You would think that buying the right pair of shoes is as simple as choosing your size number. However, the world is much more complicated than that! It seems there is more to buying your shoes than what you think you know. This brings us to the question of; what does c/d mean in shoes?
C/D is not the only “code” that you find when fitting shoes. There are many more. According to an article on Wikipedia, there are so many ways of indicating shoes sizes, with just as many numbers.
Some systems use numbers, others use letters and yet others use a combination of numbers and letters. When ordering a pair of shoes online, you ought to know what to look for to get the right size for your shoes.
What Does C/D Mean in Shoes – Shoes Width
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In a snap, we could say that C/D in shoes means average width for men’s shoes and wide rating for women’s shoes. However, that is too superficial an answer. When you are going to purchase a pair of work boots or any shoes for that matter, you not only worry about the length size of the shoes. You also worry about the width of the shoes.
There are different systems for measuring width and length of shoes. For many systems though, the length is obvious. However, for width, it starts at AAA/AAAA to EEE. AAA is the narrowest size that you can find in the market. This “narrowest” size is for any number. That means you can have shoe size number 8 AAA. In this case, 8 is the shoe length and C/D is the width, or just wide.
Men’s feet are wider than women’s feet. Therefore, the average width for men’s shoes is different from the average width for women’s shoes. In the USA, for men’s shoes, D is the average width. Thus, a man with narrow feet might get a C/D size. However, a woman’s shoe might be indicated as B, which basically is the same as the C/D size for men. D is average wide for men while B is medium wide for women. Please note that this is not cast in stone because some women have wide feet and some men may have narrow feet.
What does C/D mean in shoes for women?
The width size starts at AAA, which means very narrow, or the narrowest size available in the market. Then it goes to AA and A. Since this short post is on what does C/D mean in shoes, we shall look at that specifically.
C/D in shoes is targeted at men and women shoe sizes. However, for both men and women, the C/D width sizing does not mean the same thing. For example, C/D in women’s shoes means wide. It is preceded by D, which means average width. It is also followed by E, which means extra wide.
Mostly, womens shoes width starts at AA for narrow, B for Average, C/D for wide and E for extra wide. Let us crunch some numbers here to make it easier to understand. If you buy a pair of shoes that is size number 5, if it has an AA width, it will be 2 13/16 inches. If it has a B width, it will be 3 3/16 inches wide. If it has C/D width, it will be 3 9/16 inches wide and finally, for a size E width shoe, it will be 3 15/16 inches wide.
E ratings are extra wide for women. If you are a woman with extra wide feet, you will find your shoes easily because manufacturers make women’s shoes within these width sizes. Several years ago, it would have been hard to find an extra wide shoe for women.
What does C/D mean in Shoes for men?
For men, you will most likely not find the AA width sizing because men’s feet are generally wider. Men’s shoes width rating starts at B, D, EE or EEEE. Thus, when buying a pair of shoes of length size number 6, you may get a width rating of B, D, EE or EEEE depending on the size of your feet. For example, 6 EE means you wear a shoe size number 6 with a width rating of Wide. If the shoe has a rating of EEEE, it means it has a width rating of extra wide. If it is a size 6 B, it is narrow. For a width rating of D, then it means the shoe is of medium or average width.
As you can see here, women’s shoes width rating is far different from that of the men. Usually, you can tell how wide your foot is by the comfort you get when wearing a fitting shoe. In general, the E ratings are considered as wide for men. Thus, as a man, you can buy shoes with either EE or EEEE rating and the shoes will fit you.
What C/D means in shoes for children
When you are looking for children’s shoes in the USA, you will find that the width ratings for them are the same as that of women. For example, the extra slim shoes for children and women have a rating of AAA or even AAAA. AA is for narrow feet, B is for average, D is for wide and E is for extra wide. With that in mind, it should be easy to buy children’s shoes. If the kids are small, better make the shoes a bit bigger. That should help with the narrowness or width issue.
Main difference between mens and womens shoes width
The main difference in width rating for men’s and women’s shoes is that men’s D is for average while for women, it is wide. Thus, you can safely assume that men’s size is always a number wider than that of women. Depending on the brand name, they may show the width rating or they might not. It all depends on the brand. However, when buying online, you will find the width rating in the product description.
In conclusion
Hopefully, this short post on what does C/D mean in shoes has answered any questions you might have on shoes width. If you do not know your foot width size, you can measure or even possibly guess from your shoes. Most people fall under the normal width meaning you just need to worry about the shoe or boot length. However, if normal (meaning average – not wide or narrow) shoes do not fit you, that is, they are either too wide or too narrow, then you need to measure you foot width. Alternatively, you can buy a narrower or a wider pair of boots/shoes.