The Best Shoe Hack You Never Knew
Being a petite woman has many fit challenges…and they’re not all with your clothes. This post shared the importance of correct fit and alterations for your clothes. Today I’m sharing alterations of a different sort. Shoe alterations. Do you do it? Did you know it could be done?
I have difficult feet. Bunions, several broken toes from crashing into things, a cyst causing a hammertoe and general lack of padding on the bottom of my feet mean…my feet hurt. I usually live in flat shoes, but was inspired to make a pair of heels work for me this spring.
I fell in love with the new block heel and these Vince Camuto shoes caught my eye. I really wanted to wear these so I got creative to make them work. I took them home, sprayed them with shoe stretch and wore around the house for several hours, wearing heavy socks. Once I was certain they were wide enough, I took them to my cobbler who cut 1/2″ off the heel height. You can’t tell they’ve been shortened unless you know I did it!
Now, rather than throw my body weight forward onto the ball of my foot, they angle me backward and puts the weight on my heels, where it belongs.
These block-heeled sandals were also too high for me so the cobbler removed 3/4″ from them.
Alterations make all the difference between looking well-dressed and looking over-powered when you’re petite. Invest in alterations and include your shoes in the mix.
Have you ever had heels shortened on your shoes or boots?
A much needed topic to discuss today! Thanks for all the tips!
I have always taken my clothes to be tailored since I’m only 5′ 3″ never thought about doing my shoes that are a bit to high or uncomfortable. Thanks for this definitely learn something new. I will 5ake some and get them fix to fit me perfectly.
I had never thought about doing this, but I’m definitely going to talk to my cobbler about it. I have a pair of gorgeous purple Steve Maddens in my closet that I adore but haven’t been able to wear for more than ten minutes after developing a neuroma in my left foot. If they are candidates for shortening the heel they’re going to be coming out of the closet and will be back on my feet again. Thank you so much!
It’s such a great hack for shoes!
I just found a nearby cobbler who, when I told him about a pair of shoes I loved but they cut into my “pointer toe” so bad I couldn’t wear them. I think my feet are changing….because, at 62, everything seems to be shifting these days. 🙂 He said to bring them in and he can adjust them. He said they have all sorts of tricks to work with bunions, hammer toes, etc. I was shocked! Never thought about that – so now I’m hooked. Well worth the cost (in my opinion) to have someone make a cute pair of shoes work. And, some bags will go in too that were worn on the corners! Great save. Thanks for the reminder to get these in!
I am a big believer in if I like and it does not fit take it to the tailor.
You’re doing it right, Mary!! Women would be happier with their clothes if they did the same.
Thank you so much Jennifer for the advise on lowering the heels on your shoes. I am in my late 70 and 5’2″ and find that most shoes with heels are too high for me to wear but wearing flat heels are not always an option.
Find a good cobbler. It’s a great little trick!
This is the best advice ever! So glad I found your posts!
Vicki
I’m so glad you like it.
. I had boots shortened several inches. I live in Illinois where we have ice & snow for a good part of the winter. What ever possessed me to buy high heeled boots? Well they were Stuart Weizmann and on sale…a really great sale at Nordstrom. After trying to walk on them but, not killing myself, I decided to have the heel shortened. It worked out beautifully and I wore them constantly. I am going to take them back to my cobbler and see if he can repair the back of the heel which is really worn. Fingers crossed I have had them for years but still can’t bare to part with them.
Love the shoe altering idea. That just gave me about 20 pair of shoes that I was going to toss. Goodbye heels hello spray stretch!
YAY!! Find a good cobbler
I had a pair of caged shoes that I loved but they were slippery on the bottom. I had the cobbler replace those soles with crepe soles. It worked great. Some shoes are just to slippery on the bottom for me since I have an inner ear disorder and need to feel secure on the floor.
A good cobbler can work miracles! I hope I can find one in my new town. Yours sounds very good.
I have to wear a brace on each leg on the outside of my pants. The braces are incredibly helpful, taking away pain. I love boots. In order to get the brace in each boot, the two zipper boot needs to be opened up with a third zipper. A cobbler does that. I can’t hide the braces, but I can wear cool boots.
If they help with your pain, they are worth every inconvenience! Cool boots help too
How did you choose the length for your skirt? With the lower heels, I would intuitively make the skirt shorter. Did you choose the length by looking at proportions with the jacket? I find it a bit difficult to choose what alterations to ask for. Of course, I have the opposite problem re height at 5’10”.
Skirts look best when they are hemmed to a spot where our leg naturally narrows. This is usually just above and below our knees, ankles and calves. This skirt has a long slit in the back so would feel too revealing if I hemmed it much shorter.
I thought I was the only person with such difficulty in wearing shoes. God knows the soles of my feet are the only part of my body without a fat pad! I too have broken toes, plantar fasciitis and heel spurs, hammertoes and general arthritis in my feet. Guess I’m going to have to find a cobbler!
I feel your pain. I have all the same problems.
Thank you SO much for sharing these awesome ‘tricks’ with us. Usually though, shoes are too wide for me and I wish there was a trick to ‘shrink’ them! Ha! I too am petite in stature so your tips are most helpful. Love your whole ootd today!