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ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF : DIY GOLD SHOES

20/11/2017

15 Comments

 

ECO-EXPRESS YOURSELF

DIY GOLD SHOES

​Please enjoy the DIY part, of the "Eco-Express Yourself" series.
In short, same girl, old stuff, new style.
​

This post is about how I turned my outdated brown leather shoes, into fabulous gold shoes. 
In this part of the series, I will go into the value of repurposing​ your belongings and breathe new life into things you no longer use. ​If you haven't read any of the previous post's explaining the purpose of the "Eco-Express yourself, Recycle fashion" series, click right here, or scroll down for a quick repeat after the photos. 
Picture
What I'm wearing.
Home altered gold, inherited leather shoes. See below for before photo and information about the process.
​The black coat is about 2 years old.
The black pants are about 1 years old.
The black top is about 2 years old.
Picture
I'm a big fan of the metallic trend, and gold shoes has been on the top of my shopping list for quite a while. Finding shoes that are both ethical and comfortable is hard enough without throwing unusual colors into the mix. So, after some years and still no luck in my search for some cool and comfy gold shoes, I realized that I actually had a pair of brown leather shoes in a similar style just taking up space in my closet. The shoes were in good shape, as they had hardly ever been used. I had in fact inherited them from a friend of mine that no longer used them, just to not use them myself either. After three years without not even using them once, I decided it was time to turn the shoes I already owned into the shoes I wanted.
Picture

Before
Picture
Above: The original color of the shoe and laces. 
Directly below: The gold paint I used.
Below to the right: The sponge I used to apply the paint.
Picture
Picture
Above: What it looked like after the first layer of gold paint, in the front. 
Below: What it looked like after the second layer of gold paint, on the shoe to the left. 
Picture
Picture
First, I removed the shoe laces and cleaned the leather/shoes, to prepare for painting. I used gold leather paint, a small paint brush, and a sponge to apply the paint. I used the brush inside the gold paint bottle to paint the first layers. Then I used the sponge for the last layer, to make sure it looked smooth and even. I had to go over it about three times before it looked the way I wanted it to and the original color was properly covered up. Then, I painted the shoe laces gold too. 
After
Picture
Above: What they looked like finished, before I painted the shoe laces too.
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Above: Finished results. Gold shoes and gold shoe laces. 
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All it took was an evening (because it needed to dry between the layers) and a 1 oz bottle of gold leather paint, which lasted for three layers, the shoe laces, and then some. I'm so in love with these shoes right now. They went from dull, to favourite shoes category with such a small quick fix. The best part is that I got the shoes I wanted, without having to actually buy new shoes. The only drawback, was that it was really difficult to not get any paint on the shoe sole. However, you don't really notice unless you look closely. 

​Leather is one of the most eco-unfriendly pieces of material you can produce, between the extreme water consumption and the chemicals used. So, If you have the option to diy fix your outdated or broken leather pieces, the planet would be thankful for it.

WANT MORE TIPS ON HOW TO GET YOUR WARDROBE IN ORDER, CLICK HERE.
FOR MORE FASHION ADVICE FROM IDEALIST STYLE, CLICK HERE.
​THE GOLDEN WARDROBE RULES
The trick is to think of your closet as a collection, and only shop for what's missing. Never just buy something because it's pretty or cool. Take notice of what you really need when roaming through your clothes getting ready, and make a list. This is a good way of preventing that impulse shopping, based on your feelings for that random shiny dress you just got a fleeting crush on (that you'll never get to wear). The key is to build a wardrobe where you can find an outfit for any occasion, without having to go shopping. Even if it's for work, a birthday party, camping, or a wedding. Too many of us have the "I have a hundred party tops, and yet I have nothing to wear" kind of closets. Or, the "I only have work clothes, and nothing fancy". It's all about finding that right balance. 
Instead, spare the environment the pollution, and save money on buying long lasting quality items. This way, you can rather spend your money on replacing basics (Also, more left for the occasional splurge on fashion fabs).

