Help my flats live forever
October 6, 2010 2:09 PM Subscribe
I have a favorite pair of pink flats that would be awesome to have in yellow, red, green, eggplant, you name it. They aren't being made anymore. Can I easily DIY-replicate them in other fabrics/colors?
These are my favorite shoes, ever. Comfortable, squishable, toss in the wash-able. In looking at the construction of the shoe, it looks like it would be fairly easy to duplicate with the right materials: a thin sole, sturdy upholstery-type fabric, and an insert that would 'sandwich' the fabric between the outer sole and the inner sole, if that makes sense. I'm sure I could find the fabric at a fabric store, but any ideas as to where to get soles? I have a fairly large foot so buying crappy flip-flops or something similar and modifying probably wouldn't work.
I would also be interested in sending out for it, but my Google-fu didn't turn up anything other than customized Keds, etc., and my local cobbler won't do it--although he did witheringly suggest that it was something more likely done 'back east'.
These are my favorite shoes, ever. Comfortable, squishable, toss in the wash-able. In looking at the construction of the shoe, it looks like it would be fairly easy to duplicate with the right materials: a thin sole, sturdy upholstery-type fabric, and an insert that would 'sandwich' the fabric between the outer sole and the inner sole, if that makes sense. I'm sure I could find the fabric at a fabric store, but any ideas as to where to get soles? I have a fairly large foot so buying crappy flip-flops or something similar and modifying probably wouldn't work.
I would also be interested in sending out for it, but my Google-fu didn't turn up anything other than customized Keds, etc., and my local cobbler won't do it--although he did witheringly suggest that it was something more likely done 'back east'.
Could you find someone on Etsy to make them for you? These or these for example are lovely.
posted by ceri richard at 2:40 PM on October 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by ceri richard at 2:40 PM on October 6, 2010 [1 favorite]
Can you put up a picture of the shoes? We might be able to find a similar type still being made. (Your description, for instance, makes me think of these kinds of shoes.)
posted by jouir at 10:00 PM on October 6, 2010
posted by jouir at 10:00 PM on October 6, 2010
Response by poster: Creeepy...after a few hours of googling my existing shoe and coming up short before I asked my question, I log back in and there's an ad for a shoe that's almost identical to the one I'm referring to, and in a veritable rainbow of colors!
But thank you all for your insights; after reading your comments I am very relieved I won't have to attempt to make them myself :)
posted by stellaluna at 6:40 PM on October 7, 2010
But thank you all for your insights; after reading your comments I am very relieved I won't have to attempt to make them myself :)
posted by stellaluna at 6:40 PM on October 7, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
His tone could be better, but your cobbler is not altogether wrong - except instead of "back east," Koreatown or Chinatown will probably suffice, if you live in a fairly metropolitan area with one.
If you want to DIY it - your cobbler should be willing to sell you soles for "a craft project."
posted by sawdustbear at 2:15 PM on October 6, 2010