How to Break in a Pair of Stubborn Shoes

Many women (including myself) have a slight obsession with shoes… And who can blame them? There’s nothing quite like buying a new pair of shoes that just makes you feel like the queen of the world. Shoes are a woman’s greatest weapon. But what happens what your greatest weapon ends up conspiring against you and wreaks havoc on your feet? The stinging pain of a poorly broken-in pair of shoes is all too familiar.

If you’ve had this problem before and thought there was no easy way to break in a pair of shoes without the pain, there is help! You can in fact break in some stubborn shoes without sacrificing your feet.

Start slow

The worst way to break in new shoes is to go a full day wearing them, because that’s how you end up cutting up your ankles and hurting your toes. Instead, Wall Street Journal suggests that you wear them for short periods of time and slowly work your way up to a full day. Patience is a virtue!

Mold them

Got a gorgeous new pair of leather boots? Apparently, you can spray the inside of your leather boots with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water, then wear them immediately after for 20 minutes, and repeat the process a few times. StyleCaster says this is a great way to stretch the leather and let it mold better to the shape of your feet.

Pile on the socks

If you’re all about staying on top of trends and want to take Lyst’s advice and invest in some towering platforms, you might be wondering how to infuse a bit of comfort into your sky-high stilettos. You can choose to seek professional help for shoe-shaping, or you can try the DIY version: Grab a few pairs of socks and layer them over a shoe-shaper, and leave it in the shoe for about 24 hours. If they’re still tight, heat them up with your hair dryer on low, then walk around in them for about 15 minutes.