Go To The Professionals
Perhaps youd prefer a more permanent transformation, or maybe your shoes are simply too big for our previous solutions.
Take your shoes to a cobbler that will conceal heel grips, tongue pads or insole padding underneath the lining. Although this will cost you more, its well worth the one-off payment for a pair that you wear regularly.
We hope our tips and tricks have given you some inspiration on how to make your shoes smaller. If youve tried all of our ideas to no avail, treat yourself to a new pair from Wynsors today!
Likewise, if youre struggling with shoes that are too small, follow our handy guide on how to make shoes bigger.
How To Shrink Leather Boots
- Fill your bucket with water.
- Soak the boots in the water for an hour. Make sure they are completely submerged. If some shoe parts are not soaked, the boots might shrink unevenly.
- Put on a pair of socks and deep your feet in the water.
- Take out your boots from the water and put them on immediately. This is important because they will start shrinking leather immediately.
- Keep your shoes on until your socks dry .
This method might tedious and downright uncomfortable, but it is effective. As you go on with your daily activities, the boots will naturally shrink and will be a fit by the time the socks dry. However, this is not a good idea if you have many outdoor activities.
Should My Rock Climbing Shoes Hurt
Many climbers balk at the notion thattheir shoes should hurt. Despite this, however, this traditionalwisdom still holds weight among many rock climbers.
But is it true?
To a certain degree, yes.
The uncomfortable truth is simply thatrock climbing shoes arent made for your comfort. At least,companies dont place as much value on comfort as they do on yougetting the proper fit.
But what does proper fit evenmean?
For many climbers, it means havingtheir toes die slow death by strangulation as the blood slowly drainsfrom their tightly-compressed feet.
Okay, I knowits not quite thatbad. But it can definitely feel like it at times, especially whenyoure first breaking in a pair of climbing shoes.
If this sounds off-putting, dontworry. I have some good news for those who find it hard to acceptthat theyll have to give up that amount of comfort. You dont.
While it may be true that you want yourshoes to be form-fitting, this doesnt mean that they should squishyour feet. Instead, you want them to fit snugly.
Remember, rock climbing shoes tend tomimic your feet and give your toes that all-important crimp. By doingso, they allow climbers to better feel the rocks while climbing.
It simply defeats the purpose.
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How To Tell If Your Shoes Are Too Big
Weve all been there. You try on a stylish pair of shoes and discover that your usual size is tight but the size up is a little too roomy for your liking. Maybe you have one foot bigger than the other, which requires you to fork out on two pairs in different sizes.
But, how do you know if your shoes are too big? Well, it all comes down to comfort.
It may seem fairly obvious when a pair doesnt quite offer that Cinderella fit, but we discovered that a huge 76% of people havent had their feet measured properly since school, meaning some of us could actually be wearing the wrong size without even knowing.
Well, youre not alone! The Duchess of Sussex herself is said to wear shoes that are too big for her on purpose to avoid blisters or bunions However, wearing shoes that are too big can actually do more harm than good.
We recommend accurately measuring your feet to find shoes that fit you to a T.
Tips On How To Make Big Shoes Fit Small
How often do we find just the right shoes that fit exactly to our feet? If we buy shoes a size down then we are bound to get numerous blisters, but if we buy a size up then our feet are gonna slip around and rub on the back of our heels and get more blisters. This is an unfortunate cycle.
So how can we make big shoes fit smaller? After scouring the web for the best possible solutions, we’ve narrowed it down to 6 that are highly recommended, depending on your budget and needs.
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How To Make Big Shoes Fit
Sometimes, you need to know how to make big shoes fit. Whether its because youre borrowing someone elses shoes, picking up a one-of-a-kind thrift store find, or you picked out the wrong size, there are some times when were just stuck with a shoe thats slightly too large. Thankfully, there are several strategies you can use to make large shoes fit you better !
If you try to wear big shoes without any extra support, you can end up with unstable footing. Large shoes tend to flop around, and you could end up twisting an ankle or worse if you dont walk carefully in them.
Not only do the strategies in this guide help you make these shoes feel better, but theyll help you walk more safely in them, too. For these reasons and more, if youre planning to wear big shoes, its essential to know how to make big shoes fit.
How To Fix Shoes That Are Too Big
Image By: Kate Color Via YouTube
When you find the perfect shoes that are just a little too big, what can you do to make them fit? I recently bought some shoes online that I could not return and they were just a bit too big, so when I found this excellent video by Kate Color, on YouTube, I was immediately in love with this idea. Everything that Kate describes in this video worked out so well for me and completely solved my tragic shoe dilemma.
