Stretching the Toe-Box of Christian Louboutins (i.e So Kate)

[MissSJP]

Hi all,
I am sure this may be helpful to everyone, so I would like to ask the question, and see as a community we can help each other out with this one.

I have purchased So Kates, and Pigalle Follies, and the shoes have very narrow toe boxes.
Can anyone recommend tips on making the toe box wider and more comfortable.

I like in the UK, and I see many products are only available in the USA.

Do shoe stretchers / shoe trees really work? any specific ones?

Thank you all in advance.

 

[stilly]

I haven't had much luck with shoe stretchers in the past.
I've even had my cobbler stretch CL's but with very limited/temporary success.
I actually just bought 2 types of shoe stretchers off Amazon this week to experiment with.

I still think the best method is just wearing your CL's with socks around the house to break them in.
They need time to conform to your feet which the shoe stretchers can't accomplish.
I've been wearing CL's off and on while working from home recently to break in some newer pairs.

 

[nikksterxx]

I purchased a shoe stretcher from amazon specifically for heels and am currently stretching a pair of Loubs. I’ve left it in for 48 hours and I do feel improvement.. but going to leave them in even longer

i tried the shock trick but didn’t help me because the shoes are a half size too small formmem

Good luck!

 

[nikksterxx]

sock not shock** & for me** lol

 

[grtlegs]

I have totally given up on stretchers.....they end up stretching in the places that don’t need stretching, and not stretching where you need.....I just wear then and let them break in naturally now....much more reliable.....but will have to power thru a few painful wears.....oh well...

 

[ChanelCanuck]

Have you guys tried using a hairdryer to make the material more malleable/stretchable, while your foot is in it? I've been scared to try it on my patent leather Pigalles but if it's worked for you guys, I'd try it!

 

[nkattman]

Have you guys tried using a hairdryer to make the material more malleable/stretchable, while your foot is in it? I've been scared to try it on my patent leather Pigalles but if it's worked for you guys, I'd try it!

A hair dryer worked on a pair of patent so Kate’s. Just keep it a safe distance and wear socks. It looks goofy but also do it while standing so you get the weight and stretch where it naturally is when you’re walking.

 

[iamluthien]

There was a thread about stretching toe boxes! A lot of people warmed up the shoes with a blowdrier and then put their bare fit with an ointment or vaseline (natural ointments give best results in my experience, specially the ones castor oil-based).
To br honest maybe I am a huge baby so I can't really fully stretch them because it hurts too much, so I am now trying the high heels shoes stretchers.
Some other people wrote something about putting a sock and rubbing alcohol inside the shoes, in case someone has a better trick please say something as this is my main struggle when it comes to heels.


Unfortunately with the hairdrier+sock trick never worked

 

[Cyntia]

Walk, walk, walk...
You never can stretch the toe-box of a So Kate with a stretcher, you have to brake them in by walking and walking and walking.
Every shoe, especially a high heels and even more especially a really high Louboutin pump has to be broken in by our own toes, by walking and walking and walking, the more tears the better the are walked in!

I actually own more than 55 pair of heels, most of them single soles, higher than 120mm. And I have broken all of them.
Same heels are easy to break in, sandals of corse but I have also goot experience with GML pumps and YSL Tritoo.
Same heels are harder to break in, Casadei Blade pumps and boots e.g.
And same are really hard to break in, in my opinion unfortunatelly Louboutins belong to these sort of heels.
When I buy a pair of high heels, I normally take one size smaller, because the smaller the nicer. In case of a Louboutin heel, I take the correct size and normally try them in the afternoon when my feet are a little bigger than in the morning, since I normally wear my Louboutins at night when going out, while I wear the Casadei and other heels during the day, at work or the lower ones (100mm) at home.
When I`m back home from shopping I put them on and walk arond at home for hours, mostly on a soft carpet, till I cannot longer stand the pain. In the maintime I heat them with my hair dryer to get them more soft and elastic. At the end of the walking I care for my feet. For sleeping I put on the shoes again (my husband is quite happy with that!!) and take them for the whole night. The next 2 or 3 days I do the same procedure, on the forth day I walk around my house for an hour or so, its very differnet walking on pavement then at home on the carpet. I normally do that for another 2-3 days, after then I can say, these shoes are pretty walked in and I can dare to go out for a party or wear them on a shopping tour. So for all my Louboutin pumps it takes me more or less a week to brake them in.
But the most difficult shoes to brake in are the so beautiful Louboutin Mandoline booties, the are one of the sexiest and most beautiful heels ever, but they are in my opinion by fare the most hardest heel to walk with, it took me several weeks of training with lots of tears till I was able to wear them for a wholke day and walk in them in an elegant, sexy way.

