Style DIY: Marc Jacobs Studded Flats

May 31, 2007 by Morgan  Send to a Friend

DIY: Marc Jacobs metal studded flat shoes

Do It With: one pair black leather ballet flats, 16 pyramid studs, an exacto knife, a hammer or other blunt object, electrical tape, and forty-five minutes to an hour of your time.

Do It Why? Marc Jacobs’ metal-studded ballet flats are totally cute, but at first sight are definitely of the ‘I could do that myself…’ variety. Why spend $575 on something that you can make at your kitchen table in less time than it takes to watch Days of Our Lives?

Is Marc Jacobs going to come after me? These are really more MJ-inspired than exact replicas; if you want them to look a little more authentic keep an eye out for slippers without an elastic strap across the top, and try weathering some black pyramid studs with sandpaper and using them in place of the silver ones. Imitation is considered the highest form of flattery, but either way, these shoes are mad comfortable so you should have no problem running away from angry fashion designers if it comes to that.

Difficulty Level: On a scale of 1-5 this is an easy 1.5 - it’s a quick project and the only slightly difficult part is making sure to go easy with the exacto knife, as it’s pretty easy to accidentally make a larger slit for the studs than you actually need.

Cost: I got my black leather Capezio ballet slippers at Robcyn’s in Alexandria for $21.50, but I called Backstage Inc in SE and their least expensive pair is $16. You can get silver (or black) pyramid studs at Smash! in Adams Morgan for 10 cents apiece, and if you don’t already have some laying around, electrical tape is about a dollar. The whole project comes in right around 20 bucks.

DO IT, YOUNG THINGS:

1. Using the picture of the real-deal shoes as a guide, press 8 studs into the top of the first shoe. Start with the bottom middle stud (since it lines up perfectly in the middle of the shoe, right above the opening) and work your way out. Since you won’t be able to push them all the way through without terrible, brutish strength, just press them in place until you see that the prongs have made indentations in the leather, then use the exact-o knife to make slits in those places.

2. When you’ve finished placing the studs into their little slits, secure them in place with a few strips of electrical tape across the top.

3. Flip the shoe inside out, being careful not to lose any studs in the process.

4. One by one, press the prongs of the studs down and in with the hammer (or whatever blunt object you have handy).

5. Before flipping the shoe right-side out, cover the exposed metal of the prongs with electrical tape so they don’t hurt your little toes.

6. If, like mine, your ballet slippers have a drawstring tie, try them on and tie a tight knot at the point where they’re comfortable and well-fitting. Snip the excess length.

7. Repeat for shoe 2.

all done! have fun kicking around town in your twenty dollar $575 shoes.

click to enlarge.

(can’t can enough Morgan? We don’t blame you. CCCCHEEEECK pandahead.blogspot.com for all her street style hunting ways)

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