DIY Glitter Brogues – How To Cover Your Shoes In Glitter Without Making A Mess
This tutorial will teach you how to make eye-catching glittery shoes using a technique that won't make a mess in the process or have you leaving a tell-tale trail of glitter wherever you go. No vacuum cleaner necessary! Read on...
Modcloth "Knock Your Socks Off" Heels - $134.99 (Sold Out)
Glitter shoes have been around for a long time, just think of Dorothy and The Wizard Of Oz. The inspiration for this pair in particular comes from the popular ModCloth "Knock Your Socks Off" heels, which are now sold out and unfortunately not immune to the shedding issue. According to Christina, a reviewer: "They are AMAZING, so many people have complemented me over these shoes. However the glitter falls of the shoes in massive amounts, and I am afraid this will cause bald spots on the shoes." I don't mean to call out a beautiful pair of shoes that I would wear in a heartbeat--I just want to point out that this is a problem for most glittery things. However, I can tell you the trick to making sure the glitter stays put with this simple DIY.
What you'll need:
- A pair of shoes!
Any shoe will do.Hard sturdy shoes work best. - Loose glitter
- Mod Podge (glossy)
- A paint brush
- Masking tape or painter's tape (if necessary)
- Q-tips for cleaning eyeholes (if necessary)
Your first step is to remove any laces and use tape to protect the inside of the eyehole flaps or any other areas that might accidentally touch glue (if applicable). Pour the Mod Podge into a a small disposable receptacle like a clean paper cup. Mix in loose glitter to your desired coverage. If you want the shoes completely covered, pour in a lot of glitter, but keep the consistency runny rather than peanut-buttery. Paint the Podge and glitter mix on the shoe in a thin layer. Clean up the eyeholes or any mistakes with a q-tip as you go, and wait until the shoe is dry before adding more layers. Fill in any missed spots, and allow to dry again. Then paint a final thin layer of Mod Podge alone without any glitter mixed in. Once dry, remove the masking tape slowly and carefully. That's it! You're done, Twinkle Toes!
Most glittery shoes are made by spraying glue on a shoe and then dumping loose glitter on top. It's no wonder they lose a lot of glitter! Using my technique, you mix the glitter in with the glue, and then add a clear protective layer. The glitter is completely covered, but still shines though. It isn't going anywhere, not even if you rub on the shoe. Guaranteed! This is also a good way to preserve a pair of factory-made glitter shoes that have the shedding problem, such as the cute ModCloth ones.
Special Note: Can the shoes get wet? They can handle a little splash here and there, but treat them like suede shoes and don't wear them in the rain. You can spray them with a clear acrylic sealant (sold next to Mod Podge) to make them waterproof, but the spray is toxic and I don't personally recommend it. I'd rather check the weather before going out and keep them friendly. 
Glitter Brogues. Size: 7M - $? Make me an offer! Sold.
These shoes aren't actually mine; they're not my size. I made them for you! Interested? Email me! (Update: Sold.) I figure I'll let you all have a grab at them before putting them on eBay or Etsy. The shoe is in mint condition and made of genuine leather (sorry, Vegans!). The original label is Mainframe. I recommend wearing them with sky blue socks and a white or peach summer dress. Cute, right? Ah, I wish I could wear them!
Are you going to try this DIY? Send pictures when you're done!
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Other easy DIY posts you might like:
118 Responses to “DIY Glitter Brogues – How To Cover Your Shoes In Glitter Without Making A Mess”
wow! nice work
love the blog
great posts!
stop by some time xx
i adore with glitter shoes but when i saw this title “DIY Glitter Brogues” the first thing that came to mind was indeed a big glittery mess – This is genius!
Oh, this is so so cute! I wish I wore this size!! Great tutorial:)
xx
Those are RAD. I have to say, I would be interested in the results of a usability test.
PS – usability as in, “what happens to the glitter in the creases of the shoes after you break them in?”. I have never had the pleasure of owning a pair of glitter shoes. Converse made some at one time…but I missed the boat.
You did such an amazing job on these! I wondered about glitter falling of those modcloth shoes although I haven’t ordered them yet, but I will definitely take your advice if I do! Great tutorial
Have you seen the new pink louboutins? They’re on par with these beauts! Love them xx
Super excellent post. Annie, you do these mod-your-stuff things SO WELL.
Thanks, everyone! xox
erinsapparel – The Mod Podge is flexible and the glitter is immobile, so I highly doubt there’s any risk of it migrating to the creases or the shoes cracking.
Felicia – Yes! They are gorgeous! Aren’t we magpies? Lol..
This is so awesome. Will have to do this when I get the chance!
wow its nicely done
you wicked wicked darling annie! i love your diy! so fantastic.
hope youre having an absolute wonderful weekend
take care honey
xx ediot
boo, not my size either!
I just had to comment as soon as I saw this because about 4 years ago I spent so much precious time in failed attempts at making glittery shoes. So much thanks!
Heather – Let me know when you finish!
Minette – Thank you, that means a lot to me.
Thanks, everyone! xox
Awesome DIY. I so want to make a pair.
