Oh slingbacks. You are so pretty, but so evil…it’s like me in shoe form. You have thin soles, I have no soul at all. We’re like twins.
Yet I have avoided you, as many of us with the Flinstonian feets do, because it’s just so hard to get you to fit right. Oh how I’ve suffered with slingbacks. If they’re wide enough in the toe box, they’re too big in the back and if they’re juuust snug enough to ensure your foot won’t slip down in front, the ding dong (as Style Spy would say) back won’t get up over your heel without a threat, a bribe and three broken nails.
It’s a heartache to be certain.
But Plumcake is here to save you! Last week, inspired by a beautiful pair of Saks Fifth Avenue-brand croc print peep-toe slingbacks –very much an homage to the beloved Louboutin design shown below– I had what can only be described as a remarkably rare fit of brilliance.
These little lovelies fit beautifully in the toe and I knew if I could just get the sling back in appropriate position they would be mine forever. First I tried tugging them up with my finger in the band. No joy. Then I tried coaching them up with my nails. No luck there either, and I broke two nails. All the while a velvet ribbon I was wearing to keep my hair back kept flopping into my eyes. Out of frustration I tore off the stupid ribbon and then a beautiful leather-soled light bulb popped on above my head.
I put the shoe on as far as I could, looped the ribbon around the pesky elastic so I was holding the back of the shoe in a sort of sling, and just pulled up. It slid onto my foot bee-yoo-tifully and the slingbacks, ribbon and I have lived happily ever after.
The End.
Sheer Gen-ius.
Comment by Toby Wollin — April 18, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
I have a different problem with slingbacks. No matter how tight I get the strap in back, I always wind up walking on the strap because it slides off my heel. How do you stop that?
Comment by Geogrrl — April 18, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
The problem there is usually two fold. One, your feet are sliding too far forward in the shoe and two, the shoe is too big.
The first step is padding. You want to put a non-slip cushion in the shoe where the ball of your foot hits. You also want to use a strap-cushion (available at footpetals.com use code VIP20 for 20% off your order) to line the inside of your strap. It will make it a bit more snug and is made out of a non-slip material that will have better luck gripping your heel, just be sure not to pad where you buckle!
If the strap is just way too big and you keep stepping on it even after the padding, the one option you have is to get the to a cobbler and have him add more holes into the female side of the strap. I also like an elastic gusset on the male side for that extra snug fit. Remember, leather expands but rarely shrinks, so if they’re a bit tight to begin with, you’ll probably be a-ok for them later.
Comment by Plumcake — April 18, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
As soon as you mentioned the velvet ribbon, I knew where you were going with that because it’s exactly what I would have done in the same situation. It must be some sort of female MacGyver gene. :)
Comment by Cat — April 18, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
Ah, thank you so much! You are right about my foot sliding forward in the shoes, and I never knew how to stop it. The non-slip cushion at the ball of the foot is a great idea, as is the one for the strap. Thank you!
Comment by Geogrrl — April 19, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
I never would have thought to do that with shoes. When I worked at a retail optical store, that was how we got the lenses into the “half-frame” glasses – you know the ones, that look like there’s no bottom to them? Frankly, that’s the only way they’ll go in those.
But that was a brilliant idea, using it for shoes. Perhaps someday, I will try a slingback and not swear at it.
Comment by Cassie — April 19, 2008 @ 8:35 pm