For generations, Anglophone countries, such as Australia, used the imperial system of measurements which included feet and inches. In picture framing, for photo frames and picture frames, inches were the most commonly used unit of measure. So picture frames were known, made and sold in sizes such as 8"x10" , 11"x14, 20"x30", etc. Beginning in 1970, Australia metrication gradually supplanted the imperial system and large scale conversion across the paper, printing, photographic and allied industries ...

In order to buy the correct picture frame for that print or photo you have you'll need to know what size it is first.  And to know what size it is, you'll have to measure it even if these are in "inches" frame sizes . If you're from Europe, schooled and grown up with centimetres and decimetres, you'll probably measure your artwork, and your frame, in decimetres, centimetres or millimetres. So when you go and look for picture frames and you find them labelled in Imperial sizes such as 8"x10" or 11"x14", chances are that you'll be a little confused. After all Australia is supposed to be a metric country, right, so what's going on? ..