These are one of two pairs of ballet flats in my closet… the other pair are actual ballet slippers. It’s not that I don’t like them, I do, but I have the hardest time finding a pair that not only fit my feet correctly, but that stay on and that I can actually walk in. I know it sounds crazy but for instance, I love these little silk printed flats from J Crew, but the heel slips off when I walk and then smashes under my heel {see photo below}…
So my solution? Add a simple, but pretty, little elastic ankle strap. Here’s how I did it…
What You’ll Need…
* Ballet flats in fabric or thin leather… anything you can get a needle through easily.
* Elastic. I used a thin elastic, with a pretty detail because it matched the piping and bow of these particular flats however, a larger elastic would be cute as well. Let your shoes be your guide and follow their style. Look for a softer elastic with a detail or a pretty “fancy” elastic trim.
* Needle/Thread/Scissors
Steps…
* Simply measure out how much elastic you will need to fit around your ankle snugly but without squeezing and pinching your skin. Measure about a half an inch extra on each side.
* Overlap your 1/2″ extra elastic by creating a circle and hand-stitch it to the heel of your shoe. This will work best on a shoe with black piping or something similar, as it will completely conceal all of your stitches.
NOTE: You may also {and instead} choose to create a loop with any fabric or leather that sticks up from the heel of your shoe and run a ribbon or lace or buckled piece through it and around your ankle.
Voila!
