My new flats were a bit too tight in the toes. So I tried this incredibly simple and neat trick from The Observer via Lifehacker for stretching out the area. And guess what? It worked!
Put on socks and slip on your shoes.
Aim the hairdryer on the tight section for a few seconds (wiggle and stretch your feet inside the shoe for maximum benefit).
Keep the shoes on while they cool.
Remove the socks and test out shoes.
It should be stretched out, but if you need more room, then repeat the process.
See? Told you it was easy.
Ooh, great tip! Thanks!
Oh this is just the tip I need! I bought these really cute red flats a while ago, and I wore them once and they were so tight they gave me blisters that I had for weeks! I haven't worn them since which is sad because they're really cute. I'm so excited to try this method – and be able to wear all of my tight shoes again!
Awesome, totally going to try this out!
That's so neat! I've done the sock trick, but adding the blow drier makes total sense! Great tip :)
I just bought a few new pairs of flats and my heels are red and blistered from trying to break them in. Can't wait to try this!
This is awesome, thanks for sharing! I hate the first week blisters from ballet flats!
awesome tip!!! will remember this in case i get shoes that are too tight!
I am totally going to try this!
umm cool!
Oh my gosh that is the neatest trick. Going to try it out!
Genius! I used to put new pointe shoes in the oven to warm up the glue and stretch them out, but they always came out a bit dirty–what I wish I'd known then!
Cool idea!!
whoooooaaaaaaaa…I've been enlightened!!
This is brilliant! I was going to bring a pair of sandals to the cobbler to have them stretched, but I'm trying this first!
Cobbler! haven’t heard that word in years. love it.
What is a cobbler?
A cobbler is someone who mends (or makes) shoes
No no silly…. cobbler is pie ;)
Great
Pretty fantastic.
I am so stoked that I stumbled across this. I need to stretch my white satin wedding shoes and didn't want to bring them into a shoe repair place to have it done in case they got dirty. This could just be the ticket!! :D
You can’t stretch satin shoes.
But you can stretch the leather or man-made interiors :D
Sounds good but who has tried this and worked? Hope to hear the success stories! Thx.
It totally works a lot of my friends and I all have done this and it always works
It totally works! I bought a pair of flats without trying on because they were $10. Lo-and-behold they were so tight I could barely put them on. I just used this trick and they fit perfectly! I am so excited, they are cute flats!
Oh my thank you! Going to try this with my new tap shoes.
This is an age-old tip. Heat and stretching always works for any sort of shoe. To the Anonymous who wanted success stories, go for it. It works. I've done this with everything from court shoes to ballet flats to stilettos to work boots.
An extra tip for those with shoes where the leather is thicker, apply a little leather conditioner while the leather is still warm – but do not heat the leather after you put the conditioner on as you'll ruin the shoe. The conditioner helps to relax the fibres in the leather and mold it to your foot better. You can get it at any good shoe store.
Hi Ren, Q? I presume the shoe is still on the foot and the leather conditioner is applied to the outside? KelG
OMG, I just came across this blog again. LOL
In relation to your query, KelG, yep – the conditioner goes on the outside.
Hope it works out for you!
Besides me, I'm not sure. Although, if you click on the links provided, it will direct you to the original source. It looks like Sian Berry of The Observer has tried it and it's worked out pretty successfully for her.
Love that extra tip! Very helpful indeed.
I've always done the cold version of this: fill sandwich baggies with water and insert into shoe, tip shoes at an angle and freeze overnight. The water will expand as it freezes and stretch the shoe. This seems a lot quicker, and doesn't involve cold feet! (Har har har.)
I used to do this too! A few minutes is a lot quicker than leaving something in the fridge overnight though.
I attempted to try this once. I double bagged some water, and was too afraid that it would leak out into my shoe that I never actually tried it.
Although my foot might get hot, I’ll probably be more comfortable to try the above mentioned method!
