Once in a while, you have found a large size of beautiful shoes, and they can’t fit your feet; consider finding the best method to make the shoes smaller. There are various ways one can use to make the shoes fit without incurring extra charges; here, we are going to expound on various ways you can make bigger shoes fit, including the following:
• Methods to use in making bigger shoes smaller.
• Special tips on doing so.
10 Effective Ways to Make Big Shoe Fit?
It is normal sometimes to have one or several pairs of shoes that are big or do not fit well, or you have borrowed a pair of shoes from a friend, but they are too big for you. In some instances, shoes loosen up or fail to fit during the winter season. The following are some methods you can use to make the shoes smaller or fit you well:
1. Wear extra socks
It is one of the cheapest ways everyone applies to make larger shoes fit; wear an extra pair or pairs of socks when wearing larger shoes. You can also make it easy by wearing a single pair of extra thick socks than usual to easily fill up space on the empty spaces between the shoes and your feet.
For the people trying to fix wearing boots, this is the first option they should go for or athletic shoes as they mostly need to be paired with socks.
2. Fill up the empty shoe space.
It is a method that can be used when it is in a hurry and does not have to think or move around the house looking for thick socks. Get some tissue paper pieces or cotton pads that you can stick on the space, especially at the top; it is a great idea when your feet slide from back to front. It works well with flats, boots, or closed-toe heels; you can reduce the pinch by just padding.
However, you should ensure that you do not constantly stuff your shoes with any material you find at home, and you immediately remove them from your shoes once you remove the shoes. This is important because such materials get smelly very fast, and when not replaced, they will get uncomfortable with time.
3. Use insoles
It is the commonest method most people use to fix their large shoe sizes; it fills the extra space in your shoes and gives you some support as you become comfortable.
However, insoles are not a lifetime solution; you will always be required to replace them after a certain period, the best thing about this method is that insoles can be used in any shoes.
4. Insert the ball of foot cushions
Sometimes insoles become uncomfortable, and you will be required to insert a special cushion made for one to place at the ball of their feet in the shoe to improve comfort and make the shoes fit.
They are made for shoes that remain too big even when insoles have been put in. The cushions come in various colors, sizes, and shapes and perfectly fit high heels or flats.
5. Fit in heel strips
Another method to solve too big shoes is adding a different cushion type; they are similar to the ball cushions. But they are only placed above the heel when it becomes more uncomfortable.
But, one can put them in any part of the shoe because they are smaller and equipped with an adhesive side; they are best to use in any shoe as you can even wear them to feel their comfort.
6. Wash your shoes to make them shrink.
This is applicable for anyone who has enough time to make their large shoes smaller; it is a simple process that needs several ingredients to succeed.
The following steps should guide you to shrink your shoes:
Step #1:
Confirm the shoe material to determine whether you can use water on them.
Step #2:
Get the shoes wet; if they are athletic shoes, consider soaking them but for suede and leather, consider spraying water using a bottle.
Step #3:
Once they are wet, consider drying them, you can leave them under the sun or use a hair dryer to keep them dry.
Step #4:
Once they have dried, the size will have shrunk; for leather and suede, consider reading their instruction kits for drying them.
7. Use elastic bands to tighten the shoes.
This method is perfect for anyone who might have some sewing techniques; you are required to get elastic bands, stitch the bands on the inside back of your oversized shoes. All the materials will be put together, giving you a tighter effect.
8. Ask a shoe professional.
If you find it hard to do it yourself, consider asking a cobbler how you can go about the whole procedure. Look for one nearest you and get some advice; this will also be best for anyone who is considering wearing an old pair of shoes; however, this can be costly as they can help you out and ask for some changes.
9. Use heel liners
They are used to secure the back of your heels from the inside; through this, they can shorten the length as they offer prevention to your feet from slipping off the shoe, improve your comfort and prevent the formation of blisters. The heel liners come in many various materials you can choose from that gives enough comfort.
10. Use of shoe tongue pads
Shoe tongue pads work wonders for making shoe sizes smaller, however, they are not sexy, and they can be put in loafers, sneakers, even in flats to bring about comfort.
Tongue pads are thick felt-like materials stuck on the inside part of the shoe as the tongue; an example of a shoe tongue is the material beneath the shoelaces.
