Editor’s Note: Since reviewing Undandy, we have discovered a wealth of new brands such as Beckett Simonon, which offers a better level of quality and exceptional value for money. Consider checking them out before making a purchase.


Blue Tassel Loafers On GrassI’m happy to report that I’m lucky enough to own more than my fair share of custom and made-to-measure clothing. I’ve got a few suits and a number of shirts that were made with no one but me in mind. My wife hit it out of the park for Father’s Day and got me a set of ten pairs of custom-engraved collar stays, and I even own custom suspenders.

All my shoes, however, have been ready-to-wear. That is, until I came across Undandy.

Undandy was founded in 2015 by two Portuguese entrepreneurs and makes ready-to-wear and made-to-order shoes, all of which are manufactured in Portugal. I took the plunge and had some tassel loafers made up for myself.

The shoes themselves are gorgeous. The color I picked out looks even better in person than it did on screen, the last of the shoe is slim and handsome, and the material is more supple than I was expecting from a $190 shoe.

The fit was overall a bit large, which I will describe in further detail below.

Undandy Shoe Review –  ’31 Loafer Review

For your reference, Undandy numbers its lasts. ’31 simply refers to the last that I chose.

The Process

The website walks you through the creation process in steps. Those steps, in order, are:

  1. Last / toe shape selection
  2. Model selection (oxford, derby, monkstrap, chukka boot, chelsea boot, etc.)
  3. Decoration (none, cap toe, various brogue styles, etc.)
  4. Leather and color on various “zones” of the shoe, referring to quarters, toe caps, or whatever else may be there depending on the model you selected (pick from calfskin, suede/nubuck, or patent leather in a wide variety of colors)
  5. Lace / tassel color
  6. Stitching color
  7. Sole color
  8. Sole engraving (optional)
Engraving On Sole Of Shoe

Undandy allows a custom engraving below their standard one

One thing to keep in mind is that not all styles of shoe are available across each of Undandy’s lasts. For example, the tassel loafer I made up is only available on the ’31 last. Had I wanted a tassel loafer on one of the other two lasts they offer, I’d have been out of luck. This was initially a bit confusing for me, but it makes sense in terms of streamlining Undandy’s workflow.

Have A Plan When Customizing Your Shoe Design

It’s best to have a plan when you’re having a piece of clothing or shoes made up. I didn’t heed my own advice when creating these shoes, and it took me over a week just to make a final decision! I was like a kid in a candy shop whose parents told him, “You can only get one thing.”

Buying made-to-order shoes online is a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming. There are so many options for so many different parts of the shoe that it becomes difficult to actually make a decision.

To be clear, this is not at all an issue with Undandy. The point of me saying this is that it is of the utmost importance to have a plan of attack. Look through your shoe wardrobe, take stock of what’s missing or what needs to be replaced, and go from there. Taking a “I’ll just see what the options are and I’ll like something” approach is easy at first, but in my case it totally led to decision paralysis.

The Box & What’s Inside

Box Of Undandy Shoes

The box itself is well-constructed with subtle branding on the top and sides. It’s clever that the company uses a relatively nondescript box for made-to-order shoes, which are by definition unique. It’s a fitting juxtaposition.

Inside Of Undandy Shoe Box

The presentation just as you open the box is clean and streamlined, which shows attention to detail. The box includes one branded flannel shoe bag. This is a nice touch, but to be perfectly honest, I never understood why brands that offer flannel bags sometimes only offer one. While this is great in terms of protecting your clothes from your shoes while traveling, it does nothing to protect your shoes from each other.

This isn’t a massive pain point by any stretch of the imagination, but it would make sense for Undandy to include two flannel bags.