Can't wait to try this! Thanks
http://crosscountrystamper.blogspot.com/
Yes, I've heard of this one before! I haven't tried it yet, but I've seen a bunch of Youtube tutorials that have shown its success.
Does this work on Canvas shoes too?
Hm, I'm not sure. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it and see. Just don't keep the heat on for too long!
hey, thank you for this tip, I will try this with my crocks – you see, even in germany shoe addiction is sometimes painful :-))
never heat up your crocs! i had a pair of shoes for work that were made out of the same stuff as crocs and i left them in the car for a few days and went to put them on and they had shrunk to half their size!
You said it! I had a pair of Crocs just for the garden — they could be hosed off. I wouldn’t wear them anywhere else, so, I left them in my garden on a bench. The sun shown down on them several days and when I went back out the next time I thought I was being pranked because in their place were tiny elf shoes, a fraction of their original size. It was actually funny. Now, when I wear a pair of Croc sandals to pool or beach, I keep them under a towel, and I even wear them IN the cold water (good for traction anyway).
“I thought I was being pranked… tiny little elf shoes!” This made me giggle!! :))
GREAT IDEA! My daughter has a pair of shoes she loves that her Dad got for her. They are just to tight at the baby toe. This will make her so happy! Thanks!!
Cool idea.
Why not buy shoes that fit?
Easier said than done…especially when no ones feet are the exact same size and width. We all can’t have perfectly shaped feet as you. SMH
Only my right foot increased in width when I was pregnate with my 3rd baby… you can’t buy a left 9 and a right 9.5…. and no way I’m buying 2 pairs and mixing “em! I think I may be able to buy cute shoes again and quite making flip flops and running shoes do for every event. Ballet flats here I come! Thanks for the brilliant tip.
My mom always talks about opening a shoe store that sells shoes by the each instead of in pairs – would work so well for your situation!!
Until that happens, I’m definitely trying this trick for my bigger foot!
Actually, if you shop at Nordstrom, you can buy two different size shoes.
Hope it works for you!
Because I got tired of return shipping shoes back to Zappos. So I just made them fit, haha.
Dear other anonymous- I had feet that were just over a size 10, which is the biggest size most cute shoes come in. I couldn't buy 10.5s, because they simply weren't available. I had a baby a little over a year ago, and my feet grew about a half size. I now wear an 11. Stretching shoes that I find in stores is often my only option.
What a great point.
Awesome my flats are a bit tight i will definately try this!!
Great tip! I need a wider-fitting shoe, so this is a brilliant tip to ease the pinch!
Anyone do this with heels or only flats?
It worked on my pumps! Worked wonderfully actually, even with non-leather shoes
Just wanted I wanted to hear!! My birthday is coming up next week and I didn’t want to wear uncomfortable heels! I always have a problem around the toe area!!! Thank you!
I just did the dryer/sock thing with my high heel satin shoes and it really works….wow..thank you.
So glad to hear this works with heels. Since putting on weight most of my heels have become a bit tight. Definitely trying this out!!
I have a similar issue as anonymous #2. I had a baby and while my shoes fit length-wise, they are tight in the toes. I can't wait to try this. :)
Thank you a thousand times! i finally larged my flats! i have some cute black flats and didn;t managed to properly break them in. Now they seem beautifully adapted on my feet. hope they will stay this way. tonight i am going to wear them! thanks! i will share this tip further if u don;t mind!
I've only done it with flats. Not sure about anyone else. I'd imagine it will work the same on the toe area. Not sure about the back part, since heels tend to have a really hard back.
No problem! I'm glad they worked for you. Share away!
I ordered dyeable shoes for a wedding I am in this weekend that are a bit tight in the toe area, they are ivory color.. have you tried this on a light colored material shoe? Wondering if it would darken or burn the color..
I have not tried this on a light colored shoe. Although, I’d imagine if you keep the blow-dryer at a safe distance (about 5 to 6 inches) and don’t keep the heat on for too long, it shouldn’t do any damage. But if you’re too hesitant about it, why don’t you try the method that Faith uses (see above)? It’ll take a bit longer, but it seems like a safe bet!
