Quick question, how do people manage to keep shoes from getting damaged by being wet? I used some inexpensive heels that are all man made materials thinking they would be ok, but it looks like the edges around the top aren't in the greatest shape now.

Are there certain materials I should look for next time I buy new ones?

Simply put - we don't worry about it! My wife loves stiletto heels, and I keep her well-stocked, most commonly buying used but good condition heels from eBay. I find that with careful, patient shopping, I can her her great looking, often name brand heels at very good prices. At any given time, she probably has about 100 pair in her closet. Of all those, there are NONE that she'll hesitate even a moment in getting wet (and none that I've ever paid even as much as $100 for.) Whether they're Steve Madden, Jimmy Choo, Chinese Laundry, BCBG, Jessica Simpson,Nine West, Vince Camuto and many others - she has all of those in her collection and its a given that sooner or later they'll ALL get wet!

WIth the name brands, most are real leather, synthentics are not as common. Most last for several wettings, occasionally they'll fall apart on the first wetting. We don't really care, she just tosses them without a thought, because she has a lot more and I'll always be keeping her well stocked!

It can also happen with very expensive shoes that they break in the water. It simply depends on the processing. That happened to a friend from Kiev too, and with good shoes. She hadn't expected it. She goes very often complete with shoes, dresses, skirts and so on into water.
You get never a guarantee that all shoes will withstand water.

The only footwear that will happily survive endless wetting are wellies, jelly sandals, or crocks. Converse-style canvas trainers will last a long time, more general trainers and plimsolls will also usually do well. Any more mainstream fashion shoes or boots are likely to have a limited lifespan of soaking, the cheap ones tend to be partly internally made of something like cardboard which disintegrates after a few submersion, while thick leather goes stiff, and more supple leather loses its finish and starts to break up.

We buy all our leather and fashion footwear from charity shops, we've gone through a vast collection over the years, and just throw them out when they start to get knackered, as we can easily source more. In contrast we still have the first wellies ever worn by our people, still in perfect nick, though these days our rubber boot scenes mostly use the Hunters we acquired in 2017, which likewise are still pristine despite many fillings with food and trips to the mudbanks.

It probably is possible, with lots of careful work with protectors and polishes, to at least extend the life of decent quality leather boots worn in the water, but it's liable to be seriously time consuming, easier just to replace. And of course buying from charity shops supports good causes, we're particularly keen on Cats Protection, the RSPCA, Sue Ryder, MIND, Cancer Research, the PDSA, and the British Heart Foundation. Age UK can be good too, plus various local hospice shops, though they tend to be more chaotic.

Maybe try to dry them slowly, not on the radiator! Drying leather- shoes you can fill with newspapers, they soak up the moist.

I've neglected to ever mention this but as far as wetlook I never understood the wearing of stilettos, high heels & such. I guess I feel that ANY woman in real life' would be Crazy mad to be soaked in her good shoes like that. Not to preach or criticize I just don't get it...

The key to it is to scuff, damage, or cut them up so that they aren't worth keeping. That way you don't have to spend the time and effort to try to save them. This approach also works perfectly with suits, belts, handbags, coats, etc...

It really depends on the heels. Some last numerous soakings and some fall apart the first time they go in the pool.

For our production it's all part of the budget and we annually buy dozens of pairs of all sizes, knowing that some of them may not last the season.

EdwinR
asplashofglamour.com

Slow dry. If the hold their shapesome oil or shoe polish can bring them back for another swim.

This. Perfectly put.

Think of it like boudoir photos, it's a kind of thing that makes a lot of us feel more attractive and better about ourselves. For me looking more put together adds to feeling more attractive and that means all the details need to be right. Makeup, shoes, accessories, but not really hair. Hard to explain beyond that.

Anything that I allow near water (or cake batter/oatmeal/...) are shoes that I get for usually $5 or less at a nearby thrift store. I've stuck with man made materials and the cardboard thing that was mentioned earlier definitely explains a couple of problems I've run into with strappy heels!

I was kind of hoping for some kind of a miracle cure but it looks like there isn't one. I truly appreciate all of the experts weighing in on someone's question who is basically a lurker!

would love to see part of that collection wet and or dry. It sounds amazing.

I agree with what everyone has said, you get them at a bargain and just don't care if they get ruined. slow drying has helped save a few of my shoes but there is a thrill in knowing that what you are doing to them is destroying them a bit ( that is more of a personal opinion)

I agree with Dallaswetcouple for the most part, I just never worry about it. I will begin by saying that one of the three reasons I do wetlook, which started at a VERY young age, is because I find it exceptionally decadent, so I almost never do it without leather heels.

I know it might be hard to believe but all I do is leave them outside in the summer to dry overnight or inside over a vent in colder weather, and I have never lost a pair of heels to water. In fact, the worst that ever happens is that the black coloring fades over time, and every once in a while, the insert comes loose. If I want to keep them, I just use black shoe polish and as far as the insert goes, I don't care... when I wear them, no one knows that they are loose.

The worst that happens is that they are a little tight the next time I wear them but since I wear the same shoes in the shower as I wear to work, that was never an issue when I worked in an office full time which was the better part of my adult career. These days I am retired so them being tight is a bigger issue, but certainly not one that has ever made me throw a pair of heels away.

I say get em wet lol!

Love and happiness,

Madeline

@MadelineOasis That's incredibly helpful! Now I regret donating my super pointy early '00s heels a few months ago because they would have been perfect to experiment on. I'll have to go find a pair in leather to practice and learn with.

I totally understand what you're getting at with them getting back in shape afterwords. That's a lot like how I break a new pair in except I wear them around the house with ankle socks to stretch them out and then stuff the toe area with the paper they came with to make sure they stay that way.

Also I'm using using "exceptionally decadent" from here on out. Perfect description, much better than my bumbling around looking for words. Thanks again!

Usually, when I bathe in public (lake, artesian well) I go into the water wearing shoes. I wear sneakers or sandals, usually light shoes for hot summer days. After taking a bath, I stay in the sun for a while until the water drains from my wet clothes and shoes. Then I leave the lake, walk in the sun until my clothes are wet and my shoes dry. That way, my shoes never got damaged.

I'm with you there. To me, the shoes add to the look and makes the entire experience "less" appropriate.


Our experience has always been that it's hard to say what holds up and what doesn't. Because of that, we just buy what looks the best and not worry about how long they will last. Sometimes heels will surprise you. We've had pairs last a few years, having been soaked or in mud numerous times. And then you think a pair will last several sessions, but fall apart after just one time. Even when you buy two of the same pair! One may last while the other pair don't.

Typically we also buy heels at nearby thrift stores, but lately I've been wanting to get away from the "cheap look" of some thrift store heels, so we've been hunting online, knowing that we may pay a bit more. Sadly we would love to step up our quality with high end heels, like Louboutins but unfortunately our sales aren't enough to recoup the cost of one pair, in a decent period of time.


As mentioned, there really isn't a miracle cure. I have tried to extend the life of some shoes when I had to. I've re-glued shoes back together, or added screws to keep the heels on. If they are too far gone, they are simply trashed. For those that last, we use them in the pool or on the beach, then when they show signs of slight damage, we use them in mud or other mess.

EdR
asplashofglamour.com