For women’s shoes, the letter B(m) represents medium-wide width. In particular, M stands for medium, while B denotes normal or medium width for ladies’ shoes.
B(m) has various meanings. However, when it comes to shoes, B(m) is something corresponding to width. Some of you might bump into different letters on shoes when shopping for them, such as A, 2A, B, D, E, 2E, etc. And the chances might be that you can know that these letters refer to shoes’ widths.
But maybe you don’t know what those indications stand for. So, that is why you are reading this article. Shoes that are not the right width can cause discomfort, or you may not be able to use them anymore. Almost all US shoe brands provide their sneakers for the market with the numbers and letters marked on the shoes, indicating the shoes’ width and length.
So, here I will give you an explanation of what B(m) means in shoes, as well as other letters’ meanings when it comes to shoes.
Without any delay, let’s find out the answer to the question, “what does B(m) mean for shoes?”
What Does B(M) Mean For Shoes?
Whenever you see a pair of shoes with the letter B(m) on them, then you can be assured that the shoe has average or medium width. But remember that this applies to women’s shoes only.
In the US shoe sizing system, the narrowest shoe width starts from 4A/AAAA for ladies having really small feet. The same is applied to kids’ width too. And each letter will come in different measurements, depending on the shoe sizes. For example, shoes indicated with the letter A are measured between 3.4 and 3.9 inches wide. 3A-width shoes have a width of 3.4 inches, whereas shoes with a 2A width measure 3.6 inches.
Since most women’s feet sizes fall under the B-width category, B is considered standard width when it comes to ladies’ shoe sizes. So, the measurements of B-width women’s shoes are usually from 3.6 to 4.1 inches, which are typically measured around the area of the foot’s ball.
As you might know, B represents standard or normal width in ladies’ shoes, whereas M stands for medium. So, the shoes marked with the B(m) letter are neither narrow nor tight.
As shown, the width that the letter B stands for is still in quite various ranges, whereas M represents a specific size. On the other hand, it should be D(m) when it comes to medium, or standard or average men’s shoe widths. As a result, B(m) helps you distinguish between women’s and men’s standard widths in shoe sizes.
For instance, what does 10 B(m) mean in shoes? Well, you now know that there is no B in males’ shoes. So, any pair of shoes marked with B(m) is for women. The number 10 stands for the shoes’ length, while the letter B(m) represents standard/medium width. These shoe widths within the B category for women’s shoes are much narrower for almost all men’s feet as women’s feet are generally known as smaller than men’s feet.
What Does M Mean In Shoe Size?
As mentioned earlier, when it comes to shoe widths, M stands for medium or meaning medium-wide. Lots of you might bump into the letter B(m), and it means standard or medium width for females’ shoes, while D(m) is seen as medium or normal width for males’ shoes.
I will go into the details here. B, as stated previously, means medium for women’s shoes, while D represents a medium for men’s shoes. On the other hand, M, of course, indicates medium in shoes’ widths.
So, in the case of the shoe’s width, M will be a helpful letter allowing you to identify between males’ and females’ medium widths.
Read more on M Mean in Shoe Size Explained.
So What Does B Mean In Shoe Size?
Any women’s shoes that are labeled with a B letter means that the shoes have medium or normal width. And this letter is also considered a standard width when it comes to females’ shoe sizes. Alternatively stated, if you happen to see any women’s shoes without any letter marked on them, the chances are high that you are looking at the medium B-width shoes. Nevertheless, shoes with B width are considered narrow for men’s shoes.
In general, shoes with B-width are usually measured from 3.6 to 4.1 inches wide. This measurement is typically measured across the area of the foot’s ball.
Sometimes, you will see only a letter M marked on shoes instead of the letter B. In fact, there is really no variance between the two width letters because both of them indicate medium or normal in the shoe’s width. At the end of the day, these measurements are all dependent on the shoes’ sizes and brands all over the world.
What Does D Mean In Shoe Size?
So, if B means medium in ladies’ shoe size, then D is viewed as medium or normal width in males’ shoe size. So, in this instance, any men’s shoes with a D width are considered wide for womens. This is very understandable as most women’s feet are smaller in width than men’s.
Also measured across the foot’s ball area, a D-width pair of shoes will be between 3 and 5 inches wide. Similarly to women’s B-width shoes mentioned above, you can view any men’s shoes without a label on them as medium or normal-wide.
Read more on D In Shoe Size Meaning.
What Does H Mean In Shoe Size?
Usually, H stands for two different things when it comes to shoes. The first meaning is about shoe width, and the other one means half sizes.
For instance, if you come across any pair of shoes with 10H on them, then the shoe’s size is 10 ½. This size is usually made for people who have feet of between sizes.
However, H also indicates extra-wide fitting in males’ shoes. In fact, this width is not really as common as other widths, such as A, B, D, E, because not so many men have such really wide feet. And, of course, it is even rare to see H-width shoes in the ladies’ shoe category since this width is exceptionally big for women’s feet.