If you’re worried about discolouration from dirt in the air or from your blow dryer, you might try blow-drying not directly on the shoe, but through an old/thin washcloth or rag. This would catch any dirt that would be blown at the shoes.
You’ve got such great ideas! I’m looking forward to trying this out on my next pair of flats… I started a blog to check out the pins on Pinterest that go viral… check it out! pinbusting.blogspot.com
Looking forward to your coming posts!
i did this with some super cute high heels, but i stretched them too far and now they’re too big haha… any way to get them a bit smaller?
Hmmmm. Why don’t you try using an insole? Or a heel grip?
that’s smart, i’ll have to try that :) thanks!
No problem! Happy to help.
If they’re leather, try getting them wet and then drying them in the oven on the lowest temp until dry. They should shrink. I found this out the hard way when I had to dry some wet shoes quickly and discovered they were now too small.
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Jillian,
Does this work for patent leather and suede too? Or, will it “burn” the finish?
Great tip!
Kristen, patent leather should be fine (I’ve tried it on patent leather shoes too), as long as you don’t keep the blow-dryer too close to the shoe. And only zap it for a few seconds. With suede? Haven’t tried it and I’m not very familiar with how that fabric responds to certain temps.
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will this work on toms? my houndstooth toms are so tight!
Toms are made with cloth, right? I don’t think it would work with cloth, although you can give it a try and see what happens.
Shelbi, another commenter tried it with Toms and she said it worked very well. So give it a go, if you haven’t already!
Yay!! Thanks for posting this. I made my way over from Pintrest, and what great timing. I bought these really cute flats from a thrift store; perfect condition (and basically new), silver reptile-link design, with large silver-circle-ring-like buckle at the foot made from Nine West for about $3-4. The size said 7.5, I said good enough for me when I tried them on! The problem was I didn’t WALK in them at the store! LoL, isn’t that the first thing we learn as a kid with our Moms at the shoe store?
So, for my college graduation practice, I wore them b/c they were too cute not to celebrate with. Needless to say, I had huge blisters on my heels by the time I got home (which was really bad b/c my shoes for that night were closed toed and closed back wedged-heels!)
Then, two months later, after I contemplated finding a close friend for these to have a REALLY good home, I found you instead!! I was hopeful, but skeptical, b/c they were pretty tight.
Seriously, this trick works!! I found the thickest socks, and heated up the shoes like you said, and they felt just a little looser. However, still being in the socks while it cooled, it was still tight, so I figured I might need to do it again. As soon as I took off the socks and slipped into the flats, I was amazed. Thank you so so much, as well as to whomever originally shared this information!
So, to all of those in doubt, I did try it and it works. I read in some places where it would be hard to work (like with sneakers), so just make sure it’s a malleable type of material and you should be good to go. If you do not have a blow dryer, find instructions how to use your oven. I saw some videos on YouTube where they did this, but I don’t know the temp and time, although I imagine its a very low-heat. Good Luck!!
good tip. I use the cold method…putting ziplocks with water in the shoes, then putting in the freezer over night. yours seems like a quicker fix tho.
OMG!!! I must say, this works 100% I just tried it, and can’t wait to actually use my shoes the whole day! Note, be careful that you might loosen the shoes up too much ;) a million THANKS!
This is great! I’m wondering if this will work with my sperrys. I wore them the other day without any socks and they gave me a blister!
So simple, yet so genius! I have a few pairs of flats that I love dearly, but the mere thought of wearing them causes a blister to form. Every time I open my closet and see my shoe organizer, I lust for them. But, alas. Now, this! Yeah! Thanks for the great tip!
For our boat shoes (docksiders, topsiders, Bean, etc) we would wear them in the ocean, then walk around a little, permanently knot the wet leather ties with the wrap knot, and then wear them until they dried. Perfect fit, smooth insides. This was when they were handmade in USA, all leather, and we NEVER wore them with socks. I don’t know if the cheaper, part fabric,imported ones will hold up to this, but I have four pair, spanning about thirty years, and I wish I still had my original, older pairs. I should have just had them re-sewn. They just aren’t the same, now.
