How to Dye Leather Boots: Super Simple DIY

Hello! Things have been a bit crazy and I've been meaning to undertake this project since the middle of summer. It's only when boot season came around that I really felt the urgency to finally commit: I was going to dye my beloved 2-tone Steve Madden boots black. I grew tired of the 2-tone: I thought I was real smart when, instead of choosing between black and brown, 3 years ago, I chose both. But in the meantime, I acquired a pair of brown riding boots AND a pair of tan riding boots, so these guys became irrelevant. Until a *need* for black riding boots emerged. Dying genuine leather boots is extremely simple and if you have been thinking about it, don't hesitate. It's almost foolproof!

What you need:

- Sponges

- Wool daubers

- Leather Dye (oil-based)

- Acrylic Resolene

- Deglazer

Oh and I strongly recommend:

- A pair of gloves (either rubber gloves or latex gloves)
- Newspaper (I didn't have any, I used a puppy pad since my "puppy" is 65 pounds... and obviously potty-trained by now! These are super absorbent!)
- A cotton cloth
- Paper towels (just in case)
- A disposable plastic container

Do not wear nice clothes. The oil dye is extremely runny! I also recommend doing this outside if it isn't too cold, the smell is pretty strong.

 Steps (once you've placed your boots on newspaper):

1. Use a cotton cloth with some deglazer. Remove the finish from the leather you want to dye by rubbing it with deglazer. This step wasn't very long for me since I only wanted to dye the top part of the boot.

2. Pour some of your oil dye in a plastic (disposable) container.  Be careful! (I was not).

 3. Dip a wool dauber in the dye. Soak it up entirely and rub it on the leather, as if it were a paintbrush. Cover the surface entirely. Do not forget seams and little corners. I also made sure I covered the edge of the leather, and I also went under the strap. You can press harder over the seam.

4. Let the dye dry for about 30 minutes. This is what it looked like after one coat. 

5. Add another coat of dye if needed (in my case, it was: I could still see the brown leather underneath). 

6. Let dry for another 30 minutes or so. 

7. Use a sponge to apply a very thin coat of resolene in circular movements. If it looks too white, it means you are using too much. You can easily rub off the excess with a paper towel. If like me you are only dyeing a part of your boot, still apply resolene to the entire boot for an even finish. 

8. Let dry, and you are done!

This is the result, after a couple wears! Awesome!

 I ordered my products online at Tandy Leather, a Denver-based leather craft shop. It was cheap and easy, I definitely recommend!

Do you have any leather goods you want to dye? Have you ever dyed leather? Suede? Clothing? How did you do it?

October Wishlist: Going Grey-zaayyy!

Ok, I could have made a thousand lame puns here, but I didn't (50 shades of grey, grey's anatomy, dorian grey, etc.).  I guess I still needed to show the world I don't live in a cave and yes, I thought of them.

 

I don't know what is going on lately. I usually only like colors and think black, white or grey are boring. I guess the fashion trends are rubbing off on me, because I have been obsessing over black and white for a while and now, over grey. Some people trying to psychoanalyse me may think that's a sign that I'm depressed, but I think it's the opposite. I think that it actually means that I am genuinely happy and that I don't even need bright colors to cheer me up! Same with songs: I've had periods of my life where I couldn't stand sad songs, and now can't stop listening to them. I guess I know how to be Happily Grey... (if only).

 

There is something about the grey color that says "cozy". I love that there are so many (50? nope, more!) shades of grey and that there are even more different textures. From felt to suede to boucle and velvet, grey always seems soft and warm and is the perfect choice when temperatures start to drop. Plus, it reminds me of my cat's grey fur (there is NOTHING in the world softer than that. No, don't even try!). My cat's the cuddliest little living thing I've ever known so it adds up to my current love for grey. 

 

Here is my wishlist, and the details are here.

That grey topshop cocoon jacket is incredible. I would spend my whole winter in it if I owned it. A short leather bootie is a must this fall, as is a leather skirt. I already have a pencil skirt (for work), but I think a circle skirt is more fun for going out. I love baseball shirts, and this two-tone wool sweater is a great remix. In case you haven't noticed yet baseball caps are still huge and this fall, you can replace a colorful, printed one by a warmer felt version. Circle scarves are a must and a grey smokey eye, with a statement necklace and stud earrings, complement well an all-grey outfit.

 

 

I think the key to a mono(or bi)chromatic look is texture. The less colors you have, the more textures you need to have. Here is my equation. A look must always equal 3. The equation is colors + textures -1. So, if you have 1 color, you must have 3 textures to equal 3.

 

1 color + 3 textures -1 = 3.

 

For example, pair a black leather circle skirt with a cozy grey wool sweater!

Ok that whole equation thing is ridiculous, please don't start making calculations with your oufits. Just wear what feels and looks nice... but you get the picture. Don't overdo it with textures and colors and let yourself fade to grey!!!

 

What do you think? Are you also slowly starting to ditch your brights for darker tones?

 

 

 

Painting Your Hunter Boots a New Color: DIY

A few years ago, I snagged a pair of light gold Hunter rain boots for half the price. I liked them back then even if I would have chosen a darker color, but lately I was really tired of them. I tried to find a tutorial for changing their color without success. I finally decided I would take the risk to paint them anyways, since they usually stay in my closet. The worse that could happend would be for them to remain in my closet. What really convinced me is when I noticed the gold color was coming off in some spots. I thought... well, they're already painted anyways so why not repaint them.

I went to my local craft store and bought a can of spray paint (Plutonium brand) that works on rubber (the lady in the store didn't even know about that, but since I'm an avid online shopper I already knew exactly which paint I was coming to buy). The color I chose is "Stealth". I wasn't even sure if it was more of an army green or a brownish charcoal but I didn't really care. I just wanted my boots to be dark, but not black.

Here is what you will need:

A can of spray paint for rubber surfaces, painter's tape, scissors, newspaper (or anything to cover the ground), a wet rag or paper towels. And, of course, a pair of rubber boots.

First, clean your boots to remove any excess dust or soil. Believe me, even if they look clean, they most definitely are not.

While you let your boots dry, cover the ground with newspaper. 

Then, cover the "hunter" logo (or anything you want to leave the same color) with painter's tape. I actually had to cut my tape several times before I got the right size.

If you have any buckles or ornaments that you want to paint, unbuckle them so you can reach under.

Then, spray a little paint on the newspaper for a test. This is just to make sure that the can sprays well and won't leak on the boots. Make sure you don't hold your can closer to your boot or the newpaper than 5-6 inches.

You can start spraying your boot in a linear motion.

Here is the result after one boot. Not too bad, eh?

When finished, let your boots dry for at least 15 minutes after you make sure you haven't forgotten any spots. When the boot is dry, you can lay it on the side so you can spray the sole, and wait until it dries again. (I painted the whole boot at once and had pieces of newspaper stick to my sole. My can't-wait-for-my-nail-polish-to-dry disease is expanding!)
Here is the result:

And then, remove the tape off the logo:

Tadaaa!!! (Sorry if the last photo is blurry, it was getting dark!)

I am REALLY happy with the result. I will wear them next time it rains and keep you posted about the durability of the paint! The color is perfect and not too matte, not too shiny!

**Update** The paint does crack a little bit where the boot folds. It's still minimal and I spray some more every once in a while. I still prefer them dark but if you want them to be perfect, you shouldn't paint them.