So I got these nice heels from ModCloth with the intention to make them darker, since they don't really qualify for the pradctical part and since I already have a pair in this colour but not in dark brown.
The heels before: (it's very hard taking pictures around here without getting a cat in them too :)
And the heels after (I also changed the ribbon since the original one was too thin to colour):
This was the first time I tried leather colour and the result turned out really nice! A friend of mine coloured a pair he found on a flea market red and I've been keen on trying it myself for quite some time now.
I used a spray on colour (there are also paint-ons available) and it attached fine to these shoes even thought they are not real leather. They anded up a lot shinier than they were before. I bought the colour form the cobblers (who is quite cute and real stylish by the way. His shop is in my house so I pop in there every now and then, heh :) and he recommended that I'd use some regular shoepolish in brown on these afterwards to make the reslut more lasting.
If anyone's keen on trying I have a few hints though that I noticed I should've followed myself:
-I wrapped my feet in plastic and sprayed the colour on while wearing the shoes to fill out the shoe properly and so that the inside wouldn't colour. I also covered the sole with some tape since I wanted it to stay in it's original light colour.
- it's good to wear the shoes in a bit before colouring. If you colour them brand new like I did the colour will cracle up when you wear them the first time. It happened to mine and it actually gave them a rather nice vintage-like touch but I wanted them in a solid colour so i just coloured them a second time and it turned out fine
-I guess this goes for all shoes out of man-made materials but don't wear them if it's -10C outside. The colour will cracle and you'll catch a cold...
37 comments:
Oh, now they look a lot like a pair I got from my mum! :D Gorgeous! I never tried to work with leather color because I've only heard about it once and I don't know where to get it here in Portugal, even because I don't know what brands should I look for. Could you help me with this?
Kisses from Lisbon =)*
Happy 2009!
Those shoes are beautiful before AND after! Thanks for the tutorial I wouldn't have known where to begin dying a pair of shoes! They came out great!
Charlie : I'll answer you in your blog :)
Hope505 : it was really easy! Good luck if you're about to try it :)
I love it. Great choice, Ulrika dear!
big kisses: Janet
Great idea and the result is gorgeous!
Good, it's logic that I could have asked it to the man who fixed me a pair of shoes last week 0.o Maybe I'll ask him later!
Thanks a lot!
Kisses from Lisbon
Janet & Parapluie : thanks girls :)
Charlie.. : Yes you should try! Kiss.
Oh my! They "new" shoes look awesome! Haven't dared to try before but now I sure will!
Elina : Great! Good luck :)
Oh, amazing! i have a pair of boots I never really use because of the color, and for some reason I didn't even realize that colouring them is an option. Thanks for the tips! Loving those shoes :)
Dom blev verkligen skitsnygga!
Jag skulle bli jätteglad om jag fick veta märket på den färg du använde, jag har nämligen sedan länge tänkt färga ett par läderskor men jag hade inte den blekaste blå aning om hur det går till förrän jag läste detta inlägg! Tror du färgen går att köpa i någon "vanlig" affär eller måste man fråga runt hos skomakare? I Åbo alltså.
Oh great, they turned out really nice! I've always considered this option but never did it for real...I have to try it now!!
Brilliant! Gotta try this to inject new life into my shoe wardrobe. Thanks especially for those tips - I never would've thought to put the shoes ON before spraying, but it makes perfect sense.
Hei! Kauniit kengät. Jos oot vielä vailla leopardikuvioisia hanskoja, niin sattumalta törmäsin huuto.netissä ainakin jonkinlaisiin. H&M ja villaa. Haulla "leopardikuvioiset käsineet" löytää.
Great job on the shoe, crafty lady. I can't wait to see what you pair them with :)
And wishes for a happy new year!
Wow, amazing job! You are an artist. Kisses ;)
http://www.missurbanita.com
It's better, good idea, they look adorables !
They look great! I used to do that a lot when I was younger, maybe it's time to try it again! The color is so much nicer now.
Oh they look stunning! I've been eyeing off those shoes on MC for a while, and now seeing that I could change the colour (I think I'd want a dark-ish red) I might just have to head to the website now.
These tips, and this post, was really, really helpful – extra thanks for posting! :)
Good idea! I like both the before and after photos! Can hardly choose which ones I like best...
You're brave to do that kind of DIY. I would be so worried I'd ruin it! And I think all pix should have cats in them. Why not?
I have every shoe leather polish and dye imaginable. I was thrilled when I found blue! Great work on the DIY!!
the shoes look fab - great job - love the red ribbon
wow I didn't know you could color leather at "home". This opens up so many possibilities! the shoes look great by the way!
Thanks for the great tutorial. I've got a pair that I desperately need to revamp. The shoes just don't have "it" factor yet. Yours turned out really pretty.
The shoes look great! Maybe I should try coloring some of mine too :)
These are lovely! I want a pair like that, but never know what to search for...
Oh, you are always so fast at commenting I néver keep up with answering...
Anyway, glad the post was helpful :)
Nanó : I used Magix leather dye, I'm pretty sure you can get the same or similarr colours frmo most shoemaker's and propably at Stockmanns to!
Anniinna : kiitos, juuri ne mitkä multa katosivat! Huusin.
Sandra / debutanteclothing : Bue, oh wow! I'm going to explore whatr colours I can get over here. I'm still mising a pair of blue heels from my wardrobe...
What a fantastic idea. I have never given much thought to dying shoes - but this is a great way to revamp a pair of thrifted kicks!
They look beautiful! although I did like the colour beforehand as well, the ribbon is so pretty
They turned out lovely! Such a gorgeous chocolate-y colour!
PS: Your cat is cute, he can star in as many photos as he (she?) wants!
Åh det där verkar bra! Jag har redan alldeles för många skor så nu kan man ju få nya genom att byta färg på dom :) vart kan man köpa sån sprayfärg?
Har du också problem med att dina katter gärna ska vara med överallt! Mina ska alltid va med :) Har du två bondkatter?
Great idea!
the new color is also nicer!
wow turned out really nice, love ur look and ur blog too.
wow turned out really nice, love ur look and ur blog too.
Due to your love of Thrifting, you've now got me hooked. Just today I went to my local thrift store and brought 2 skirts, a nice bag and a pair of brown shoes, (all for just $24 Australian) which I plan on colouring. I'm thinking a nice dark blue... :)
What a great idea.!! Those shoes turned out pretty fab. I will try it my own.
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