The Secret to Breaking in ANY Type of Shoe
Alright, you bought a pair of shoes that was the tiniest bit too tight (maybe even more than a tiny bit). Or maybe you’re like me, and you’ve got some skinny heels but your feet get wide at the toes. Now you’re wondering how to break in or stretch your shoes.
I’ve got skinny wide feet, and I’ve learned quite a few things about stretching shoes in just the right spots to get them to feel custom made (and avoid that painful break in period).
And I’m just going to put it out there that the socks and a blow dryer method is a scam. Yeah, I said it. Not to mention it’s terrible for your shoes.
Here’s the methods I recommend:
Method 1 - Put your shoes in the freezer
For this method, you’re going to need some water and Ziploc style bags. I usually use quart size. Fill your bags with a smallish amount of water, say a third of the bag. Zip it up, and put the bag in your shoe. Really make sure you get the water down where you want the stretching to happen.
If you need to stretch your shoe all over, you might need more water. If you just want to stretch the toe part out, you might have to empty some water out. But don’t be skimpy with the water, you want it to feel like the water barely fits in the shoe.
Now, put your shoes with their bags of water in the freezer, and leave them there for 2 days minimum, 4 days maximum. Why? Well, water expands when it freezes. It will stretch out your shoes slowly and without damage. It’s especially great for that already broken in feeling, as it stretches, but not too far where they no longer fit.
When to use: Use for shoes that don’t really need to be stretched to fit but just need a little breaking in. Shoes that you can tell fit but are rubbing you a bit since they’re new. This is my go to for breaking shoes in.
Synthetic shoes (aka shoes that aren’t some sort of leather/suede) have sometimes stretched using this method. NOt all will, but I have more luck breaking in synthetic shoes this way than with just wearing them. I think the continued pressure for 48+ hours is key.
Method 2 - Wearing Your Shoes Around the House
This one’s in the name. Just wear your shoes. I start out wearing them with no socks, and if I notice they are particularly tight or rubbing, put on a pair of socks. The socks is to protect you, but also because they make your feet bigger and thus the shoes will stretch some more.
Unless your shoes are crazy soft leather, this will take more than a couple of hours, but it can be worth it. If I think shoes are stretching from just wearing them around the house, I will usually wear them for several days and up to a week for as long as I can stand the discomfort.
When to use: Really soft leather shoes, usually ballet flats or some sandals. I usually try this method before putting them in the freezer. It helps me see if they’re rubbing and if it’s something I think I can fix by a little light freezer bag stretching.
Pro tip: Wearing your shoes around the house for an hour or two will give you a much better impression than when you tried them on in the store. Always do this first. I’ve gotten home many a pair of shoes only to wear them for an hour and discover that the leather was too stiff, or the soles not cushioned enough, or the side of the shoe poked into my ankle bone (my pet peeve).
There are some things you can’t fix with stretching, like a shoe that pokes into your ankle bone. Putting inserts in can help raise your heel, but stretching or softening this part of the shoe doesn’t do much.
So, before you consider stretching, think about whether the part of the shoe that is uncomfortable can actually be fixed by stretching.
Method 3 - Shoe Stretchers
This one is breaking out the big guns. There are special shoe people out there that will take your money and stretch your shoes for you. It’s a great profession, but I haven’t been able to find a price I can justify in my area, yet. So, I do it at home.
The joy of Amazon will let you purchase shoe stretchers (basically hunks of shoe shaped plastic that you can make wider/longer) to put in your shoes and stretch for you. This means you don’t have to destroy your feet and put in the time yourself. And it costs about as much as getting one pair of shoes stretched by a professional.
You get the stretches, put them in your shoe, and make them wider if you want to stretch say the toes, or make it longer if you got a size too small. These stretchers will work without any wetting of the shoe, but they work best if you use a liquid shoe stretcher in combination. The liquid shoe stretcher is a spray that you will put where you want to stretch before inserting the stretchers. It’s safer than using water, which can damage leather and suede.
Here are my (affordable) favorites:
When to use: This is a last resort. Since these will stretch shoes the most, I use this method for very stiff leather that freezing and to which wearing did nothing and stiff synthetic shoes. Additionally, if you have bunions or oddly shaped feet, I like this method with the stretchers I use, because you can add little knobs exactly in those spots for extra room, instead of widening the whole shoe and then they don’t fit.
There you have it, the three methods of breaking in and stretching shoes. I’ve used them all successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully.
My last tip? Don’t ever wear uncomfortable shoes! If they’re aren’t comfortable, take those babies back. Become best friends with the return line, I know I have.