In addition, the measurements will vary depending on different shoe brands around the globe. So, if you are going to buy shoes at a local shop, don’t hesitate to ask the retailer to make sure you get the right width.
Read more on H Mean in Shoe Size.
Children’s Shoe Width Chart
Not only do men and women have particular shoe width charts, but kids’ shoes also come with their own width. Of course, children’s shoe widths are different depending on shoe brands of sizes, but here is the common shoe width chart applied for children of different ages.
| US Size | Average (B) (inches) | Wide (D) (inches) | Extra-Wide (E) (inches) |
| 1 | 2.12 | 5.25 | 1.69 |
| 1.5 | 2.12 | 5.25 | 1.69 |
| 2 | 2 | 2.87 | 1.81 |
| 2.5 | 2 | 2.87 | 1.81 |
| 3 | 2.62 | 1.69 | 3.12 |
| 3.5 | 2.62 | 1.69 | 3.12 |
| 4 | 1.43 | 1.81 | 5.75 |
| 4.5 | 1.43 | 1.81 | 5.75 |
| 5 | 5.25 | 3.12 | 1.33 |
| 5.5 | 5.25 | 1.32 | 3.34 |
| 6 | 1.56 | 5.75 | 1.34 |
| 6.5 | 2.87 | 5.75 | 1.34 |
| 7 | 1.68 | 1.33 | 3 |
| 7.5 | 10.5 | 3.38 | 1.94 |
| 8 | 10.5 | 1.34 | 1.94 |
| 8.5 | 1.81 | 3 | 2.06 |
| 9 | 3.12 | 3 | 2.06 |
| 9.5 | 1.32 | 1.94 | 7.75 |
| 10 | 5.75 | 3.88 | 2.19 |
| 10.5 | 5.75 | 2.06 | 4.12 |
| 11 | 1.33 | 7.75 | 15.5 |
| 11.5 | 3.37 | 2.18 | 15.5 |
| 12 | 1.34 | 4.12 | 2.44 |
| 12.5 | 3 | 2.31 | 4.38 |
| 13 | 1.94 | 15.5 | 1.94 |
| 13.5 | 1.72 | 2.44 | 8.25 |
| 1Y | 2.06 | 4.38 | 2.06 |
| 1.5Y | 7.75 | 1.94 | 4.62 |
| 2Y | 1.94 | 8.25 | 1.99 |
| 2.5Y | 4.12 | 1.96 | 4 |
| 3Y | 2.31 | 4.63 | 2.56 |
| 3.5Y | 15.5 | 1.97 | 2.56 |
| 4Y | 2.44 | 4 | 2.69 |
| 4.5Y | 4.4 | 2.56 | 10.25 |
| 5Y | 1.94 | 5.12 | 2.19 |
| 5.5Y | 8.25 | 2.69 | 5.37 |
| 6Y | 2.06 | 10.25 | 2.94 |
Men’s Shoe Width Chart
As you might know, there are some width letters that are not really common in men’s shoe sizes. This is because they are either too narrow or large. So, the chart below only shows the most common width letters in males’ shoes.
| US Size | Narrow (C) | Average (D) | Wide (E) |
| 6 | 3.31 | 3.5 | 3.68 |
| 6.5 | 3.31 | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| 7 | 3.37 | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| 7.5 | 3.37 | 3.68 | 3.93 |
| 8 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.93 |
| 8.5 | 3.62 | 3.75 | 4 |
| 9 | 3.62 | 3.93 | 4.12 |
| 9.5 | 3.68 | 3.93 | 4.12 |
| 10 | 3.75 | 4 | 4.18 |
| 10.5 | 3.75 | 4.12 | 4.31 |
| 11 | 3.93 | 4.12 | 4.31 |
| 11.5 | 3.93 | 4.37 | 4.37 |
| 12 | 4 | 4.37 | 4.37 |
| 12.5 | 4.12 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 13 | 4.12 | 4.62 | 4.62 |
| 13.5 | 4.18 | 4.37 | 4.75 |
Women’s Shoe Width Chart
The same applies to women’s shoe widths as some letters, such as 3A/AAA, 4A/AAAA, C, are not popular in females’ shoes. So, I have only included the most common width letters in the women’s shoe width chart below.
| US Size | Narrow (AA) (inches) | Average (BB) (inches) | Wide (C/D) (inches) | Extra Wide (E) (inches) |
| 5 | 2.81 | 3.18 | 3.56 | 3.93 |
| 5.5 | 2.87 | 3.25 | 3.62 | 4 |
| 6 | 2.94 | 3.31 | 3.68 | 4.06 |
| 6.5 | 3 | 3.37 | 3.75 | 4.12 |
| 7 | 3.06 | 3.43 | 3.81 | 4.18 |
| 7.5 | 3.12 | 3.5 | 3.87 | 4.25 |
| 8 | 3.18 | 3.56 | 3.93 | 4.31 |
| 8.5 | 3.25 | 3.62 | 4 | 4.37 |
| 9 | 3.37 | 3.68 | 4.06 | 4.43 |
| 9.5 | 3.37 | 3.75 | 4.12 | 4.5 |
| 10 | 3.43 | 3.75 | 4.18 | 4.56 |
| 10.5 | 3.5 | 3.87 | 4.25 | 4.62 |
| 11 | 3.56 | 3.93 | 4.31 | 4.68 |
| 12 | 3.68 | 4.06 | 4.43 | 4.81 |
What Does C/D Mean In Shoe Size?
