Photo credit : Coffee Light and Sweet

I refuse to believe that I’m the only girl out there who’s spent too much on a pair of adorable flats (they are perfectly neutral, snakeskin – a.k.a., adorable) and proceeded to never wear them because they were my heels’ worst nightmare. So, fed up as I was, I took to Pinterest to discover how the masses are fixing this problem, and I found one winning recipe, time and again:

Too-Tight Shoes + Hairdryer + Socks (and other paraphernalia) = Wearable Flats.

Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Put on a thick pair of socks (the bigger, the better) followed by your problematic shoes (works for heels too!).

Step 2: Blow the hairdryer on the parts that are too tight for about 1–2 minutes, or until fabric is warmed. The warmer the fabric, the more flexible it becomes.

Step 3: While still warm, flex your feet and walk around until it cools. Make sure you really walk it out so the shoe forms to your foot.

Step 4: Repeat until the flats are comfortable without the socks. This method also works on the backs if they dig into your heels.

Other variations included peeling a large potato and leaving it in your shoe overnight (this one I won’t be trying, though The Beauty Department swears by it) and endless hours of bending and stretching. My suggestion? Stick to the hairdryer.

By Abigail Kuzia, Editor

What are your shoe break-in tricks? Share them in the comments below or tweet us @ruelala.

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