To ask how to break in faux leather shoes

[HuzzahIndeed]

They do fit but my daughter hasn't worn stiff shoes for over a year and refused to wear these around the house before school started so 2 days in, her heels are an absolute mess and she's hobbling and in visible pain.

School are super strict on uniform so she can't wear trainers or other softer styles to allow her feet to heel.

We've covered her feet in Compeeds and I know that will help but is there anything I can do about her shoes? I've read online that the hair drier trick will damage plastic and her feet are too sore to force wearing thick socks with them. I've been flexing the heels to soften them but it isn't making much difference to her comfort.

My daughter wanted vegan school shoes so switching to leather isn't an option.

Help!

I have a (male) friend who has terrible trouble with new shoes but who swears by the tape that athletes use. When he gets new shoes he applies loads to his ankles and the usual affected areas and it stops the worst of the chaffing until the shoes are worn in.

Keep them in the airing cupboard for a few days wear them straight from the cupboard as the heat will soften them. Keep putting them back in the airing cupboard after every wear. Have always done this with all new shoes definitely helps break them in quicker.

Does plastic stretch ?
Try searching the Internet for answers.

@BigBearLittleBear I will try tape fir a while once she doesn't need the actual blister plasters anymore and make sure we have some in the house as that's a useful tip - thanks!

@SnarkyBag no airing cupboard unfortunately and I don't think we have anywhere similar. Thanks though.

@catandcoffee that's why I'm asking on here too. :)

I learned years ago that plastic shoes are pretty unforgiving on your feet and I’ve never bought them since. I was told to use the airing cupboard but it didn’t work on mine. If she really is insisting on battling on instead of wearing leather, then she’ll need good plasters and possibly some more padding by way of wound dressings stuck on with first aid tape until her heels toughen up. Sounds tough though. Would school allow her to wear black trainers until her feet have healed?

Put thick socks on (or 2 thin pairs), use a hairdryer over the problem areas - about 6 inches away, not too close, for a couple of minutes until the shoes are thoroughly warmed up. Wear them until they cool down (another couple of mins usually does it). Take them and the socks off, put the shoes back on and see if they've loosened up enough. If not, repeat :)

Put thick socks on (or 2 thin pairs), use a hairdryer over the problem areas - about 6 inches away, not too close, for a couple of minutes until the shoes are thoroughly warmed up. Wear them until they cool down (another couple of mins usually does it). Take them and the socks off, put the shoes back on and see if they've loosened up enough. If not, repeat :)

Does this work with leather too? I have had a pair of DMs for a year but each time I try them on the pain is excruciating.

i do the hairdryer trick to all my shoes, saves paying a shoe mender to do the same for silly money

@Jayne35 for leather, get a can of something called 'Shoe stretch', personally I like Wren's one. Similar process, but skip the hair dryer, liberally spray the shoe inside and out then do the sock thing. You need to wait until the shoes are dry, so a bit time consuming but worth it :) Repeat if needed.

Buy a bigger size. There is no give in plastic shoes.

Ever since lots of retailers stopped making leather shoes, I've had to go up a shoe size.

I mean the wider net. Youtube possibly.
Really experts on shoes.

I've put chiropodist felt inside shoes before with some success. Wearing extra socks, taping my feet, vaseline, pre-emptive compeed plasters also worked OK.

Tbh I'm terrible at shoes, the only ones that don't hurt are sheepskin. Not helpful for vegan alternatives.

Actually, I take that back I've had non ugg sheepskin ones hurt before at the back of my foot. Sigh.

Sounds bad but hear me out...wee in them or wear them in a bath of warm water (old squaddie trick) definitely works for leather boots as helps mould them into shape.

@Jayne35 Sounds bad but hear me out...wee in them or wear them in a bath of warm water (old squaddie trick) definitely works for leather boots as helps mould them into shape.

@HuzzahIndeed for vegan shoes wrap them in a towel and place on top of a hot radiator, remove when warm and get your child to wear straight away as they will mould to shape of her feet. Poor thing, blisters are awful.

Blis Soxhttps://zurego.com/products/blis-sox-black-size-3-8-eu-36-41

Wet socks, put on shoes, hair dryer. Wear around the house until dry. Worked on a pair of boots I had that were too narrow although it made for an uncomfortable evening🤣