Free for customersHandbook.
Hello, and thank you for choosing us.
We wrote this little handbook for one reason: a good pair of shoes deserves a good start.
Most of what makes a shoe feel right happens in the first week. And most of what keeps it feeling right comes down to a few small habits that nobody ever tells you about.
So here they are, in one place. How we choose our shoes. How to help a new pair settle in. Three ways to lace that change how a shoe holds you. How to look after them. And a ten-second test that tells you when any pair is past its best.
Keep it, print it, pass it on. And if you ever have a question, we're only an email away.
What's inside.
Why we started.
The simple idea behind every pair we sell.
For years, comfortable shoes and good-looking shoes lived on two different shelves.
On one side: chunky, plain, sensible. The kind of shoe you wear because you have to, not because you want to. On the other: shoes you'd actually choose, that leave you counting the minutes until you can take them off.
We didn't think anyone should have to pick a shelf.
So DailyOrtho started with a simple rule. Every pair we sell has to pass two tests at once. It has to be properly comfortable for a long day on your feet, and it has to be a pair you'd happily choose for its looks alone. If it only passes one, it doesn't make the collection.
That's the whole idea. Everything else in this handbook is about making sure your pair lives up to it.
The DailyOrtho standard.
Six checks every style has to pass before it reaches you. These are the ones we never bend on.
Cushioning that stays soft.
Most footbeds feel lovely on day one. The trouble is what happens next: cheap foam compresses with every step and slowly stops springing back, long before the shoe looks worn. We look for cushioning that recovers, so day forty feels like day one.
A heel that holds.
The back of a shoe does more work than you'd think. A firm, padded heel keeps your foot steady, stops it sliding about, and means your laces don't have to do all the work.
Room for your toes.
Toes like space. We choose shapes with room at the front, so nothing pinches or presses, even at the end of a long day.
Grip you can count on.
Wet pavements, shiny supermarket floors, autumn leaves. We look for soles with a real tread that keeps its footing when the ground doesn't.
Easy on, easy off.
Bending down and wrestling with laces isn't anyone's favourite part of the morning. Wherever we can, we choose zips, pull tabs and fastenings that do the work for you.
Looks you'd choose anyway.
Comfort shouldn't look clinical. Every style has to be one you'd pick off the shelf for its looks alone. If it isn't, it doesn't go in.
Your first week.
A new pair needs a few wears to learn the shape of your feet. Here's how to help it along.
Unpack and reshape.
Pairs often travel in a light protective bag. Take them out, open them up, and stuff them with scrunched paper overnight if they've been squashed on the way. Give any new-material smell a day in the fresh air.
An hour at home.
Wear them around the house with the socks you'll wear most. Lace from the toes up: snug, not tight.
Short trips out.
A trip to the shops, a short walk. A few hours at a time.
Longer days.
Build up to longer wear as they soften to your feet.
All day.
By now they should feel like yours.
Getting the fit just right.
Socks change everything.
A thick winter sock and a thin one can feel like two different sizes. Judge the fit in the socks you'll wear most.
Made roomy on purpose.
Our shoes are cut with a little extra room. If they feel generous, snug the laces or try a warmer sock.
Heel lifting?
Try the heel lock in chapter four. It's the single best fix for a heel that slips.
Pressure on top?
Try window lacing in chapter four. It takes the pressure off exactly where you feel it.
Still not sure? Email us before anything else. Most fit questions have a quick fix, and we're happy to help you find it.
Three ways to lace.
Laces are the most adjustable part of any shoe, and most of us never change how they're done. Three small changes, three different fits.
1. The classic criss-cross.
For an even, everyday fit. Tighten gently from the toes up, one cross at a time, rather than yanking at the top.
2. The window.
Feel pressure across the top of your foot? Skip one cross at that spot and run the lace straight up on each side. Instant breathing room.
3. The heel lock.
Stops your heel lifting with every step. Brilliant in a roomy pair.
Lace as normal
Criss-cross up to the second-to-last pair of eyelets.
Make two loops
Take each lace straight up into the top eyelet on the same side, leaving a small loop.
Cross and thread
Cross the laces over and thread each one through the loop on the opposite side.
Pull down and tie
Pull the ends down and away, then tie as usual. Your heel stays put.
Care and keep.
Five minutes now and then keeps a good pair looking good and feeling good for far longer.
Wipe, don't soak.
A soft damp cloth and a drop of mild soap is all most uppers need. Let them dry naturally.
Dry them slowly.
Wet through? Stuff them with newspaper and leave them at room temperature. Radiators and hairdryers can crack materials and warp soles.
Keep waterproof styles waterproof.
A light spray of waterproofing protector every few weeks in winter keeps the rain beading off.
Air the insoles.
If your insole lifts out, take it out overnight now and then to let it air.
Give them a day off.
Rotating between two pairs lets the cushioning recover between wears, so both last longer.
Store them in shape.
Somewhere cool and dry, with a little paper inside to hold their shape.
The thumb test.
Shoes rarely wear out from the outside first. The cushioning goes long before the uppers do, which is why a pair can look perfect and still feel finished.
A pair for every kind of day.
Most of us ask one pair of shoes to do everything. A second pair means each one can do what it's best at, and both last longer.
Small habits, comfortable days.
None of these are complicated. Together, they make a real difference to how your feet feel at the end of the day.
Try shoes on in the afternoon.
Feet tend to be a little larger later in the day, so that's when a fit is most honest.
Fresh socks on long days.
A clean pair halfway through a long day feels better than you'd expect.
Dry your feet properly.
Especially between the toes, before your socks go on.
Alternate your pairs.
A day off lets cushioning recover, so it keeps its bounce for longer.
Put your feet up.
Ten minutes with your feet up at the end of the day is time well spent.
Check before it's too late.
Do the thumb test every few months, on every pair you own.
Real people. Real answers.
Every email to us is read and answered by our support team. Whether it's a question about fit, care or your order, write to us before anything else. We'd much rather help.
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