How to Make Glitter Shoes!

If you are a fan of all things that sparkle, then the thought of glittery shoes probably makes your heart beat a little faster.

You can shell out some dough for a pair like this but did you know that you can also make your own glitter shoes or boots at home? There are many ways to get this look, but here’s what I did to make mine.

Related: DIY Masked + Printed Geometric Flats, How to Paint Leather, and Easy Croc Charms DIY.

Supplies:

• A pair of shoes that you want to glitter. We did a pair of bootie heels and a pair of heels
• Either fabric glue or tacky glue
• Glitter
• Small paint brush
• Painters tape or masking tape
• Sealer like Mod Podge

Is there a type of shoe material that works best for this glitter DIY?

• While there are a lot of fabrics that can work for this, our favorite material would be a suede or dull leather/faux leather material that’s not too shiny (like these boots or these shoes). Cloth shoes should work as well!

What type of glue is best for this project?

• We’ve found that fabric glue or tacky glue works best for this kind of project since it’s made to bond with items like glitter and fabric. Glue that’s mostly for paper, for example, wouldn’t be a good choice.

Can I use biodegradable glitter?

• You should be able to use biodegradable glitter for this project (like this or this). Since DIY glitter shoes probably aren’t something that you’ll go hiking in or wear out during a monsoon, you should be fine using biodegradable glitter as long as you keep them out of extreme elements.

If you want that glitter look in less time …

Try adding glitter to just one part of the shoe like the heel or the toe. You can tape off a section that you want to add glitter to with painter’s/masking tape and cover the rest of the shoe in a plastic bag to keep glitter off it.

Then, apply the glitter to the part that you want to highlight. It’s less mess and less time, but you’ll still get a glitter accent on your shoes.

How do I apply the glitter?

All you have to do is use a small paint brush to apply a heavy layer of glue to a section of your shoes and cover them in glitter (pour it on over a piece of paper).

Allow that section to dry, and then do more and more sections until your shoes are completely covered in glitter!

After you’ve worn them a couple times, you might have to touch them up with more glitter. It really depends on the pair of shoes and how much they bend when you walk! Beware, glittering shoes is pretty messy.

You could also do this in a plastic bin or box lid to try and keep it contained. You’ll be finding glitter everywhere for a week or two, but I think it’s worth it!

You can do several coats of glitter to 1000% cover the item, but it also helps to have the base shoe be a similar color so if you have small amount of gaps you really won’t notice it.

Do I need to seal the glitter?

You don’t “have” to seal the glitter, but it will help the item wear better and longer (with much less shedding) if you add a coat or two of a sealer once your glue has dried. It will be white, but it dries clear so you’ll still get the full glitter effect when dry.

Tips:

It can be difficult to get the details perfect, like going around laces if you have some, or getting the tongue of the shoes and creating clean edges.

Take your time and after you’ve finished the entire shoe and it’s dry, go back and fix any details that you missed with more glitter! These are a little time consuming, but I finished a couple pairs in one evening.

Can I add glitter to other items as well?

Yes! You can add glitter in this manner to other accessories like hair clips or purses.

Just be mindful of items that are handled a lot since these DIY glitter items are more fragile, so make sure the purse has another area that you hold most of the time, or a strap or something so you aren’t always handing the glittered area to make it last longer.

Here’s a full-on glitter shoe that Elsie made for our friend Stacy several years ago. How cute are those?! Maximum sparkle opportunity. What do you think: Are you a glitter shoe person now?! xo. Elsie and Laura

Love this post? Sign up for our newsletter for more ideas!

Join Now

Get creative ideas for recipes, crafts, decor, and more in your inbox!

Name *

Email *

GDPR Agreement *

• I consent to receive emails from this site. *

Sign Up

No ratings yet

Print

Get the How-To

How to add glitter to shoes or boots!

Cost $7

Yield 1

Prep 20 minutes mins

Dry Time 1 hour hr

Total 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Supplies

1x2x3x

• ▢ painters or masking tape
• ▢ plastic bag
• ▢ paint brush
• ▢ fabric glue
• ▢ glitter
• ▢ sealer (like Mod Podge)

Equipment

• ▢
  Bin or box lid
• ▢
  Pair of shoes you want to glitter

Instructions

• All you have to do is use a small paint brush to apply a heavy layer of glue to a section of your shoes, cover them in glitter (pour it on over a piece of paper).

  Allow that section to dry and then do more and more sections until your shoes are completely covered in glitter!
• After you’ve worn them a couple times, you might have to touch them up with more glitter. It really depends on the pair of shoes and how much they bend when you walk!

  Beware, glittering shoes is pretty messy. You could also do this in a plastic bin or box lid to try and keep it contained. You’ll be finding glitter everywhere for a week or two, but I think it’s worth it!
• You can do several coats of glitter to 1000% cover the item, but it also helps to have the base shoe be a similar color so if you have small amount of gaps you really won’t notice it.
• You don’t “have” to seal the glitter, but it will help the item wear better and longer with much less shedding if you add a coat or two of a sealer once your glue has dried.

  It goes on white, but dries clear so you’ll still get the full glitter effect when dry.

Notes

It can be difficult to get the details perfect, like going around laces if you have some, or getting the tongue of the shoes and creating clean edges.

Take your time and after you’ve finished the entire shoe and it’s dry, go back and fix any details that you missed with more glitter! These are a little time consuming, but I finished a couple pairs in one evening.

© Author Laura Gummerman