Caring For Your Pointe Shoes
Preparing Your Shoes
If these are your first pair of pointe shoes then we would recommend that you take them to your teacher for her to check that she is happy with them before you sew the ribbons on or break them in.
You’ll need to sew your ribbons on before you’re able to wear them for class. See our guide to sewing ribbons and elastic on pointe shoes.
Some dancers like to darn the ends (platform) of their shoes to preserve the life of the satin and make the shoes a little less slippery. Click for our darning guide.
If darning isn’t for you then we sometimes recommend gluing a suede tip onto the platform as this will have similar benefits to darning but is a little quicker and easier to do. Click here for a YouTube link to a really helpful guide on how to adjust and attach the suede tips to your new pointe shoes.
Breaking In Shoes
The very best way to break your shoes in is just to walk around in them allowing the shoes to mould to your feet. We suggest wearing a pair of thick socks over the top of your shoes as this helps to keep the warmth in the shoes to gently soften them. Try walking around on demi pointe to help soften the shoe at this point. Never go up and down the stairs in your new shoes !
We would not advise overly bending or bashing the shoes as seen on some youtube clips - this only shortens the life of your shoes. Some of the modern technologies used in shoes today really don’t require this kind treatment.
Caring for Shoes
Once you’ve worn your shoes then they will need to be dried out. This is because the moisture from your feet breaks down the glue that keeps the box strong. If your shoes are not allowed time to dry thoroughly between classes then they will not last you as long as they should.
We suggest that you hang your shoes up to dry overnight ensuring that you remove any toe pads or other padding from them first.
Always keep your shoes in a mesh/cotton breathable bag, plastic bags trap the moisture in and again reduce the lifespan of your pointe shoes.
If these are your first pair of pointe shoes then we would recommend that you take them to your teacher for her to check that she is happy with them before you sew the ribbons on or break them in.
You’ll need to sew your ribbons on before you’re able to wear them for class. See our guide to sewing ribbons and elastic on pointe shoes.
Some dancers like to darn the ends (platform) of their shoes to preserve the life of the satin and make the shoes a little less slippery. Click for our darning guide.
If darning isn’t for you then we sometimes recommend gluing a suede tip onto the platform as this will have similar benefits to darning but is a little quicker and easier to do. Click here for a YouTube link to a really helpful guide on how to adjust and attach the suede tips to your new pointe shoes.
Breaking In Shoes
The very best way to break your shoes in is just to walk around in them allowing the shoes to mould to your feet. We suggest wearing a pair of thick socks over the top of your shoes as this helps to keep the warmth in the shoes to gently soften them. Try walking around on demi pointe to help soften the shoe at this point. Never go up and down the stairs in your new shoes !
We would not advise overly bending or bashing the shoes as seen on some youtube clips - this only shortens the life of your shoes. Some of the modern technologies used in shoes today really don’t require this kind treatment.
Caring for Shoes
Once you’ve worn your shoes then they will need to be dried out. This is because the moisture from your feet breaks down the glue that keeps the box strong. If your shoes are not allowed time to dry thoroughly between classes then they will not last you as long as they should.
We suggest that you hang your shoes up to dry overnight ensuring that you remove any toe pads or other padding from them first.
Always keep your shoes in a mesh/cotton breathable bag, plastic bags trap the moisture in and again reduce the lifespan of your pointe shoes.