So I’ll just go ahead and tell y’all that this is probably my favorite fiesta post yet! And that is mostly because these are now my most favorite pair of shoes to date!!! I have been dying over the pom pom sandals trend ever since ASOS came out with these bad boys about 3 years ago (top).

Naturally, they sold out almost in record time and all I could do was admire their playful color from afar. That summer came and went and I eventually forgot all about the beloved sandal until this year when Aquazzura came out with a newer version of the pom pom sandals (bottom image above).  Since this version was running about $600 on off price / second hand sites, I decided to finally make my own! I used elements from both styles and created a shoe that I love and acquired them for a mere $25! I loved them so much I wanted to share my step by step process in creating these bad boys so you too can have some killer designer inspired heels for a much more affordable price!

 What will you need? 

1. Shoes you want to Decorate: I found these basic white sandals at Target at the end of the season for about $15.00.
2. Pom- Poms: Hobby Lobby has the assorted color pom poms and they came in three sizes ( tiny, medium and large). I bought them all to get the playful look of the ASOS version. They were only about $2-$4 per package and if they aren’t on sale for 50% off (check your local store/ flier for details) then you can use a 40% off coupon from their mobile app.
3. E-6000: I also got this from Hobby Lobby but you can get it at just about any craft store. In jewelry making and in crafting, I have not found anything that holds as well as this stuff. Be careful though, it’s like cement! Once it’s on, you’re probably not getting it off once it dries. If you are not wanting something quite so permanent or do not have access to E6000, hot glue, krazy glue or super glue will work just fine.
4. Pom-Pom Trim: To add some dimension and movement to the shoes, I purchased some pom trim from Mary Jo’s, my local fabric store. Since poms are so trendy now, you can probably find it at any fabric store or order it from Etsy.

Getting Started

I started attaching the large poms to the toe strap first. I did one layer in the middle/ top of the strap first to see how I liked it. After thinking on it for a few days, I decided to add a second row (so glad I did!) If you decide to add a second row, be sure to add glue to the bottom of the first row of poms and the shoe. It narrows in the middle and you want to be sure your poms stay secure!! Feel free to arrange them in any color order you like. If you want to copy mine feel free. I kept the same pattern for the whole project.

Repeat your pattern for both sandals until you are satisfied with the amount of poms.

note: as you can see, the glue appears white. It will dry clear. 

Ankle Straps

To attach the pom trim to the ankle strap, I buckled them to the furthest hole to make sure I didn’t cover any or limit myself in sizing. I applied adhesive to the entire strap starting at the edge of the furthest buckle hole continuing all the way around to the loop in the back (you can see it in the image above). Carefully apply the trim to the strap keeping the bottom edge flush with the bottom edge of the strap so the poms dangle the way you want them to.

If this is the look you want, feel free to stop here. I contemplated it since I was tired of having glue all over my hands but decided to press on! 🙂

Next, I lightly applied another row of adhesive over the black pom trip and attached the medium sized poms in the same color pattern as the toe piece. You will want these to be pretty tight so as not to show anything in the gaps. I ended up using about 3 full patterns of the medium size. Repeat for second shoe.

I found the single poms on the ankle straps were the most delicate and took a little longer to dry. Carefully unfasten the buckled strap and lay it out flat so the poms do not drop off. The glue dries pretty quickly but I left mine overnight just to be safe. Look for and remove any miscellaneous glue strings prior to wearing & ENJOY!

Every time my grandmother got new shoes she would say she had “happy feet” and proceed to do a little dance and sing the words over and over. After putting these on for the first time, I think these take her phrase and meaning to a whole new level. But, on the off chance you really aren’t a DIY person or you just don’t want to mess with it, I’ve linked up some of my favorite pom sandals below!

note: I intended to use the tiny poms to fill in and “sprinkle” on top but found them unnecessary for my preferences. Before purchasing, consider your personal preference and maybe save yourself a few more dollars 🙂

Target White Sandals // Hobby Lobby Poms (assorted) & E-6000 Permanent Adhesive // Mary Jo’s Pom Pom Trim (also available here)