Learn How to DIY Three Expensive Street Style Shoes

Tools and Materials:

• White platform tennis shoes
• Hemp
• Water-resistant spray
• Fabric glue
• Black slides
• Needle and thread
• Beads
• Block heel slides
• Thick fabric
• Rickrack

Make espadrille tennis shoes

For this first shoe trend, I went out and got myself a pair of these popular, white, platform tennis shoes. You may already have a pair of these sitting at home just waiting to be styled!

I just knew that once I had finished making these shoes I would absolutely adore them! I decided to spray them with a water-resistant spray to give them some protection because I used glue, so they can’t go in the wash. 

To create a gorgeous pair of espadrille tennis shoes, I started by braiding my hemp. I realized the hemp was a little too thin so I doubled it and braided with six pieces instead of three. I made eight super long braids so that I would have enough to wrap around the platform of my shoe. 

I then took my glue and made sure the entire platform of the shoe was covered. I stuck down my eight, beautiful hemp braids and used tape to make sure they would stay in place while the glue dried. 

Once my braids were glued onto the shoe I snipped off the extra end pieces and glued them under a white piece of fabric to give my new espadrille shoes a perfect, unique finish.  

Make beaded slides

I had an idea to add beading onto a shoe and these black slides were the perfect blank canvas for me to get creative! 

I started by drawing an eye pattern on canvas. I love this pattern and I had an image in my head of the chic look it would have on the shoe. 

I started beading onto the canvas. I put three beads on my needle and thread at a time and made sure that when I was beading everything was kept tight and close. I followed my pattern until I had a beautifully finished eye.

Once my beading was finished, I cut the eye out of the canvas.

I used fabric glue to stick down my eyes onto the slides. I was careful because I wanted them to be in the same position on each shoe. I love the finished result. These look like high-end slides which can be paired with any outfit!

Create a rickrack style block heel

I love that these shoes have a nineties throwback block heel and I was ready to modernize them by creating a rickrack design. 

I started by tracing the top of the shoe onto some thick fabric. I did this because I wanted a double layer to cover up the original braiding of the shoe. If your heel doesn’t have any indentations on the top, don’t worry about having a double layer. 

I cut out the fabric and glued it on the top of the shoe. 

I then added another piece of fabric that was bigger and would be able to fold under the top of the shoe. 

I was then able to pull open the sole of the shoe and push as much fabric in there as possible so that I’d be able to glue it down properly later. 

In this next step, I took another piece of fabric and sewed on three of these awesome, colorful rickrack pieces. 

I made sure that my rickrack piece of fabric was longer than the fabric I used to wrap around the top of my shoe so that I could create the gorgeous pleating. 

I then wrapped the fabric around the shoe, making sure my pleated fabric was under the other piece. 

Once my fabrics were in place, I glued down the fabric under the top of the shoe and into the sides of the sole. I love this step because it is so close to the finished product and you can really see it all coming together. 

I am absolutely obsessed with these rickrack, block heel shoes. I just love how they turned out!

These trendy pairs of shoes were so easy and fun to make. Which pair is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!