Ever since they came out I’ve been stuck in a non-stop drool fest over these amazing shoes. But since (for a number of reasons) I’d probably never even SEE a real pair of these, I decided to go on a quest to make some inspired by those gorgeous, oh-so-expensive and oh-so-sold-out Chloe Studded Ankle Boots.

I’ve documented my journey for you to enjoy and even replicate if you have the patience… and if you don’t check out my Etsy shop where I’ll make you a custom pair with YOUR design in the size and color of your choice!

Materials:

*3 bags (300 pc.) Gold Heavy Duty Studs size 20 (found mine at Kit Craft)
*Leather 3 Buckle Ankle Boots (found mine at Revival Clothing)
*2? thick Wooden Board
*pliers (rounded nose works best)
*hammer
*small flathead nail
*scissors
*tape
*thin permanent marker
*metal thimble
*printed paper design
*1/2? thick by 1 1/2? wide wooden board cut to taper at one end

The Process:

A little backstory on my materials: The boots I chose have the similar 3 buckle configuration to the Chloe ones and are handmade from Revival Clothing. They are surprisingly SUPER comfortable and durable for being “Renaissance period” shoes. As far as the studs go, after much research I found these Heavy Duty Studs from Kit Kraft which were the only ones small enough and with prongs thick enough to make it through leather.

STUDDING THE STRAPS:
Step 1- Place the 2? thick wooden board on a flat sturdy surface (for me I just worked on the ground in my garage). Then take the 1st strap you’re going to work on and place it over the board
Step 2- Starting at the tip of the strap, press the prongs of the stud into the leather to make indentations to make a guide where you will hammer in the nail

Step 3- Take the nail and place it over the indentations you just made. Hammer it in until you feel it go through the leather and into the wood

Step 4- Push the stud through the holes you just made with the nail, take the pliers and fold the prongs over and into the leather.

Step 5- *For added stability* take the pliers, place them over the top of the stud and the closed prongs and squeeze gently to bend the prongs further into the leather

Step 6- Repeat “Step 2? with the next stud and then “Step 3?, “Step 4? and “Step 5? (I placed mine every 5 – 6cm apart) working your way up to the base of the strap
Step 7- Repeat “Step 2?, “Step 3?, “Step 4? and “Step 5? consecutively with the next straps until you are finished (make sure to leave room on each strap for the buckle to go through one of the holes… I made it so mine would be able to slip on and off without having to re-buckle the straps)

STUDDING THE TOE:
Step 8- If you haven’t already done so, take your 1/2? thick board and cut the end to taper so it will fit into the smallest part of the shoe’s toe. Then cut the board to the length of your shoe so you can slip it inside the shoe.

Step 9- Make a paper pattern of the design you want on your shoe. Then either print out two of the same or flip the pattern to have a mirrored effect (for me, I used Illustrator to mock up the workable area of the toe and used the circle tool set to a 6cm diameter to act as the studs)

Step 10- Take the paper pattern, cut it out and tape it to the shoe in the position you want. Then poke holes in the design in the center of each circle and mark them on the shoe through the hole with the permanent marker.
Step 11- Once you’re done marking for all the studs remove the paper pattern and put the 1/2? thick board you cut into the shoe
Step 12- Repeat “Step 2? by pressing the prongs into the leather (with the prongs evenly spaced around each marker mark) to make the indentations

Step 13- Repeat “Step 3? by taking the nail and placing it over the indentations. Make sure the wooden board is underneath where you will be working inside the shoe and hammer it in until you feel it go through the leather and into the wood

Step 14- Push the stud through the holes you just made with the nail, take the metal thimble on your finger and (while holding the top of the stud with another hand/finger) fold the prongs over each other and into the leather (I find it helps to have the prongs parallel to the toe and heel of the shoe… it makes it easier to fold them since you don’t have much leverage)

Step 15- *For added stability* take out the wooden board, place the the thimble inside the shoe underneath the newly closed stud and hammer lightly on top to bend the prongs further into the leather
Step 16- Repeat “Step 2?, “Step 3?, “Step 14? and “Step 15? consecutively with the next studs until the design is finished

STUDDING THE HEEL CAP: (very difficult)
I found this to be the most difficult area because there’s no easy way to hold the board in place while you hammer so do this at your own risk…

Step 17- Repeat “Step 2?, “Step 3?, “Step 14? and “Step 15? at the back of the heel consecutively and with the next studs until the design is finished

Post via Cult Indie, written by Alyssa Zukas