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Most women in a new RMIT University study wore shoe sizes that differed from the size indicated by their foot length, highlighting the limitations of conventional sizing systems in accounting for differences in foot width and shape.
The study of 107 women found 72% wore a different size under US sizing and 65% under EU sizing.
More participants wore a larger size than their foot length indicated – 59% under US sizing and 52% under EU sizing.
The researchers say this tendency to size up suggests some women may be compensating for shoes that do not adequately accommodate their foot width, rather than simply choosing the wrong size.