Shoes In Tissue In Box

Each shoe was individually wrapped in generic tissue, and then wrapped again in branded tissue. Each shoe was also stuffed with more branded tissue. Protecting shoes in this way is incredibly important, especially when we’re talking about light-colored nubuck shoes like these:

Blue Suede Tassel Loafers On Shoebox

Undandy Quality: Materials & Construction

These shoes are well-made, with a narrow waist, a nubuck upper with a nice hand, and even stretchy dark blue gore underneath the vamp for a more comfortable fit (see first picture below):

Dark Blue Gore On light Blue Shoe

As far as construction is concerned, Undandy’s website says, “All our shoes are handcrafted by our skilled cobblers in Portugal, from cutting the unique patterns of the last you picked, to embossing the Undandy logo into the lining of your choice, each pair of shoes is a thorough work of precision.”

This is lovely, but it doesn’t tell us anything about the particular construction method used for their shoes. What I can see is that the soles are stitched all around, so based on the price point and general quality level, I would assume that these utilize Blake construction. This is a quality construction method that allows shoes to be resoled while maintaining a sense of lightness and flexibility.

Sole Of Blue Shoe

The words “handmade,” “handcrafted,” and derivatives thereof are overused in the clothing and shoe industry. Surely, Undandy does indeed employ shoe artisans in Portugal, surely they do great work, and surely some of that work is done by hand. But at $190, the claim that these shoes are handmade is difficult to swallow. Undandy isn’t the only brand to to make these claims, but you should be aware that a fully handmade shoe will generally not cost less than $1,000.

Regardless, the shoes appear to be well made.

Gentleman's Cut On Shoe Heel

Above, you can see the “Gentleman’s Cut” on the heel, which is a notch cut out on the inside corner. This was invented many years ago to protect the wearer’s trousers but is mostly an aesthetic detail nowadays.

Nubuck Versus Suede

These tassel loafers are made from nubuck, a material that’s often mistaken for suede. This confusion is common, but also easy to clear up.Closeup Of Tassel On Loafer

Leather, nubuck, and suede are all made from animal hide, in this case cow. Any hide has two sides: the outside, and the inside.

Blue Nubuck Tassel Loafers Collage

Both nubuck and suede are brushed to achieve their characteristic “nap.” The difference is that while suede is made from the underside of the hide, nubuck is made from the outside of the hide, just the same as regular leather.

Because it’s made from the side of the skin that deals with the elements throughout the cow’s life, nubuck tends to be stronger and longer-lasting than suede.

The Last

Top Down View Of Tassel Loafers

Side View Of Blue Tassel Loafers

Blue Loafers On Concrete Step

Undandy’s ’31 last is described on their website as “a thin sole with a rounded toe.” This is true, and they’re quite handsome. These loafers to be dressed up or down easily; they can be worn with a khaki suit, casual trousers, or even shorts. They look great when going sockless, which I did below.

Comfort, Fit, & Look Of The Undandy ’31

The shoes look phenomenal. The last is elegant and stylish, and the color is truly beautiful. These are definitely statement shoes so I’ll have to wear these sparingly, lest I become The Guy With The Light Blue Tassel Loafers.

Blue Shoes With No Socks

I was a bit disappointed with the fit of the shoes. Undandy’s website says that the shoes run true to size, but these felt quite large despite the fact that I ordered a US 7, my typical size in a 60-something strong shoe collection.

Undandy uses UK shoe sizing as its default. Typically, UK sizes for men are one full size smaller than their US equivalents, but Undandy lists a UK 6.5 as equivalent to a US 7. My feeling is that had I ordered a half size smaller, the fit would have been more accurate.

Man In Blue Shoes And Cuffed Pants

Man Against Brick Wall In Blue Shoes

As I had the shoes engraved, the shoes are understandably not exchangeable, at least not according to the company’s official policies. To be clear, I am not faulting Undandy for this. That’s a reasonable policy and they should stand by it. What I am saying, though, is to learn from my mistake: if you’re ordering shoes from a new company and they offer a customization option that renders them yours forever, wait until you know the size is correct before moving forward with such an option.

Better safe than sorry.

Being a tiny guy, I’ve learned quite a few workarounds over the years for things that are too big. In this case, insoles did the trick on the right, and an insole with a heel gripper did the trick on the left (my left foot is a touch smaller than my right).

