Glitz and Glamour with Embellished Sandals, Heels and Sneakers
Before you dive into your jewelry box to accessorize your outfit, consider something more fundamental: your shoes. Heels for a night on the town, sneakers to run some errands or sandals for a day at the beach—there is always a perfect pair to match with your latest style. Never view a pair of shoes as a one-and-done accessory limited to specific outfits. Instead, envision the ease with which you can craft your personalized look using beads, gemstones and clip-ons.
Crystal Heels
High heels have always been worn as a symbol of status, for both men and women. In ancient Egypt, the upper classes wore heels laced together in the shape of the ankh—the symbol of life. Wooden heels were worn in the Middle Ages to keep one’s elaborate and fragile shoes out of the mud. And the Venetians transformed the elaborately decorated chopine shoe into a symbol of wealth and social standing for women. You too can rise above with glamorized heels featuring custom embellishments.
The Crystal Passions® brand has always brought glamour and dazzle to high heels. Fashion designers such as Jimmy Choo, René Caovilla, Manolo Blahnik and Giuseppe Zanotti have been changing the game when it comes to incorporating crystals into their designs. Simply by including some Crystal Passions flat back rhinestones into the design, you can transform any set of embellished heels into something dazzling and unique.
For those who want to walk fiercely though life, draw inspiration from top designers and create extravagant looks with seed beads, unfinished chain, felt, feathers, cabochons and more.
Marcasite focal pieces with loops, clip-on earrings and brooches can provide extra flair to embellished flats or elevate ordinary pumps to extraordinary heights. Eye-catching focals can be sewn or glued to most materials with G-S Hypo Fabric Cement®. Brooches can be pinned onto the front or sides of shoes, using fabric cement for additional reinforcement. Clip-on earrings can also be attached to the front and sides of many shoe styles for a quick, easy update.
Tip: Use clip-on earring findings to transform brooches, cabochons and pendants into easy-to-use shoe embellishments.
Crystal Shoes for When You Say "I do"
Wedding shoes demand every bit as much attention as the dress, especially for shorter gown lengths. Achieve the pinnacle of bridal-shoe style with Crystal Passions flat back crystals, seed beads, brooches, clip-on earrings and any other embellishments you can envision. Even a single large Crystal Passions flat back crystal adhered to the front or side of a strappy sandal can entirely transform the appearance of a plain shoe.
Allow the style of your shoe to guide the level of embellishment applied. While simply tailored shoes serve as a blank canvas for elaborate detailing, even those with more intricate designs can be adorned luxuriously. Footwear featuring eyelets or overlapping layers offers built-in contours ideal for lining with crystals or stitching with pearls. If your shoe has an ankle strap, don't hesitate to attach drops to it, enhancing the radiance of your special day even further.
Sew seed and crystal beads onto delicate materials such as distressed satin or silk. Create a charming combination by stitching a mix of Crystal Passions and glass seed beads along the shoe's edge or down the back. Craft a beaded loop to secure a ribbon, stitching it in place securely. Enhance the ribbon's allure by adorning it with Crystal Passions flat back crystals and adding beaded dangles to the ends, creating sparkles that have a life of their own.
Jeweled Sandals for Any Weather
Just about any surface is fair game for embellishment with jewelry-making components. A well-known example from the lore of Fire Mountains Gems and Beads® is the famous beaded car, conceived and executed by well-known artist David Best.
A more basic form of transit, the humble flip-flop sandal, is yearning for a dazzling transformation. Despite its simplicity, there is ample space for a scintillating upgrade. The beauty of it lies in the freedom—there is no right or wrong. Any materials you can tie, wrap, fasten or glue will work.
Consider flip-flops as wearable art meant to be enjoyed. Keep this in mind as you add your personal touch to these sandals. A fun and easy crafting idea is to host a flip-flop embellishment party with a group of friends. Whether you value precision, style, beauty or outrageous design, your gathering will be enjoyed by all.
Embellished Sneakers and Flats
Fashion, like the ocean waves, comes in great rushes of popularity that recede—only to return again and again over the years. Vintage looks make a comeback as the next best designer style. There’s no need to be tethered to the current trend. Embrace the freedom to experiment with a diverse array of products. Every famous designer began their journey somewhere. Even your sneakers can provide a versatile canvas for your imagination. Introduce patterns of seed and bugle beads to give them new texture and definition.
Shoe Clip
Removable shoe embellishments created with clip-on earring findings, bead swags and boot bracelets are a few of the recent trends for adding beaded beauty to footwear. The concept of the shoe clip originated from the shoe rose, a flower fashioned from silk ribbon and sewn onto the tops of dancing shoes. In the early to mid-20th century, removable shoe clips served as a stylish solution to dress up a plain pair of pumps or to transition the same set of shoes from daytime to nighttime wear.
Clip-on earrings are frequently used as backings for shoe clips, offering smooth surfaces that avoid marring the shoe's surface. Depending on the style of finding, designers have the flexibility to add Crystal Passions beads and fancy stones, faceted gems, cabochons and other flat-backed components. Design elements can be strung, sewn or glued into place.
Bead Swag
Liven up your shoes by incorporating multiple swags of colorful, lightweight wood beads. Use jump rings and lobster claw clasps on each end to create removable lengths that can be mixed and matched to suit a changing wardrobe. These versatile lengths can double as bracelets or be linked together for a unique necklace.
For a casual aesthetic, consider crafting your own versions using painted wood, shell, lightweight acrylic and polymer clay beads. This opens the door to a range of possibilities for creating personalized, laid-back styles.
For more formal occasions, offer decorative swags featuring smooth gemstone, glass and metal beads. This allows your customers to easily enhance their footwear for upscale gatherings, providing an elegant touch to their overall look.
Getting the Look
Opt for sturdy clasps such as the lobster claw. Bright colors and finishes help draw the eye downward and show off the shoe clip or bead swag.
Most beads and components will work for shoe clips, provided they won't harm the shoes or any accompanying hosiery. Choose the proper adhesives for materials you will be gluing, keeping in mind that footwear accessories can require added durability and flexibility.
Use solid color materials, as coatings will wear away with friction or use. Choose lightweight and smooth beads for swags, as they will often be in direct contact with skin. Smooth beads and components are also recommended for boot bracelets, as they will be in constant contact with the surface of the boot. Add sparkle to boot bracelets and bead swags with Czech fire-polished glass, which has a smoother surface than faceted leaded crystal.
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