 

[baldjohn]

Walk, walk, walk...
You never can stretch the toe-box of a So Kate with a stretcher, you have to brake them in by walking and walking and walking.
Every shoe, especially a high heels and even more especially a really high Louboutin pump has to be broken in by our own toes, by walking and walking and walking, the more tears the better the are walked in!

I actually own more than 55 pair of heels, most of them single soles, higher than 120mm. And I have broken all of them.
Same heels are easy to break in, sandals of corse but I have also goot experience with GML pumps and YSL Tritoo.
Same heels are harder to break in, Casadei Blade pumps and boots e.g.
And same are really hard to break in, in my opinion unfortunatelly Louboutins belong to these sort of heels.
When I buy a pair of high heels, I normally take one size smaller, because the smaller the nicer. In case of a Louboutin heel, I take the correct size and normally try them in the afternoon when my feet are a little bigger than in the morning, since I normally wear my Louboutins at night when going out, while I wear the Casadei and other heels during the day, at work or the lower ones (100mm) at home.
When I`m back home from shopping I put them on and walk arond at home for hours, mostly on a soft carpet, till I cannot longer stand the pain. In the maintime I heat them with my hair dryer to get them more soft and elastic. At the end of the walking I care for my feet. For sleeping I put on the shoes again (my husband is quite happy with that!!) and take them for the whole night. The next 2 or 3 days I do the same procedure, on the forth day I walk around my house for an hour or so, its very differnet walking on pavement then at home on the carpet. I normally do that for another 2-3 days, after then I can say, these shoes are pretty walked in and I can dare to go out for a party or wear them on a shopping tour. So for all my Louboutin pumps it takes me more or less a week to brake them in.
But the most difficult shoes to brake in are the so beautiful Louboutin Mandoline booties, the are one of the sexiest and most beautiful heels ever, but they are in my opinion by fare the most hardest heel to walk with, it took me several weeks of training with lots of tears till I was able to wear them for a wholke day and walk in them in an elegant, sexy way.

Dear Cyntia. I love your dedication to wearing elegant heels. Given many years wearing heels I wondered how much your toes have adapted to the shape of narrow toe boxes?

 

[MissSJP]

I haven't had much luck with shoe stretchers in the past.
I've even had my cobbler stretch CL's but with very limited/temporary success.
I actually just bought 2 types of shoe stretchers off Amazon this week to experiment with.

I still think the best method is just wearing your CL's with socks around the house to break them in.
They need time to conform to your feet which the shoe stretchers can't accomplish.
I've been wearing CL's off and on while working from home recently to break in some newer pairs.

Any lucky with the shoe stretchers? just wondering if its worth a go, depending on your experience

 

[bisousx]

I use “Forme” stretchers for my Pigalle Follies and it works well.

 

[Cyntia]

Dear Cyntia. I love your dedication to wearing elegant heels. Given many years wearing heels I wondered how much your toes have adapted to the shape of narrow toe boxes?

Of course, it is a big strain on your toes to walk in high heels all day and for many years.
It is therefore imperative to take care of your feet every day. I massage my toes every day and also do exercises with my toes for at least an hour every day, in the evening in front of the television but also during the day in the office. For me, intensive stretching and muscle training are part of a daily ritual such as makeup or brushing your teeth.
This is the only way that my toes can still look pretty today. Of course, the toes are somewhat crooked from years of wearing tight shoes. However, a lot of care has avoided corns and corneal spots.
Fortunately, I also seem to have good genes. My mother wears really high heels every day and you will never see my grandmother at 76 years without heels, even if they are only about 80-90mm high. Both have no problem with hallux valgus and so I hope to be spared from it.
My rule of thumb for healthy feet: Heel height multiplied by hours divided by 2 is training and care in minutes, means: 12cm heel 10 hours means 60 minutes of care.
Beauty must suffer or exercise

 

[MissSJP]

I use “Forme” stretchers for my Pigalle Follies and it works well.

I would like to get the "FORME stretchers" myself, and I contacted the company, but they will not ship to the UK.
They said they are stocked at Neiman Marcus I think, but can not find them, and the shipping to the UK is extortionate.

 

[dazzlythings]

I would love some advice regarding how much Louboutins can stretch out.. realistically! A few weeks ago I spotted the red Astro Puffer boot (I know! So late!), but of course it was sold out EVERYWHERE. Then a few days ago I got a back in stock notice from Saks that they were available in my usual size 38 (not realizing Louboutins tend to run small!), so I snapped them up, but wow... they are SMALL! Like feet-pulsing, toe-cramming small. These are my first Louboutin heels, so from your experience, is there any chance of them stretching... a lot? Or should I return and hope a larger size becomes available? Thank you so much for any advice!