Final Review: 4 Out Of 5 Stars

I’m quite happy with these shoes. The were a plethora of customization options, the construction is solid, they arrived with a flannel bag, and they look awesome. At $190 full retail, I think the value you get is pretty exceptional.

With that said, I didn’t have the best luck with sizing, and I do hope that the company starts including a second flannel bag in with each shoe.

Undandy '31 Tassel Loafer
Reviewed by Michael Oxman, on .
"These are some great-looking shoes! Though they came in a bit large, the shoes are well-made, super stylish, and very reasonably priced. Definitely recommend."
Rating: 4.0 ★★★★

Note: Undandy gave Bespoke Unit these shoes to review free of charge, less shipping costs.

About the Author:

Michael is a husband, father, clothes horse, musician, and Asian food enthusiast. When he's not blogging or changing diapers, he's playing bass guitar and singing in his Beatles tribute band.

30 Comments

  1. Thibaut September 11, 2017 at 10:42 am - Reply

    Always a pleasure to read your articles
    Very well witten Sir

    • Paul Anthony September 11, 2017 at 2:05 pm - Reply

      Thank you for the kind words and we’re glad you like our work~

      All the best,

      – Paul

  2. Glenn November 25, 2017 at 2:20 pm - Reply

    Did you have to pay customs fees for importing the shoes?

    • Michael Oxman November 27, 2017 at 7:54 am - Reply

      Hi Glen,

      We paid $9.00 in shipping fees (DHL), but nothing that was specifically related to customs fees.

      Thanks for reading, and let us know if you have any more questions!

      Thanks,
      Mike

  3. Jo. Franco December 30, 2017 at 5:19 pm - Reply

    Great review. Just ordered my first pair.

    • Trevor Guilday January 9, 2018 at 9:55 am - Reply

      Thanks for the kind words and hope you enjoy the shoes as much as we do!

      Let us know how they turn out when they arrive and if you have anything to add from your experience.

      Regards,

      Trevor

  4. Jose Franco-Reyna January 24, 2018 at 11:36 pm - Reply

    I received my first Undandy pair today. A ’48 Boot in calfskin brown leather. Very nice boot. Everything I had expected after having read these reviews. The quality is flawless. Stitching is amazing. Soft nice fit. I will have a hard time getting the boot on and off but, I think it’s MY foot that has a high rise on the vamp. I will need to unlace them at least 3-4 eyelets to get the foot in/out. But I wore them for 5 hrs the first day without a problem. Will definitely order more pairs.

    Very good value. Undandy, you have a new customer!

    • Paul Anthony January 25, 2018 at 2:34 pm - Reply

      Dear Jose,

      Thanks for your detailed review, and we’re very glad to hear of your great experience.

      Thanks,

      – Paul

  5. Larry Carter February 21, 2018 at 2:09 am - Reply

    I ordered a pair on the 31st of Jan, still no shoes. Any reason as to why the delay and no communication, I had to contact Undandy for an update and still no answers as to why the wait.

    • Paul Anthony February 21, 2018 at 12:47 pm - Reply

      Hi Larry,

      Sorry to hear that. We are not affiliated with Undandy.

      It’s only been three weeks for a custom pair of shoes, so doesn’t strike me as overly long time. I’d say give it another couple of weeks, and / or reach out to them on Instagram as they are pretty active on there.

      Cheers – Paul

  6. bweBrian April 12, 2018 at 12:40 pm - Reply

    I normally wear a size 8. I saw that undandy fits large. I ordered 7.5. It’s still easy one size too big. Also, the shoes show water spots like nothing I’ve seen. You need to buff these every night to keep them looking respectable. Also the sole of the shoe wears very quickly. I would not buy again.

    • Paul Anthony April 14, 2018 at 7:33 pm - Reply

      Dear Brian,

      Thanks for your feedback.

      We’ve bought several more since this review and not had any issues.

      They are after all very reasonably priced shoes for “custom” to your design and materials, for the price point I don’t think they can be beat if that customization is what you’re looking for.

