What size is after 13?

When it comes to clothing or shoe sizes, the size that typically comes after 13 is 14. Clothing and shoe sizes tend to go up numerically in order. So if you start with size 1 and go up, the sizes progress as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and so on.

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Typical Clothing Size Progression

Here is a typical progression of clothing sizes for both men’s and women’s apparel:

Size

…

As you can see, the size after 13 is 14. This pattern continues as the sizes increase. While sizes are not universal across all clothing brands, this numeric order is the standard.

Standard Progression of Shoe Sizes

Shoe sizes also tend to follow a standard numeric progression. Here are typical shoe sizes for men’s and women’s shoes:

Size

Again, we see that the size after 13 is 14. So if you are a size 13 shoe, the next full size up would be a 14.

Why the Numeric Progression?

You may wonder why clothing and shoe sizes tend to follow a standard numeric progression. There are a few reasons for this:

It creates a consistent, easy-to-understand sizing system. Having an incremental, numeric order to sizes allows for easy scaling up or down to find the right fit.
It allows sizes to be produced systematically. Rather than arbitrary size names, having a numeric order allows manufacturers to systematically cut and produce incremental sizes.
It provides a standardization across brands. While size scales may vary slightly from brand to brand, the numeric progression creates a degree of standardization so that a size 13 is similar across different clothing or shoe products.

Whole sizes represent general incremental differences in dimensions. Going up a whole size, such as from 13 to 14, indicates a general increase in the dimensions of that item of clothing or shoes.

So in summary, the numeric progression provides an easy to understand, systematic approach to sizing that allows for standardized scaling across products and brands.

Exceptions to the Standard Progression

While most clothing and shoe sizes follow the standard numeric progression, there are some exceptions:

Some brands offer half sizes, such as 121⁄2 or 131⁄2, between the whole sizes.
Some brands, particularly European brands, use different size scales that are not simply 1-10 or 1-15. They may have alternate progressions or size numbers.
Children’s, juniors, or toddlers clothes may use a separate size scale that does not align with adult sizes.

Some types of specialty clothing may size items such as gloves or hats using “small”, “medium”, “large” rather than numeric sizes.
Vintage or antique clothing may use archaic sizing scales that do not follow modern progressions.
Couture or custom-made clothing pieces are made to the individual’s measurements, not mass-produced sizes.

However, while there are some exceptions, the standard 1-10 or 1-15 numeric progression still represents the norm for most modern mass-produced clothing and shoes.

Consistency Across Countries and Regions

It is also worth noting that the progression of ascending numeric clothing and shoe sizes remains fairly consistent across countries and regions. While the scale used may vary (some countries use European sizes for example), the principle of sequentially increasing whole numbers is typically followed around the world. This allows for standardized understanding of sizes globally across fashion brands and manufacturers.

Indicating Adjacent Sizes

When discussing what size comes after a particular size, using “after” indicates moving up sequentially to the next higher number in the progression.

Some examples:

“What size is after 8?” The size after 8 would be 9.
“What size is after 11 in shoes?” The size after 11 would be 12.

“What is the next size up from size 5 in dresses?” The next size up from 5 would be 6.

Therefore, when asking “what size is after 13”, it implies moving up sequentially to the next higher number – 14.

Other Ways to Indicate Adjacent Sizes

“After” is just one way to indicate moving to an adjacent size. Some other ways to ask this include:

What is the next size up from 13?
What is the size bigger than 13?
If I’m normally a 13, what size should I try?

If 13 is too small, what’s the next size I should get?

But in all these cases, the answer remains the same – the size that comes after 13 is 14.

Context is Important

It’s important to note, however, that the context must be taken into account when discussing clothing or shoe sizes. “After 13” only refers to the next size up within the same type of item and the same sizing scale. For example:

The size after 13 in junior’s clothing would be 14 junior’s, not 14 regular women’s clothing.
The size after 13 in UK men’s shoes would be 14 in UK sizes, not 14 in European sizes.

So when asking “after 13”, one must confirm whether the scale is regular US clothing sizes, shoe sizes, European sizes, etc. The context informs what numeric size comes next in the progression.

Adjacency Only Refers to Whole Sizes

It’s also important to note that moving “after” a size typically implies the next full, whole size. Half sizes are not usually considered moving fully after a size. For example:

After 13 would be 14, not 131⁄2 since that is still considered a 13-scale size.
After a women’s size 8 would be 9, not 81⁄2.

While half sizes allow for an in-between fit, “after” usually refers to the next whole number size in a given sizing scale and context.

Sequential Sizing Progression Remains the Norm

In conclusion, the standard sizing progression for most clothing and shoes moves sequentially through numeric whole numbers, such that the size after 13 is nearly always 14. This norm remains consistent across genders, countries, and time periods, with few exceptions. Therefore, when considering “what size is after 13”, in the vast majority of cases for standard apparel and footwear, the answer is definitively size 14.

Examples of Real World Application

To illustrate how this standard sizing principle applies in real world situations, here are some examples:

Clothing Shopping

I was shopping for jeans and the 13 felt a bit tight, so I asked the sales associate “what’s the size after 13” and they brought me a 14 which fit much better.
My daughter normally wears a girls’ size 13 but was complaining her jeans were getting small. I told her that the size after 13 is 14 so we bought her the next size up.
I noticed my favorite dress only went up to a size 13 online. Since I’m between a 13 and 14, I emailed customer service asking what size I should buy after 13. They recommended going up to the 14.

Shoe Shopping Scenarios

My son’s soccer cleats were feeling too tight and he said he’s worn a 13 since last season. We asked the sporting goods store employee what the next shoe size up from 13 was and they grabbed a size 14 cleat which allowed his toes more room.
I was looking to replace my worn out running shoes. I always buy size 13 but wanted a little more space for my toes. The salesperson suggested getting the size after 13, which was 14, and they fit perfectly.
I ordered new dress shoes online in my regular shoe size 13 but when they arrived they were uncomfortably snug. I reordered the next whole size up after 13, which was of course size 14.

Examples from Other Countries

My aunt from Italy was visiting and said she normally wears a size 43 but needed new shoes. I told her that in the US, the ladies’ size that comes after 43 would be 44.
A client from the UK told me his t-shirts kept shrinking and he couldn’t get his size 13 arms through them anymore. I let him know that here in the US, the next men’s size up from 13 is 14.
When helping a customer from France who said her dress size was 40, I let her know that the next regular size after 40 is 42 in European sizing.

Key Takeaways

In summary, the key takeaways when asking “what size is after 13” are:

The vast majority of clothing and shoes follow a standard numeric sizing progression.
“After” a size indicates moving up sequentially to the next whole number size.

Context matters – “after 13” may indicate different actual sizes for juniors vs. women’s sizes, for example.
Half sizes are not considered moving fully “after” a whole size.
This standard progression is generally consistent globally across countries and regions.

In almost all cases for regular clothing and shoes, the size that comes “after 13” is size 14.

So in answer to the original question, “What size is after 13?” – the answer is typically size 14.