Things to Remember on Wearing Big Shoes
When wearing big shoes, there are some important things you should always remember; they are meant to ensure that you get the comfort you would have with fitting shoes. The following are some of the key things always to remember:
1. Try to maintain your normal posture while wearing bigger shoes.
Remember that whatever you have done inside your shoes doesn’t change the outside appearance of how they look. The outside size can result in poor posture or difficulties maintaining your normal posture.
Here are some tips that can help you keep up a good posture:
• Ensure you stand up straight.
• Consider applying the heel-to-toe walking style
• As you are walking, consider squeezing the abs and glutes slightly.
2. Be cautious to avoid tripping over the toes.
Normally, bigger shoes happen to be slightly longer than the kind of shoes you always wear; therefore, this means that you need to put more effort into picking up your feet from the ground while walking.
In case you let your feet drag in the ground, you are increasing your chances of hitting your toe on the ground leading to falls, stumbles, and tripping; it is a common issue everyone should always remember.
3. Avoid prolonged walks with bigger shoes.
It doesn’t matter how you make your bigger shoes smaller; no solution brings the exact feeling like for the proper fitting shoes. If you are going for long walks, you should avoid wearing bigger shoes when going for hikes and trips to reduce, causing blisters, discomfort, sore spots, and cuts as your feet slide in the shoe.
For instance, where you wear big athletic shoes for long distances, you can suffer ankle injuries, such as sprains and painful twists.
4. Replace extremely bigger shoes than what you would wear.
If the big shoe is one or two sizes bigger than your normal size, there may be no better padding that will reduce their sizes. In this case, consider changing the shoe and chose a different size instead.
Special Things You Will Need on Making Your Shoes Smaller
To make your shoes smaller, you will need several things; however, anything you want depends on the method you prefer to make your bigger shoes small.
Here are some special things you will need for each of the methods mentioned above:
• Special type pair of removable insoles, you will need insoles that can be removed and washed or easily replaceable if they wear out. When talking about insoles, you should choose a good material that does not affect your feet or does not slide easily.
• Elastic bands and sewing needles are sewed on the shoe’s back; you would not need the shoe needle here you apply simple sewing techniques.
• Shoe tongue pads, you will need a special type of shoe tongue pads that will fit on top of your bigger pair of shoes.
What Do I Do If the Shoe Looks Too Big on Me but Fits?
Sometimes, the type of shoes is too big for how your body looks; in this case, the shoe looks big but perfectly fits your feet. There is nothing you should in this case; however, you should consider the type of outfits you wear; if the shoes appear too big, you should wear baggy clothing in that the outside size of your shoes blends in the shoes.
In other instances, your legs happen to be bigger than the shoes you wear, resulting in shoes looking big on you. You should consider choosing shoes whose materials do not look big or are not thick and choose shoes made with thin materials.
FAQs:
Is it better to choose a pair of bigger or smaller shoes?
When you want to buy shoes of different sizes from your normal ones, consider buying bigger ones rather than smaller ones. However, avoid buying bigger shoes that are half size bigger as they can cause injuries.
How much room should there be at the end of a shoe?
In any shoes, try fitting your thumb’s width between your toes and the end of the shoe; if the thumb fails to fit, then the shoes are extremely tight, while if they leave too much space, they are bigger than you should wear.
Is it OK to wear shoes a size bigger?
No, consider wearing shoes that fit your feet well rather than wearing bigger ones because too big shoes will force you to accommodate a bad fit in a more dysfunctional way. This can even result in foot problems such as blisters since they will be sliding around the big shoes.
Is it better for shoes to be tight or loose?
An eighth-inch movement is the typical one, but in some instances, it feels much more when heels slip loosely cannot cause blisters easily, but too tight or small shoes will result in friction and later own form painful blisters. Therefore it is more crucial to wear loose shoes that give your forefoot more room.
Does wearing bigger shoes make your feet bigger?
No, but for people who are still growing, the answer is yes; bigger shoes give your legs enough space by splaying them out, making your feet wide, as you are growing old, always consider wearing wider shoes.
Will these methods work on basketball shoes?
Making bigger shoes smaller is applicable in many various shoes, from sneakers to highly complicated heels. Therefore, you should go for the method that works best for your basketball shoes, such as the insole method.
Conclusion
The next time you bump into a bigger pair of shoes that impress you now, you know how you can make the feet; you can choose the right or cheapest method to apply. The available materials will help you and the time you have to spend on making the shoes small. If you have limited time, you can choose the tissue or cotton pad, and if you still have time, you can go for the cobbler or the shrinking method.