I wonder if it works with converse shoes… Everytime I wear them, I get blisters on babytoes… I love them but I cant wear them for too long…
will thi work for Melissa plastic/jelly shoes?
Sorry, I can’t say that it will work, mostly because I’ve never tried it. Maybe try the ice method that was suggested in the comments? It seems to be a safer way to go, if you’re unsure. Although, it’s not as quick as the blow-dryer method.
this totally worked. I bought these gorgeous cheap-o fake leather tiffany blue pumps from charlotte russe, and they squeezed the heck outta my toes. I had to blow dry twice,c but they totally expanded and my toes feel so much better!
I just tried this with suede heels and it worked incredibly!! Thank you so much! Now I can wear my shoes for my birthday!
Did you put the blow dryer right next to the suede, and no damage?
Do you think this will work for boots? I have a pair of dance boots that HAVE to be broken in ASAP!
I don’t see why not? Give it a try!
thanks!! will try.
Will this work on heels as well???? :)
Lauren (one of the commenters above) tried it on high heels and it worked for her. So I’d say, give it a go.
really thanks
I just got a pair of shoes that are too tight, but the half-size up is too big (they say 9.5 but I’m sure they’re really a 10, as they don’t seem smaller than the 10s were). They are real leather uppers BUT they are covered in silver confetti-like sparkles. Would the blow-dryer trick make the sparkles fall off? I’ll try the frozen ziplock bag trick first…
You might want to try what MJ has suggested above: when you’re ready to apply the heat, place a rag or cloth over the shoe. You’ll get the effects of the heat without the pesky wind.
I guess what I mean is that I’m scared that the heat will liquify the adhesive enough that the sparkles (more like small confetti), will come off. I guess the frozen water thing is less risky in that sense, but it would be harder to get them to stretch the right amount (might make them too big)…
Oh, I see. You might be right about the sparkles coming off with the heat, although I’m not sure that the heat from the blowdryer is strong enough to do that, especially since it’s only blasted for a few seconds. Then again, I haven’t tried it on shoes like yours.
I’m not sure if this will work, but maybe you could blast the inside of the shoe with heat and then immediately stick your foot (with the sock on) and try to do it that way? Just something off the top of my head.
Just tried this with flats from Target and worked SO well! I didn’t have thick socks so I wore three pairs haha. They fit so well now! I’ve had them in my closet for months because they were just a little too tight. Great tip!!!
Oh that’s awesome! So it does work with Toms then? I didn’t think it would, but that’s great.
Does this work with Dr Marten’s.
I have a pair of patent pink ones and I the backs rip my heels up after 10 minutes
Any ideas?
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I just saw this on Pinterest and tried it out immediately. I just bought the cutest peep toe pumps from Anthropologie; originally $198, marked down to $40, 1 pair left in the store and they were MY SIZE! A certified shoe miracle! They were a little tight in the toes, but who turns down a shoe miracle? Enter your tip and voila! Perfect-fitting miracle shoes… Thanks a million!
Cannot wait to give this a go. I recently purchased the Stretch Genie product which works but I don’t like having wet shoes.
You Rock! will try on my new killer heels. Peek toe is just a little to tight!
KelG
I’m going to have to try this tonight. I’ve been trying for months to break in my wedding shoes ( with out my fiancé seeing them or getting them dirty) and this sounds perfect!!! The 8 was way to big and the 7 1/2 is JUST to tight around the toes. My wedding is in 32 days! I really hope this works!
Hope it works for you too. And congrats on the wedding!
Omg omg, just did it, and they are beyond perfect now!!! I kept them a tad snug, so they won’t try to fall off while I’m walking down the isle or anything. But they feel soooooooo much better!!! You are a life saver!
