LA-born, New York-based lover of menswear, watches, and culture. His work is featured in many prominent menswear publications and reaches hundreds of thousands of guys every year. He knows a good boot when he sees one. Read full bio.
LA-born, New York-based lover of menswear, watches, and culture. His work is featured in many prominent menswear publications and reaches hundreds of thousands of guys every year. He knows a good boot when he sees one. Read full bio.
The iconic Dr. Martens 1460, Jadon, and Chelsea boots run a half size large compared to sneakers. Their sandals and other models run true to size. Be sure to note whether you are getting US sizing or UK sizing because US sizing is also a full size smaller than UK. This is true for both men and women. Because Dr. Martens doesn’t offer half-sizes, order the next size smaller.
Dr. Martens doesn’t make half-sizes and they only do unisex sizing. This can make finding a pair of Doc Martens more difficult than with other brands.
The brand does a good job at clarifying the correct size on their site, but there’s so much conflicting information out there, I had to set the record straight.
This comprehensive guide will show you everything you need to know about Dr. Martens’ sizing, so you can get the perfect fit without having to suffer the pain of returns.
Why It’s Hard to Find the Correct Dr. Martens Size
Dr. Martens is a unique brand: they only offer full sizes, and they’re unisex.
What I’m about to say is confusing, but stick with me:
Docs follow men’s sizing standards, so it can be a difficult process for women to find the right size when they’re shopping second-hand or through a 3rd party retailer.
The reason is because Dr. Martens are a D-width, which is standard for men, but wide for women (women’s standard width is B).
Because of the discrepancy in widths, I highly recommend shopping directly through the Dr. Martens site. The brand does an excellent job of automatically adjusting the sizing to work whether you’re shopping for men’s or women’s shoes.
Even though they’re technically unisex, the Dr. Martens site makes the distinction more clear, so you can follow more simple rules in getting the correct fit for your new shoes.
Dr. Martens
We all know the iconic yellow-stitched sole. Whether you're getting the 1460 combat boot or a pair of sandals from the Doc, you can't go wrong with this trend-setting, boundary-pushing brand.
Dr. Martens offers several boot models, so we’ll start with the flagship 1460s and boots like them. The Dr. Martens Jadon and Chelsea boots fit the same as the 1460, so anything that’s true for the 1460 is also true for the Jadons and Chelseas.
When thinking about Dr. Martens, most people’s minds go straight to the 1460s. The brand name is practically synonymous with the clear-soled, yellow-stitched combat boot.
Dr. Martens 1460
The Dr. Martens 1460 is consistently popular and instantly recognizable. Though it’s a combat-style boot, it lacks a lot of practical and rugged qualities including strong leather, quality stitching, and a steel shank. Nonetheless, its shiny upper, yellow sole stitching, and transparent outsole have made it an iconic fashion staple.
Dr. Martens claims their footwear runs true to size, but the 1460s run larger than what you’d normally get for most sneakers. The brand only offers full sizes, which can make getting the correct size more difficult. If you’re a size 11 sneaker, you’ll want the size 10. And if you’re a size 10.5, you’ll go down to a 10 as well.
Jadons and Chelsea Boots
The Doc Martens Jadon and Chelsea Boots (as well as any other 1460 variation) have a similar fit. You’ll need to size down a half to a full size smaller than what you get for your sneakers.
This includes vegan, patent leather versions, and the WinterGrips.
There is one 1460 “exception” though. With the fur-lined 1460s, you’ll experience a slightly snugger fit—which is what you want in fur-lined boots anyway.
If you’re getting the fur-lined 1460 (or any other fur-lined Doc), and you’re normally a full sneaker size, don’t size down. If your sneaker is usually a half-size, then you’ll still want to size down.
Should Doc Martens be loose?
You may have some room in the shaft (ankle) of the boot, but they shouldn’t feel loose in the forefoot or heel. It’s perfectly fine if you can fit a finger or two in the top of your boots. The main thing you should be feeling for is if your foot has an excessive amount of room to move around in the boot—that’ll cause blisters and discomfort over the long term.
For example, if you’re getting a fur-lined boot and you’re a size 9 sneaker, get the size 9 boot. If you’re a size 8.5 sneaker, in this case, you’d want the size 8 boot.
Unlike the 1460’s, Dr. Martens shoes do in fact deliver on their promise of running true to size.
If you’re an in-between size in these cases, you can choose a number based on your fit preference. If your foot is 11.5 inches heel to toe in socks, this would typically translate to 10 and a half shoes. You can opt for a 10 if you like a tighter fit or an 11 if you like a roomier fit.
