Shortening the peeptoe bootie sandals?

I put them on for a while this morning. Re-measured them. Compared them to some of my other highest heels. Realized I need them to be 1/2 shorter to really get the use value out of them. Okay, now comes part 2.
I started looking for cobblers. The one here has not responded to email. I will call tomorrow. I found one in Tahoe also. Has good reviews. Got him on the phone. About $15-$20 to shorten them, as a ballpark figure, not having seen the shoes. So . . . . I am at the juncture of deciding whether to keep the shoes and wear them until I can get them shortened, even if that means several months later upon moving back home. I looked long and hard at all kinds of other similar alternative shoes and none of them does it for me. Or, if they do, they are of the same height or even higher!
Has anyone had heels shortened? Is it relatively painless or did your shoes seem to suffer from the change? I'm really in love with this style and hoping this can be my answer.

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10 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I didn't know something like that could even be done, Mo!

Joyce B

If they shorten them will that not alter the balance of the whole shoe?
I have no experience with this but I will follow your thread as I have a few pairs that could use being shortened.

(website)

My understanding is you can shorten a little, but not make a stilletto into a flat lol. I'm hoping just 1/2 inch, maybe 3/4 but I think 1/2 will do.
Would love to hear from someone who's done it.

Diana

I think Angie has had it done. I would suspect it would work best on something with a somewhat flexible sole though as you'd need the sole to be able to bend to a shallower angle, right?

I personally am leery of this, because I lose my balance easily... if a shoe is not properly balanced, even if it only has a 1" heel, I will topple over.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

I had this done once - but they couldn't shorten the heels more than just over a quarter of an inch. It was still a pretty weird feeling walking in shortened heels though - I never got use to the tilting of the shoes.

K. Period.

I have done it a couple of times, with mixed results. A 1/2 inch is about the max that you are going to get and a 1/4 is more realistic. It can definitely throw the shoe off balance. The heel and the sole arch start fighting with each other. However, that doesn't mean it is unwearable. The fist pair that I did it with was a block heel loafer and it made enough difference that the shoes went from unwearable to wearable. Never quite comfy, though. I think Diana is right that a flexible heel is more toward the ideal. Unfortunately, the ideal is not shortening at all because they are the right height. If you really truly love them, then it is worth a try. I would think long and hard about it before doing it, though.

Ha ha! Cross posted with Angie! Sounds like our experiences were pretty much the same.

April

That's a shame, Mo, since these are so great. I saw your post of these with a skirt and went link-hunting to figure out what brand they were, I liked them so much.

It is funny what a difference that 1/2-inch makes, isn't it?

P.S. After reading the "shoe insert" thread here the other day, I ordered some Superfeet inserts for heels. http://www.amazon.com/Superfee.....B008KYWNXA I nearly sent them back without even trying them out because they're curved and rigid, and I thought they would be extremely uncomfortable in shoes. But I put them into my highest wedge-heeled booties and the difference in comfort was quite noticeable. They felt a lot less like heels with the inserts.

Food for thought since you really love these sandal booties.

Marlene

I wouldn't risk it based on what others have reported here. I know these are not as sweet as the ones you are wanting to make work but these have a lower heel. I am considering them for myself:

http://www1.macys.com/shop/pro.....2#fn=BOOTS

Thanks for the input Angie and K! Boy, I think they may have to go back then I can walk in them just fine, but I feel it, you know? I don't want to do this anymore with my shoes. I have 3 or 4 like that already. And it's enough.
Marlene, thanks for the idea. If they had black soles I might bite. As I said, I've combed through pretty much everything out there in my price range (and over). Maybe this summer more styles will come out as the trend hits stride?

ironkurtin

I have done it many times with great success, Mo. Take the shoe and put it flat on a table. Then slide it back until the heel is over the edge, and tilt down. Stop before the sole of the shoe starts to tilt. That's how much you can shorten. If you do more, you'll get the weird sensation others describe.

annagybe

On sale

http://us.topshop.com/en/tsus/.....673?bi=101

Mo, why wouldn't you just have the cobbler dye the sole of the Franco Sartos black? Franco Sartos are always ridiculously more comfortable than they have any right to be for me. I would risk dying the sole of the Franco Sartos long before I would risk shortening another heel.

BTW, what Dana describes is exactly what every cobbler I've had shoes shortened by has done first. I've had them flat out tell me no on a couple shoes that I tried to shorten after the fact for comfort (not bought intending to shorten).

ETA: LOL! Mo, I totally understand the irrational love of zippers (me too!).

Really want to know? The ZIPPER!! I love it irrationally. No surprise there. Also, these actually seem to fit my ankles in a way that gives them more visual volume, but not Flower Pot Effect. Unheard of for me in any bootie try yet.
I will call (or stop by!) the local cobbler tomorrow. He's right past the pool I need to do laps in. I can bike to the pool with shoes on my back, WTH. He may say no dice and then the angst and hand wringing will be done.

vhttp://www.lightinthebox.com/leather-women-s-flat-heel-ankel-peep-toe-boots-with-zipper-more-colors_p1002887.html?currency=USD&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&gclid=CMa24-iz670CFRSPfgod33YAng

Anna, you do find places I've never seen on the 'net. A little too punk for me, but thanks for looking for me!

The shoe last seems pretty rigid so I don't think shortening would be a good option. After putting packing tape on the soles so I could wear them around the house without marring them, I realized I was prancing on my toes like a gazelle. They are simply sitting shoes. And I can't justify more sitting shoes. I walk. I walk a lot. Sigh.
Begrudgingly, I taped up the box and slapped on the return label just now. I tried to talk myself into them, I really did. But reason took over. The saga has ended.

Jewell

Mo, I'm SO sorry these didn't work out. I do know how you feel, though. I, begrudgingly, packed up two returns today as well. I'm almost done pouting about one (postman already picked it up), but not the other.

Jewell, it is hard, isn't it? Especially the ones that are soooo close, but still not just right. Sigh.
I consoled myself with the fact that this afternoon I instead got 2 running skirts for half as much, which will get tons of use this summer. Talk about buying for your lifestyle lol

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