What Is Sizing Like at Converse?

Converse run big. The short answer that saves you a return: if the shoe has the word "Chuck" in the name — the Chuck Taylor All Star or the Chuck 70 — drop half a size from your usual.

But Converse is not a single shoe, and not every model plays by that rule. Here's how the range actually fits.

The half-size rule (and where it stops applying)

Converse's own guidance, and every fitting I've done, points the same way: the Chuck line comes up roughly half a size long. So a size 9 in most trainers means a Converse 8.5. Some blokes who want a properly snug, close fit go a full size down — I do myself, because a loose Chuck starts to look like a clown shoe fast. If you're between the two, err snug; the canvas gives, it doesn't shrink.

Where it changes:

Size down half a size: Chuck Taylor All Star (high and low), Chuck 70 (high and low).
Stick to your true size: One Star, Run Star Hike, Run Star Motion, Star Player 76 and the Fastbreak. These are built on a different last and fit as standard.

One more thing worth knowing: Converse sizes are unisex, printed on the tongue as something like "M9 / W11." There's a two-size gap between the men's and women's numbers, so read the men's figure and ignore the rest.

Mind the width — they run narrow

Length is only half the story. Chucks have a genuinely narrow, shallow toebox, and the Chuck 70 is more tapered still — noticeably tighter across the big toe than an average trainer. If you've a broad or high-volume foot, size down for length but order the wide fitting, which Converse now offer across most silhouettes. It's the single most overlooked fix I see.

A quick confession from my own wardrobe: I once bought a pair of Chuck 70s in my "normal" size for a wedding, didn't break them in, and spent the reception with two plasters on each little toe. Sized down and worn in properly the following week, the exact same shoe was faultless. The shoe wasn't wrong — my patience was.

Breaking them in

New Converse feel stiff and take a fortnight or so to settle. Leave a thumbnail's width in front of your longest toe when you first try them, wear them around the house for an hour a day with thick socks, and let the canvas mould. Don't judge the fit on day one.

Best trainer brands to know

If Chucks aren't your fit, or you're building a proper trainer rotation, these are the labels I steer men towards — with the sizing quirk of each, because that's the whole point today.

High street

Vans — the obvious counterpart. The Old Skool and Authentic give you that same flat, vulcanised silhouette, and crucially they fit true to size, so no mental arithmetic. A great first "not-Converse" trainer.
adidas Originals — the Samba and Gazelle are the trainers of the moment and dress up smart-casual brilliantly. Note the Samba runs long and narrow, so most men are better off half a size down — the opposite instinct to Converse.
New Balance — the 574 and 550 are comfort-led and endlessly wearable. The real advantage is that New Balance sell genuine D and 2E widths, so wide feet finally get looked after properly.

Independent / boutique

Novesta — a Czech maker turning out ethically produced canvas trainers like the Star Master. The vulcanised build sits close to a Chuck, so apply similar sizing logic and you'll be right.
Stepney Workers Club — a London label doing clean, minimalist canvas (the Dellow) that reads a touch more grown-up than a Chuck. Fits true to size and works with tailoring far better than most trainers.

Designer / luxury

Common Projects — the Achilles Low is the benchmark minimalist leather trainer, the one that quietly elevates jeans and a jumper. It's sold in EU sizing only and comes up large, so drop a full EU size.
Axel Arigato — Swedish, contemporary, and a gentler price than most designer names. The Clean 90 is the pick, and it fits true to size.

Note: brand picks here are my own selection for this piece — worth cross-checking against the master brand list before it goes live.

Stop guessing your size — let Tellar do the maths

All this sizing-down and sizing-up is exactly why I point people to Tellar. It's the UK's leading sizing tool — measure yourself once and your body is matched instantly to more than 1,500 brands, so you never squint at a size guide again.

Measure once using chest, waist, hip, or simply your size in a brand you already own.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your exact fit in any label — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket and hundreds more.
Shop with confidence — no guesswork, fewer returns, better-fitting kit.
Always free, nothing to download, works straight in your browser.

New to it? Start by getting your numbers right with the quick how to measure guide, then head to the tool.

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