In the previous sections, you know different shoe width letters, but all of them are only one letter. What about two letters in shoe sizes? What do they really mean? For example, the chances are you might see C/D quite often when looking for a new pair of shoes. So, what does C/D mean in shoe size?
The letter C/D labeled on shoes are the blends of the two widths of your feet when it comes to shoe sizes. In particular, the first letter, in this case, is C, which is usually considered the heel’s size, whereas the second letter, in this case, is viewed as the foot’s ball size.
Besides C/D, you will also see many other combination letters in shoe sizes. Let’s discover these in the following part.
Read more on C mean in Shoe Size.
What About Combination Letters in Shoe Size?
So, as I mentioned above, the chances are you will see different letters (combination letters) labeled on shoes besides common ones, such as A, B, D, E, etc. These letters might be C/D, D/B, C/A, etc.
In fact, some shoe brands around the world might offer two different widths in their shoes. And in this case, these two widths are combination letters. Accordingly, the first letter shows the average width from your foot to the shoe’s heel. On the other hand, the second letter usually refers to the foot’s ball width, just like other popular one-letter shoe widths. And the width of the second letter is typically wider than the first letter.
Below are some of the most common combination letters that you might happen to see when looking for new shoes.
C/A: means medium-narrow for females but narrow and extra narrow for males
D/B: means medium-wide for females, but narrow-medium for males
E/C: means extra wide-medium for females, but wide-medium for males
However, you might also see other combination letters on shoe sizes with ultra-narrow or super extra-wide on widths on the market. But, the fact is that not many people have such really small or big feet. So, these widths are not popular among the other letters above.
Women’s Vs. Men’s Shoe Widths: What are the Differences?
The fact is that there is not much variance between men’s and women’s widths in shoe sizes. If you notice, these width measurements usually increase in size by the same token.
However, males’ shoe widths are typically wider than those of females’ shoes. It can be completely understandable as men usually have wider feet than women.
This is also one of the key reasons why you are not likely to see any E or EE widths when it comes to ladies’ shoe sizes. Similarly, shoes with A widths are not commonly seen in men’s shoe sizes. Fortunately, a lot of worldwide shoe brands are changing to provide more width choices for women with wider feet.
Besides the major difference in width letters, you can see another variance between women’s and men’s shoe width is that shoes for women tend to have smaller widths for the same size as men’s shoes. For example, for ladies’ shoes, the average 6 sizes are measured 3.313 inches wide, while it is 3.5 inches in men’s 6 shoe sizes.
So, if you are a woman but prefer men’s shoes, just keep in mind these differences. Plus, don’t forget to cross-check the shoe size chart (both in lengths and widths) for men and women before deciding to buy any shoe.
Why Is Shoe Width So Important?
As all of you might always do, length checking is considered a must when looking for a new pair of shoes. However, there are lots of people who forget or don’t even know that they need to measure the shoe’s width too. In fact, the width of your shoes affects the overall fitting a lot, your walking experience, and even your feet health.
In addition, some of you might have narrow feet, while others have wider feet. That’s also a reason for you to consider shoe widths carefully. Now, let’s have a look at the narrow and wide width shoes and the reasons why they matter.
Too Wide Width Shoes
Almost all shoes coming with wide widths provide you with extra room for your toes and feet. So, they will move up and down or from side to side. But, keep in mind that you might suffer from lots of foot issues if wearing too wide shoes.
The first problem might be blisters caused by friction when your feet are moving inside the shoes. In addition, too wide-width shoes are not secured and stable enough for your feet. As a result, it can present a risk of ankle roll, fall, or injury when you are walking or running too fast.
So, always consider shoe widths to get the best possible fit when choosing shoes.
Too Narrow Width Shoes
Wearing a too narrow or even narrow-medium pair of shoes can also cause blisters and chafing for your feet too. This is because the inside of those will rub against your feet’ skin, leading to friction.
What’s more, you will feel really uncomfortable when wearing too-tight shoes, which restrict your movement and walking/running experience. More seriously, it creates a favorable environment for aggravating open wounds.
In fact, the breathability of narrow shoes is also restricted. Put another way, it prevents the air from circulating well inside the shoes. As a result, the chances are high that bacteria and perspiration will be trapped inside, creating a risk of entering any open sores. In the end, you might end up getting infections.
Conclusion
Now the question “what does B(m) means for shoes?” is answered. It means medium-wide for women’s shoes, with the B letter indicating standard/normal width in ladies’ shoes and M standing for medium. I hope this article might be helpful for you in choosing the right width when shopping for shoes online, typically when you don’t have a chance to try on those shoes.
