Must Stretch!

[bambam]

I finally found the perfect pair of caramel pumps I have always been looking for, and I ordered a size 11 as usual. I have other Steve Madden pumps in 11, so, I figured there wouldn't be a problem. I was wrong, the Vala pump is just a tad too small. I can get my feet into them, and they aren't any less comfortable than any other pump, but I know I need to stretch them, as failure isn't an option here. I have a pair of high heel shoe stretchers, but they are at their limit for my big man-feet sized shoe. Any advice on stretching a pump like this without ruining them?

[Pierre1961]

You can wear them with wet socks. Until you can feel some pain. Then again the day after. And again.... A couple of sessions should give you the expected result.  

I never got good results with a shoe stretcher. 

[mlroseplant]

I have got a pair of SM Daisie pumps, which are not a heck of a lot different from the Vala. The main differences I can see are that the heel is a little bit different shape, narrowing down from the seat quite a bit more quickly on the Vala, and perhaps the vamp on the Vala is just a bit rounder, but basically I think they're the same shoe. These shoes are quite narrow at the ball of the foot, and perhaps that is your (and my) problem. I also can barely get my feet into them, but after having worn them for a couple of hours, they seem to be stretching out a bit. They may work out for me. The problem is that they are not leather, so they're only going to stretch so much.

Shoe stretchers may work for you, but in any case, go slow. Be patient, or you WILL ruin them. Pierre's suggestion of wearing socks could work, too. That may be the way to go at first, as your chance of ruining the shoes is zero using that method. I would guess it would have to be pretty thin socks, given my experience.

[bambam]

Anybody had any luck with water in sandwich bags, then put the bags in the shoe, and the shoe in the freezer?

 

I have a black and white pair of the Daisie, which is why I thought this would be much simpler than it has been..

Edited January 28, 2022 by bambam

[mlroseplant]

10 hours ago, bambam said:

Anybody had any luck with water in sandwich bags, then put the bags in the shoe, and the shoe in the freezer?

 

I have a black and white pair of the Daisie, which is why I thought this would be much simpler than it has been..

I have not had a great deal of luck using the expanding ice method, but once again, chances of damage are approaching zero, so why not?

As to your second statement about already owning Daisies, I guess I got nothin'. You already know everything I have to say. And I haven't even worn mine outside yet. Well, not outside the driveway, anyhow.

15 hours ago, Pierre1961 said:

I never got good results with a shoe stretcher. 

Perhaps the reason for this is that I doubt they make a specific high heel shoe stretcher in your size, do they? I've had ok luck with a stretcher, but it's certainly not a miracle cure for everything that ails us.

[Pierre1961]

I got one shoe stretcher  that fit my shoe size. As the width is more often the problem rather than the length,this tool isn’t really efficient. 

It tends to modify ( in an ugly way) the shape of the shoe before it gets wider .

Again the best way for me  is to wear thin ,then ( humid )thicker socks. At first a few minutes. And a little longer  everyday. And one day the shoes fit! That’s true if the shoe have to stretch a little. 2 sizes too small: no way. It will never work 

[mlroseplant]

I'll have to try the sock thing. I can't bring myself to get rid of a few pair that are really a little bit too small, but I can fit into them. It all comes of believing a size conversion chart that claims size 39 = U.S. Women's 9. It just isn't usually so.

[chesterx]

I have not had any luck stretching modern shoes. I suspect the materials they use these days just doesn't respond well. Years & years ago I had a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt pumps that were a size too small. Back then heels in my size were not available so I had to make do. These GV heels were made of the most supple leather I have owned in a pair of shoes, & they responded nicely to stretching, to the point I could wear them for more that a few minutes at a time. I lost them when a water pipe leaked in the place I was hiding them & fungus ate them up before I noticed it. Also, Patent leather like the ones in your photo are probably going to be quite difficult to stretch.

[vector]

If they are matte leather, there are is a shoe stretch fluid you might consider getting. I haven't used it, but an ex-girlfriend did years ago and it worked for her.

[Pumped]

Leather will stretch, man made materials can be hard to stretch. I have had a bit of luck warming the offending shoe in front of a heater to get it warm, put a heavy stocking on my foot and jam it in and wear it for a few minutes. I might do it 2 - 3 times.

[Cali]

You can also warm it with a hair dryer.

[bambam]

2 hours ago, Cali said:

You can also warm it with a hair dryer.

with foot or before foot?

[Cali]

I don't know because I don't have a hair drier due to lack of hair follicles.  

But I have used it before on my ski boots but not with the foot inside.

[SF]

Unfortunately, I have not had great success with stretching shoes.  Please advise...  sf

[mlroseplant]

And, there's the @Steve63130 method: Take a shower with your shoes on, and then leave them on until they dry out completely. I have had some success with this in the past, but I do not think it will help the OP, as I believe it would work on neither patent leather nor non-leather. But it might work in another situation.

[SF]

I thought Herr Dryer was some famous German dude???  sf

[bambam]

just got out of the shower, heels stayed on. lets see what happens!

[Isolathor]

10 hours ago, bambam said:

just got out of the shower, heels stayed on. lets see what happens!

Good luck! 🍀

[bambam]

It seems to have worked....

[pebblesf]

On 2/3/2022 at 1:28 PM, bambam said:

It seems to have worked....

Cool!  I stretched out my Zara boots quite a bit by getting them wet and wearing them that way so they dried on my feet.

[mlroseplant]

On 2/3/2022 at 12:28 PM, bambam said:

It seems to have worked....

Yay! Maybe we have actually done some good in this world! Now, as long as nothing comes apart in the future, we're good.

Just curious, how tall are the Vala heels in your size? I'm still trying to figure out whether there is a difference in heel height between the Daisie and the Vala, or whether it's just the heel shape that is different. In my size 9, the Daisies measure just a tad over 4 5/8", which is slightly taller than I had anticipated. If the Valas are ever-so-slightly shorter, I might consider them.

[bambam]

I don't see any significant difference in heel height, the Vala may be a hair shorter, but the daisies are SOOO much more comfortable, I really think the Vala is trying to be a Loubatin, so, not comfortable for a human at all...

[mlroseplant]

12 hours ago, bambam said:

I don't see any significant difference in heel height, the Vala may be a hair shorter, but the daisies are SOOO much more comfortable, I really think the Vala is trying to be a Loubatin, so, not comfortable for a human at all...

It's amazing how the time has flown. I never bought, and am no longer considering the Vala. I found the Klory instead, which is much better looking, and seems to wear and walk about like the Daisie, even though it is actually a little bit higher (not much, less than 1/8").