Blog
How to Find Your Shoe Size — Width, Length, and Why It Matters
Apr 21, 2026
Shoe sizes measure length. Width is where most people go wrong. A practical guide to measuring your foot and understanding what wide fit actually means.
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Bespoke Shoes Sydney — The Process, the Investment, What to Expect
Apr 20, 2026
Bespoke is one of the most misused words in footwear. This is what it actually means — the process, the timeline, the investment, and who it is genuinely for. From the Andrew McDonald workshop, Sydney.
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Foot Pain, Fit, and the Case for Better Shoes
Apr 20, 2026
Most people accept foot pain as a fact of life. They blame their feet. They buy insoles. They rotate shoes. They have the wrong shoes. A guide to fit, width, and why the right shoe changes everything.
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Built to Last. Here's What That Actually Means.
Apr 20, 2026
Not all shoes are made equal. The difference between a shoe that lasts two years and one that lasts twenty comes down to one thing: how it's built. A guide to the three construction methods — cemented, Blake stitch, and Goodyear welt — and why it matters before you buy.
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How to care for leather shoes — a maker's guide
Apr 10, 2026
A practical guide to leather shoe care from Sydney shoemaker Andrew McDonald. Conditioning, polishing, storage and what to avoid — everything you need to keep leather alive.
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The complete guide to shoe care and repair
Mar 24, 2026
There is a simple question every owner of quality shoes should ask the moment they leave the workshop or shop floor: have I protected the sole? Leather soles, for all their beauty, are vulnerable. Within the first few wears on city pavements they begin to wear in a way that is difficult — and expensive — to reverse.
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What Are Bespoke Shoes — And Why Would You Commission a Pair?
Mar 18, 2026
The word 'bespoke' has been stretched almost beyond usefulness by marketing. You'll see it applied to everything from machine-cut suits to mass-produced watches. In the context of footwear, it has a specific and non-negotiable meaning: a shoe made from scratch, on a last carved or shaped to the exact measurements and contours of your individual foot, for you and no one else.
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Can Shoes Be Resoled? Everything You Need To Know About Shoe Repair and After-Sales Care
Mar 18, 2026
Chronic foot pain is rarely a life sentence. More often, it's a shoe problem dressed up as a foot problem.
Foot pain ...
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Why Your Feet Hurt — And Why the Answer Is Usually Your Shoes
Mar 18, 2026
Chronic foot pain is rarely a life sentence. More often, it's a shoe problem dressed up as a foot problem.
Foot pain ...
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Wide feet and ready-to-wear shoes: why sizing up is making things worse
Mar 18, 2026
As an Australian shoemaker, the wide feet struggle is one of the most common problems I see in my Sydney workshop. I ...
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Andrew McDonald Shoemaker: Crafting Timeless Footwear in the Heart of Sydney
Jul 10, 2025
Andrew McDonald Shoemaker: Crafting Timeless Footwear in the Heart of Sydney
News| 2nd June 2025
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Hand Dyeing: Elevating Shoes to New Heights
May 3, 2024
Hand dyeing is the process of adding colour or texture to the leather. Hand-dyed shoes have a depth of colour that captivate the eye and create an aura of authenticity.
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