Awesome! And thank you.
bought the cutest little red flats and havent been able to wear them because they gave me blisters.
i feel like i just went out and got another new pair of shoes :)
you save my shoe life… thanks for the great tip!!!
Does it work for cowboy boots?
If they’re leather, I don’t see why not. I’ve tried it on leather before.
Why didn’t I see this two days ago, I just handed my brand new flats to a friend, because they were a bit tight. :(
I just tried it, and I was absolutely shocked at how well it worked! I wish I saw this years ago, would have saved me from getting bloody blistered heels :( I love flats but I’m always in between sizes so I go for the smaller of the two sizes and takes forever, not to mention how painful, to break into them. Love this trick. Now I can go buy more flats!
Does this work for converse?
It might. The material isn’t very malleable, but I’d give it a try anyway.
would this work with running shoes and on the ankles area?
Hmmmm. Well, part of the reason why this works so well is because you have the thick socks and the toes doing a lot of the action for you. I could even see it for the heel area. But for the ankles? If you have something (like a glass cup?) to help with the stretching of the area, then maybe. Give it a try and see.
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Awesome, I will definitely try with few shoes.
Thanks.
has anyone tried this with shoes made out of pony hair? It’s when they leave the cow fur/hide on the leather instead of removing it, not really from ponies! I’m worried the heat from the hairdryer might damage the fur..
I wonder if this would work with good quality figure skates. Mine fit length-wise but my toes are squished width-wise (feet changed after having my 2 kids). I’ve taken them to a cobbler for stretching, but he couldn’t get much out of them. has anyone tried this?
Too bad you can’t do this with clothes! LOL
ohmigosh thank you for changing my LIFE! haha
This is amazing! Came at the perfect time, thanks SO much for sharing!!
I wish I had done this a week ago when I was in my low-heels all day! I just tried this and was so surprised at how well it worked!! I used the blow dryer on low for about a min. instead of a few seconds, though. (Oops!) I want to wear them all day now. haha :]
Just found this on Pinterest (& repinned of course). Just tried with a pair of loafers I had bought and never worn…worked a charm! TY, TY, TY!!!
You go, girl–who knew???–plan to try out 1st thing in the am
Thanks so much for sharing, this works amazingly well! I just tried it with a new pair of shoes and they fit much more comfortably now :)
xo jen
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Great tip, will try it next time I’m squashed in the feet :)
for years my husband has put HOT water in his new cowboy boots before wearing for the first time. i thought he was crazy the first time i saw him do this, but he said it made the boots form to his foot and no blisters.
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YES!! I have so many flats that I can now where. They were so uncomfortable before every time I attempted to break them in I was left with blisters. Thank you ! :)
Oh wow thank you this popped up on Pinterest at just the right time – I wore a pair of my flats yesterday that have killed my little toe and i am so trying this in the morning!!
Thank you so much for your tip! I tried this last night on some leather boots that were a little bit too tight but too good of a deal to pass up – it worked like a charm and they fit perfectly now. Now I’m wondering where this tip has been all my life, how I could have prevented so many blisters, and I’m thinking I need to do this to quite a few other pairs of shoes in my closet :)
awesome i need to try this cuz i got these black flats for a concert and i went about 2 weeks ago and still have blisters!!! =D
does this trick work on any material? like leather.. PU… textile… i’m interested in textile mainly…
I’ve tried it on leather, so yes for that question.
Are Toms made with textile? I forget. If so, then it works (as stated by a commenter above). If not, then, I’m not exactly sure.
I have the pair of flats in the link below. They have gems on them and I’m afraid if I use heat the glue will melt and the stones will come off. However these shoes hurt my feet SO BADLY, I’m just now getting over blisters from 3 weeks ago! Advice?
http://www.dillards.com/product/Gianni-Bini-Hugh-JewelDetail-Smoking-Slippers_301_-1_301_503174544?df=03782931_zi_blue_violet
Hi! I have flats that are a little tight. Problem is, its made of plastic or something. Will this work for this kind of material? Thanks.
