By the Avantelle Authentication Team | Last updated: July 2026
Quick Answer: Christian Louboutin sizing
Christian Louboutin doesn't fit the same from one style to the next, so the honest answer to "what size do I take" depends on the shoe. The So Kate (120 mm) and the Pigalle are cut on a narrow, pointed last and most people need to go up half an EU size. The Kate family (70, 85 and 100 mm) and the Simple Pump have a rounder toe and sit much closer to true to size. The Iriza, an open-sided d'Orsay, holds the foot differently again. Whatever you're buying, trust the EU number stamped inside the shoe rather than a converted UK size. We carry authenticated pre-owned pairs from £79, usually 80 to 90% below boutique.
You've probably read the one-line version of Louboutin sizing a hundred times: "size up half a size." We'd gently push back on that, because after authenticating and handling thousands of pre-owned pairs, we can tell you it isn't that simple. A 120 mm stiletto and a Simple Pump wear the same red sole, but they're built on different lasts and they'll treat your foot in completely different ways. Buy them as if they fit alike and one of them will disappoint you.
So here's the real picture, model by model, with the details that actually decide whether a pair works, the ones that matter most when you're buying something you can't try on first.
Is Christian Louboutin true to size?
Not consistently, no, and the style in front of you is what decides it. Most of the pointed-toe pumps run small against your usual high-street size, because the long, narrow last that gives them their silhouette also gives them less room where your foot is widest.
The 120 mm stiletto is the clearest example. That sharp point and steep heel pitch tip your weight forward, right into the tightest part of the shoe, so in our experience most people want at least half a size more than they expect. The Pigalle behaves much the same way. The Kate family is a gentler story: the rounder toe and lower pitch mean plenty of people wear their normal EU size and stay comfortable all evening, and the Simple Pump is about as forgiving as a pointed Louboutin heel gets.
One rule holds across all of them. Louboutin makes its shoes to EU sizing, and the number stamped inside is the one that counts. Conversion charts disagree with each other by half-sizes, so a UK figure typed into a listing is a guess. The EU stamp is the fact.
How do So Kate Louboutins fit?
The So Kate runs narrow, and most people need to go up at least half an EU size. If there's one Louboutin worth understanding before you commit, it's this one.
Everything about it is built for a slim foot. The 120 mm heel sets a steep pitch, the toe box tapers to a fine point, and the last is narrow to begin with, so your weight ends up pressed forward onto the ball of your foot and into the very tip of the shoe. If you're a true EU 38 in most brands, a 38 So Kate will usually feel snug inside the first hour.
Material decides how much give you'll ever get, and it's worth being honest with yourself here. Patent won't stretch. That glossy lacquer is stiff by design, so what you feel on day one is what you'll feel on day fifty. Suede and nappa soften a little as you wear them, but we're talking a millimetre or two of ease, not a change of size. In the pre-owned So Kates that come through us, the pairs people regret are almost always patent bought true to size and then found too tight across the toes. Our steer: go half a size up in your EU size, and if you fall between two, take the larger. For the full breakdown, read our So Kate guide.
How does each major Louboutin style compare?
Because every model sits on its own last, the fit advice shifts as you move across the range. Here's how the styles we're asked about most often line up side by side.
| Style | Heel Height | Toe Shape | Sizing Advice | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| So Kate | 120 mm | Sharp point | Size up ½ EU | Narrow to medium feet; seated events |
| Pigalle / Pigalle Follies | 85 / 100 / 120 mm | Sharp point | Size up ½ EU | Narrow to medium feet; similar fit profile |
| Kate 100 | 100 mm | Soft point | True to size for most | Medium feet; all-day events |
| Kate 85 | 85 mm | Soft point | True to size for most | Medium to wider feet; daily wear |
| Kate 70 | 70 mm | Soft point | True to size for most | Wider feet; a first Louboutin pair |
| Simple Pump | 70 / 85 / 100 mm | Round point | True to size | Wider feet; among the most forgiving in the range |
| Iriza | 85 / 100 mm | Soft point, d'Orsay | True to size for most | Medium feet; a different pressure profile |
| Hot Chick | 70 / 100 mm | Sharp point, scalloped | Size up ½ EU | Narrow feet; a statement heel |
| Bianca | 120 / 140 mm (platform) | Round, closed | True to size or ½ up | Most feet; the platform offsets the pitch |
The pattern is easy to hold in your head. The sharply pointed styles on a narrow last, the So Kate, the Pigalle, the Hot Chick, want sizing up. The rounder-toed and open-sided ones, the Kate family, the Simple Pump and the Iriza, are more forgiving. If this is your first pair, we'd steer you towards a Kate 85 or a Simple Pump to learn your Louboutin size on a kinder last before you reach for a So Kate.
Do Louboutins run narrow?
Most of them do, yes, narrower than the shoes you'll have grown up buying. The house designs to a slender silhouette, and a slim last naturally closes in the toe box and holds the foot more tightly across the width.
The 120 mm stiletto is among the narrowest of the lot. It's cut for a slim, elongated foot, and if yours is wider, it'll feel tight no matter how much length you add, because going up a size lengthens the shoe without really widening it where your foot is broadest. That's the part people get caught out by.
