Hand up if you only refer to your European shoe size when shopping online or in store? Those two little digits are a buoy in the ever-shifting sea of footwear sizes. Maybe I'm being dramatic. How hard is it to remember a handful of numbers? There's the UK sizing, the US system which thankfully corresponds with Australia's own. Things get a little hairy when you throw the Japanese conversion into the mix. More so when you have to switch between women's and men's sizing. Add in the fact that shoe sizing varies from brand to brand – and don't get me started on designer footwear, my wide trotters struggle. Take all these factors into consideration and it's a breeze. Or you could just remember your European shoe size. Like I said, it's a tried-and-tested method.

Alternatively, if the multiple frameworks for measuring our feet trip you up, you can use the guide below. Because our brains have to store enough titbits of information without having to remember to size down by two if converting to your UK size. What a drag.

So next time you're trawling Depop or TheRealReal, or perhaps, anxiously clicking refresh before a hyped sneaker drop, let the below shoe size conversion chart bring you some comfort before you checkout. Because there's nothing worse (see: hyperbole) than the denial that follows when the shoes you love leave your toes cramped or looking like a pair of loose flippers. Trust me.

Women's International Shoe Size Chart

Men's International Shoe Size Chart

Here's some shopping lists to help your practice converting international shoe sizes. We are nothing if not helpful and well-intentioned! Maybe it's a pair of mary janes or knee-high boots you're seeking out. Perhaps it's a pair of slinky slingbacks or busted up ballet flats.

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