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Wearing Shoes Is One Of The Best Ways To Make Your Shoes Bigger
When shoes are just a bit uncomfortable to wear, there is a simple way to help stretch shoes for wide feet. If yours feel just a bit snug around the sides, try wearing them for a couple of hours each evening until they begin to fit better. Many times, within a few nights, they start to soften up and fit more comfortably.
Before wearing shoes to stretch them out, let your feet air out and rest. As the day progresses, sometimes feet swell a bit, especially if we spent a lot of time walking or standing.
Giving them time to rest ensures they are their standard size and shape. As there is no guarantee this option works, never put sweaty or wet feet inside new shoes and walk only on rugs or carpets inside, so they remain in original condition.
How To Stretch Shoes Wider With Thick Socks
Getting your tight shoes to conform to your feet may seem challenging, but is often possible with a thick pair of socks and a blow dryer. This method works to stretch shoes, allowing them to conform to your feet. Find the thickest pairs of socks you own and put them on your feet.
Slide your feet into your new or used shoes, whether they are leather or canvas, and grab your hair dryer. Using medium heat, apply hot air to the tightest fitting areas, blow drying no more than 30 seconds at a time to prevent damage to the material.
Keep the hairdryer in constant motion to prevent burning. Once shoes fit comfortably, apply a natural leather conditioner to your shoes to restore the leather.
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Hey Dude Size Explained
Hey Dude Youth Shoes: There is no clear answer as to whether Hey Dude shoes under this category run big or small in comparison to other popular brands like Nike. Sizes vary from model to model. You might want to check through the Hey Dude shoe size conversion chart for a more informed decision.
Hey Dude Women Shoes: In most cases, Hey Dude shoes for women run large in comparison to Nike. However, you might come across cases where theres no difference between Nike and Hey Dude shoe size. This makes it a bit hard to give a conclusive answer.
Hey Dude Men Shoes: Similar to womens versions, Hey Dude shoes for men usually run large compared to Nike shoes. However, we found cases where these shoes run small. So again, theres no a yes or no answer as to whether Hey Dude shoes run big or small, especially when compared to other notable brands like Nike.
Wearing The Right Shoe Size
If The Shoe Fits: The Importance of Wearing The Right Size
Stars and royalty are wearing heels one size too big. Meghan Markle does it to avoid bunions and blisters. Her heels always have a little wiggle room. It sounds like a good idea, doesnt it? Well, let me tell you why it’s not.
When you wear a shoe that fits your foot properly, not tight and not loose, it provides a good platform for your foot to support your body, given that it is a good shoe to begin with. As we all know, if you wear a shoe that is too tight it will hurt your feet and lead to foot ailments, such as blisters, bunions and calluses. But wearing a shoe that is too big will cause us to walk in an unnatural and dysfunctional way. This can lead to serious foot problems.
When buying new shoes, one should buy shoes that fit comfortably. Also, do not assume that a size in one brand equates to the same size in another. When you buy new shoes measure your foot’s length and width with a Brannock Device. A Brannock Device is the standard foot measuring tool used by footwear designers and manufacturers. Use these measurements to find a proper fitting shoe and always try on and walk around wearing the shoe.
So Meghan may have found the right guy but she definitely hasnt chosen the right shoe. If you’re looking for a shoe idol maybe you should look at Cinderella instead because her shoe fits. And as the saying goes, if the shoe fits, wear it!
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Add Insoles To Fit Shoes According To Your Size
The most recommended way for many people is to use an insole. It is an easy go-to method to make big shoes fit smaller. The insole is a soft pad that works as support and cushioning under your feet.
You can use an insole new from the store or an old pair of shoes, depending on your situation, to add some extra support by filling out some space in your shoe. Many non-branded and branded options exist in so many sizes, materials, colors, and, yes, shapes!
Wait Till The End Of The Day
Heres a fun hack you can apply to your own shoe shopping methods as well as your kids. After toddling and tumbling all day, those feet will bloat.
Leave the shoe fitting till the afternoon or evening so your childs feet are as big as theyre gonna get . If theyre early walkers, coax them out of the pram and onto their feet to get an accurate measure of their mid-play foot size.
If you dont think about this foot swell, you might buy shoes that are fine when your child is dozing in their pram, but are stiflingly small when theyre at play. And thats not good for their foot development either.
The best way to measure the foot is in a standing position, when the foot is at its most outstretched state.