If you have a wider foot, you've still got good options, you just want to choose the last carefully:
- Simple Pump, one of the broadest toe boxes among the pointed heels
- Kate 70 or Kate 85, a rounder toe with more room across the ball
- Sandals and open-toe styles, where the open construction lifts the pressure off entirely
- Bianca, whose platform softens the pitch and makes for a more generous fit
The ones we'd leave on the shelf if your feet run wide: the 120 mm stiletto, the Pigalle 120, the Hot Chick, and any sharply pointed patent pump. Patent gives you nothing, so however it feels the first time is how it stays.
Can you stretch Christian Louboutin shoes?
Soft leather and suede pairs can usually be eased by about half a size at a good cobbler. Patent is the exception, and it's the one people most want to stretch, so it's worth saying plainly: leave it alone.
On nappa and suede, a cobbler works the toe box with stretching tools and a little solution and buys you a few millimetres of width. It won't add length, but it can turn a snug pair into a comfortable one. Patent is a different material altogether. That lacquer is far less willing than bare leather, and push it too far and the finish crazes and cracks, which doesn't come back. Some cobblers will try a gentle patent stretch, but the result is a gamble, so if you're buying patent, buy the size that fits and don't count on fixing it later.
Whatever the leather, don't try it yourself at home. These shoes are built to fine tolerances, and the wrong pressure can mark the upper or lift the signature red sole. If you want them to stay pristine, our red sole care guide is the place to start.
What size should you buy pre-owned?
Buy to the EU size stamped inside the shoe, then adjust for the model. When you can't slip the pair on first, getting that judgement right the first time is the whole game, so it pays to be deliberate.
The Avantelle price difference
A classic Louboutin pump is roughly £625 to £795 at boutique. We carry authenticated pre-owned pairs from £79, with styles like the Fifi 100, the Lady Peep 150 and the Macarena 120 in stock as we write this, usually 80 to 90% below new. Every pair is authenticated by our team before it's listed.
Here's how we'd go about it:
- Measure your foot in centimetres. Stand on a sheet of paper, trace around your foot, and measure heel to longest toe, then match that to the official Christian Louboutin size chart. It's a two-minute job that saves a lot of second-guessing.
- Read the EU stamp, not the listing title. The EU size inside the shoe is what it was made to. A converted UK or US size in the title can be a size out either way, so treat it as a hint, not a fact.
- Adjust for the model. If you know you go up half a size in pointed styles, shop for your adjusted EU number. For a Simple Pump or a Kate 85, your standard EU size is the safer starting point.
- Think about the leather. A pre-owned soft-leather pair that's already been worn in can feel a touch more generous than new, because someone else has lived through the stiff first fortnight for you. Patent, as ever, stays exactly as it left the box.
If you want the wider view on buying well second-hand, our complete pre-owned buying guide covers the rest.
UK, EU and US size conversion for Christian Louboutin
Every Louboutin is labelled in EU sizing, so make the EU figure your anchor and treat the rest as a translation. These are the standard conversions, but do cross-check them against the official chart and the model advice above before you buy.
| EU Size | UK Size | US Size | Foot Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 2 | 5 | 22.4 |
| 35.5 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 22.7 |
| 36 | 3 | 6 | 23.0 |
| 36.5 | 3.5 | 6.5 | 23.3 |
| 37 | 4 | 7 | 23.7 |
| 37.5 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 24.0 |
| 38 | 5 | 8 | 24.3 |
| 38.5 | 5.5 | 8.5 | 24.7 |
| 39 | 6 | 9 | 25.0 |
| 39.5 | 6.5 | 9.5 | 25.3 |
| 40 | 7 | 10 | 25.7 |
| 40.5 | 7.5 | 10.5 | 26.0 |
| 41 | 8 | 11 | 26.3 |
| 42 | 9 | 12 | 27.0 |
Caught between two sizes? Let the model make the call. For a So Kate or a Pigalle, round up. For the Kate family or a Simple Pump, your true EU size is usually right. Our full size guide walks you through measuring your feet properly if you'd like to be sure.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Louboutin size guide?
Louboutin sizes every shoe in EU sizing, stamped inside the shoe, and that number is the one to trust. The pointed styles like the So Kate (120 mm) and Pigalle run narrow and usually want half a size up, while the Kate family (70, 85 and 100 mm) and the Simple Pump sit closer to true to size. Measure your foot in centimetres, match it to the official EU chart, then adjust for the model.
How do So Kate Louboutins fit?
The So Kate runs narrow, with a sharply pointed toe and a steep 120 mm heel, so most people need to go up at least half an EU size. Patent versions won't stretch, so if you're between sizes, take the larger. Suede and nappa soften a little with wear, but only by a millimetre or two.
Are Louboutin So Kates true to size?
For most people, no. The narrow last and steep pitch push your foot forward into the point, so a So Kate tends to feel at least half a size small. Start half a size up, and go a full size up if your feet run wide, since sizing up adds length rather than width.
Is Christian Louboutin true to size?
It depends on the style. The pointed pumps like the So Kate and Pigalle run small and need sizing up, while the Kate family and the Simple Pump are closer to true to size thanks to a rounder toe. Open-toe and sandal styles fit more predictably. Whatever you choose, go by the EU size stamped inside the shoe.
