What are some ways I can stretch these boots without ruining them?
I have just received a new pair of Doc Martens today. I have already returned one pair because they were too tight not too small, necessarily, but they pinched where the tongue was sewed into the boot and this new pair is a little tight. I don’t want to return them because, quite frankly, returning them once and ordering them again was enough of a hassle, but also because I ordered them from my own store and as they were very pricey, a return would hurt the day’s profits. Strange as this may sound, this could conceivably lead to cutting of hours during the week if enough money is not made. The boots are not leather, if that would make a difference. I would just very much like to keep these boots but if I cannot reasonably stretch them, I will return them and get the next size up.
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If they’re not leather, you may have a hard time stretching them. Man-made ‘pleather’ doesn’t like to do that. I know for leather, getting them slightly damp (or using a leather conditioner)and then wearing them can help. They also sell shoe-stretchers that might do the job. If you return them and repurchase them in the next size up or a wider width, wouldn’t that offset the loss for your store?
I was gonna recommend the shoe-stretchers, but with leather you basically can’t. I think you’d have to do some sewing work.
Coincidentally, hobbitsubculture was just having a similar complaint from her new-ish Docs, but that was after putting in some new inserts.
I’ve taken shoes to the shoe shop and had them stretch them, which helped a bit. I’ve read that you can also stretch shoes by putting a plastic bag filled with water in the shoe and placing them in the freezer. When the water freezes, expands, and stretches the shoe. But I think with Doc Martens the leather is too thick for either of these methods to work. I would return the shoes and get a larger size.
@augustlan: It would eventually, but since I have to order them online, I don’t get charged until they actually ship. So if I returned them, we’d be out a fair amount of money that day and then get it back a few days later.
Honestly, what I think happened is that these shoes are actually supposed to be listed in women’s sizes, but they were listed in men’s sizes. This has happened before, unfortunately. :/
If you own the store, and the boots were never worn except by you to try them on, why don’t you just put them on the shelf for sale? Once somebody buys them, then order a new pair.
Did you order these shoes online? If so, this is exactly why I never order anything online, especially articles of clothing and shoes. Never buy shoes, without trying them on first.
Okay, you are stuck with a pair of shoes that you will never wear and they cost you a bundle, right? You really only have one choice to either take or send them back or suffer foot blisters. Its like you are paying for pain.
Send or take them back.
@HungryGuy: I don’t own the store or the company. I work for a chain and the shoes are only available on our website so we have to send them back.
@john65pennington: I buy things from this website because I get a huge discount. The shoes are very high quality and made with synthetic leather. Most of these boots that are available in stores are not made of synthetic leather I don’t like to wear leather and since I work for the company, the shoes that normally cost 120 dollars only cost me 72 dollars.
I returned the shoes and will order the next size up. We suspect that these shoes are actually in women’s sizes and the website just mislabeled them.
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