There are all sorts of options out there for wedding shoes, from very cheap to very expensive. I knew I wanted a colorful wedding shoe - something in the golden yellow to mustard yellow range, but was having a really hard time finding the right color, or the right size, or the right price. I was all ready to splurge on this pair of Badgley Mischkas, but could not find them in my size anywhere on the internet...
After a few other purchases and returns, I decided to look into getting a pair of dyeable shoes (the 90's are so in right now!) but once again, I wasn't crazy about the colors that were available.
After some googling, I decided to attempt to dye an old pair of champagne colored satin heels that I had worn to one of my best friends wedding a few years prior (I think they were from David's Bridal). Dyeing a pair of old shoes seemed like a win-win situation. If it didn't work, I wasn't particularly attached to the shoes and wouldn't mind throwing them out. If it did work, I would have inexpensive shoes since dye is cheap and I already owned the shoes, that, once again I wouldn't mind ruining at my backyard tented wedding.
My basic supplies were: old satin shoes (that should soak up the dye well) painters tape (to tape the areas I didn't want to dye), RIT dye in golden yellow, iDye color remover, a sponge, and an old pot that you don't intend to use on food ever again (actually I bought a new cheapo pot that I wouldn't mind ruining), and some paper towels and cardboard to protect your work space.
I started with the color remover since my shoes were originally champagne colored. The instructions mentioned that the color remover wouldn't work in all circumstances, and that happened to me. Figures.
Next up was the actual dyeing process. I spent about 30 minutes dipping a corner of my sponge into the dye that was on an extremely low simmer. By the way - I highly suggest you throw that pot out afterwards, folks! That pot is never getting clean, and will never be safe to cook with again - look at how crusty and gross it was after (I said look at the dirty pot, not my dirty stove).
I gently dabbed the satin, going around in circles and making sure I was getting a pretty even coating. Since my shoes had pretty see-through sequins, I made sure to really soak the areas underneath them.
They gradually darkened, and to be honest. while they were wet it was really hard to tell if the whole project was a total bust or not. It wasn't until they were dry (about a full day later) that I knew it had worked!
Gratuitous shot of the invitation, blusher, doily tissue, jewelry and shoes!
I didn't seal them in any way, but I did dye them about two months before the wedding so I was pretty confident they were cured. I am happy to report that the color didn't get on my wedding dress or onto my skin the night of the wedding. Mud however, mud was another story.
The weather on our wedding day was absolutely perfect - low 70's in late October in upstate New York is pretty unheard of. But it did POUR the day before and parts of the yard were a little wet. This is the only shot of me in my shoes, but you can kind of see the bottom of my dress and my shoes were pretty caked in mud. So happy I hadn't spend hundreds on the expensive pair I had wanted!
Ahh that day was perfect. I'm tearing up just looking at these photos again! Happy, happy day.
Next up was the actual dyeing process. I spent about 30 minutes dipping a corner of my sponge into the dye that was on an extremely low simmer. By the way - I highly suggest you throw that pot out afterwards, folks! That pot is never getting clean, and will never be safe to cook with again - look at how crusty and gross it was after (I said look at the dirty pot, not my dirty stove).
They gradually darkened, and to be honest. while they were wet it was really hard to tell if the whole project was a total bust or not. It wasn't until they were dry (about a full day later) that I knew it had worked!
Gratuitous shot of the invitation, blusher, doily tissue, jewelry and shoes!
I didn't seal them in any way, but I did dye them about two months before the wedding so I was pretty confident they were cured. I am happy to report that the color didn't get on my wedding dress or onto my skin the night of the wedding. Mud however, mud was another story.
The weather on our wedding day was absolutely perfect - low 70's in late October in upstate New York is pretty unheard of. But it did POUR the day before and parts of the yard were a little wet. This is the only shot of me in my shoes, but you can kind of see the bottom of my dress and my shoes were pretty caked in mud. So happy I hadn't spend hundreds on the expensive pair I had wanted!
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