Your shoes might be too big. Looking for some shoe repair hacks on how to make shoes smaller for big shoes to fit? Just for you, I’ve created a how-to for shrinking large shoes. It includes eight methods that range from being free to be reasonably priced to help your large, long, or wide shoes fit better.
Do your shoes fit your feet properly? At some point in their lives, everyone has struggled with this issue. Nothing is more discouraging than trying to put on a pair of shoes that are far too big, whether you purchased them online or received them as a gift.
We have eight simple tips that can help your shoes fit better if you are forced to wear oversized shoes.
Wear Multiple Socks
Many of you are likely aware of the fact that wearing multiple socks is one of the most traditional fixes for shoes that are too big. A thick pair of socks layered multiple times can serve as a cushion and fill in extra space inside the shoes. As a result, it might make your shoes fit smaller and even give you more stability.
Nevertheless, it depends on your local climate and the season whether you choose to wear more socks or not. If you live somewhere cold or have cold winters, for instance, you will benefit greatly from this technique.
Winter or snow boots typically run a bit larger than regular shoes. Also, a good way to keep your feet warm in the winter is to add a few layers of socks.
In spite of this, be aware of sweaty feet and remember to clean your boots if they begin to smell.
Grip Socks
Grip socks are likely something you’ve heard of; they’re frequently worn for exercise classes or when walking on tile or wood floors. However, some of you might not have considered wearing these grip socks inside your large shoes.
This is so that your feet won’t slip inside your large shoes—the same grips that are thought to prevent slipping on tile floors. These grip socks will also be a good option for those who prefer not to wear several layers of socks or who simply wear their shoes during the summer.
Heel Liners for Shoes
Shoes’ internal back heels can be lined with 3″ strips, also known as back-of-heel inserts or heel liners.
Excellent for reducing shoe length, preventing heels from slipping out of shoes, improving comfort, and avoiding blisters. accomplishes a lot for such a small strip! For open-toe heels that are too large, heel liners are a covert solution, especially if the length is the problem.
Full-Size Insoles
Insoles to make shoes smaller are a personal fave & easy go-to, to make shoes fit smaller. Full-size insoles are a fantastic option for a larger-than-average shoe. Consider athletic footwear like sneakers, boots, and closed-toe dress shoes like oxfords and loafers.
There are a ton of branded and unbranded options available in a wide range of materials, sizes, colors, and shapes.
You can find more generic insoles (you know, those flat, cut-to-size types) but I prefer ones that cater to the specific type of shoe you’re trying “shrink”.
You can easily find insoles for dress shoes with flat or high heels, ones that absorb sweat for sneakers, and even flip-flop sandals.
Toe Inserts for Shoes That Are Too Big
If your closed-toe shoe is much too long for your foot, there are excellent alternatives. You can add easily add toe inserts for shoes that are too big to act as shoe filler.
You can use these along with a ball of foot cushions or full-length insoles to shorten the length of the shoes.
This results in an even tighter fit in the front toe area of the shoes. Or combo your toe insert with heel liners and a ball of foot cushions to make your shoes even snugger!
Tighten With Elastic Bands/Sewing
Anyone with some sewing background will gain a lot from using this technique. No extensive preparation is required. All you have to do is sew some strong elastic bands to the interior of the back of your shoes. You are bringing the materials closer together by doing this, making it fit more snugly. Here is the detail of this method:
The band should first be tightened by stretching it while using safety pins to hold it in place. Now that everything is in place, you can begin sewing. Remove all of the safety pins from the shoes once you’re finished.
Stretchy bands will pull the shoe’s components together and contrast back to the original shape once they are in place.
Shrink Your Shoes
I wholeheartedly recommend shrinking your shoes if you want to make your big shoes fit without putting anything inside them and have some extra time.
Using this method, you won’t need a lot of ingredients. But it’s critical to exercise extreme caution. If not, your shoes might get damaged. Here’s how to fix loose shoes by shrinking them:
First, determine whether the materials in your shoes are suitable for use in water.
If you have casual or athletic shoes, soak them in water to make them wet. However, it is preferable to use a spray bottle to wet your leather or suede shoes.
