boot stretching service??

C

coolaboola

Guest
I'm a freak! I must be as I've been traipsing the length and breath of Dublin looking for comfy, stonking, black kneen high boots. I've found loads of boots that fit beautifully on the foot but I can't zip them up. My legs are too fat! (Cue visions of a very lardy lady... I'm not, honest! I'm a size 10/12!) I do have pretty small feet (size 4) for my height (5' 6") which might be part of the problem... Not to mention that I cycle every day which means I've pretty substantial calf muscles... (cue images of Amazon woman...)

Anyway, I've found a really nice pair of boots and again they fit really well on the foot but would only zip up with a lot of effort (my fingers were raw red with the effort of pulling the zip up). Am really tempted to buy them and 'break them in' but I'd like to speed up the process by getting the legs stretched a bit. Is there anywhere in Dublin that offers such a service? I don't want to stretch the foot at all, just the leg of the boot.
 
Well Coolaboola, here's your sister. I have the exact same problem and if it weren't for M&S and their generous sizings, I would be bootless. Like you, size 10/12, shoe size 38. I attribute the big calf to all of those years of Irish dancing as a little 'un.

My mother has a similar problem and what she does is to place the boot on a roll of wallpaper (the fuller the better) - and leave for a few days. I've never tried this (thanks to M&S!) but she swears by it.


valc
 
Hmm! Yep, its a pretty annoying problem. Odd thing is occaisonally I come across boots that are too big in the calf (Clarks)... they must be made for the Irish dancing cyclists!

Could try the wallpaper trick (though will have to find some wallpaper first) ... wonder how much I could stretch boots with that? I probably need close to half an inch, possibly more, with the boots I found... they so tight that if my legs could breath they couldn't in these boots. Odd that they don't make my legs 'bulge' over the top though... think that's because they come over the curve of the calf... They're the calf equivalent of a 17th century courtisan's corset. Ah, what lovely imagery!
 
For what it's worth Heather's on Arran Quay (?), Dublin specialises in large sized shoes for men and women. I think that there are other large size specialists around elsewhere too.
 
Thanks Clubman! My problem is kind of the opposite... I've particullarly small feet compared to ... well, the rest of me. Not a problem except for buying boots. I need a specialist 'shoes for freaks' shop! Thanks anyway :)
 
not answering the question really but have you tried to zip the boots up while standing or sitting? Your calves are bigger when you sit so I find that while standing up the boots normally zip up. Another thing I do is loop a piece of twine through the zip when pulling it up...save the welts forming on your fingers.
 
Re:

Shoe shop on Moore Street has special machine for stretching shoes. Can't remember shop name (it's a surname though).
 
Re:

My sister got this done in a shoe repair place in Blanchardstown a few years back (can't remember the name - sorry!) Maybe you could ring a few shoe repair places to see if someone near you does it.
 
Re: General problem with boots these days.

Sorry I can't offer any advice about stretching other than to say it will probably not work on anything other than leather.

I have noticed quite a lot of women complain about the same thing over the last few years and would have to say none of them were heavy build. I think its a general problem these days where the boots are too narrow or made for very skinny teenagers only!

Perhaps some of these people [broken link removed] might be able to offer some advice.

I have heard people mention that to get boots to maintain their shape you should use a large empty water bottle but doubt this would stretch them. You can also buy plastic gadgets in possibly Arnotts to help them stay in shape.

A friend tried the ol' trick of wet newspapers to stretch the shoe section but the boots just went mouldy because of lack of fresh air!
 
Re: General problem with boots these days.

Oh thank god it's not just me!

I always feel like a bit of a heiffer in the shop. It's bad enough when they only just fit but when they are not within an ass's roar of it, I go scarlet. And it's usually hot and I get all flustered too. So I just never buy them. I'm always worried that if I did buy a pair with the hope of breaking them in that my legs might look enormous in them.

Hope someone comes up with an answer to this.

Rebecca
 
Re: Sensible alternative!

"Hope someone comes up with an answer to this"

[broken link removed]
 
well... had the same problem, went to a shoe repairer, who nicely told me the secret... get a full 1 1/2 or 2 ltr bottle of say Coke or whatever and put in the leg part of the boot... zip it up, and leave it for a few days..... works a treat, but really only on leather. Best of luck
 
:) Suellen!

Thanks for all the advice... the fizzy drinks bottle is a really good idea.

Am thinking I should be sensible though and wait til the Autumn season when there should be a better selection of boots, even for heifers like me!

Rebecca, completely sympathise with the mortification of straining to get the boot zip even half way up ... oh dear! :eek:
 
Re: Wellingtons

Coola,

With the wet week that we're having at the moment would you not consider the [broken link removed] - handy for walking the dogs :lol
 
And for the dogs...

Sue, I'm all for practicality you know ... what about dog wellies too? [broken link removed]

(Can just image the look on my mutts furry faces if I attempted to put those on them ... "ya wha'?!?! Nooo, I don't think so!")

:D
 
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