How to | Break in your shoes
This is the mini guide on how to care for your posing heels so that you can keep them in posing shape all year long!
Transparent (PVC/TPU) heels vs shoes made of another material
Because transparent heels such as sandals and mules are sometimes pretty uncomfortable at first and can pinch quite a bit, unlike shoes with a patent, fabric or faux leather upper, they are often wrongly thought to be too small. That is why some tips are mainly aimed at breaking in transparent shoes so that you can walk on them wonderfully comfortably in no time! These tips can be recognised by the "*PVC* tip" or similar indication.
Transparent heels (usually made of "plastic/pvc" but sometimes also "TPU/Thermoplastic polyurethane") are widely used as posing heels for bikini/bodybuilding/fitness competitions, and in Pole Dancing & Exotic
Tip 1 : Breaking In Your Heels
Step 1:
Wear your new shoes (indoors) for 30 minutes, preferably in the afternoon or evening when your feet are at their largest after walking all day, and walk around in the house
Extra tip: keep them on while doing housekeeping, kill two birds with one stone ;)
Step 2:
If your shoes are still very tight after 30 minutes, you can wear slightly thicker socks to stretch the material of the shoes a little further and continue walking in them for another 30 to 60 minutes
If necessary, repeat this last step with thicker socks on until they fit comfortably
If the shoes are comfortable enough, you can of course wear them as often as you like!
*PVC* tip:When you first put on your heels, wear a comfortable pair of socks and walk a short distance on a carpet or other soft surface. The socks will give your feet a little more comfort as you break in the stiff plastic around your feet; and walking on carpet will protect the grip of the bottom of the shoe from wear and tear. |
Tip 2 : Avoid Strap Snappage
Try not to over-tighten the buckle straps on your sandals. I understand that ankle straps provide much more stability when they are nice and tight, but the most common cause of straps breaking very quickly is when you fasten the buckle to a hole that is actually too tight. Because the straps are put under pressure, they wear out much faster and... Hello snappage!
If you do end up breaking a strap or have strapless (posing) shoes like mules, you can always attach a pair of Pleaser Detachable Ankle Straps to your heels to transform them from mules into sexy ankle-strap sandals.
You can also use these straps with sandals with a patent, fabric or faux leather upper in a different color! Believe me: when you have them on, they are honestly almost unnoticeable!
Tip 3 : Blow Dry Baby*
If your shoes are still super tight and you don't feel like they're conforming to your feet after walking around with socks on for a while, you can try using a hair dryer to slightly warm up the material of your shoes, allowing them to conform a little more to the shape of your feet.
Be careful not to point the blow dryer at the same spot for too long or you will end up with scorched tootsies, melted plastic or occasionally some glue stains from heated glue that has started to spread. And that is never the intention!
*PVC* instructions:This method works especially well for transparent shoes! For shoes with a patent, fabric, faux leather or other types of shoes: try to be a little more careful doing this! If necessary, hold the hairdryer a little further away from the shoes at first and only bring it closer if you feel that the shoes can handle it! Step 1 ) |
Tip 4 : The Heel-Gap
If you notice that you have too much room in the back of the shoe, you are experiencing a so-called ‘heel gap’. One day your feet can be slightly smaller than the next or previous day, and sometimes they suddenly slide forward in your shoes, making it seem as if the shoes are too big.
To solve this you can use Gel Insoles, you stick these on the sole of the shoe in such a way that the padding provides support to your arch, toes and heel cushion. This padding makes it much less likely that you will slide forward and your feet will stay nicely in place in your shoe
Tip 5 : Cleaning Your Heels
After a while your heels will need a cleaning, but what is the best way to clean them? Here are some tips:
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1) Use a slightly damp* cloth to wipe away any sticky or dirty parts on the outside of the shoe 2) If you can reach the insole, you can clean it by gently wiping a slightly damp* washcloth over the footbed. After a while you will notice the dirt starting to come loose. Make sure you have a small bowl of water to rinse and wring out your cloth regularly. Repeat the process until you find the insole clean enough and let it air dry properly. 3) Wipe the heels and platform bottom with a slightly damp cloth and let them air dry as well. If your heels/platforms are made of fabric, it is best to let them dry a little longer to make sure they are not still a bit damp on the inside! *slightly damp!! Do not use too much water. With 'fabric' shoes (velvet, faux suede etc.) or an inner sole with a fabric upper side it is important not to make them too wet. If they do get too wet it takes a very long time before they are dry again.
*PVC* tips: With transparent shoes you will notice when they have become dirty much faster. So try to clean them more regularly, that usually saves you a lot of 'big' cleaning sessions later on! |
Tip 5: How to store and transport you heels
Most (Pleaser) shoes come with a thin fabric (travel) bag that makes it easier and safer to carry your heels without damaging them, or to store them in! If you have your heel collection at home I recommend storing them in the original box (that they came in) to keep the heels dust-free, out of direct sunlight and safe from hungry pets 🐶🐱
** Please note, if you decide to stretch your shoes with a hair dryer, your right of withdrawal will expire!
