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How to Stretch Gucci Loafers

Mar 7, 2011 / By Marisa Swanson

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Shoes straight from the store may not fit perfectly, but don't let that stop you. Stretch them!

Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Gucci spells glamor, as most Italian fashion houses do. Incredibly sexy and chicly flashy, the Gucci brand began in 1921. If you've got a pair of Gucci loafers that are between 1/2 and 1 whole size too small, you don't need to put them up on eBay. You can buy a shoe stretching kit and sport your loafers all over town in comfort. Androgynous dressing is always cool, but it has joined a major resurgence in Spring 2011 collections. If you go out wearing a pair of men's or women's loafers, you will be at the height of the "boyfriend" look.

Read the instructions of your kit. Each shoe stretching kit is a bit different. Most of them will come with a shoe-stretching liquid to apply to the leather that makes it supple and form to the new size. There are different stretchers on the market for different shoes. The packaging will tell you what part(s) of the shoe it will stretch and what kind of shoe it is for. Make sure to buy a kit that will work with loafers. For a high quality shoe like Gucci, you should have a high quality stretcher that is wooden.

Apply the stretching liquid to the shoe, per the instructions in your kit.

Insert the shoe stretcher and adjust the screws so the stretcher is applying pressure and pushing outward (from inside) on the leather. If the stretcher doesn't fit perfectly in the shoe at first, consider sanding it down so it does fit. The stretcher will not have indicators to let you know what size you are stretching the shoe to, which is why it's best to practice on a pair of old shoes to know what position the stretcher needs to be in for the desired amount of stretching.

Leave the stretcher in the shoes for 24 to 48 hours to allow the shoe to re-form to its new size. The instructions will tell you how long to leave it in for.

1.Shoe stretching kit

2.Sandpaper

If you've never used a stretcher before, try it out on a pair of shoes you don't use anymore. If you overstretch your shoe, that's it and it will be just as unwearable as if it was too small. You'll want to make sure you know what you're doing when you use it with the Gucci shoes.