Breaking in new shoes

Faith

I have really sensitive feet, and often new shoes cut the bejaysus out of my heels or the tops of my feet. This is partly due to the shoes being cheap, to be fair, but it's an issue nonetheless.

I've seen some great tips here for stretching out the tops of shoes that are too tight, so has anyone got any advice for stretching out shoes like ballet pumps?

Cocolola

+1 I'd love to know too as I'm trying to start wearing ballet pumps and some low heels recently.

I absolutely mangled my heels in a pair of shoes last week to the point I can only just about wear my trainers again today with plenty of padding and plasters I normally only ever wear Converse-type shoes but was trying to be a little more sophisticated and wore some low chunky heels for a few hours in town. I ended up with a €2 coin-sized red, weeping wound that was agony if my hem so much as brushed off it. Couldn't walk properly for two days.

Faith

Well, I've tackled this current pair of shoes by putting preemptive plasters on my heels. It seems to have done the trick for now. It's not ideal though. The other way is wearing the shoes with thick socks around the house for a few days. But I'm hoping someone will have a much better idea!

convert

I've heard of a few different ways of breaking in new shoes, but I've only ever tried one, which was the method you mentioned already, Faith: wearing slightly thicker socks in the shoes around the house for a few days. Putting vaseline on your heel/instep/other place the shoes are tight; it may help to reduce the blisters/cuts.

There are 2 other different methods I've heard of, but haven't been brave enough to try them as they involve either heat or ice!

The first is the heat method. This involves putting on your shoes over a thickish pair of socks, and then turning a hair dryer on the 'tight' parts of the shoes, and moving/wiggling your feet around to help stretch them.

The second is the ice method. With this you fill bags with water, but them into your shoes, and then put the shoes in the freezer. The idea behind it is that as the water freezes, it expands, thereby stretching your shoes.

Faith

convert wrote: »

The second is the ice method. With this you fill bags with water, but them into your shoes, and then put the shoes in the freezer. The idea behind it is that as the water freezes, it expands, thereby stretching your shoes.

I've done that with shoes that are too tight around the toes, and it really does work! I don't see it being that great for stretching the heel of the shoe though, particularly flimsy ones