Shoe buttons are rare, where can I find some?

January 4, 2008 8:17 PM

I have shoes that look sort of like these, but the strap on one of them came unattached and I lost the button. Where can I find a replacement button (either online or in the Washington, DC area somewhere)?

I've looked everywhere -- Michael's, a fabric store, two shoe repair guys, google, but I haven't been able to find a place that sells plain leather buttons (smaller than 1cm diameter) for shoes. These particular buttons are wrapped in smooth leather with a flat bottom (sort of like these except all leather). Do you have any suggestions as to where I could find them either in DC somewhere or online?

posted by echo0720 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

I don't know, but if you can't find one of the exact button, you could always replace both buttons with something slightly different. You could go with something matching or something contrasting.
posted by boomchicka at 8:23 PM on January 4, 2008

I know there was (2 years ago) a shoe repair place in the lower level of Union Station near the metro entrance, did you try there?
posted by saffry at 8:25 PM on January 4, 2008

have you tried contacting the company that makes them. i have gotten numerous buttons. etc replaced by different apparel companies by doing that.
posted by violetk at 8:34 PM on January 4, 2008

Which fabric store did you go to? Did you try G Street Fabrics out on Rockville Pike? It's in the Mid-Pike Plaza shopping center (Silver Diner in the parking lot), past White Flint Mall but before you get to the big shopping center that has Barnes&Noble and Old Navy and Giant. I understand that to be the mack daddy fabric store in the area.
posted by mccxxiii at 9:17 AM on January 5, 2008

I have similar shoes that had a similar problem. I took them to the shoe repair place and they replaced both with new buttons. Wrapping buttons in leather is something all shoe repair places should be able to do - it's pretty basic leather craft.
posted by Wolfie at 11:18 AM on January 5, 2008

Upholstering places have a machine that covers upholstery buttons. As a last resort, get a small piece of black leather, take it to a shop, and get them to cover a couple of their smallest size buttons for you.
posted by orange swan at 1:45 PM on January 5, 2008