First Cool Shoe Tool Pick is Here! Shoe Stretchers!

My #1 Cool Shoe Tool Pick:  Shoe Stretchers for Squashed Feet
I started using these shoe stretchers a year or so ago to help my aching toes.  I already had duck feet before I had kids and now that I’ve been through two pregnancies, they are, alas, even wider.

Really anybody can use them, I have friends that have more average-width feet (lucky gals) and even they still sometimes can’t fit comfortably into all heels, especially pointy narrow toed ones and peep-toes.

My Shoe Stretcher

Shoe stretchers are easy to use, you just have to have a little time – for example, you can’t stretch your new gray suede pumps an hour before the party, they really need to stretch for at least 24 hours.  But the nice thing is that the longer you stretch them the more roomy they get.  Also, you have to be realistic – you can’t turn a size 6 into a size 8, ever. (sorry 🙁 ).  But, if you’re looking for just a little more room, they are actually a really great product.

All you do is put the shoe stretcher in the shoe and expand it to fill the shoe – each shoe stretcher is different but most of them have some kind of hand crank system.  Then you can expand the stretcher a little bit farther than the natural size of the shoe, and after 24 hours you may be able to crank it out a little bit more.  Some of them come with “plugs” that you put into holes along the stretcher so that you can customize the stretch to accommodate corns, bunions and hammertoes.

Important Notes for Choosing a Shoe Stretcher:
· Look for a shoe stretcher that works for width and length (not all can make them longer) – this will give you the most stretch.
· They work best on natural materials – leather, suede, some fabrics
(they don’t work well on plastics and vinyl)
· Make sure you know what you are getting for the price – a lot of times they are sold as a single stretcher, not a set of two which means you can only do one shoe at once

Have fun with your happy feet!