Breaking in Top-Siders

This is the pair.

We've all been there before: a nice, new pair of Sperry's, just waiting to be broken in. The problem: it takes some time, usually at the expense of your feet getting a blister or two. And, let's face it, a fresh, out-of-the-box pair of Sperry's, with their new, stiff leather, looks a little....well, dorky. A couple of weeks ago, I needed to get a new pair so that my footwear looked just as nice as I did for My Friends' Wedding. Knowing that I'd be there all afternoon, evening, and into the night, I did not want to spend a bunch of time of the dance floor with an unbroken-in pair of shoes. I needed to get this new pair broke in, and fast. And, I found a way to do just that: water and walking.

Luckily, I live within walking distance of a small lake, which came in handy. If you don't have that luxury, dropping your shoes in the tub, or sink if they fit, will work just as well. I found that simply spraying them with a hose, wasn't nearly as effective. Everyday, I would put my Sperry's on, walk to the lake, and stand in the water with them on for a while. Usually 30 seconds to two minutes, getting the shoe soaked. When they were soaked, the first thing I did was crouch down with them on, causing my toes, and the shoe, to bend as far as possible. After doing that for a while, I'd walk 1/4-1/2 mile in them. I'd take them off, let them dry, and repeat this the next day. After 3 days they were much softer, and I managed to break this pair in without a single blister on either one of my feet.

I'm sure you've also noticed that new Sperry's don't stay tied very easily at first, either. Once the shoe, and its laces, were wet, I'd tie them, making the bow very tight. With this process, I never had an issue with them coming untied.