Shoes squeezing toes - stretching?

[Oneminutespeace1]

I have just bought some ankle boots that I really like. They have a very low, almost flat, block heel and a pointed-ish almond toe. They are nice and comfy with room to spare everywhere except the toe box, which is tight, especially where my smallest toe is. Given that they are leather I had thought that I could easily just stretch this out with wear, but upon closer inspection it seems that the toe box is reinforced with some kind of cardboard bonded to the leather. Having looked at all my other boots this seems to be standard, presumably to maintain the shape of the front of the boots. Has anyone tried stretching this reinforced part of a shoe or boot, either themselves or using a cobbler? The cardboard bit is really quite stiff… I can’t imagine it working to be honest. And the half size up is unfortunately too big. I really like the boots and would like to keep them if I possibly could. Thank you very much for for your time!

I’d get them to a cobbler and ask for their advice. I got some boots stretched over a year ago and it took 24 hrs but I don’t think they had any cardboard components. They are still going strong!

I have a pair like this from UGG, I usually love ugg shoes but the toe just is angled all wrong for me. I've given up on them.

Try Clark’s leather stretcher spray. Spray inside the boot and put on straight away and wear in the house, hopefully be enough to widen the area. Have used this method on numerous shows and not just leather ones so should hopefully work.

Thank you so much for the helpful suggestions. I didn’t know that leather stretcher spray worked on non-leather shoes, so perhaps after consulting a cobbler that would be worth a go. Or maybe, as sleepwalkingintothewall says, it might be wisest to give up on these boots, no matter how much I like them, and face the fact that they don’t suit the shape of my feet! Thank you again.

I would try the size up and use an insole - possibly lambswool which would give extra warmth on cold days or a leather insole or even wear thicker socks. I no longer hope that shoes will stretch 😁

There is a trick worth trying that is invisible so you can still return the boots if it doesn’t work.

First you blast the tight area with a hairdryer for 2 mins or more to warm up the leather, then you pull on a second pair of (preferably thick) socks and put the boots on. It will feel horribly tight and uncomfortable, but you can blast hot air again then wait for the leather to cool down - will take 5-10 mins so get a cuppa and relax

Then you take off the boots, whip off the thick socks and then put them back on again. The boots should feel perfect without the extra sock layer as they will have effectively moulded to your foot.

My grandpa used to get us to put a thick pair of socks on and then put our feet in water to soak the boots.

And wait til they dry.

Best done on a warm day.

Might be worth a try.

I can’t wear those toes, they just don’t fit my feet.
I suspect there are going to be lots of very pointy toe shoes in the sales…

Thank you. Yes, you’re right, that’s a great idea. Unfortunately they’re ankle boots and whilst I have very wide feet I have the world’s scrawniest legs so the ankle on the half size up gapes massively and as my mum said “they look like wellies”!

Sorry… that was supposed to be a reply to Lilsoph.

I’ve used this method on other shoes but it doesn’t work for the reinforced toe unfortunately, which is the bit that’s causing discomfort. Great trick though!

And that was to ShangPie!

Never heard of that one before but makes total sense. If the reinforcement is indeed cardboard that might actually have some chance of success. Not sure I’m brave enough for it though!

Probably don’t fit anyone’s feet really. Cue bunions etc. But they are so pretty!!

This lets you adjust width and position it exactly where you need the extra width.

www.pavers.co.uk/products/shoe-stretcher-kit-for-bunions-run34005-321-285?variant=40419428728917

Used to be a Saturday girl in a very chi-chi shoe shop on Bond Street. We often used to stretch shoes that were a little snug using our shoe stretching machine. Except there was no machine - we used to boil the kettle and angle the shoe so the steam would penetrate the part of the upper that needed stretching which we would do using either our hands or a broom handle. Works a treat on leather and pretty much every material a shoe is made from.

*Should have mentioned the steam penetrates the inside of the shoes, not the outside.

I had this exact problem and got them stretched at the local cobblers and wear said boots quite a lot now 🙂

@highfidelity 😂😂 I read down to “shoe stretching machine” and though ‘Oh, that’ll be the broom handle’ 🤣 Manager in a higher end shoe shop here 🙋🏻‍♀️

🙌

Thank you for all the really helpful answers. How amusing (or maybe alarming!), about the broom handle trick! I think I'll probably go for the size up in the end. They look like wellies on me with a skirt, but if I just keep them for wearing under trousers then ankle gap won't be an issue. Warm insoles were a great idea!