How to Create Custom Glittered Shoes at Home

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They say, “Diamonds are a girls best friend.” But diamonds are expensive, so I substitute with glitter! I love glitter. I find that sparkles brighten not just my mood, but also that of those around me. As an adult, it is much harder to find sparkly things that fit, which is why I have turned to DIY.

I got the inspiration originally from a pair of Vans that I saw in the mall back in middle school. I have since made 4 pairs and worn the first three pairs into the ground.

Supplies

The necessary supplies are fairly simple:

1. A pair of shoes
   • For the first three times I did this project, I used the cheaper canvas shoes from a variety of retailers. For the most recent, and what you will see in this post, I used a pair of Keds.
2. Glitter of your color preference.
   • The wonderful thing about making them yourself is that you get to choose what color and style or pattern you do. I have used silver, rainbow, and holographic silver, which is my personal favorite.
3. Mod Podge
   • I prefer a gloss finish, but you have the power to choose here as well.
4. Paint brush
   • I would not get anything fancy for this, as it will most likely not be as nice when you finish. Your shoe style will also determine the type of brush you need. If there are no small places you need to paint, you could use a foam brush. I use a medium-sized brush to have more control around the lace holes and the sole of the shoe.
5. Bowl or container
   • I use an old plastic food container so I don’t ruin anything nice. Usually, I can let the old glue dry, and it will peel off, but not always.
6. Protective covering
   • Something to prevent you from getting glitter glue all over your work surface. It could be a plastic bag, a cardboard box, or a craft mat.

Steps

1. Gather your supplies and lay down a protective covering over your work surface.
2. If your shoes have laces, remove them.
3. Mix your glitter and Mod Podge together. How much you add will be dependent on how opaque you would like the glitter to be. I prefer full opacity, so I do about equal parts glitter and glue. I would start with less and add more if you are unsure.
4. Paint a thin coat onto your shoe.
5. Let dry. It takes about 2-3 hours.
6. Add a second coat if desired. I would try to get the desired look in two coats. Any more than that and the shoes are going to get very stiff.
7. Allow to dry.
8. Re-lace shoes if applicable.
9. Enjoy being the most fashionable gal around!

Variation Ideas

Unfortunately, I can not find a picture to show you, but I made a pair that were rainbow striped. I started with red at the toe and worked my way back, going through all the colors till I got to pink at the heel.

If you don’t want a fully glittered shoe, you can also use the pattern of your shoe to determine where the glitter goes. There is usually some sort of seam separating the front and back of the shoe.

My Advice

Having done this several times now, I have learned a few lessons.

1. Try to match the shoe base to the glitter color. That way when the glitter starts to wear, it doesn’t look so obvious.
2. Try to limit the number of coats you need to apply. The thicker it goes on, the less flexible the shoe becomes, and the harder it will be to walk. It will already most likely be a little challenging at first as you wear in the bend marks of your foot.
3. Don’t worry about being perfect. No one will notice a little glitter on the lace holes or on the sole of the shoe.
4. Don’t try to touch up the glitter. After you have been wearing them for a while, the glitter will wear off of the places the shoe bends with your foot. I tried to fix this in the past, and it did not work. It didn’t look good and wore off again faster than at first.
5. Don’t worry too much about a mess. Some people out there are scared of glitter, but for the most part, it will clean up eventually. The little that is left will serve as a wonderful reminder of the fun that was had. If you are doing this at your parents’ table, they will look back at the glitter that is permanently embedded in their table and think about you fondly. At least my mom does.

I hope you love your new glitter shoes and they bring you as much joy as mine bring me!