This guide gives you a full shoe size conversion chart for men's and women's footwear across Australia, the UK, the US and Europe, plus the simple rule that makes Australian sizing easier than most people realise.
The one rule worth remembering
Australian shoe sizing borrows from two different scales depending on gender, which is the source of most of the confusion:
- Men's AU sizes match UK sizes exactly. If a UK size chart says size 9, that's the same as AU 9 for men's footwear.
- Women's AU sizes match US sizes exactly. If a US size chart says size 8, that's the same as AU 8 for women's footwear.
Once that clicks, most international sizing questions sort themselves out. The tables below cover the rest, including European and centimetre equivalents for both.
Men's shoe size conversion chart
Use this table to convert men's shoe sizes between Australia, the UK, the US and Europe, along with the approximate foot length in centimetres.
| AU / UK | US | EU | Foot length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 39 | 26.3 |
| 6.5 | 7.5 | 40 | 26.7 |
| 7 | 8 | 41 | 27.1 |
| 7.5 | 8.5 | 41 | 27.4 |
| 8 | 9 | 42 | 28.0 |
| 8.5 | 9.5 | 43 | 28.4 |
| 9 | 10 | 43 | 28.8 |
| 9.5 | 10.5 | 44 | 29.2 |
| 10 | 11 | 44 | 29.6 |
| 10.5 | 11.5 | 45 | 30.0 |
| 11 | 12 | 46 | 30.5 |
| 11.5 | 12.5 | 47 | 31.3 |
| 12.5 | 14 | 47 | 32.2 |
As with any chart, treat EU figures as the loosest of the conversions, since EU sizing runs on a different scale to AU/UK/US and brands round it differently.
Women's shoe size conversion chart
Use this table to convert women's shoe sizes between Australia, the US, the UK and Europe, along with the approximate foot length in centimetres.
| AU / US | UK | EU | Foot length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 35 | 21.6 |
| 4.5 | 3 | 35 | 22.2 |
| 5 | 3.5 | 36 | 22.3 |
| 5.5 | 3.5 | 36 | 23.0 |
| 6 | 4 | 37 | 23.1 |
| 6.5 | 4 | 37 | 23.4 |
| 7 | 4.5 | 38 | 23.5 |
| 7.5 | 4.5 | 38 | 23.8 |
| 8 | 5 | 39 | 23.9 |
| 8.5 | 5 | 39 | 24.6 |
| 9 | 5.5 | 40 | 24.7 |
| 9.5 | 5.5 | 40 | 25.1 |
| 10 | 6 | 41 | 25.2 |
| 10.5 | 6 | 41 | 25.8 |
| 11 | 6.5 | 42 | 25.9 |
| 11.5 | 6.5 | 42 | 26.5 |
| 12 | 7 | 43 | 26.5 |
| 12.5 | 7 | 43 | 27.1 |
| 13 | 7.5 | 44 | 27.1–27.8 |
| 13.5 | 8 | 45 | 27.8–28.4 |
You'll notice the same EU number sometimes covers two AU/US half sizes, that's not a typo, EU sizing simply increases in slightly larger steps than the AU/US half-size scale, so two adjacent half sizes can land on the same EU number.
Figures are a guide only, not a guaranteed match for every brand. AU, UK and US conversions tend to be reliable since they're built on closely related scales, but EU sizing runs on its own system and different brands round it to AU/UK/US slightly differently. Foot shape, width fitting, and how a particular brand's last is built can also shift the right size for you by half a size either way, which is exactly why our team offers in-store fittings.
Common conversion questions
People search for this kind of conversion in all sorts of ways, "what is size 39 in UK shoes", "EU 42 to US", "AU 9 to UK". The pattern is always the same: one known size, one target system. Here are worked examples across the range, with the full tables above covering every size in between.
- What is size 39 in UK shoes? A EU 39 is approximately a UK women's 5. For men, EU 39 is approximately a UK 6.
- What is EU 42 in UK and US sizing? EU 42 is approximately a UK men's 8 and a US men's 9. The equivalent in women's sizing, EU 42, is approximately a UK 6.5 and a US 11.
- What is a UK 9 in US sizing? A UK men's 9 is a US men's 10.
- What is a UK 6.5 in US sizing? A UK women's 6.5 is approximately a US women's 11 to 11.5.
- Is AU shoe size the same as UK? For men, yes, AU and UK sizes are identical. For women, AU sizes match the US scale instead, not the UK scale, which is the detail that catches most people out.
- What size is EU 42 in Australian sizing? EU 42 is approximately an AU men's 8, or an AU women's 11.
- What is AU 7 in US and EU sizing? AU men's 7 is a US men's 8 and a EU 41. AU women's 7 is a UK 4.5 and a EU 38.
- What is US 10 in AU and UK sizing? US men's 10 is AU and UK men's 9. US women's 10 is AU women's 10 and UK women's 6.
For any size not listed above, use the men's or women's table further up the page, it covers the full adult range with foot length in centimetres as a cross-check.
How to measure your foot at home
If you don't already know your size, a quick at-home measurement is more reliable than guessing from memory:
- Stand on a piece of paper against a wall, with your heel touching the wall.
- Mark the tip of your longest toe, then measure the distance from the wall to that mark in centimetres.
- Measure both feet and use the larger measurement, since most people have one foot slightly bigger than the other.
- Measure in the afternoon or evening if you can, since feet swell slightly over the course of a day.
- Match your foot length to the cm column in the tables above to find your size.
Brand-specific footwear like R.M.Williams boots can run differently to the general charts above, since leather boots are built on their own last. As an example, R.M.Williams' own size chart has men's UK 9 against AU/US 10, a slightly different pairing to the general men's table further up the page. For boots specifically, our R.M.Williams men's boot size guide and R.M.Williams women's boot size guide are the more accurate reference, including width fittings.
Still not sure of your size?
Charts get you close, but nothing beats trying boots and shoes on in person. Browse our R.M.Williams boots range, or drop into one of our stores for hands-on, in-store fitting expertise. You can also give us a call if you'd rather talk it through first.
Shop our footwear best sellers
Now that you know your size, here are some of our most popular styles to start with.
For him
For her
Win the Ultimate Barossa Escape for two
For nine decades Blowes has stood for quality, service and enduring style, built on the support of our community. To celebrate, we're giving away a luxury Barossa Valley escape for two, including premium accommodation, a dining experience, an R.M.Williams factory tour, a pair of boots each, plus $1,000 store credit. This celebration is for you. Thank you for being part of our story.
- 2 nights luxury accommodation at The Louise, Barossa Valley, with daily à la carte breakfast and complimentary mini bar
- Sunset drinks and canapes, plus a 4-course dining experience with paired wines each evening
- Return economy flights from any Australian capital city to Adelaide, plus airport transfers
- A guided R.M.Williams factory tour for two, plus 2 pairs of R.M.Williams boots valued at $699 each
- $1,000 Blowes Clothing in-store credit
- Must be a Blowes Plus loyalty member. Not a member yet? Join in-store or online in a few easy steps.
- Spend $400 in a single transaction to receive 1 entry. Earn 1 additional entry for every further $400 spent, with no limit.
- Entries are valid on in-store and online purchases (eBay excluded).