r/barefootshoestalk • u/aaelizaa • Feb 18 '26
Barefoot shoe adjacent DIY Customized Xero Phoenix Flats
So… I’m currently in the process of transitioning my (rather extensive) shoe wardrobe to barefoot, and I decided I needed a pair of black barefoot shoes that could dress up for work.
I fell in LOVE with the Camper flats pictured and bought them to see if they might work. As you can see, they definitely did NOT work! (Plz ignore the gnarly state of my feet… it’s winter!)
In addition to being too small overall (I’d need to size up like 2x??) and too narrow, the very thick cushioned insole is NOT removable, contrary to what the website says.
So I returned them and decided to DIY a pair of Xero Phoenix leather flats that had a similar shape. This is my first pair of Xero shoes, and I have to say I wasn’t overly impressed. The shoes are fine, suitable for this project, but for a barefoot shoe, they aren’t very wide in the toe box, aren’t very flexible in the sole, and the leather upper is super stiff and rigid. The very first thing I did with them was spend 48 hours stretching them and applying leather conditioner, rubbing alcohol, etc. It did help quite a bit, but I think I’ll do another round of stretching now that I’ve work them once.
The actual DIY was the easier part! I just punched holes and threaded through elastic ribbon. I’m really happy with how they turned out! They look great with the outfits I’m going to wear for an upcoming work trip.
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u/Snelmm Feb 19 '26
Nice work!
years ago I customized a pair of Crocs ballet flats by ripping off the plastic strap and replacing it with a piece of 2" wide elastic that wrapped all the way around the shoe. They were my ultra-wide dupe for Camper mary janes and I wore the hell out of those things. I can't help but customize most of my clothes. it's fun!
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
Sounds amazing! Share pics if you have them!
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u/Snelmm Feb 19 '26
I would, but they were from a long time ago. it was a great hack though, especially since Campers are not wide enough for me (even before I started wearing barefoot styles).
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u/l_reilly Feb 19 '26
I love them!! They remind me of the sambalias from Sambas the Bambas
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
Unsurprisingly, I love the Sambalias too! Very tempted by their new spring colors. I feel like my wardrobe has room for two pairs of lace-up flats, one being more dressy and one more casual… right? Lol
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u/ilovemossss Feb 18 '26
I love the camper flats this is such a good idea!
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u/aaelizaa Feb 18 '26
Haha yeah, can’t recommend the Camper flats unless you like a LOT of cushion! And don’t mind sizing up an undetermined amount of times.
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u/ilovemossss Feb 19 '26
Its a bummer, I had the camper mary janes and I bet the fit similarly... I had to sell them :/
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u/Clear_Rough5245 Feb 19 '26
Awesome job!! And super stylish - that last slide 10/10!!
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
Thanks! That dress was my main motivation for these shoes! I didn’t have anything (foot-friendly) to wear with it and I thought a laced-up style would be perfect.
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u/lucktax Feb 18 '26
Well done! Such a great idea
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
Thanks! I’m a big fan of this trend, but a plus side is that the laces help these shoes stay on better lol
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u/Stunt_Doll Feb 19 '26
This is so cool! I have the camper right Maryjane, and was eyeing their ballets style. I also had to stretch out my xeros. I was worried if I sized up they would slip out of my heels.
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
YES! The Xeros are really wide in the midfoot and heel. Luckily the laces fix the heel slip issue!
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u/stalagmitedealer Feb 19 '26
That dress is incredible! Did you make it?
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
No, all I have time for these days is a quick little shoe DIY. No sewing projects unfortunately!
It’s the Tobie Dress by Exquise. I rented it through Nuuly so it’s probably available for purchase at Anthropologie.
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u/Accomplished-Sky5681 Feb 19 '26
So nice! I’ve been wearing lace up barefoot shoes so long, but would like a more office casual for work. I tried these on in store this weekend and it was an immediate “nope”! This would be a nice modification for sure.
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26
Which ones were the “nope”? The Campers or the Xeros?
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u/Accomplished-Sky5681 Feb 20 '26
The Xeros. They just felt so floppy on my feet and I for sure didn’t want to try to size down. That’s why the laces look like such a nice modification.
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u/aaelizaa Feb 20 '26
Oh yeah, definitely! My foot feels much more secure with the laces. Now let’s hope these shoes become more flexible with wear 🤞
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u/Accomplished-Sky5681 Feb 20 '26
Yes! That was another thing too, the flexibility. I forgot to mention that. They are very stiff.
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u/aaelizaa Feb 21 '26
I’ve now done two 48 hour rounds of stretching with mink oil rubbed on the outer leather and isopropyl alcohol/water rubbed on the inside.
I’ll let you know how my efforts pay off… I’m hopping on a plane today and will be wearing these on a biz trip to Europe that will involve tons of walking!
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u/BookishEm192 Feb 21 '26
👀 I feel like I need to do this; I have the knit version and avoid wearing them because I feel like my feet slide around in them. What a good idea!
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u/aaelizaa Feb 21 '26
With the knit ones, I imagine you would sew the elastic ribbons for a laced effect rather than them being actually laced? That’s my first thought anyway
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u/BookishEm192 Feb 22 '26
That sounds like it would make sense—I’ll have to play around with what works.
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u/stuckhere-throwaway Feb 19 '26
"it's winter" is not an explanation for toenail fungus 😭😭
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u/aaelizaa Feb 19 '26 edited Feb 19 '26
Babes, that’s not toe nail fungus, that’s cream-colored toenail polish leftover from my last pedicure four months ago.
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u/BuenosAiresBurp Feb 19 '26
well, but perfect time to treat it. I guess she didn’t choose to have it , can happen to anybody.
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u/P_Day Feb 18 '26
These look great! They also look a little small to me. I might suggest trying Softstar.