Drying your shoes should then start. They can be dried in the sun if it’s sunny outside. A hairdryer can be used in its place as an alternative. Just keep in mind to use the lowest setting and avoid holding the hair dryer too close to your shoes to prevent damage.
Check to see if your shoes fit better once they are completely dry. If they don’t fit your feet well after doing this, you’ll have to go through the entire process again until they do. And here’s a pro tip for a fit that is actually flawless: You might want to try drying your shoes while wearing them. They will then contract to fit your feet’s shape in this manner.
Last but not least, if your shoes are made of leather or suede, you might want to use a cleanse and condition kit.
Ask a Professional
It is advised to consult a cobbler or shoe repair specialist if you have tried all of these solutions and none of them have been successful in repairing your large shoes. To ensure that the service is within your price range, search for the address that is closest to you. Although this was once a well-liked profession, high-skill jobs are now more expensive and have higher rates.
However, you might not want to do this if your shoes are too worn-out and you won’t be wearing them very frequently. But for a wonderful couple you cherish, it will be the best option.
Tips on Wearing Big Shoes
Whether you can fill up the extra space inside your shoes or not, it’s difficult to change the outside size of your shoes. In other words, the way you walk in larger shoes should differ slightly from the way you walk in smaller sneakers.
Here are a few more suggestions to keep in mind when wearing big shoes to prevent tripping, twisting your ankle, or falling.
Don’t Trip
A higher quality shoe will typically be deeper, wider, and longer than the shoes you typically wear. Keep this in mind first. Therefore, a pair of sneakers that is one or two sizes larger can interfere with the ground in some places even though your casual stride may be the same as that of your regular shoes.
Furthermore, while wearing big sneakers, it’s crucial to pay attention to your gait. This is because loose-fitting shoes increase your risk of spraining a toe or twisting an ankle.
You won’t get used to their length either if you’re wearing larger-than-usual sneakers. That is to say, it is essential to lift your feet correctly when wearing larger shoes to prevent tripping.
Additionally, extra-large sneakers should be avoided if you intend to walk for a considerable amount of time in them. Whatever you do to stuff your shoes or add cushioning to get a better fit, they will never fit the same way as your normal shoe size. Of course, the type of shoe can also affect this, but even a cobbler might not be able to replicate the ideal fit.
Aside from being dangerous in some circumstances, these shoes can also slide around. Therefore, make sure to wear comfortable shoes whenever you plan to walk or hike somewhere that is tilted or has shaky ground. Additionally, avoid engaging in any athletic activity while wearing larger shoes.
Good Posture
It is extremely important to maintain a straight posture when wearing sneakers that are too big for your feet. If you wear shoes that are the wrong size, you may experience problems with your posture and gait.
Consider Replacement
None of these tips will help you get your sneakers to the right size if they are a few sizes larger than you are used to wearing. Therefore, just replace the shoe rather than taking a chance on potential injuries.
Know Your Limits
Above all, be aware of your limitations. You might need to make up a little bit of extra room if your sneakers are one or two sizes larger than your regular shoes. This is particularly true at first when the shoes are small.
However, there is no effective way to compensate for the extreme size disparity. Overall, avoid trying to walk in such big shoes because it is extremely risky.
A great general rule to follow in this situation is to keep the increase to no more than two sizes above normal, ideally less. Avoid selecting more than one size larger than that if at all possible as this can greatly lower the risk of injuries.
But keep in mind that even if a pair of shoes initially appears to fit comfortably, the fitting can still vary. Without cushioning, you can typically wear one full size up or down from your normal size. But once more, this depends on how well the shoe fits.
In fact, some sneakers are purposefully made smaller, while others are made to be more spacious. If you can’t try on shoes in a store to make sure they fit well, you can double-check the online shoe size conversion chart, the brand’s size chart, and even other customers’ reviews to see if the sneakers you want to buy fit true to size.
Conclusion: How to Make Shoes Smaller?
In sum, of course, there is no magic solution to making shoes smaller, or how to make big shoes fit. However, whenever possible, I always advise purchasing shoes that are the proper size for your foot.
Use these secure and simple hacks instead of throwing away that beauty. Choose a method that makes your feet happy from a wide range of options, including traditional, quick, easy, evolved, and modern.
Don’t forget to share this post if it helps you.