Hi, I'm Amanda, the founder of Sunday Soles.
Yes, there's a real person behind this website. That's me.
Sunday Soles was born out of sheer frustration. Every time I searched for shoes for sore feet, I landed on the same bland, faceless "podiatrist-backed" websites, all selling the same plain, boring shoes I'd never want to wear out. Nobody seemed to understand that you can have painful feet and still want to look nice at dinner. So I built the shop I couldn't find.
I've lived with chronic heel pain for years. If you've had it, you know: that stabbing pain with the first steps out of bed, the ache after a day on your feet, and the way it quietly makes you say no to walks, beach days and nights out.
A vicious cycle
My feet hurt, so I couldn't exercise. Some days I could barely walk. So I put on weight, and the extra weight made my feet hurt even more. Round and round it went.
Misdiagnosed, again and again
I saw 6 different podiatrists, and I was misdiagnosed multiple times. First it was heel spurs. Then plantar fasciitis. Then nerve issues. Then micro tears. Every new diagnosis came with a new treatment, and nothing worked.
Over the years I spent thousands of dollars trying to fix my feet. $600 orthotics made specially for me. Cortisone injections. Shockwave therapy. Acupuncture. Massage. Ice. Stretches. You name it, I tried it, and paid for it.
The one thing every single podiatrist did agree on? If I really wanted to see results, I had to stay off my feet for at least six weeks. Six weeks! As a mum and a business owner, that was simply never going to happen. Life doesn't stop because your feet hurt. So I had to work out my own way to get as much comfort and support as possible into the shoes I wear every single day.
Some of the treatments helped for a while. But the moment I tried to walk barefoot, or stopped doing one of the things, the pain came straight back. I was wearing supportive shoes all day, every day, everywhere except in bed.
Honestly? I was disappointed, and I felt let down. So I took matters into my own hands.
The wrong shoes, every single time
Over the years I noticed something. It wasn't just what I did for my feet. It was what I put them in.
Slip on a pair of flat flip flops for a quick trip to the shops, and within the hour the bottoms of my feet would be burning and aching. Dead-flat ballet flats and thin sandals were no better. And high heels? Just too high. One night out in a pair and I'd be paying for it for days.
Every time I broke the pattern, my feet told me about it. So I stopped guessing and started paying attention to exactly which shoes let me walk without pain.
My own little foot ritual
Through a lot of trial and error, I found my own little ritual. The big thing I learned: your foot doesn't work on its own. Your calf, your Achilles tendon and the bottom of your foot are all connected, so I look after all three.
It comes in two parts. Part 1 is a one-month reset: hot and cold foot baths, calf and Achilles massage, a handful of stretches and a good roll, plus supportive shoes at all times. Part 2 is maintenance: the same easy treatments about once a week, and only ever shoes that pass my rules.
Part 1 shoe picks
What I'd wear all day during the reset
During Part 1 your feet need support from the moment you get up. These are the super cushy, all-day styles I'd reach for first.
The detail is what makes it work: which stretches, how long to hold them, how often to do each step, and what to do on the days your feet are tired. So I've put the whole thing into one free guide, with photos of me doing every stretch and a month-one tracker so you can see the change for yourself.
Free guide
Get my full Foot Ritual and stretch guide
The one-month reset step by step, all six stretches with photos, how to roll it out, my shoe rules and a printable tracker. Pop in your email and it's yours.
You'll also get my emails with tips and new styles. Unsubscribe any time.
Here are the rules every pair has to pass:
- A 3–5 cm wedge. Never a stiletto, never dead flat. Just enough lift.
- Real arch support, not a flat, hard footbed.
- A cushioned, cupped heel to soften every step.
- A secure back strap so my foot stays put and doesn't grip.
- Pretty enough to wear out. To dinner, to a wedding, on a date.
Why 3–5 cm is my sweet spot
People always ask me why I'm so fussy about heel height. Here's what I worked out on my own feet.
Dead flat pulls everything too tight. In flat shoes my heel sits low, and the whole chain gets stretched: from my calf, down through the Achilles and right along the bottom of my foot. All that pull ends up tugging on the plantar fascia, the band under your heel and arch, which is exactly where it hurt.
High heels push the problem the other way. As we all know, a high heel tips your weight forward onto the ball of your foot and your toes. You don't get rid of the pain, you just swap it for a different kind.
3–5 cm sits right in the middle. It's just enough lift to ease the strain on the underside of my foot, without throwing my weight forward. Add real arch support, and my arch stays held up. My feet become a steady foundation again, and my whole posture lines up properly when I walk. Left to themselves, my arches tend to roll in, and this is what keeps them where they should be.
It's not magic. It's simply the height my feet were happiest at, after years of trial and error. That's why it's rule number one.
Where I am now
I'm so pleased to say I can now walk and run with no pain. And yes, you read this right: these days I can even walk barefoot sometimes. I don't have to have something on my feet every second of the day anymore.
Sunday Soles is my ritual, in a store.
Our dressy wedges are the pretty, going-out shoes I wear myself. Our everyday wedges are the super cushy styles for when you have to look nice at work but you're on your feet from morning to night. Our wedding shoes are all the sparkle, our low heels are for milder, everyday aches, and our boots keep the same comfy low heel for cooler days. And in Foot Care you'll find the kind of simple at-home tools I use on my own feet.
Not everyone's feet are like mine, though. Lots of people with milder, everyday aches love a cushioned slide or a steady low heel, so we carry a few of those too. Whenever a style doesn't pass all five of my rules, I'll tell you on the product page, and why. No guessing.
Why "Sunday"?
Because Sunday is the day your feet finally get a break. I want every day, and every night out, to feel a bit more like that.
This is my own story, and everyone's feet are different. Our shoes and foot care products are designed for comfort and support. They're not a medical treatment. Hot and cold foot baths aren't suitable for everyone: never use water hot enough to burn, and check with your doctor first if you have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling in your feet. If your pain is severe or not improving, please see a doctor or podiatrist.
If you're like me and just want to dress up without paying for it the next morning, you're in the right place. 💗
Amanda, founder of Sunday Soles