Can leather boots be widened? (cut, look, full, cheap)

[JanuaryGirl]

I have a pair of very nice tall leather boots I bought last year. However, I think they were in tad tight in the calf when I bought them and in the last year I've put on some weight/muscle. Is it possible to have the back slit a couple inches down and elastic put in? That way, they would stretch but hopefully it wouldn't be noticable. Who would be able to do this? Is this just asking to ruin a pair of expensive boots?

[Gerania]

It's possible, they make some boots that way as you know. Usually the slit is on the side of the calf. Do these boots slip on or is there a zipper? Is the lining fabric, leather, or unlined.

I think that you'd mark a cut line, sew two sets of parallel lines close together left and right of this cut line. The stitching would hold the elastic in place as well as reinforce the cut.

Who does this? Skilled shoe repair, shoe maker, leathercraft people. Good luck in finding someone. In this throw away society, there are fewer and fewer of them.

[SuSuSushi]

I'd suggest doing something other than elastic -- it will look too cheap. Take them to a good shoe repair shop and have them make an opening that laces shut. That way, you will have the fit you need, and sexy lacing up the back of the calf or wherever you want it.

[JanuaryGirl]

They do have a zipper, it doesn't go all the way up, just from the ankle to half-way to make the opening wider.

I thought about doing laces, but they wouldn't really go with the style. I think I need to start searching for an actual shoe repair shop. I would hope they could do the elastic so it doesn't really show much (I have another pair like this, just a small elastic narrow 'v' in the back middle). I'm so nervous about trusting someone to do this though, maybe I just need to seriously diet and exercise to make my calves smaller, lol!

[LynnePatrice]

You can bring them to a good shoe repair place and they can stretch them for you with a machine. I did this and it helped but I doubt they could stretch them 2 inches.

It also depends upon how they are constructed but I would try this option before I had someone cut them apart. Good luck.

[JanuaryGirl]

Originally Posted by LynnePatrice

You can bring them to a good shoe repair place and they can stretch them for you with a machine. I did this and it helped but I doubt they could stretch them 2 inches.

It also depends upon how they are constructed but I would try this option before I had someone cut them apart. Good luck.

Really? That sounds like a great option! And, I don't need them 2 inches widers, I meant the elastic could be about 2 inches vertically, calves haven't gotten that much bigger thank god!

Thanks for the info, I'm going to look into that then since I think about a 1/4" would do the trick!

[JanuaryGirl]

Update-- After much searching I found a shoe repair shop that was able to widen the boots! It only cost $6 and was done overnight, now they fit beautifully!

[LynnePatrice]

Great! So much better than trying to alter them.

[TurnedOnByFeet]

A company that makes boots for bigger calved women would make lotsa mulla.

I find women with bigger calves more attractive.

[cfarris]

If in the future you want to make a shoe or just part of a shoe bigger i would try this funny little trick.
Fill a bread bag or a zipper bag full of water and put it in the shoe or just the top of the boot and freeze it. In a day or so take it out of the freezer and let it warm back up and take the water out.
It works great for the shoes i have tried it on.