Another way to put it: if your most common sneaker size is an 8, you’ll want to get a size 8 for your Dr. Martens sandals (you’d get a 7 in the 1460 boots).
And if your sneaker size is an 8.5, then size down and get the 8 for your new Docs.
Do Docs stretch?
Yes, all leather boots and shoes stretch a little as you wear them. It’s not like your Dr. Martens will stretch out an entire size, but they will get slightly looser over time. It’s ok if they’re a little snug to start. But your boots/ shoes shouldn’t ever give you a “tingly” feeling in your feet: that means they’re too tight.
Do Dr. Martens Fit Wide Feet?
Dr. Martens are only available in standard widths: that’s a D-width for guys (which is technically a wide fit for ladies). They don’t offer any wider fits, so if you typically wear wide sizes (like E), you’ll want to size up accordingly.
Regardless of the model, Dr. Martens boots and shoes only come in the standard D width, which is a medium for men and a wide for women. That’s why, when buying second-hand, a lot of women say they have to order a full size and a half smaller than usual. They must get a half size smaller to account for the larger fit of the boot, and then a full size smaller again to account for the fact that the boot is wide.
Again, that’s why I recommend just shopping through the Dr. Martens website: they’ve already accounted for all of that, so you can just order the next smaller full size and get the perfect fit.
Secondly, if you’re and extra wide foot (EE or EEE), you may wan’t to shop with another brand: Docs just won’t be that comfortable for you.
Some sandal models like the Romi, tend to feel large when you first put them on. They may be a bit big, but take some time to really feel them out: they’re much heavier than most sneakers and other sandals, and the added weight can often be perceived as too big a size.
It’s pretty rare that folks return their Doc Martens sandals for larger sizes. Before you print out the label, make sure you’re not just mistaking the size for the chunky sole and added weight.
Just like men’s shoes, women’s Dr. Martens run true to size for most models except the 1460s, Jadons, and Chelseas. Ladies with half sizes should go down a number for those boots, but can choose based on snugness preference for any other models.
The sizing difference between men and women is just one number size, so a men’s 8 is a women’s 9. This is good to know for both ladies and gentlemen since there are few models that Dr. Martens doesn’t consider unisex, but definitely can be.
Dr. Martens Size Chart
I’ve added the CM measurement since Dr. Martens are popular all around the world. Keep in mind that Dr. Martens all come in the standard D-width (for US sizing—standard widths have different names in different countries, but generally are the same).
Check out this page for the latest Dr. Martens size chart.
Dr.’s Orders
Are you buying Dr. Martens 1460s, Jadons, or Chelseas? Stick to your regular size if you’re a full size, or size down if you’re a half size.
Any other models do actually fit true to size. Remember that this includes sandals, though the extra weight may trick you into thinking you need smaller shoes.
Dr. Martens has so many boot lines, not all of which are “made in England” as their tagline suggests. So, depending on the shoes you’re buying, the quality assurance reliability can really vary.
At the end of the day, it’s all about comfort, so always check that return policy before pulling the trigger.
Dr. Martens 1460
The Dr. Martens 1460 is consistently popular and instantly recognizable. Though it’s a combat-style boot, it lacks a lot of practical and rugged qualities including strong leather, quality stitching, and a steel shank. Nonetheless, its shiny upper, yellow sole stitching, and transparent outsole have made it an iconic fashion staple.
Yes, the 1460s run slightly large. If you’re a half size, size down, but if you’re a full size, stick to your regular number. If the extra room bothers you, you can stuff the boots with insoles.
Do Doc Martens Oxfords Run Big?
Like most Dr. Martens shoes, the Oxfords fit true to size. Since Dr. Martens only offers full sizes, if you’re a half size you can size up if you want a roomier fit or size down if you prefer a snugger feel.
Do Doc Martens Romis Run Big?
The Dr. Martens Romis are true to size. Like most of their sandals, some people think Romis run large because they’re so heavy. This isn’t the case.
Do Doc Martens Jadons Run Big?
Dr. Martens Jadons run slightly large, similar to the 1460s and the Chelseas. If you’re in-between sizes you should size down, while if you’re a full size you should stick to your regular size, and use insoles if the extra room is uncomfortable or distracting.
Do Doc Martens Softy T Run Big?
Dr. Martens Soft Ts run true to size. If you’re a half size, you should size up or down based on your comfort preferences.
LA-born, New York-based lover of menswear, watches, and culture. His work is featured in many prominent menswear publications and reaches hundreds of thousands of guys every year. He knows a good boot when he sees one.
