Like many others, my TOMS reached the point of being too filthy to wear in public. Yeah, it might be socially unacceptable to wear old brown shoes, but they are still totally comfortable and generally in good shape- I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. So they sat in my closet for months, and though I may have worn them once or twice, I considered them a lost cause. Luckily, I found the solution of dyeing them and decided to try my hand at a little shoe repair. It’s super easy and pretty cheap, too!
Things You’ll Need
White canvas shoes (works best when new)
2 Bowls
Dylon Fabric Dye
Paint Brush
Rubber Gloves
1. Add warm water and salt to one bowl.
2. Mix dye powder and a little but of water to another other bowl.
3. Lightly dampen the shoes with your paintbrush before starting.
4. Add color from the dye into the bowl of water. I chose to have my shoes fade from light to dark, called ombre. If you choose to do this too, remember to only start by adding a little dye so it can gradually get darker as you progress.
5. Lightly brush on lightest color of paint into the backs on each shoe.
6. Add more fabric dye to the water to make the ombre effect as you continue to paint the shoe.
7. Wait 24 hours to set in before rising off the dye.
Tips
· Paint the inside of the shoes, or else it will show!
· Wipe off the soles immediately if any dye gets on them, or you will have to paint the entire bottom.
· Take your paintbrush and blend the light and darker sections together so there is a smooth transition rather than stripes.
· You may need to do two coats, depending on how dark you want it to be.
· Make sure you hold your shoes darkest side down when washing off the dye.