DIY: Ribbon Shoelaces

I'm obsessed with lace up boots, and a great way to make them a little more feminine is by making your own ribbon laces. This DIY is totally customizable, inexpensive and easy to do.


Let's get started!

 The materials you'll need are a hairdryer, scissors, ribbon of your choice, heat shrinking tubing and, of course, boots or shoes with laces.

I find that ribbon that works best is any kind that isn't very shiny and slippery, otherwise your laces become undone very easily and won't stay tied. I decided to use a thin black ribbon so it wouldn't stand out too much but this DIY would also look great with contrasting laces or thicker ones as well. 
The heat shrinking tube is easily found at stores like Home Depot and isn't expensive, I got mine for around $4. Make sure to get a size big enough to push your ribbon through, keeping in mind that it will shrink to about half the size when heated.

Step 1: Measure Ribbon and Cut to Size


Measure the length of the ribbon by comparing it to the laces from your shoes. I like to cut mine a little longer than the laces just to make sure there's enough.

Step 2: Cut Tubing and Push Ribbon Through


Cut the tubing to about an inch long. Then fold and twist the ribbon in order to push it through the tube so that the tube is at the end.

Step 3: Blowdry

Use a hairdryer to blow heat over the tube for about 5 minutes. This will shrink the tube to fit around the ribbon, allowing the ends to easily thread through the shoe.

Step 4: Lace Up

Finally, lace up your boots or shoes with the new ribbon laces and you're good to go! 

I absolutely love the feminine look the ribbon laces add to the boots, and I think ribbon would also look amazing on combat style boots for a contrast, or a contrasting colour to stand out.

What do you think of this look?

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Allison