      Cheers – Paul

  7. Rolando July 3, 2018 at 5:43 am - Reply

    I never thought a review on shoes could be so helpful. Thanks a lot. I’m going over to check it out now and hopefully order my own. Have an excellent day!

    • Charles-Philippe July 3, 2018 at 6:25 am - Reply

      Hi Rolando,

      Delighted that we were of assistance!

      I hope that you enjoy the shoes and I trust that you have a great day!

      Best,

      CP

  8. trevis July 20, 2018 at 9:15 pm - Reply

    Hello, thank you for the great review. Question remains though – if you’re looking at the ~$200 price point, would your preference be undandy, another vendor or ready-to-wear?

  9. Paul Anthony July 21, 2018 at 5:00 pm - Reply

    Dear Trevis,

    Thanks for your comment.

    Well as with most things it depends. If you’re looking for full creative control, then Undandy is one of the best options at this price point, and they have fairly quick turnaround times.

    If however you’re in need of shoes immediately, then no not a good option. Further, if you’re looking for the best quality material and construction then again no (but in the grand scheme of shoes costs $200 is on the low end). If you’re curious to see our recommendations, which also covers several budgets including yours, check out our dedicated guide to the best shoe brands.

    I have personally bought several pairs from them in the “crazy & wacky” style, that at only $200 I don’t mind wearing only once or twice, or on vacation where they might get beat up. Then buy my “investment” shoes from better makers for my true dress shoes.

    Hope that helps, and it’s always fun to explore different makers to see which ones you like best re fit, style, etc… And can build a latger collection from there!

    All the best – Paul

  10. Boston Harry December 25, 2018 at 2:03 pm - Reply

    I am an American guy who wears a size 9.5 on the Brannock. I noticed that when I buy American dress shoes, I have to order size 8.5 for brands like Allen Edmonds. They don’t tell you this when you order, however.

    Also, I recently bought some shoes from an English site called Herrings. I ordered an English size 8.5. However, it was HUGE. I should have ordered a size 7.5.

    I recently ordered a pair of Undandy’s size 8.5 since this should fit an American 9.5. However, I’m worried that it’ll be too big.

  11. Charles-Philippe December 25, 2018 at 5:01 pm - Reply

    Hi Harry,

    Sadly, this is the problem many of us face with ordering shoes online. Unfortunately, they’re not always standardised.

    For this reason, I base my sizes of EU measurements as they tend to be more accurate.

    That said, Allen Edmonds has always been pretty true to size for me. I’m a 9 / 9.5 US by the way.

    Fingers crossed on your Undandy order!

    Best,

    CP

  12. Pirocão May 30, 2019 at 4:39 pm - Reply

    Sorry pal, but Undandy is not an England based shoe company. It’s a Portuguese brand with Portuguese shoes. Please stop going about talking without research.

    • Charles-Philippe May 31, 2019 at 6:04 am - Reply

      Hi Piracão,

      This article was written two years ago by somebody who is no longer with us. I will, however, update it.

      Sorry, “pal”.

      Best,

      CP

  13. John House February 3, 2020 at 12:29 pm - Reply

    This company is sketchy! Don’t order from them.
    I ordered shoes months ago and they keep sending me emails saying they will update me with a tracking number/delivery date, but I have yet to receive either. I have asked that they refund my money and they have now stopped responding to me. If it wasn’t for pictures online of people unboxing their shoes, I would think that this company was completely fake. They do seem to be real, but are certainly not trustworthy. Don’t risk giving them your money!

    • Charles-Philippe February 3, 2020 at 12:39 pm - Reply

      Hi John,

      Sorry to hear about your poor experience.

      We’ve been hearing similar reports since our review. If you look at the top of the article, we’ve added an editor’s note stating that since then, we’ve discovered other worthwhile brands.

      All the best,

      CP

  14. Jubin February 17, 2020 at 3:16 pm - Reply

    Undandy.com – Extremely poor customer service.

    When I placed the order, the delivery time mentioned was 3-4 weeks.

