What can you do when a shoe doesn't fit perfectly?

Question

I bought a pair of slingback heels to wear to a wedding, tried them on in the store and they fit. When I wore them for the wedding, the kept slipping off my feet. I wear a size 8.5, and I can't fit into a size 8. What can I do so my shoes don't slip off??

Answer 1

I tend to have the same problem. I wear a 5.5 but most shoes I find only come as small as 6 (and being a shoe fanatic, I MUST have them if I see and like). What I do is buy inserts. Depending on how big they fit, I may have to put in 2. I only buy the inserts that go on the balls of your feet and this makes my stilettos more comfortable. A lot of shoes stores already sell them and will usually offer them to you once you go pay for your shoes. If not, I like Dr. Scholls Gel inserts. Even if your shoes are opened toe they won't show. Since your shoes are sling back you want the Ball of Foot inserts, not a whole foot, that way you won't see it. But for closed pumps, I'll get the entire length of foot. You can always take it to a shoe repairer too, but this is a cheaper method, and if you don't remove the backing to expose the sticky side, you can always switch between shoes without having to buy new inserts for all your shoes. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Sounds like they are too wide. Your feet may have been swollen when you purchased them.

You can try insoles but those may be unattractive at the heel since thay are slings.
If they are, you can cut the insoles at the point where the ball of the foot is located. Inserting this at the vamp of the shoe over the existing insole may not be satisfactory, but, you can slip it under the insole.
To do this, carefully lift the exisiting insole at the vamp only. If after inserting the cut insole, it slips or is loose, you can use glue to attach the cut one and the original.

No guarantees this will be satisfactory, but it may work for you.

In many cases, shoe shops do this with cork insoles as I described. If you purchased the shoes at a shop, and not at a self service rack, they may do this for you, free of charge.

This has the affect of raising your foot at the ball and hopefully does not push your toes too much towards the top of the vamp, but it does narrow the width.

Answer 3

Over here we get these shoe soles which is like this flat piece of foam, the same shape as the shoe, and we stuff it inside the shoe and it makes the shoe smaller.
But if you dont find any then just stuff the front of the shoe with tissue paper or brown paper.
However you cant do this if they are like open heeled sandals or something, in that case just exchange them and get some that fit probably.... its not worth having gorgeous shoes if they dont fit you.....

Then again maybe you've put them on wrong.....

Answer 4

You may have been retaing water in your ankle/ foot when you tried them on at the store and thats why they felt ok. They may be too wide for your foot. Wear them with a thicker stocking or stuff tissue in the toe. If you can, try to explain to the store and get the next size down. Try and clean the bottom as best yuo can befor trying to return them.

Answer 5

Try A) stuffing the toe with a little tissue paper; B) sew the slingback a little tighter with a needle and tread.

That's really all you can do.. I believe Walmart sells things for shoes that are too big, they are like toe-stuffers, and they are more comfortable than tissue.

Answer 6

Only thing to do is to return them. Else, you've to wear them alot (at home) in hope that you expand them.
It's said that the best time to buy shoes is later in the day, when your feet have 'expanded'.

Answer 7

If it's not open toe shoe- you can stuff some cotton balls into the front to make them smaller. Otherwise you may need to get new shoes...

Answer 8

if they are too big, you should follow the old chinese tradition of binding your feet. it may be very painful, but they will stop growing and eventually shrink. be careful though, because they will fall off.

Answer 9

go buy a bigger size

Answer 10

get new shoes, DUH!