DIY: BLACK LOLITA BOOTS

last February 5 was my very first costrip experience at the Otakufest IV. 2 weeks prior to the event, i ransacked my closet and looked for the black lolita dress i have been keeping for 2 years now, and retouched a few accessories i made back in college. then i came to the dilemma of what shoes to wear. looked over the internet for some affordable lolita Maryjanes and boots but neither suit my budget.. XD my last option was raiding the Thrift stores around the city aka “Ukay-Ukay!”.. and eureka! i found just the perfect pair…. tadaa~



and since it looks really plain and boring, i made a little tweaking to this platform boots to make it more Lolita-ish! so if you guys also have a bunch of footwear you’d like to redesign, you can go over these steps and work your own fashionable piece.. here we go!

MATERIALS:

1. Ribbons- since my costume comprised mostly of black colors, i chose this bluish black scrap fabric i got from my mom, and sewed them to 6 pieces of ribbons, about 4x2 inches each.



2. Super Glue- using glue instead of sewing the ribbons on the boots saves you from all the hassles and needle pricks.. :D (you can use Mighty Bond or Bulldog.)



3. Straps- boot straps add accent to the footwear. i got these from my other pair of high-ankle boots.


4. Chains- silver chains for that spunky, kuro loli aura! XD

STEPS:

1. Wash and clean the boots. since this pair has a leathery, velvety texture, i had to spray on leather polish (Armor All or Glade Spray Polish) to smooth the surface before attaching the ribbons.

2. Determine where to position your ribbons. in my case, i placed 3 of them on the front part with equal distances of 2 inches. Start gluing from the bottom going upwards.. CAUTION: Super Glue has enormous sticking power!!! XD it could glue your fingers together and peel your skin off, so PLEASE BE CAREFUL.. ^^;



here’s how it looks after gluing the ribbons:



3. attach the boot straps. you need not glue them.. :)


4. followed by the silver chains. Ball chains are the only ones available when i did this but it’d look better if you use those with square or diamond shaped links.


and you’re done!! :))


ADDITIONAL TIPS:

*before revamping your own footwear, it’s better to make a concept/study on how you want your new shoes to look like. you can just remember it, or better yet sketch it.. :)

*make sure the shoes matches your outfit.

*to get that black or gothic lolita look for your shoes, you can also accentuate using laces, silk ribbons, white pearls, skulls, and cross pendants.

*let your imaginations fly. experimenting with colors and patterns also help..



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