(Source: The photos are mine, except the before photo of the jacket in the before photos. That came from the seller. Information about the environment is from "The True Cost Movie" and you can see more at https://truecostmovie.com/learn-more/environmental-impact/.)
15 Comments
beeswax shoe polish link
19/12/2017 11:43:30 am

If you've invested in quality shoes, invest in this quality polish. It helps prolong the life of leather and gives a lasting shine. Benefits: Gives black shoes or boots a long-lasting high shine and covers scuff marks. Beeswax feeds, protects and helps waterproof leather, while carnauba wax enhances the shineof beeswax.

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Paper masters link
8/2/2018 03:26:57 am

​Leather is one of the most eco-unfriendly pieces of material you can produce, between the extreme water consumption and the chemicals used. So, If you have the option to diy fix your outdated or broken leather pieces, the planet would be thankful for it. I'm a big fan of the metallic trend, and gold shoes has been on the top of my shopping list for quite a while.

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thestyleshoes.com link
31/5/2018 02:20:10 am

Thank you for the update, very nice site..

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IDEALIST STYLE link
12/8/2018 12:49:14 pm

Thank you for the kind comment!

Xxx, Sun!

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28/7/2018 09:39:59 am

As the Internet is fast turning into a haven for shopping convenience, more and more busy mothers are embracing the trend. This acceptance comes even in light of the fact that online shoe shopping poses one big disadvantage: you will not be able to try the shoes on before making a purchase. Despite this the many and varied positive aspects of online shoe shopping seems to have won over many customers.

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29/11/2018 11:06:05 am

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IDEALIST STYLE link
22/3/2019 10:43:54 am

Thank you so much for your kind comment!

Xxx, Sun.

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darwinessay net reviews link
8/12/2018 05:02:34 pm

Wow! That was amazing. I really love the outcome of what you did in your leather shoes. Recycle fashion is not bad at all. To be honest, I also do things mostly in my shoes, I love seeing recycled fashion because I can feel that I am a real fashionista. There are lots of materials that can be used in order to make the thing more beautiful. Let us all not waste each other’s clothes or things, learn to recycle. Thank you for sharing the recycle fashion you have made and I really appreciated it.

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IDEALIST STYLE link
22/3/2019 10:46:29 am

Thank you so much for your kind comment. That makes me so happy to hear! :-D

Xxx, Sun.

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13/5/2020 03:47:10 am

Nice post! This is a very nice blog that I will definitively come back to more times this year! Thanks for informative post. Please coming our site

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IDEALIST STYLE link
27/5/2020 03:35:39 pm

Thank you so much for your kind words!

Xxx, Sun.

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Woden NZ link
28/7/2020 11:22:01 pm

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Bobby Chase link
15/1/2021 11:40:59 pm

Hello mmate nice post

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IDEALIST STYLE link
25/1/2021 08:14:47 am

Thank you :-)
Xxx, Sun.

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    ETHICAL AND PERSONALIZED STYLE, FOR A "GOOD FOR YOU" WARDROBE.

    Idealist style is a website and "slow blog" dedicated to ethical fashion and personalized style, including tips on how to find your very own "slow fashion" style by using color analysis, the body types system, and other slow fashion tips.»
    Created by an idealistic fashion designer, stylist, writer, and illustrator with a passion for "good for you" fashion. 
    Very nerdy about it. 
    Born in Norway, educated in Milan, Italy.


    I decided to name my page "Idealist Style", because I'm an idealist. On both a creative. environmental, and a humanitarian level. So, I feel the title suits my message well. 
    i·de·al·ism 
    -The act or practice of envisioning things in an ideal form. 
    -Artist who treats subjects imaginatively. 
    -Belief in or pursuit of one's ideals, of high or noble principles, purposes, or goals. 

    The work on this site is mine unless specified. 

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