Lifting the cardboard box’s lid. Peeling away the crisp, white tissue paper. Peeking at the pristine soles. Smelling the fresh leather scent. What could possibly beat the feeling of unboxing a new pair of women’s loafers or men’s loafers? How about trying them on!

At first, your new loafers will give your feet a warm hug—but a quick walk around your room will alert you to some stiffness. This inflexibility in your new leather shoes or suede kicks might prove frustrating, but with a little work, you can mold them perfectly to your feet.

To help you make your shoes more comfortable, we’ve assembled a series of practical tips and techniques for breaking in loafers, whether they’re made of leather, suede, nubuck, or other materials. Sit back, kick your feet up, and slip right into our comfort guide.

Selecting the Right-Sized Loafers

Before learning how to break in stiff leather loafers, you must first find a pair that fits properly.

When you wear the wrong size, your shoes can’t conform to the shape of your feet. That may lead to discomfort and increase the risk of developing blisters, bunions, ingrown toenails, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and more.

Ouch. Not fun.

The good news is that you don’t have to go to a brick-and-mortar store and step on a piece of cold metal to measure your shoe size. All you need is a pencil, a piece of paper, and either a ruler or a smartphone measuring app.

Don’t know how to find the perfect fit? Here’s how to get started:

1. With the paper resting on the floor (avoid carpets and tape the corners to keep them still), place your foot down and carefully trace around it.
2. Once complete, use your measuring device to determine the length from the top of the biggest toe to the bottom of the heel, and the width across the widest part of your foot (typically across the ball of the foot).

Pro tip: Complete this activity wearing a thick sock, as this will prime you well for your loafers.

Breaking In Loafers: A Breakdown

You know your shoe size. You’ve bought your brand new pair of loafers. Now comes the fun part: Figuring out how to break into your new shoes quickly.

While you’ll find many purported hacks on the internet, here are our tried-and-tested, expert-backed breaking-in strategies for new leather shoes.

Go for a Stroll 

Ever play baseball or softball as a kid? Remember the process of breaking in your mitt?

Perhaps shaving cream was involved, or you rubber banded the sides together and stuck it under your mattress. Or maybe you took a much more basic (yet more effective) approach by using the mitt for its intended purpose: to play catch.

While we don’t recommend using your loafers as a softball glove, we do cosign this straightforward approach. Simply walk around the house with your loafers on.

Walk for two minutes, or walk for twenty. Wear them while vacuuming or dusting the house. Walk around while calling your mother-in-law to wish her a happy birthday. You’re in control based on your schedule and what feels comfortable. Plus, the more you slip into and slip out of the shoes, the more they’ll naturally loosen. This is true for any material.

The best part of this tip? It won’t cost you a cent—and it’s a good excuse to get your steps in.

Bring the Heat

Did you know that heat stretches leather and suede? That’s why blow dryers and loafers make for an unexpectedly dynamic combination. Follow these steps to break in your suede or leather loafers (and make your toes toasty warm):

1. Put on socks to protect your feet and slip on your new loafers.

1. Turn the blow dryer on low to medium heat and aim it at particularly stiff or tight areas—like the toe box or the heel—for a couple of minutes. This will soften and expand your loafers.

1. Once you’re finished, roam around the room and strut your stuff so your loafers can properly mold to your feet.

Pro tip: Be careful not to burn or damage your new shoes by pointing the hair dryer head at the same spot for too long. You don’t want to ruin an immaculate pair of loafers before you have the chance to show them off!

Ice, Ice, Baby

It turns out that heat isn’t the only temperature that can effectively swell your loafers. Freezing cold water also does the trick.

Who’s ready for a little science experiment?

1. Grab two resealable plastic bags and fill them halfway with water. Seal them up tight and place one bag in each shoe—trying, if possible, to position the water to reach the stiffest areas (i.e. the heel or toe box).

1. Stick the loafers in the freezer—they can say hello to their new ice cream carton neighbors—and leave them there for about eight hours.

1. Retrieve your shoes and remove the plastic bags, which will now contain blocks of ice. You should notice a difference when you slip your loafers on (besides a little chill!).

