How to wear in Dr Martens?

[confusedandemployed]

I've recently taken possession of the most beautiful boots in the world (see pic), but by Christ they are murder! I'm trying to wear them at home all day, but am having to do so with the laces laced only halfway up and the side zips down. They are rubbing my heels like buggery! Does anyone have any tips for breaking them in, especially as they are glittery so the dubbin / softening wax is presumably a no go?

[HippyChickMama]

I still have scars on my ankles from my first pair of DMs. I don't know if it will work on non leather boots but I've always done this, when you take your boots off unlace them down to the bit on the ankle that digs in and wrap the laces round the boots tightly and tie them up. It softens the crease on the ankle part.

[Hopesorfears]

Could someone who has taken a hammer to some Mary Janes explain what you actually hammer? The edge of the heel where it hurts? Or something else? Thanks!

[WhatTheWatersShowedMe]

My mate wore that exact pair on a trip to Dublin recently and her heels were in tatters! They are gorgeous though.

I've had the same pair of DMs for over 12 years now. They tongues have been torn off both of them and they could really do with replacing but the eye watering thought of breaking in a new pair puts me off!

[Whatsnewpussyhat]

The hard plastic glittery ones are no different than the cheap copies. As PP said, they will never stretch.

My biker style DMs were comfy straight out of the box and really wide fitting with no tongue with lovely soft leather. It annoys me that they only seem to make these kind of styles once in a blue moon.

I find the stitching on the base of the tongue on normal DM's very annoying and tight across my foot.

Bought some aimilita boots last year. They are comfy too. Only had an issue with one heel but that's because one foot is smaller then the other and it moves up and down in the shoe. Cant put heel grip in coz fur lined.

They also need to do more styles in half sizes.

[Coniferhedge]

I bought a pair of DM sandals at the beginning of Summer. Wore them a few times with thick socks, looking like a middle aged man abroad with my fetching socks and sandals look. I was lulled into a false sense of security when they stopped rubbing - wore them out with bare feet and my toes and ankles were cut to ribbons. Not worn them since, but I won’t be defeated and will try again next Summer - I love them too much!

[gingersausage]

Sadly none of these strategies will ever work on the chunky glitter docs. They don’t stretch and because they aren’t leather, they don’t loosen off either. If they don’t fit now, they never will. Either buy a bigger size or accept defeat.

I’ve got the reversible rainbow sequin Pascals which are a million times more comfortable than the glitter ones. Maybe try those instead OP (plus, they’re only £62 in the sale 😉).

[FredaFox]

🤣 I have the chunky calf’s don’t worry
My only skinny part are my feet 😂😂😂

[DrPeppersPhD]

I just wore them all day every day for a few weeks. It's painful, but so worth it.

[BiMum5]

Do not do what I did and wear them on a Pride March. Heels in ribbons and had to borrow a plaster from a woman I'd never met!

[MoltonSilver]

"Chunky Glitter is a synthetic material coated with super sparkly glitter."

No amount of balms, rubs, vaseline, hammer hitting, wet newspaper etc is going to soften them if they're not leather.

I'd suggest returning them.

[HMArsey]

Ah, I have wide feet, and chunky legs. Some tall Chelsea boots are too tight on the ankle for my porky legs.

[FredaFox]

@HMArsey I went in for Chelsea boots but they just looked huge on my feet so they suggested the brogue boots which were better as they have laces so I can pull them in a bit (I have narrow feet)

[Lovemusic33]

Mine took 2 years to wear in, they still occasionally give me blisters, we have a love hate relationship.

[BrennieGirl]

Is DM balm the same as dubin?

I got a new pair last year. I find them very tight where the tongue is stitched to the shoe. I had them stretched at the cobblers. It made a bit of difference but not enough to make them comfortable.

[HMArsey]

Thanks @FredaFox, I'm a size 5.5 too. I like the smooth brogue shoes and also some of the chelsea boots.

[zinrepus]

I'll admit I never got to a point where I was comfortable wearing the low Doc trainers/canvas shoes. But hiking socks. I'd wait until your bleeding feet are fixed (or use the godawfully expensive blister plasters) and then hiking socks (WICKING ONES) and a day of walking in a city, with plans to stop at cafes and restaurants to give your feet a rest. Maybe with the bail-out of taking a bus home.

I've got their Chelsea boots and stupidly went into London for a day, but with the hiking socks all was more or less fine. For reference, I can't wear ballet flats without tights because my feet blister too badly...

[chroniccreative]

Rub vaseline into the heel, and leave overnight then wear with two pairs of socks. Repeat until comfortable. It should take a week. I bought the lazy oaf heart ones and they've taken just under a week to wear in

[slavetothemoney]

I've just bought some navy pascal boots.
I wore them for 3 hours yesterday and not a single rub or blister and my feet usually hate new shoes/boots and protest quite harshly!

Hoping I got lucky as I adore them and don't want to have to confine them to the wardrobe out of fear of pain!

[Gilead]

www.wikihow.com/Break-in-Your-Doc-Martens

[Gilead]

Just the heel.
You can google too, there are loads of hits on how to break in doc Martens.

[Pinkdoor]

Did you bash them all over?

[Moonshake]

I took a hammer to my Dr Martens mary janes heel and it worked. I proper bashed them as well, I certainly got my revenge for the month of pain they caused me! I can wear them no probs now.

[Pinkdoor]

Well I've been bashing the heel of my docs with a hammer and it just seems to spring back up!

[NoClueWithStyle]

A long time ago when I was a student, a fellow student had a selection of Dms that she wore all the time. My feet were in ribbons from a new pair of docs.
She swore that the shoes had to be work for 80hrs before they stopped causing blisters. So she wore for for 80hrs before ever taking a step in them!
How?

She sat on the edge of her bed every night and put them on, slept her 8 hrs while wearing them and took them off as soon as she woke up in the morning. She swore blind she never had a blister caused by new docs.

I tried it, and just couldnt sleep while wearing them. But I persevered and got many a comfy mile out of my docs in the end.

[Gilead]

I have about ten pairs 😊. Hammer method is pretty effective for leather ( including Mary Janes). But not so sure about non leather ones.