I’m not sure. I mean, when you put plastic containers in the microwave, it doesn’t seem to harm it, so my guess is that it would be okay. But like I said before, I’m just not sure. Sorry!
ahhh cant wait to get home n try!!!! thanks gals!
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I’m so excited to try this! I procrastinated buying my shoes for my brother’s wedding and had to order online, all the reviews said the sizes run small, which makes me nervous cause I wear a 10 and the largest size is an 11, so I ordered the 11 and am going to try this if they are a little tight! Thank you, thank you THANK YOU!!!!
Thank you SO much for this tip! As a nurse, I’m always on the hunt for comfortable shoes that will help prevent back pain and leg fatigue. I can’t even tell you how many pairs of expensive shoes I’ve bought that have been collecting dust in my closet because they were too snug to make it through an entire 12 hour shift. I just tried this trick on a pair of Dansko Clogs and they feel WONDERFUL now. The true test will be when I wear them to work, but I’m confident that this has solved the issue! Thanks again!
I’ve never tried this but cannot wait to! When Iw as a kid, my Mom’s friend owned a local women’s consignment shop (second hand clothing, shoes, etc.). I remember her giving me a pair of her niece’s black leather heels to wear for a dance and they were too small for me. she had me put on thick socks and poured rubbing alcohol over the socks and had me walk around in the shoes for an hour or so. Worked like a charm!!! I remember that it could only be done with leather though. :)
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Such a great tip, iv mentioned your link on our website!
Wow, thank you! I’ll be sure to check it out.
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excellent tip!! not sure if this has been asked already, but where are the flats pictured from? they are super cute! thanks!
Thanks! Here’s the link for the shoe: http://www.zappos.com/david-tate-clara-black
i used to do this for my pointe shoes… i never guessed it would work for regular shoes!! so awesome!
I still have blisters from my other pair of shoes that literally made the back of my feet bleed. I just bought new cute flats that was on sale ($10! How could I resist?) but they were really hard on the toes. I tried this and it worked wonderfully! Thank you for saving my feet! I am so tired of buying packs of bandaid for my blisters.
For anyone who keeps on asking if it works, for the millionth time, YES. IT REALLY WORKS.
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This is, hands down, the WORST thing you can do to your footwear. Leather cracks and splits with heat. Do NOT do this. Not ever. What should you do instead? Put equal parts rubbing alcohol and water into a spray bottle. Spray your shoes completely, until saturated. Put them on your feet. Wear them around for as long as you can. Repeat as needed. But for the love of your wallets and your pretty shoes, do NOT take the hair dryer to them!!
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I have a brand new pr of $200 black Frey Harness riding boots sitting in my closet for about 2yrs now, cant wear them because i cant get my left foot into the heal part. The leather is really thick on these boots, if i put a glass inside the boot and do this im wondering if it will work..Im dying to wear them not its boot season..Lmk if anyone has tryed this with a glass.
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Brilliant. This has changed my life. I’m putting link to this post in my post about how much I love this method.
This did not work for me. I was excited to try it, considering I have 3 pairs of ballet flats that I have not been able to wear because the backs of them dig into my skin and cause me to have awful blisters. I put them on with a pair of socks, like instructed, and had the blow dryer on the back of them for about 5 minutes straight. I tried stretching them every way possible to get the backs to loosen up, but nothing. They are still the same killer flats as before. :(
So sorry to hear that JoAnne. It could have been the material of the shoe. Maybe the back of the shoe isn’t as flexible as other parts? Whatever it is, there are other methods you can try – like the ice trick. It’s all over Youtube and has some pretty good reviews. Good luck!
Glad im not the only one that was left frustrated. I have tried with 6 different types of flats and 2 different heels all different matterials and nothing. Still stiff and still evil :’(
Please, if you know which of these procedures that have been mentioned work with patent leather shows
please elaborate on the method. Thank you as I have several pairs of shoes that are too tight and hurt my
bunions!!
Does this work for non leather shoes?
