14 simple and effective ways to reduce shoe size
Now many people order sneakers or boots on the Internet, because on the manufacturer's website you can buy a suitable model, a high-quality product at a lower price. However, the sizes don't always match, and you don't want to send back your favorite shoes, and shipping isn't cheap. There are different ways to stretch shoes and sneakers, but sometimes the question of how to reduce the size of the shoe becomes relevant.
Content
When can I return to the store
If the item was purchased from a local supermarket, it will be taken back and refunded or exchanged for another pair. Large sneakers or sandals must be returned within 2 weeks by law. Shoes are accepted in a box with a price tag, they must not have scuffs, signs of wear. If these requirements are not met, the goods will not be taken to the store, the money will not be paid.
Basic methods
When making a shoe model, certain parameters are taken into account, but not all people have legs that correspond to this other size.You can thin or thin shoes with the help of stamps and sprays, foam rubber and cotton wool, choosing the best option in each case.
If the pair is wide or flies off your heels
Shoes won't stand up when a person's foot is too narrow and the length matches the height. Shoes start to wobble if the instep does not match the height of the heel. Men and women feel comfortable in a model in which the heel fits and is roomy for the toes.
Inserts or soles
If the sneakers do not fit on the foot, although the model was purchased in size, insoles inserted inside help to correct the position. They are made from different materials. Products for winter footwear are produced:
- wool;
- felt;
- fur.
To reduce shoe bulk, open-toed shoes use adhesive-based foam insoles.
For sports shoes, you can buy special gel products that soften the impact of the foot, and orthopedic insoles reduce the load on it.
Silicone inlays, sold in the market and in stores and placed in the sock, reduce the bulk of the boots, prevent corns from irritating, but they are not suitable for models of high-heeled shoes. Suede pads are suitable for genuine leather shoes.
Cotton or tissue paper
If the boots are too long, the old but effective method is worth remembering. Put on socks, they are filled with soft towels, medical cotton or very thin paper, but of course for sandals or open shoes this option is unacceptable.
Double-sided tape
Girls who present chic shoe models at exhibitions and parades sometimes have to show products 1 or 2 sizes larger or smaller than their own.
To prevent the shoes or boots from slipping and hanging, double-sided tape is stuck on the inside, and it adheres to the foot, but does not stick to the pantyhose.
Manipulation of water and temperature
If simple methods did not help to shrink shoes, it is worth remembering the laws of physics.The skin lends itself well to mechanical and thermal effects.
The temperature difference
Suede shoes will shrink if they are first warmed up and then placed in a cold place. Such manipulations with shoes should be carried out carefully, since there is no guarantee that the product will not lose its attractive appearance.
Hot water basin
If you want to thin your leather sneakers or shrink your shoes, it's best to take these items to a workshop, but this service is expensive. To do this homework:
- Hot water is poured into a bowl or basin.
- Mix the detergent.
- The shoes are placed for 5 minutes.
They dry things out in the sun, but you have to make sure they don't dry out. There is another way to make your shoes comfortable. The inner surface of the shoe should be sprayed with a spray bottle, left after the battery. This method is suitable for synthetic products that deform upon contact with water.
steamer and freezer
Suede shoes are afraid of moisture, and such things should not get wet. To reduce the size of shoes made of this material by at least half, the products must be kept in hot steam, and then sent to the freezer for some time.
Ice water and hair dryer
You can refine sneakers or leather shoes in an unusual way, put the shoes on your feet and lower them for three minutes in a bowl filled with water, the temperature of which does not exceed 3 degrees Celsius. After that, the shoes are removed and dried with hot air from the hair dryer.
Special means
To prevent deformation of leather products, sprays are produced that give the material elasticity and softness. Shoes that have been stored in hot or cold water are treated with this compound after drying.
