Shoe sizing and fit: a guide for Australian buyers
Australian shoe sizing has no single national standard, which is why a size that fits in one brand can be wrong in the next. This guide explains what an "AU" size actually refers to, why the conversion tables never quite line up, and how to measure your foot so you are working from a number that means something.
The tables below are conventions in common use, not standards. The only figure that reliably describes your foot is its length in millimetres, which is why every section here ends up pointing back to it.
What "AU size" means, and why it is not one thing
Men's
Australian men's sizes are usually labelled on the UK scale. The common conversion is that a US men's size is about one full size higher than the UK equivalent, so an AU/UK 9 is generally close to a US 10. That is a convention rather than a guarantee, and some charts print "AU" as its own column even when the underlying scale is UK.
Women's
Women's is where it falls apart. Australian retailers have historically used both UK-derived and US-derived conventions, and the gap between them is about two sizes. A chart labelled AU/US 8 is roughly a UK 6. So "AU women's 8" does not describe a foot until you know which system the seller based it on.
Practical reading: if a chart says AU/US, treat it as US. If it says AU/UK, treat it as UK. If it only says AU, do not guess from the number, because the same label covers two different feet.
Conversions in common use
Use these for orientation, then check the brand's own foot-length column before ordering.
| UK men's | US men's | EU (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 8 | 41 |
| 8 | 9 | 42 |
| 9 | 10 | 43-44 |
| 10 | 11 | 44-45 |
| 11 | 12 | 45-46 |
| UK women's | US women's | EU (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 6 | 37 |
| 5 | 7 | 38 |
| 6 | 8 | 39 |
| 7 | 9 | 40 |
| 8 | 10 | 41 |
Why the tables never line up exactly
The systems are built on different units, so they cannot convert cleanly.
- EU sizes use the Paris point, an increment of two-thirds of a centimetre, about 6.67mm per whole size.
- UK and US sizes use the barleycorn, an increment of roughly 8.47mm per whole size.
Two scales stepping at different intervals from different starting points will drift against each other, which is why you see a UK 9 published as EU 43 on one chart and EU 44 on another. Neither is wrong; they are rounding a mismatch in opposite directions.
There is a further wrinkle. EU sizing describes the last — the form the shoe is built around — not your foot. A last includes allowance beyond the foot for movement, so EU size is not a direct statement of foot length. EU sizing is also nominally unisex: EU 39 is EU 39 regardless of who the shoe is marketed to, even though the shape, width and fit of that shoe may be quite different.
Measuring your foot properly
This takes two minutes and is worth more than any conversion table.
- Put a sheet of paper on a hard floor with one edge flat against a wall.
- Wear the socks you will wear with the shoes. Thick sport socks change the answer.
- Stand up. Do not measure sitting down: feet spread under body weight, and a seated measurement reads short.
- Put your heel lightly against the wall and have someone mark the end of your longest toe. It is not always the big toe.
- Measure from the wall edge to the mark in millimetres.
- Repeat on the other foot. Most people have two slightly different feet.
- Use the larger measurement.
- Measure late in the day if you can, since feet expand with activity.
- Compare that number against the brand's own foot-length column, not a generic conversion chart.
One thing not to do: do not add 1.5cm to your measurement and call the result your EU size. That allowance belongs to shoe construction and varies by shoe type, so applying it yourself produces a number that fits nothing in particular.
Width is the other half of fit
Length gets all the attention, but a shoe that is too narrow cannot be fixed by buying it longer: you simply get more empty space at the toe while the sides still press. Signs a shoe is too narrow include the upper bulging over the midsole, pressure marks across the widest part of the foot, and the foot feeling as though it is sitting on top of the footbed rather than inside it.
Some makers publish width options and a width chart. Where they do, measure across the widest part of your foot and use their guidance rather than moving up a length.
Why the same size differs between brands
Every brand builds on its own lasts, which differ in heel width, instep height, toe box shape and overall volume. Two shoes both labelled UK 9 can be built on lasts that are not the same length, and even two ranges from a single brand can differ, because a running last and a court last are designed around different movements. This is normal, and it is the reason a size you know is a starting point rather than an answer.
Frequently asked questions
Are Australian shoe sizes the same as UK sizes?
For men's shoes, usually yes: AU men's sizing normally follows the UK scale, and US sizes run about one higher. For women's it is inconsistent, because Australian sellers have used both UK-derived and US-derived charts, and those differ by roughly two sizes. Check what the chart is actually based on before converting.
What is my US size if I wear an AU 9 men's?
Around a US 10, since US men's sizes typically run one size above UK, and AU men's normally follows UK. Treat it as a starting point and check against the brand's foot-length chart, because brands vary.
Why is EU sizing different from UK and US?
Because it uses a different unit. EU sizes step in Paris points of about 6.67mm, while UK and US sizes step in barleycorns of about 8.47mm. Two scales with different increments and different starting points cannot map onto each other exactly, which is why the same UK size appears as different EU numbers on different charts.
Should I size up if I am between sizes?
Usually yes for sports shoes, because feet lengthen under load and swell during activity, and a shoe that is slightly short bruises toenails on descents and stops. But check width first: if you are sizing up to escape a shoe that is too narrow, you are solving the wrong problem and will end up with a loose heel as well.
How do I measure a child's foot?
The same way, standing, with the socks they will wear, using the larger foot. Check every couple of months during growth, and allow about a thumb's width beyond the longest toe. Children rarely say their shoes are too small until they are well past it, so measuring beats asking.
Sources
Conversion conventions, the Paris point and barleycorn increments and the measuring method above were checked against manufacturer and industry sizing guidance, including Nike's footwear sizing guidance and New Balance's size guide, in September 2026. Where sources disagree, we have said so rather than picking one. Every brand's own chart takes precedence over any general table, including this one.