Dye Them
I had mine dyed a very soft mint green (which means some day I'll have to make a very soft mint green gown, haha). You'll be surprised what a difference dying your shoes makes - they look completely unique, and you can be sure nobody has exactly the same pair.
You can take them to any shoe repair and choose a color to match your gown, just like prom in the 50s. If you don't want to bother with the trip, and you are thinking of buying some Georgianas, you can add the Custom Dye Service to your order, and I will have them matched to any color you choose, on your behalf. You can also experiment with dying them yourself - the upper material is silk, so will take fabric dyes, but I don't recommend dunking your shoes in a boiling pot. Try painting it on instead :-).
More ideas under the cut ....
 |
| Green shoes with pink binding. Lol. |
Many original 18th century shoes have binding on the edges. I've tried this with some pink bias binding, 1/4" wide (double fold), and used fabric glue to adhere it. It took some fenagling, especially around the curves of the latchets. Petersham ribbon is more period appropriate, but harder to work with.
 |
| Binding + Buckles. |
Try out some fun buckles - I have a variety to choose from in the Boutique, including new heart-shaped rhinestone buckles - or make your own shoe cockades. I made this silly thing with organza ribbon and an old vintage earring for the center, but try cockades made of grosgrain ribbon (here's a tutorial on how to make them).
 |
| Don't be shy with the decorations! Organza frilly thingy with a vintage earring, and a clip on the back. |
The possibilities are endless with the Georgies. You could try silk painting, for instance, or try dying the heel a different color than the body of the shoe. Turn back the latchets and tie them with bows, or make big fluffy buckley-thingies. Have fun!
Do you want some Georgianas? Order them tomorrow, June 24th, for delivery in mid-July:
www.American-Duchess.com
