7 Easy Steps to DIY Pink Studded Heels

A few years ago I set out to make my own studded heels with a pair of bandage booties I bought from Aldo. It was something I had pictured in my mind wayyyy before Valentino, Chloe, Jeffery Campbell or Givenchy came up with their versions. Unfortunately I am not the one making the millions off of the idea now but that’s fine.

All the images have been taken by my wonderful friend Sandrine Florent of Kécôma.

Studded Heels Project

It was a fun little project for me and to emulate Louboutin’s red sole, I made mine hot pink. The whole thing was really easy to make. To reproduce these DIY studded heels here’s what you’ll need:

• Leather, vegan leather, suede or fabric bandage heels, below is a list of great ones to choose from:
  • Black leather gladiator caged heel
  • Gladiator stiletto heel booties
  • Open toe stiletto high heels gladiator boots
  • High heel open toe stilettos zip shoes

• Spray can of the colour of your choice for the sole
• Masking tape
• Seam ripper
• Measuring tape

• Leather craft studs (these are the easiest to work with)
• Plastic bag

Creating Your Studded Shoes

Step 1

Determine the pattern of the studs you want. Then, place the stud on the shoe and mark where you want it to reside. That’s where you will poke holes with the seam ripper.

Add your stud and make sure that the picks go through the material.

Step 2

Measure the distance between your first stud and second to mark the holes for the next stud.

Step 3

This is how to push the studs through.

Step 4

Turn to the other side of the shoe and fold the picks so it locks in. Repeat steps 1-4 until you done all your studs.

Step 5

Once you’ve finished adding all your studs, put a plastic bag on each shoe.

Step 6

Secure the bag with masking tape to ensure no paint touches the top part of the shoe.

Step 7

Hold the shoe at a distance and spray the paint. Let dry and apply another coat.

And you’re all done! Now enjoy your new studded heels with your favourite rock and roll outfit.

I wore mine with my motorcycle leather vest (find a similar one here and here), white jeans, and a white H & M top.

If you’re not sure how to wear white jeans or pants because you fear the “sheer factor,” don’t panic, because I got you covered here, no pun intended.

I took it a step further for the shoot and painted my toe nails pink to match the sole. I’ve made these shoes nearly 8 years ago, and to this day I get compliments on them. To me, they’re considered classics :).

The Gist of it

So if you’re into crafting and DIY, this is a pretty easy project to get into. It may take a few hours to complete but it’s totally doable and really easy, with little material to procure.

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