Leather, suede, nubuck, and canvas materials can all weather the frigid climate, so the ice method will work for most types of loafers.

Remember: Before inserting, make sure that the plastic bags are completely sealed before sticking them in your dress shoes. Excessive water due to leakage, for example, may strip away natural oils in leather, causing the shoes to stiffen—which defeats the original purpose of this little experiment.

Shoo Blisters Away

Blisters often find their way onto our feet thanks to friction, heat, or moisture from new leather or suede shoes. Excessive rubbing between the skin and the insole, particularly if the shoe is new and not yet broken in, can lead to serious irritation or chafing, especially along the forefoot or back of the heel where shoes tend to be tightest

Effective loafer-stretching should keep the blisters away, but if you feel a few forming, don’t stress! Fortunately, you can take a few easy measures to prevent blisters from forming on the back of your feet:

• Apply petroleum jelly – This lubricating savior helps effectively reduce friction between socks, shoes, and feet, sending blisters to take a hike and allowing you to enjoy your walk.

• Sock it to them – Wearing thick socks or layering two pairs of socks creates an extra barrier between your skin and the inner loafer, reducing the rubbing and therefore the likelihood of blisters forming. Anti-blister socks also help protect the skin from abrasions, as do moisture-wicking socks.

• Invest in insoles – We typically think of orthotic insoles as providing extra cushion for our feet to better absorb impact when they hit the ground. That said, their ability to relieve pressure (and sometimes soak in moisture) also decreases blister-causing friction to help you walk pain-free.

Phew! Your feet should feel a whole lot better already.

The Best Loafers to Break In

Looking for a pair of loafers to test out your new stretching strategies? We have a few styles in mind:

• Uptown Loafer – The classic Uptown Loafer comes in a variety of elegant colors and materials, like Camel Leather and Black Suede, ideal for date night, the office holiday party, or a barbecue with the in-laws.

• Bay Slip On Loafer – For a bold choice, try the Bay Slip On Loafer. The colorways are made with different materials (leather, suede, nubuck) to suit your preferences, and a silky soft upper caresses your feet to deliver the ultimate comfort.

• Uptown Willa Slip-On Sneaker – The Uptown Willa Slip On Sneaker flashes poppy monochromatic designs. It’s lightweight and sporty with an ultra-flexible outsole that supports your on-the-go lifestyle.

Break In—and Stand Out—with Vionic

Finding a pair of loafers that balances form and function can be intimidating. Here at Vionic, we understand the struggle. Our comfortable shoe collection, using patented Vio Motion technology, is stylish and built to provide high-quality stability, arch support, and cushioning. Slip into any pair of Vionics, use our break-in tips if necessary, and you’ll be walking on cloud nine in no time.

Sources:

Blister Prevention. Spenco Insoles Prevent Blisters Under Feet. https://www.blister-prevention.com/blogs/prevention/spenco-insoles

Cleveland Clinic. 5 Ways To Avoid Blisters (and the Best Way To Treat Them). https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-ways-to-avoid-blisters-and-the-best-ways-treat-them

Real Simple. 8 Ways to Stretch Shoes So They Fit Better Than Ever. https://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/shoes-accessories/how-to-stretch-shoes

Suiter Swantz. Patent of the Day: Shoe Stretcher. https://suiter.com/patent-of-the-day-shoe-stretcher/

Vionic. How to Measure Your Shoe Size for a Perfect Fit. https://www.vionicshoes.ca/blogs/news/how-to-measure-your-shoe-size-for-a-perfect-fit/

Vionic. How To Widen Shoes: 4 Effective Methods and Techniques. https://www.vionicshoes.ca/blogs/news/how-to-widen-shoes/

Vogue. How to Stretch Shoes For a Perfect Fit Without Damage. https://www.vogue.com/article/how-to-stretch-shoes

Wrightsock. 6 Ways to Break in New Shoes Without the Blisters. https://www.wrightsock.com/blogs/news/6-blister-free-ways-break-in-shoes