A few of the commenters tried it on Toms and (and I think other types of non-leather shoes as well). So depending on the material, it could work.
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Its awesome thanks for great tip.
Interior Designs
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Will the shoes shrink back to their original size after a while ?
In my experience, no. But I wear mine pretty regularly.
Sitting here with my socks and shoes on right now after heating with my hair dryer. I always rub a little alcohol in them too (idk where I heard it) I REALLY HOPE it works because I have SO MANY flats I out on Poshmark to sell b/c they were too tight…and I broke my toe in high school so finding flats that fit my right foot, NOT HAPPENIN’.
Thanks all!
Just did this with my newest flats. Totally worked! Now they’re much comfier.
I have some new TOMs I love, and they’re too tight. Going to try this in the morning. Thanks for the tip!
Omg I just tried this and it totally worked!! I am so excited! Thanks for the great tip!
Its brilliant! I can’t thank you enough. i tried it immediately and it worked like a charm. Now I have 2 more pairs of heals that can see the light of day.
new pair of fitflop due’s for work , black patent ones , one foot is too tight on the top of the foot as the shoes fits across and digs right in leaving a line !! will the hair dryer work on these please??
Patent leather should be fine (I’ve tried it). Just proceed with caution and don’t keep the heat on for too long or too close to the material.
This worked perfectly with a new pair of tome that were too tight in the toes!!
Will this work on pvc/plastic shoes?
I have cute Melissa flats that a little painful on the big toe.
Sorry Angela. Have not tried on plastic, so I’m not sure.
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I just bought a pair of adorable Tory Burch flats and they were killing my feet! This worked great and now I can wear my flats all day!
I like the helpful information you provide
for your articles. I will bookmark your blog and take a
look at again here regularly. I am quite sure I will learn many new stuff proper right here!
Good luck for the next!
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When I was speed skating, we used a hairdryer to mould our skates. I inserted the end of the hairdryer into the boot and waited until the outside was warm, then slipped my foot in and quickly did up the laces. I can see this transferring successfully to other forms of shoes quite easily.
It’s going to be ending of mine day, except before finish I am reading this fantastic post to increase my know-how.
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I’m so glad I came across this tip Jillian! New shoes almost always chafe and hurt me
I actually consider this blog post , “how to break in your shoes in less than 2 minutes | coffee,
light & sweet”, rather enjoyable plus the blog
post was indeed a great read. Thank you-Dino
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!! i got some rare converse a few weeks back and they were my size but too small. so i tried this on the plastic toe and THEY FIT!!! i needed them to go to a gig and i am sooo happy now!!! :D
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I just bought the cutes paire of wedges on clearance. one shoe fits perfect but the other shoe is just a tad to tight. I have heard of the wearing socks but the hairdryer is a great idea. Can’t wait to go home and try this. Really love the shoes and I would hate to have to return them because they were uncomfortable.
Have just tried it on my new wedding Jimmy Choose and it has worked! Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I bought a pair of Christian Dior peep toe pumps yesterday, they were my first luxury shoe purchase and I was so excited, but when I got home and tried to walk in them and leave them on for a while, I realised they were too tight at the toes, I had the worst buyers remorse and was practically in tears over the stupid splurge, I couldn’t return them because they were on sale, so I looked up on how to loosen them and found this post, it worked like a dream! Thank you!
Could this work with a pair of converse??
Luce (above) tried it on Converse and it worked for her just fine. Good luck!
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I just tried this out last night on a pair of shoes I got second-hand. I was a little skeptical since I’m not sure of the material (others say this method works mostly on leather shoes), but it worked out really well. The shoes were pretty tight, so I did it more for a minute, minute and a half per shoe, to both toes and heels. I’m wearing the shoes today to break them in a little more, and it feels like they might’ve tightened back up a bit, but they’re nowhere near as tight as before.
Thanks!
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Its crazy how people dont just try the shoes on before buying, this is something my wife has yet to grasp lol. Nice tip and the cost I like (free) it seems simple enough I will be sharing.