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If Your Shoes Run Long
1. Heel Liners
If your shoes run long and your heel is a little loose and its slipping out, take one or two heel liners and youre good to go.
A heel liner is a little adhesive fabric cushioning system that you push on the back of your heel and then it fills the gap in the back area of the shoe. These are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most drugstores.
The liners come in different sizes depending on how much space you want to fill in the shoe. Some heel liners actually have little rubber nubs on them, which will help prevent blisters that may build up over time.
The best part about heel liners is that they work on a wide range of materials.
So, whether its a leather shoe, a basketball shoe, a shoe with a cotton lining or a fabric lining, heel liners are going to work perfectly.
What the heel liners are doing is theyre pushing your foot closer to the toe. This is great and its the perfect solution if you find that your shoes run long.
So, remove the adhesive tape, take the liner and make sure the indented side is on the bottom.
Carefully place the liner into the back heel of your shoe. You want to be very careful not to mess up a few times because it could lose its stickiness.
After applying the first liner, try your shoes on and see how it feels.
Some people might just need one heel liner, but someone else will need two. In this case, just repeat the process and put another liner on top of the liner you just put inside.
2. Shoe Fillers
3. Toilet Paper
Issues With Wearing 1 Size Bigger Shoes
Some argue that wearing a shoe one size bigger will prevent the development of conditions such as bunions and hammertoes. However, this isnt a sensible idea.
When wearing correctly fitted footwear, you achieve a stable platform for your feet to support your body. You create optimal alignment from your feet to your knees, which minimizes wear on your joints and tendons.
But, when the shoe doesnt fit, either too big or small, youre impairing the platform. With tight shoes, youre running the risk of blisters, calluses and bunions.
When wearing shoes that are too big, your feet arent receiving proper assistance, meaning that they must overwork to support your body. This, in turn, causes you to walk in an unnatural and often dysfunctional way that leads to foot-related issues. Read more about the effects of wearing shoes that are too big.
This is why, for comfort, its imperative to measure your feet before buying new shoes. Sizes often differ between brands and types, so follow the brands recommendations. For boots, please read our guide: how should boots fit.
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Try A Blow Dryer With Thick Socks
Stretching shoes with a blow dryer? Well, if you want a quick, mess-free fix on how to make shoes bigger and stretch out your shoes & heels, all you need is a heavy pair of socks and a hot hair blow dryer. We use this method as so:
How to Stretch Shoes with a Blow Dryer + Socks:
- Put you socks on, followed by your shoes
- With your blow dryer on its medium/hot setting, blast it towards the tight areas of your shoes, from about 1 foot away.
- Move your feet & wiggle your toes to stretch out the tightest areas, while blow drying on hot
- Walk around in the shoes, at least until the shoes cool down
- Now try on your shoes without the socks. Still too tight? Repeat all previous steps!
This method is best for: All shoes made of natural materials such as leather, because theyll expand more & likely not to melt. Beware of heating any plastic or patent material. It may not end well :/. This method to stretch shoes is best for sizing up more vs less.
How To Tighten Thigh
Thigh-high boots are prone to slipping down as you walk. These are some good ways to tighten them:
Wear tights or thick leggings to pad out the gap between your boot and leg. Use a few strips of fashion tape to stick the boot to your leg. Fill the gap behind your leg with a piece of rolled-up card. This should help prevent any slouching. Tying an elastic band or hair tie around your knee will give your boots something to grip. Just be careful not to tie it too tightly around your leg. Keep your boots in shape by stuffing them with boot trees or newspaper when not in use. This will stop the boots leaning over or stretching in places. Likewise, you could use boot clips to hang them up in your wardrobe.
These top tips for tightening thigh-high boots can also be applied to knee-high boots, too but check out our comprehensive guide for more advice.
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Thick Socks And A Blow Dryer
If the first method doesnt work, this one will add a little extra stretch and help the shoes conform to your feet.
Its a good idea to apply a leather conditioner or moisturizer to the shoes after youve used this method.
Use Ball Of Foot Cushions
If you find that adding a full insole to the bottom of your shoes is a bit uncomfortable, or that it makes the shoe too small, then this is the perfect solution for you.
You can use a special cushion thats designed to be placed at the ball of your foot inside the shoe, to make it more comfortable and better fitting. Its made for shoes that are just a tad too big for you when putting a full insole makes them uncomfortable. These types of cushions can come in different colors, shapes, and sizes and are perfect for any ill-fitting flats or high heels.
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