Plain white AF1s typically come with white laces. Feel free to have some brighter, more colorful laces on deck if you’d like to switch things up.
All Air Force 1s have a clear layer of finish on the outside of the shoe leather. Any paint applied to this finish will eventually crack, which you definitely don’t want. Acetone helps remove this finish, giving you a better, more durable surface to work with. You can remove the dirt from the shoes first and use a small amount of mild laundry detergent to clean the shoes and shoelaces. [3] X Research source Carefully wash them with warm water to remove the dirty foam and dry them with a soft towel. [4] X Research source Leave them at room temperature to dry. [5] X Research source
You can also tape off any sections that you’d like to paint in a different color later on. Vinyl tape and electrical tape can also work for this. Be really careful and gentle when you’re working with the X-ACTO knife so you don’t scratch the shoe leather by mistake.
Since AF1s are made with leather-like material, it’s best to use acrylic leather paint for them. Squeeze your paints into a plastic palette if you plan on using lots of different colors in your design. Opt for smaller and thinner paintbrushes—these are a lot easier to handle since you’re working on such a small surface.
Grab a hair dryer if you’d like to speed things up. Turn it to a low heat setting and glide it back and forth above the surface of the shoe until the paint is dry to the touch. [10] X Research source
Polka dots, lines, checkers, and squiggly lines are all possible designs you could try. Outline your color blocks with black paint to give them a sharp look.
You can buy sprayable acrylic finish, but a regular bottle and paintbrush give you more control over the application process. Acrylic finishes come in different sheens, with matte being the dullest and high gloss being the shiniest. [15] X Research source Acrylic finish protects your shoes from getting scuffed when you wear them. [16] X Research source
Can’t decide on the best design for your shoes? No worries—Google Images has you covered. Search “Air Force 1 custom designs” or something similar to see how other people have customized their shoes. [19] X Research source
Feel free to add a fun outline or design on top of your base color, too! Paint markers only take a few minutes to dry, so you don’t have to wait very long between layers. [22] X Research source Create a dynamic color scheme by coloring in different sections of your shoes with bold accents! You might color the eyestays a shade of light blue, the vamps (toe areas) a blue-green, and the Nike swooshes a navy blue.
Follow the instructions on the can or bottle to see how much time the finish needs to cure.
For smaller, more precise dots of glue, use a wooden skewer to dab the glue directly to the back of a rhinestone. [26] X Research source To help the glue bond a bit better, use a cotton ball to dab acetone over the sections you plan on bedazzling beforehand. [27] X Research source
It’s no big deal if your glue smears a bit—just get rid of any errant spots with acetone. The Nike swoosh, vamp (toe area), backtab, and eyestay are all great parts of the shoe to bedazzle.
Try placing multicolor rhinestones down in a fun, colorful pattern. If you’re bedazzling a small section of your shoes (like the Nike swoosh), outline the shape with gemstones before filling it in.
The vamp (toe swoop) and Nike swoosh are both great spots to accent with fabric.
Any type of fabric will work for this! You might keep things simple and bright with a solid-colored piece of fabric, or add a bit of flair with a plaid- or tropical-patterned material.
You can also paint the glue onto the shoe using a small paintbrush. [37] X Research source Just be sure to clean the brush thoroughly so the bristles don’t harden!
It may help to stick the fabric down in sections, rather than pressing it down all at once.
To be on the safe side, give your shoes 2-3 days to cure completely.
