Vintage...Don't fail me now!!!

[pennyseranade]

If you wear vintage, you've been there...looking your best, holding your head high, when...RIP...run to the ladies room with your safety pins to close a seam that decided at the most inopportune moment to give way. But I never...

I was out last night in my favorite 40s black suede vintage platform ankle strap heels when while walking down a flight of stairs (fortunately at the second to last step) something goes awry. After I pick myself up and shrug off the mortification of landing on my behind, my first thought was my heel gave way. No, that would have been fixable...Instead, the vamp split down the center of my foot:rage: so I hobbled around for the remainder of the evening with a large tear in the top of my shoe.

I know I can't be alone in being out when the irrepairable and unhideable happens. And since misery loves company I would love to find others to share their vintage wardrobe malfunctions...

I am now going out back to bury my shoes in the backyard...[sound of taps playing in the background]:cry:

 

[retrogirl1941]

That is awful! I will provide the eulogy for the funeral . Where should I send flowers?

Samantha

 

[imoldfashioned]

You poor thing! Thank goodness you weren't hurt.

My condolences on the loss of your shoes.

 

[LolitaHaze]

Before you go and toss them, why don't you see if the vamp can be sewn back together (professionall or at home) and then maybe add a small decorative applique to each vamp. It could spice up an already gorgeous pair. You can dye the applique to match the shoes!

 

[RetroModelSari]

I have an idea! Why not make the same slit in your other shoe as well. Put in some eyelets like in a corset and at a pretty contrasting band (like white) and make a pretty bow with it. I´ve never done that, but it might works out and you´ll have a pair of new shoes made off your old ones.

Wether it works or not: I totally feel with you. I allways use my shoes till they fall apart.

 

[Helen Troy]

My favourite carved wooden wedges split like that, allthough not all the way through. And since it is wooden wedges, lucky me can just make new vamps from leather and nail them on.

I feel with you!

Retromodelsari, that is a GREAT idea!

 

[pennyseranade]

Thank you...

For the condolences and more importantly the ideas. I will have to play around with them and see what can be done. If I can bring them back to life, I will let you know.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Seriously, throw nothing away.

At least tape the tear from the underside and put them on display. I have dozens of shoes in my shoe museum.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Make them into planters! lol

 

[ohairas]

I'm so sorry!
I was going to suggest what Lo said, and RetromodelSari had a great idea. Please don't give up on them. If you feel you can't do anything with them, shoot.. throw them in the classifieds. I'm sure someone would be up for the challenge!
Nikki

 

[epr25]

I had this happen to a pair that I was stretching. So unlike you mine fell pray to my own hand. But in any case for a few dollars They could be sewn at a local cobbler. I would think you could get some shoe clips or maybe an old hair thing that could be made into a shoe clip to follow the curve of the resewn area. If you have noone in your area I can give you the name of the people I use and maybe you coudl ship them here? Sounds crazy but they are very good and very reasonable on everything I have ever taken to them. I had another pair that the first step I took the middle brace in the shoe broke. They could bend like a V. I took them in and for $14 they fixed and cleaned them. Good as new. Well 50 year old new. But being that I just got married at the Christmas Story House I enjiyed the "playing taps in the background" refrence.