I actually find it quite ridiculous that I have gotten to the point of searching affordable sandals on the Internet. My unique 11 AAAA Narrow shoe size is a pain at times, so many brands and retailers do not offer my size. So, I turned to the Internet to research affordable custom shoe shops around the world. I quickly found that U.S. brands charge and arm and a leg for made-to-measure sizing. So, over the next few months, I’ll include my review of a few brands and lessons learned on virtual bespoke options for specialty sizes.

The Hunt

All the way in Greece, I found a small shoe shop called Ananias Sandals on Etsy that exclusively make genuine leather goods at an affordable price. I’m all about supporting small businesses, so I Googled the company to see if they had a direct website from which I could order to help them retain more profit from my order. It was kind of a risk to order direct because I was very unfamiliar with the brand. But they had great online reviews, so I figured I wouldn’t be out of too much money as the shoes ranged near $35.00-40.00, not including tax and shipping.

The Process

From the purchase order date to the day that I actually received my custom sandals, the entire duration was 36 days. The time really did fly by after I sent in all of my measurements. It took me about 3 times to measure my feet because I misunderstood the instructions. And Joern, the owner of the shop, was nice to keep me posted by email if there was a problem, shipment delay, or concern that I may have had.

While I ordered the “Toe Wrapper” and “Hera” in Cognac, the interesting thing to note about these vegetable-died sandals is that the hue of the sandals can change with sun exposure. So, when I initially told Joern that I wanted the “Toe Wrapper” in a darker nude hue, he explained that these sandals would gradually become my desired color if I allow them to tan.

The Review

I’ve been wearing both these bespoke leather sandals for a little less than 3 weeks. While the finish of the shoes are very handmade-esque (unsealed leather edges) and had some initial leather shedding, I found them both to be very comfortable. 

The only thing I wish now is to alter them a bit by adding more buckle holes since my ankles are also tiny. 

Other than that, I am very pleased with purchase and am thinking of ordering more sandals and goods as Joern has lots of options. 

What do you think of these sandals?  The great thing about the company is that in addition to bespoke sizes, they also offer standard sizes. I’ll link the pairs I purchased below. Anyways, how would you style your Ananias Sandals? 

Also, if you have any other affordable bespoke shoe shop that you’d like to refer, please help a sister out in the comments below!

Post Details

 “Hera” Sandals” // Ananias Sandals

“Toe Wrapper” Sandals // Ananias Sandals