Patent Leather Shoe Stretcher Spray
Not everyone knows how to reduce the volume of models made of expensive materials that cannot be wetted, washed or heated with steam. Patent leather shoes are treated with a special agent used to stretch the shoes, and paper is placed on them. After drying, the vapor is reduced in size.
How to shrink the boot shaft yourself
Skinny girls with long feet often cannot put on shoes on their feet, because they are wide in the calves, and suede boots do not look like them at all. You don't need to carry things to the workshop to sew the bootleg, you can just make a dart out of a rubber band and get to work:
- Using a tape measure or centimeter, measure the circumference of both legs in the lower leg area.
- From the inside out, a marker is applied to the insert.
- A dart is marked with a ruler in the shape of a triangle with the same sides.
- A vertical cut is made with scissors in the middle of the figure.
- Excess fabric is removed at an angle.
- The resulting triangular flap is attached with a needle to an elastic band, a dart is sewn together.
- Do the same with the outermost strips of skin.
Return to a comfortable size
Before shrinking your boots, you need to decide which tights they will be worn with. Measurements should be taken on the left and right legs along the top edge.
In order to restore the previous size, if necessary, the dart is embroidered, a stretch spray is used.
If shoes that have been worn before have started to fall off or hang down, place tabs or insoles, soaked in warm water, dried in the sun. The skin should be lubricated with glycerin, nubuck or suede - a special conditioner.
Elastic
To refine high boots without a zipper, the bootleg is rolled up inside out, the inner fabric is torn along the seam, a thick and wide elastic band is inserted into the hole and sewn to the lining, hiding the trace.
How to downsize sandals
Summer shoes are no easier to find than boots or sneakers. Small shoes are tight in the fingers, large ones are uncomfortable to wear, and without fastening they fall off. To fit spacious sandals in the forefoot, place gel inserts, select insoles, pads and inserts non-slip. Such items are sold in pharmacies and medical supply stores, the range is limited to only three colors.
You can make wide genuine leather sandals thinner by gluing the straps, but finding a composition that provides resistance is quite difficult. Do not wet open shoes or sandals, then dry on a radiator. The skin will lose its elasticity and become hard. Wearing such shoes, a woman will suffer from corns.
Workshop
To reduce the size of sandals or sandals, it is better to take them to a professional shoemaker, who with the help of special tools carefully separates the sole and sews it up, placing it a few millimeters closer to the middle. In the workshop, the tops of the boots are narrowed, the annoying heels are shortened.
Optical illusion
Women with long feet want leather shoes to appear smaller. By inserting a silicone in the heel or toe, your shoes will grip well and your feet will look graceful.
Patterns help create an optical illusion:
- with high heels and stilettos;
- with round noses;
- with knots and loops.
Visually reduce the size of suede sandals with thick straps, boots and boots - a dark color.
How to choose the right shoes
Wearing uncomfortable shoes is fraught with ingrown toenails, the appearance of corns, the appearance of thrombophlebitis, the development of pathologies of joints and muscles. It is better to buy shoes in the afternoon, because shoes or boots will not be tight. You don't have to chase fashion or save money; you need to buy models with soft and elastic soles made from natural materials.
It is not recommended to wear narrow pumps with stiletto heels or high platforms every day, to buy children's shoes "for growth".
Tips & Tricks
Before choosing shoes, you need to stand on paper and circle your feet. Cut marks should fit the boots and shoes purchased and should not be bent at the edges. The deep toe, the wide part of which is at the level of the big toe, relieves the legs, avoids the curvature of the joints.When buying shoes, you need to check the condition of the inner side, there should be no seams on it, and the insoles are easy to remove.
Shoes or boots with rigid soles last longer, while walking they reduce the load on the foot. When buying shoes, it is advisable to walk around the store, sit down. If your foot turns red, look for another model or another size. Tights or stockings are worn under closed shoes, but not with sandals. Shrinking of patent leather shoes can only be done with the help of insoles or onlays. These products cannot be heated with steam or water.