This past spring I fell in love with the silver oxfords seen on Olivia Palermo in lots of photos. If a girl like Olivia that can wear any style she likes, chooses to wear the same shoes often, that's a good sign. I think metallics are a great neutral. They go with anything but give a jazzed up look to the most basic outfit. I searched but never found any that I loved and were within my budget.
After I bought that great Krylon Chrome paint to DIY my Holiday decorations, I knew it would be useful for other projects. I decided to take the boring oxfords that were dusty in my closet and turn them into some new shoes.
I started by removing the laces and taping off the heels and soles. Then I inserted toothpicks into the lace holes so that they wouldn't get clogged with paint. I stuffed the insides with newspaper to prevent myself from painting the inside of the shoes.
In order to get solid coverage and avoid any drips, I gave the shoes three fine coats of paint and followed with a clear coat. I allowed the shoes to dry for 30 minutes or more between each coat. Once I was confident in the coverage, I let them dry overnight. Then I removed the tape and the toothpicks.
The laces I removed from the shoes still worked without competing with the new silver finish. I decided to reuse them until I find something I like better. I'm thrilled with the finished product and I'm sure I'll be wearing them often.
