondered what the 9-11 or 10-13 means on women's and men's socks? These numbers represent how many inches long your foot is, rather than your shoe size! That’s one of the things that tends to trip people up about sock sizing. Here’s how those sock sizes convert to shoe sizes:

• Women's socks are typically listed on sock packaging as "Size 9-11." This translates to a women's U.S. shoe size of about 5-10.
• Men's socks are typically listed on sock packaging as "Size 10-13." This translates to a men's U.S. shoe size of about 8-12.5.

SOCK FAIRY SECRET! Here at The Sock Drawer, we do our best to make sizing easy on you. On every product page, you’ll find a line that says what shoe size will work for those socks. So if you know your shoe size — or the shoe size of the person you’re shopping for — you’re good to go.

what size socks do i need?

What’s your shoe size? That’s the easiest way to figure out your sock size. Consult the chart above, or just check out the details section on each of our product pages. For every pair of socks we sell, we include info on what shoe size will work for those socks.

what if i need xl socks?

If you have larger feet than the standard sizes above, we’ve got you covered:

Men: For men who wear larger shoe sizes, we have a special collection of XL socks, also known as king size socks. These start at size 12 and range up to 16 or so, depending on the brand. If you're shopping for extra large men's socks, please check the size details on each product page to make sure the style will fit. These bigger socks are just as fun and funky as any we offer. No more plain white socks just because you have big feet!

Women: For women who wear shoes bigger than size 10, we recommend you try our men’s socks. There is no major difference in design or cut between our men’s and women’s socks; men’s are simply for a larger foot. Many of our most popular styles are available in both a men’s and women’s version. Check out these his-and-hers matching sets.

SOCK FAIRY SECRET! Many women with average size feet can wear men’s socks comfortably, and vice versa. If you see a pattern you love but it’s for a different gender, you might still consider giving it a try unless you have exceptionally small or large feet! If it doesn’t work out, we always offer free returns within the U.S.