Vincent
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Get a freezer bag, fill it half way with water and put the bag of water in your shoe, put both in freezer.. works great.
I almost never comment, however i did a few searching and wound
up here how to break in your shoes in less than 2 minutes | coffee, light & sweet.
And I actually do have a couple of questions for you if you tend not to mind.
Is it just me or does it look like some of the remarks look
as if they are written by brain dead visitors?
:-P And, if you are posting on additional places,
I would like to keep up with everything fresh you have to
post. Could you list of the complete urls of your shared sites like your Facebook page, twitter
feed, or linkedin profile?
I have about four pairs of shoes I’ll be doing this to as soon as I finish posting here.
If there was an award for being patient with posters who can’t bother taking a minute to read before asking a question that’s been asked and answered several times already, you’d win it hands down. I don’t know how you do it or why you bother but you’re clearly some kind of saint.
Thank you so much for this idea!! I live in Japan and I work at McD’s. Over here the lady mgr’s use pumps. They have a shoes that I could fit into with stretching. Thank you sooo much, you saved me hours of painful wearing and blisters.
It works best with leather shoes/boots and, after the process, it’s best to use some neats foot oil or other conditioner on the footwear. Using a hair dryer tends to spread the leather and that can, eventually, cause cracking and wear out your shoes more quickly. Using a condition prevents, or delays for a long while, this natural process.
I am so thrilled with this hardryer story,I have evn pasted it on fb
Hi, I can’t wait to try this out! This will definitely save me some time and, not to mention, painful blisters in the process. Thank you so much for the tip!
-Kathleen
it just didn’t work for me. 6 flats and 2 heels. All different materials and worn with the thickest socks I could find.
I still have evil shoes :’(
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very
long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over
again. Regardless, just wanted to say great blog!
Just tried this on a pair of leather flats that were tight around the top stitched area. Totally worked! Very happy with the results and thanks for posting!! Didn’t want to use the ice or alcohol methods.
I really like it whenever people come together and share views.
Great site, continue the good work!
My web-site cheap converse
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A fast and effective way! Tried and it worked like a charm! Thank you for the tip :)
Just finished reading this. Tried this as I’m reading all of the comments.Holy crap…. it really does work!! My issue is with every pair of shoes I buy, the right foot is tighter and very uncomfortable. No longer an issue! Awesome tip!!!
What is it about flats? They look so cute but if you buy your correct size, they are painfully tight, and the next size up is just too big and floppy? They must be the worst designed footwear ever!
Having said that, I have the most gorgeous pair of red suede flats that I can only wear if I am going to be sitting, not walking, not even for a few mins!
I have tried stuffing them with newspaper to no avail, I will have to give this a go.
This is awesome! I’m going to try it out on a pair of Toms wedges I bought that are a bit too snug. Thanks for the tip! Found you on Pinterest. :)
-Rachelle
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Has anyone ever tried this on shoes that have rhinestones glued to them? I about a pair of peep toe flats with rhinestones all over the shoe for my weeding. Each stone was glued on my shoes by hand. I’m worried that if I use any heat or even cold (freezer), that the rhinestones may come off. Do any of you know if they would?
Hi I bought a pair of fab satin bridal shoes and had them died in white,when I received them they was too tight I could barely get my foot in them and I could not return them.i have just put them on with a pair of socks and dryed them with the hair dryer for 10 minutes,they now fit like a glove without socks,MUST TRY FAB IDEA !!!!! THANKS SO MUCH.
I just found this great blog conversation – hope I am not too late. Have a different problem perhaps someone knows about. I just bought a rather expensive paid of Arche shoes in red and the red came off all over my feet and ruined a new pair of Spanx pantyhose (in Champagne – same color Kate Middleton wears :>) ). Someone told me I should use rubbing alcohol inside the shoe to prevent it from bleeding. Does anyone know anything about that? I think the color really faded all over the shoe in one wearing, so I am going to return them anyway, but want to get another red pair. Thanks!