Dyeable Shoe Quality
“Not all dyeable shoes are created equally”
Most consumers know little or nothing about dyeable shoes. Many believe that all shoes are dyeable, or at least, any white pair should be. The fact is that only about a dozen brands in the world even make dyeable products of any kind. With that said, not all dyeable shoes are created equally.

As a writer, fashion designer and a master shoe dyer for many years, myself, I have had the pleasure of working with footwear designers including those in the dyeable shoe industry. What I was able to uncover even surprised me about the workings of the product’s manufacture, distribution, and quality. The fact that struck me the most curiously, was that 80% of this industry’s production were not sold through footwear retailers, but distributed through bridal dress shops. With further investigation, it was apparent that shoes in these stores are almost an afterthought. With the exception of only a few regional powerhouse bridal retailers, most stores carried less than a few dozen on hand at one anytime. Even the mega-bridal chain David’s Bridal will typically carry a sparse selection of their own private label brand Michaelangelo’s.

Most storeowners remark that they are not in the shoe business, they prefer to focus on the sale of their dresses instead. And, you can see what they mean. At upwards of a thousand dollars for a dress, it doesn’t take long to make a decent living from selling formals instead of shoes.

With shoes much of an afterthought, retailers do not take the time to have what the customer needs right then and there. This then leads consumers to have to shop as many as a dozen different shops before they usually settle on any pair of shoes that fits and is relatively comfortable. ‘Oh, was it supposed to match the dress too?’

Now, I hope to make that choice a little easier for you, if you’re finding yourself in this kind of situation. Because, for any occasion, you deserve to look beautiful and be a princess for that special day, or important evening. Many shoe retailers just don’t realize that. When looking for the right dyeable shoe, consumers are searching first and foremost for the convenience of having the perfect color to match their dress for that special occasion, in addition to the right fit, and the ability to use the shoes again afterwords. And, how can you blame them? Doesn’t your daughter deserve to look like a princess for her next prom? Or- are you getting married and need shoes that perfectly match your dress?

Well, just like in every other industry, price, brand name, and advertising budgets have nothing to do with a brand’s quality or value. In fact many of the best quality dyeable shoes are medium price, with many brands more heavily visible in the market trailing far behind in quality and value for your money. The following chart is how I would rate the dyeable shoe industry as a whole, with most major brands listed: Brand Over All Quality, Price, Styling, Selection #1Touch Ups 5✰ 5✰ $$$ 5✰ 5✰ #2Nina Dyeables 4✰ 4✰ $$$$ 5✰ 3✰ #3Colorful Creations 4✰ 4✰ $$$ 3✰ 5✰ #4Filippa Scott 4✰ 5✰ $$$$$ 4✰ 2✰ #5Colorifics 3✰ 3✰ $$$ 3✰ 4✰ #6David’s Bridal 2✰ 2✰ $$ 3✰ 2✰ #7Special Occasions 1✰ 1✰ $$$ 1✰ 2✰ #8Payless (Dyeables) 0✰ 1✰ $ 1✰ 1✰

As you can see the selection is wide, whether you are looking for the best overall value and quality or the cheapest price, you can have your choice. And the winners are: Touch Ups has won many awards for being the best dyeable shoe in the industry for many years, and in our survey they are both the best overall value, and the best quality winner- their shoes redyeable for multiple uses up to 5 times depending on color. The most expensive brand in our survey is Fillipa Scott at $300 per pair! The winner for the least expensive brand is Payless. Winner for the most average brand is David’s Bridal. And the top two most advertised brands share in being two of the worst quality: David’s Bridal at 2✰ and Special Occasions at 1✰. But, what really surprised me was that even the brand called Dyeables is not even a dyeable shoe! It is only tintable, meaning that it does not absorb the dye as a dyeable shoe is meant to, hence the 0✰ for quality. So, just because it’s the most advertised or well known, doesn’t mean it’s the best quality or value for your money.

In an interview with Ken, a department manger at Touch Ups, he explained why their shoes sell beter than any other brand: “It’s because we buy our fabric in the US for a consistently higher quality product. It shows in our sales.” As a master shoe dyer myself, I have to agree- quality matters when buying a dyeable shoe- if you want the color to come out and look good with your formal or bridal dress. When looking to buy your dyeable shoes or any bridal or formal shoe for that matter- you’ve got to try them on in the store where you are buying them. Or, if you have to buy them on-line, get them from a very knowledgeable prom & bridal shoe dealer. When looking online for a professional retail, think about websites linked to quality real world businesses.

In the US the largest prom and bridal retailer of Touch Ups shoes is Glamorous Heights.com They carry over 250 dyeable shoes in-stock and another 350 non-dyeable styles in their store located in Tulsa, Okalhoma. But, they also sell hundreds of shoes on-line. They have great tips on their website for getting a better fit, and what to expect when dyeing shoes. But, what is most impressive about Glamorous Heights, is the fast service. They boast that they can dye shoes while you wait, in as little as 15 minutes! Though that fact would cause any customer to say, ‘Wow!’  After buying your dyeable shoes, look for a master shoe dyer, to dye your shoes. master shoes dyers have dyed thousands of pairs over their careers, and must maintain a higher standard of quality to their work. When shopping around for dyeing service most dyers charge an average of $25, but some stores may include it in the price when you purchase your shoes. Don’t be afraid to ask about their dyer’s experience- do they dye from a chart or can they custom match colors? If the answer is from a chart only, you might want to ask around for a more experienced dyer. No matter what you do for your next formal, if you get dyeable shoes there are lots of great brands and retailers out there. Just do your homework and know what to expect.     

News article from CA magazine