Most Australian women are wearing a shoe size inconsistent with their foot dimensions because conventional sizing systems rely on length alone and ignore width. RMIT University researchers found that most women in the study wore a size that did not correspond to their foot-length measurement, with a tendency to size up that the researchers said may be driven by shoes not adequately accommodating foot width.
- 72% of participants wore a different size under US sizing than their foot length indicated; 65% diverged under EU sizing.
- Under US sizing 59% of participants wore a larger size than the measurement indicated, with 52% doing so under EU sizing.
- 68% of participants reported at least one recurring problem with shoe fit, with most shoes on the market offered in a single width only.
- The paper, 'One size fits small: exploring the shoe size preferences of Australian women and their implications for shoe design', appears in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education (DOI: 10.1080/17543266.2026.2709095).
HOW IT WAS MEASURED: The study has examined foot measurements from 107 Australian women, comparing each participant's foot length and width against the shoe size indicated by US and EU sizing systems. Researchers used a modified Brannock device, a calibrated foot-length and width gauge, and a measuring tape to record dimensions. Barbara Pallaspuro, Saniyat Islam and Caroline Swee Lin Tan conducted the work. Islam is an Associate Professor at RMIT's School of Fashion and Textiles; Tan is an Associate Professor at RMIT.
- The study was not designed to establish differences between individual ethnic groups and compared foot dimensions against shoe sizes without distinguishing between ethnic populations.
- The researchers said further research with a larger sample would be needed to investigate whether differences in foot shape exist between specific ethnic populations.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SHOW: Women sharing the same shoe size based on foot length have shown wide width differences, with variation around the widest part of the foot reaching up to 40mm under US sizing and 37mm under EU sizing. About six or seven width options per size would be needed, and expanding width fittings would do more to improve fit than relying on length-based sizing and half-sizes alone, the researchers said.
- Among the 25 participants who reported shoes were often too narrow, 60% were from North-East Asian, South-East Asian or Southern Asian backgrounds.
- More than half of participants did not know their UK shoe size, a gap that can add to the confusion consumers face when comparing sizing across brands and international systems.
- The researchers recommended clearer sizing information across the US, UK and EU systems and said they were looking to work with companies to make footwear sizing more inclusive.
WHAT THEY SAID
Australian women aren't bad at buying shoes – the sizing system is bad at describing their feet. Women are often forced to choose between the right length and the right width because a single shoe size does not capture the shape of their feet. They may be choosing a larger shoe because it is often the only way to achieve a comfortable fit.
— Saniyat Islam
Co-author and Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles
RMIT University
Footwear sizing still largely reflects a narrow range of Western foot shapes, despite Australia having one of the world's most diverse populations. If we're serious about designing products that work for the people who use them, we need to recognise that foot length is only part of the story.
— Carol Tan
Co-author and Associate Professor
RMIT University
