The ultimate international shoe size conversion guide

How to measure shoe size

One way to measure your shoe size is by placing a ruler on the floor next to your foot. However, this method can be slightly inaccurate as it might not allow for the back of your heel that sticks out from where your heel touches the floor.

A more accurate way to measure shoe size is by sitting down on a chair and putting a piece of paper underneath your foot flat on the floor. Trace around your foot with a pen or pencil, then measure the distance between your heel and the longest toe. You can take this measurement in centimetres or millimetres, you’ll just need to convert if necessary.

Once you have this measurement, add about another 1-1.5 centimetres to allow for wearing socks and some wiggle room. You don’t want shoes to be too tight so that you feel restricted, but then you don’t want them too big either. When you check the shoe size guide, it is usually better to go up to the nearest size rather than down if your number falls in the middle of two sizes.

What shoe size does New Zealand use?

New Zealand uses the same shoe size as Australia and the United States.

Do shoe sizes go by inches?

No, shoe sizes don’t directly represent the length of your foot in inches. To measure your foot in inches, we’d recommend using a tape measure. You can find approximate foot lengths in millimetres in the chart above.

Do shoe sizes vary by brand?

Occasionally shoe sizes can vary brand by brand by up to half or a whole size, so when possible, it’s always worth trying the shoes on first. Alternatively, look for online retailers with free returns policies.

For the chart above, we’ve done our research and based the conversion on the majority of online retailers. Most shoe sites have a size guide or conversion chart to make things easier for online buyers, but be aware if the site sells a range of brands but only has one size guide.

Platypus is one site that provides size charts for all of the brands that it stocks. An example of how shoe sizes can vary by brand is that Nike’s women’s shoes in size 9 US/NZ is equal to size 40.5 in EU sizing. For Skechers shoes, a US/NZ size 9 is equal to EU size 39.

How do men’s shoe sizes compare to women’s?

In New Zealand, men’s sizes are approximately two sizes bigger than women’s. For example, a New Zealand women’s size 9 would be a New Zealand men’s size 7. It’s often hard to tell if a supplier is listing their shoe size in NZ, UK or US sizes – so we find the best way is to check your European shoe size and use that as a guide.

Does shoe size determine height?

While shoe size is not a definite factor in height, there has been a general correlation drawn by data analysts. Often taller people tend to have larger feet; however, this is not absolute.

How can I convert shoe sizes?

The easiest way to convert shoe sizes is to use a shoe size conversion chart, like the one above.