    In the 5th Week, I sent them an email to get the courier tracking number, on which the customer service team of Undandy.com replied that due to low stock and high season it will take another month to deliver.

    Now 4 months have passed, I am still following up with them, neither they are returning the money paid, nor delivering the order and not even responding to emails.

    Please be aware and don’t trust this company.

    • Charles-Philippe February 18, 2020 at 5:33 am - Reply

      Hi John,

      Thanks for your feedback. We’ve been hearing similar things more and more. We’ve basically stopped recommending Undandy as they were a good brand when we first met them but soon spiralled downwards. We now work with a number of other brands like Ace Marks and Beckett Simonon and we have yet to hear a bad thing about either of them!

      I wear both daily myself and I’m a big fan.

      All the best,

      CP

  15. Marshall Helsel August 25, 2021 at 10:49 am - Reply

    Man, I wish I’d have read all the bad reviews for the Undandy website. I ordered shoes several months ago, never received them, or any communication. After finally getting in touch with Undandy via email, I was told by “Mariana, Consumer Care Agent” that the delay was due to Covid. After being strung along with similar emails from Mariana for the next month and a half, I requested a refund. I was told I would have the refund in the next 10 days. After 15 days, It never showed up. In another brushoff email, Mariana told me that the refund delay was due to “a high volume of pending requests”. I assume everyone wants their money back because they didn’t get their shoes. As of today I have STILL not received shoes or a refund. I’m out $150, with virtually no recourse because its a European company. DO NOT buy anything from this company! They will suck you in with their snazzy website, but it is just to get your money. You’ll never see your shoes or get a refund! Buyer beware on the Undandy, for sure!

    • Rafael Dominguez August 25, 2021 at 7:39 pm - Reply

      Hey there Marshall,
      Thanks for your feedback, and we’re sorry this was your experience. When we first wrote this review in 2017, the product and service were exceptional. Unfortunately, as you can see by the other comments here and your own experience, Undandy seems to have gone downhill over the past couple years. If you’re still looking for high-quality shoes, we can stand behind any of the ones on this recently-updated list: https://bespokeunit.com/shoes/dress/
      Rafael

  16. Kenneth March 25, 2023 at 9:56 am - Reply

    UNDANDY also robbed me of many hundreds of GBP. They have obviously become a scam site, tout plein.

    I have found a similar deterioration taking place with the other site from which I’d ordered similarly customised shoes: Dapper Lane. Can anyone comment about their recent experiences with Dapper Lane?

    Many thanks.

    • Rafael Dominguez March 27, 2023 at 3:42 pm - Reply

      Hey Kenneth,
      Really sorry to hear about such a poor experience. We no longer recommend Undandy and have left this post up so that others looking into the brand may find feedback like yours and consider other manufacturers before opting for Undandy.
      Rafael

  17. Kenneth Shamlian June 28, 2023 at 11:48 am - Reply

    I have been a long customer of Undandy (since 2016) and have had two sets of customized shoes from them. I also enjoyed supporting Portugal vendors since my wife and I love visiting. However, I made a recent order of non-customized shoes. The delivery took too long. I ordered them on April 3rd and they arrived in late May. I overlooked this and simply accepted this without complaint. However, the color I ordered was mahogany but they looked more like chocolate than mahogany (especially when compared to my previous custom-made Undandy mahogany ’15s). When I asked to initiate a return of these stock shoes (which I even offered to cover shipping) it took multiple emails and weeks to get a response. Finally, Beatriz at Undandy wrote back and said:
    “Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a return as your shoes match the picture provided on our website.” Nothing has been resolved still.

    I recommend staying away from Undandy since they cannot guarantee good customer service practices, even when it comes to non-customized products. This is unheard of in the United States.

    • Rafael Dominguez June 28, 2023 at 1:55 pm - Reply

      Hey Kenneth,
      We’re really sorry to hear of this situation. Unfortunately this seems to have become the standard with Undandy, which is why we’ve stopped recommending them and have left this post up for others to share their own experiences demonstrating why it’s not worth giving them your money.
      Rafael

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