How to stretch boots

[lizzieoak]

A friend of mine has given me a free pair of almost new Chloe boots that a very wealthy relative have to her (as they don't fit my friend & they aren't her style). I love them & have looked online & they're really £££.

Thing is, they're a 38 and I'm 39-40. So they sort of fit but would get uncomfortable pretty fast. As they they're expensive I don't want to try home measures.

Has anyone had a cobbler successfully stretch shoes/boots? They are knee high and the calf is fine, just my toes are cramped.

How the other half live!

You need those shoe stretchy things.

They're metal. They look like terrifying artificial feet from the Victorian era.

They also have wooden ones. Medieval style.

Or stretching spray. Maybe a fiver. You can buy it at those weird stalls that sell cat tags and shoe polish and watch straps.

Ah, you don't want to do it at home.

Cobbler?

Your first stop will be finding a time machine...

Well, I'm afraid I'll damage the leather if I try at home & don't want to risk it on shoes that have a sticker saying £665 on them =:-0

Is it hard to find cobblers in the U.K.? I've got one a ten minute walk from my house and 2 near my office. And I'm definitely not in Florence (unfortunately).

Ah, you're sorted then. Pop in and ask.

Just afraid to entrust them! But I'm not going to be my mum (I am not!) & will not park them in the cupboard as too special.

Just wondering if stretching actually works.

The Chloe boots I see online are a bit too bling for me - these ones are a tad more subtle, slightly riding boot style. So glad my good friend does not wear black!!

Not sure that you will be able to stretch them that much. Are they generous?

I have stretched shoes successfully at home but not by a whole shoe size. Maybe a half size more. The shoe stretching spray by punch is really good and if you use that with a shoe stretcher then they will stretch but i doubt by as much as you want.
You could however sell them on ebay and buy a really nice pair of boots that you love and that fit.

Hmm, good to know! I wore them out to the shops tonight and it wasn't impossible. I like the price tag as much as the boots. If they were unwearable I would sell them and buy these www.freepeople.com/shop/manchester-tall-boot-perforated/

These are my dream boots, if someone were to give me more free boots!

No, going to a cobbler is your best bet.

I have slightly weird feet and they've managed to adjust so many shoes of mine.

But a whole size is a bit much, so, better have a talk where the cobbler can give you some advice?

But whilst the idea of reselling them certainly isn't bad I see why you may not want to do so.

Oops. X post.

Sorry🙈

Thanks Horatio. I think I may see how they feel after a cobbler has had a go. If they're too uncomfortable then I'll sell them, along w a pair of Fluevogs that are barely worn and too weird for me now.

There was a similar post on boot stretching a few weeks ago, a poster suggested filling a sealable freezer bag with water place into boot then put into freezer. The freezing water expands and thus so do your boots I tried it on my ankle boots and it deffo made them more comfortable. Not sure if they went up a size though, poss a 1/2 size HTH

Cobbler stretching will work for about half a size. Some don't do it for fear of ruining them, or will do it on an "it's at your own risk' basis.

I have successfully stretched shoes using one of these things that you can get for about a tenner on eBay. You put them in the shoes and give them half a turn a couple of times a day. I think you can do half a size easily like this.

I've seen the freezer method mentioned online as well as using a hairdryer - because of the value of the shoes I don't want to try those.

The shoe extenders from eBay look like they might work. I've got 4 days off after today so will investigate soon!

I've got those wooden shoe stretchers but I dont see how they
would work in boots tbh. The threaded bit of metal sticks out of the back of each shoe and they wouldnt be able to if they were in boots.

you might be better off selling them and buying a new pair

Folly, they make ones for boots. The ones in that pic ate for shoes.