Customize Your Shoes with These DIY Ideas!

Show off your personality and be comfortable and stylish all at the same time by customizing your kicks!

On Thursday’s episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Jennifer Hudson welcomed Melissa Carnegie, founder of Kicks & Fros, a digital lifestyle brand and community that celebrates sneaker culture and is aimed at women of color.

Melissa, from Charlotte, North Carolina, says women of color are often overlooked and undervalued in the sneaker world, even though they bring so much to the culture.

Through Kicks & Fros, Melissa aims to address the underrepresentation of women in the sneaker world and fosters a space where women’s unique style is celebrated.

“I saw those Black and Brown women… I saw that they’re not being represented,” she told JHud. “We have a voice, we have a seat at this sneaker table.”

She continued: “I wanted to give them that shine and elevate them, inspire them, and tell their stories and tell them this is not just a male-dominated field — the ladies got something to say!”

On the show, Melissa showed Jennifer some tips and tricks on how to customize your own kicks using a white pair of sneakers as a canvas.

You can customize your own shoes just like Jennifer and Melissa did on the show! Get a pair of sneakers of any style, then visit your local craft store for the following supplies:

Gloves
Leather preparer and deglazer
Painter’s tape or masking tape
Paintbrushes
Leather paint or fabric paint
Metallic acrylic paint
Gems
Tweezers to place gems onto shoes
Glue or hot glue for gems
Shoelaces
Shoe charms

Here are some ideas for customizing your kicks:

1. Switch out the laces. Who says you have to stick with the laces your shoe came with? Pick out a fun color that will make your shoe pop! Replace with glittery shoelaces to give your sneakers a bit of sparkle. You can also use extra-long ribbon as shoelaces to give your shoes a unique, feminine look.

2. Decorate with jewels or sequins. For that extra bit of sparkle, use a hot glue gun to add jewels and intricate designs to your shoes. You can add a few jewels here or there, or completely cover your shoe in gems!

3. Paint your shoes. You can either use completely white sneakers as a base and paint each section a different color or choose specific areas on your shoe to paint. (Use painter’s tape to protect the edges of what you’re painting!) If you decide to paint a shoe that isn’t white, you’ll want to prime the area with white paint so the color stands out.

Enjoy your fabulous new shoes!

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Here’s when to watch in your area.