Oooh, glitter shoes! What a fun addition to a summer wardrobe! Great idea and love that it’s no mess!
invasionista
i absolutely love anything glitter and you did such an amazing job with this diy. i diy glitter my nails but it’s nothing like a pair of shoes. so impressed!
xxx
t
Super nice post!Cute shoes:)
Those are gorgeous and such a great idea for a DIY project
oh wow, these look AMAZING! must find a cute pair of flats or brouges or something & buy some glitter and give this a go!
I did this once with a friend for a show at school!
We used a spray with glitter, instead of loose glitter and the effect was kind of similar but we couldn’t get the multicoloured thing which looks amazing in these!
Wow! I will have to hunt down a pair of shoes to try this on.
okay, i am SO GLAD you posted this. I actually bought glitter last week to do basically this exact same thing, but i couldnt’ figure out the best way!
so yes i will definitely be trying this! and i’ll be sure to share when i’m done!
I love your DIY posts. So wishing I could find the time to have a go at some DIY.
This is a great tutorial. I can’t wait to try it. It seems easier than other methods I’ve tried.
That’s a really good idea!
Annie you are my DIY hero!
I would totally buy those off of you if they were in my size ( I take a 9 sometimes a 10).
I’ve got a vintage purse from the 60′s that’s covered in glitter and miraculously the glitter stays put. I think in the old days they were more careful about how they applied glitter to things and used a slower but more effective approach like the one you’ve demonstrated here. I guess it’s just cheaper for companies to spray and dip.
Oh yeah and acrylic sealants are big time nasty! Unfortunately I’ve had to use them once or twice for art projects but it’s not something I enjoy using at all. I wish they could make a non-toxic sealant spray.
this is ingenious, i like it!
Well done, darling!
xoxox,
CC
Ohhh Those are so cute! I have to do this:)
Have a great Sunday:)
What a fantastic idea, I never even really thought about making my own pair after I saw the gorgeous modcloth ones but you make it look really easy and the results look awesome!
I’m a complete magpie and adore these shoes!
Definitely going to give this a try (but I’m sure I’ll have much less professional results)
x
This is the greatest DIY everrrrr!!! I love love love those shoes!
Wow you made those! Thanks for the tutorial! Great DIY! haha
Thank for your visit.I`m glad it.Hopefully I will meet you my blog again.Here is beautiful:)
Friendly greetings.
Kata
The shoes are fab and the DIY seems doable. Can´t wait to try this. Thanks for showing the ¨how to¨ to us!
Belated happy birthday to you, too!
Oh, I really like the look of them!
…xXx
ooooh these are so FUN!!! I’ve been wanting to do a fun shoe DIY. These would be a lot of fun.
Amber
ambersmouthwash
This is so great Annie.. very fun DIY.. Also happy belated B day you look so pretty below
Those are SO cool! Love ‘em!
these are fabulous! such a great idea and they turned out really well xx
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Wow, what an awesome DIY!!
Love ‘em! They are like rockstar shoes lol
How fun!!
Oh, I love the idea! Great effect too! Maybe I’ll use it someday!:)
GREAT DIY! they turned out amazing. but i dont have a clue where to buy mod podge here in germany.
xoxo
FANTASTIC JOB!! …stumbling
Okay, I am definitely bookmarking this DIY post. Glitter and sparkles are a weakness of mine…. I want to get to work on this immediately. Your creativity is so inspiring!!!
Amazeballs!!! I love them, come DIY my wardrobe
xxxx
well you can always stud them toO! thats always nice.
thanks for stopping by honey hope youre doing great
take care
xx ediot
Super cool DIY! Great job!
wow they look awesome! does the glitter flake off at all?
Good effort!
OMG I MUST DO THIS!!!!!
that is utterly amazing! great work! i like these even better!!!
Thanks, everyone!
Helen – No, none at all, not even one little speck of glitter, not even if you rub on them. The glitter isn’t going anywhere. That’s the whole point!
Love this DIY! You are so crafty as usual.
The final product came out fabulous.
Alas, my feet are too big (wear 8.5)!
xo, becs
what a great diy!!
Hello! Your glittery shoes looks amazing!
Once I got the same idea but I used normal white glue and dumped the glitter. When the shoes were dry they got rock hard and I couldn’t wear them
Now I’m going to try to use your technique with a decoupage gloss
AMAZING! Great job hun!
im not sure about the shape of the shoe but i love the sparkle
http://www.walkoffashion.com
i love when you share these d.i.y.’s…….awesome! i still think i would be covered in glitter though….and my dogs
Oh God!This is amazing,I love DIY.
You must show us your outfit with these shoes!!
xoxo
Hey lovely, at the moment the AA nail polishes are lasting around 3 days before chipping
So not great!
- Adele
moltocuriosa.com
WOW! This is one of the coolest DIY projects I’ve ever seen!
Thanks for sharing this! It’s genius!
xx
Awesome job! I’ve checked out your other diy’s and I’m going to go buy the supplies for some.
Style With Benefits – Mine too. :/
Frozi – Oh no! Haha.. Yes, this gloss is flexible.
Sophie – I cannn’t! They’re not my size! I made them for you
if you’re a 7 
McKenzie – Cool! Let me know when you do, I’d love to see!
Everyone – Thanks!
This is a nice DIY, and what you did with the shoes is perfect, It doesn’t look like it was just home made it looks like it was made in a factory.
[...] DIY Glitter Brogues – How To Cover Your Shoes In Glitter Without … [...]
Can I do this on patent leather shoes? I have a pair that got ruined (long story), but they would look great covered in glitter…
Erinsapparel – Yes! Absolutely. I believe this will work on just about any type of shoe. The ones I used were leather. Send me a pic when you’re done! I’m thinking of compiling a post of everyone’s different interpretations of my DIYs.
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Your shoe DIYs are always so enviable. I will never have enough willpower to do something crafty with my shoes.
I love these!! unfortunately, I am not a size 7, boo…but now I will just need to make my own pair. thanks for posting these instructions, they will definately be used by me in the future! <3
Well, I did the mod podge on a pair of tennis shoes for a little girl and the masking tape stuck to the rubber!!!! Nightmare, I had to use WD-40 to get it off other wise, use good masking tape, the rest was a breeze!
Thanks for the DIy
I’m gonna to a pair of leather clogs, and buy better masking tape, maybe it’ll work better than canvas converse, any suggestions would be appreciated.
Kim – You don’t really need masking tape on the rubber part. The tape is mainly for the insides of the eyehole flaps so they don’t get glued to the tongue. If you go “outside-the-lines” and get podge on the rubber, it can be cleaned off easily with a wet q-tip before the podge dries. If you must use tape on rubber or it leaves glue behind anywhere, nail polish remover will do the trick.
Please do send me a pic of the clogs when you’re done!
I cannot wait to try this!!! Thanks, Miss Annie. <3
wow, his was awesome, you really great
wow, you frekkin good
This technique works wonderfully- but unfortunately the coating does indeed split when you walk
I covered some heels in red glitter, they look fab, but the layers of mod podge have split where the shoe creases. Just a heads up!
Sophie – Ooh, that’s a shame. Mod Podge is flexible but there must be a limit to how flexible. Perhaps this is best done on shoes that don’t bend that much. Thanks for the heads up!
Sophie – I just checked out your blog and saw the shoes. So cute! You said you put maybe 10 layers–that could be part of the problem. I only put about 4 on mine. I can see how thickness would lend to cracking more easily. Thanks again for the heads up!
This is a great tutorial. I can’t wait to try it. It seems easier than other methods I’ve tried
I LOVE Glitter shoes! I bought the black glitter Converse at Target on clearance for like 20 bucks and they are my favorite shoes of ALL time! Thanks for the inspiration as I will be glittering a pair of my own soon. I will send pics if you want. Love your blog BTW…
sewa – Thanks! Let me know when you do.
Dress4Less – Gotta love Target. I once had a favorite pair of boots from them that I wore to pieces. You’re very welcome, and yes, please do send pics! Thanks for the love. x
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well done.
Hi there, I have a pair of silk shoes that I wanted to glam up with diamonds, would you reccomend I do this or leave them alone, they already have some already stuck on the front by the manufacturer, any comment are greatfull
This is a GREAT DIY! I re-purposed an old pair of sketcher slippers last night with this technique. I”ll send pictures after I finished an old belt to match!
I love those shoes from ModCloth. Great diy!
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Nicely done! Thanks for sharing your creative thoughts. Great DIY!
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i love this idea! can it be done on toms?
love the sparkle! quick question: how do you keep the consistency runny instead of peanut buttery? whenever i add the glitter, it just gets clumpy…
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kmr – I have not tried it on TOMS, but probably. However, TOMS make awesome glitter shoes out of actual glitter fabric. I recommend those. I have a pair of blue ones and they don’t shed at all.
mish – Try adding a little at a time. It can be clumpy, as long as you’re still able to brush the glitter on the surface without major clumps.
i’ve bookmarked this page: shit’s about to get sparkly. thanks dude.
Annie, you’re a freaking GENIUS. This is amazing! Now I just need to find out where I can buy some Mod Podge! (Do you know if you can buy it online anywhere?!)
You have officially inspired me.
Amazing shoes!!!
Great and easy technique.
I’ll try it on my old and wrinkled shoes that I planned to throw out.
Thanks for the idea!
I adore this shoes i will make it with mines.
This came out looking great! Please post the outfit you wore with these glitter shoes.
Linda – Thanks! These weren’t actually my size and I sold them on Etsy.
ahh.. okay
Hey! I’ve been waiting for a day when it was dry enough here to wear them so I could show you the glitter shoes that I did following your tutorial! Thanks!! http://thesquidulist.blogspot.com/2011/05/grocery-carts-glitter-gross-creepers.html
“You are deal in the glitter arts” LOL!!!
Elisa – Those are so gorgeous! Love how you used gold glitter. Thanks so much for linking and dropping back by to show me! XOX
I love this DIY! I did it with a pair of black oxfords, and I’m thrilled with how they turned out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35123030@N08/sets/72157626675529244/with/5699864747/
Erika – Beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing!
XOX
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I realize i’m about a million years late to the party on this one, but i am ABSOLUTELY DOING THIS!!!