How to Break in Danskos- Best Shoes for Hairstylists
How to Break in Danskos: Best Shoes for Hairstylists
In my personal and professional experience, Dansko clogs are the best for both men and women in the hair industry, hands down! Hairstylists, cosmetologists, and barbers often have trouble maintaining ergonomically correct body postures because of the number of hours spent on their feet all day.
This is why it’s important to invest in shoes that will help keep your body healthy and last longer throughout the day, your career, and your life.
What are the Best Shoes for Hairstylists?
Hairstylists spend long hours on their feet, which can lead to discomfort and pain if they don’t have the right footwear. Dansko clogs are renowned for their superior support, comfort, and durability, making them an ideal choice for professionals who need reliable shoes.
How to Break in Danskos Properly: Breaking in Dansko Clogs
A lot of times when the feet aren’t properly supported, it creates a ripple effect throughout the entire body. Because the feet are connected to the knee bone, and the hip bone, and the back, and the shoulders, and the neck… just like the song… if one doesn’t have enough support, the rest of the body starts to compensate for that support and thus hurts.
That’s why it’s important to learn how to break in Danskos well so that you don’t hurt your body in the process.
It’s not just those in the hair industry who stand all day long. Medical professionals, chefs, teachers, and the list is endless. Eventually, your body feels the wear and tear of the stress on your feet, and you start to feel physically burnt out.
But these support shoes won’t do you any good unless you know how to break in Danskos properly.
5 Methods: How to Break in Danskos, the Best Shoes for Hairstylists
How to Break in Danskos at Home: One Hour at a Time
How to break in Danskos properly after they’ve been stretched, if stretching was necessary, is to only wear them 1 or 2 hours at first.
Start at home while you’re making dinner or sweeping the floor. This way you can break in the Danskos while moving side to side, standing, walking around, and maybe even going up and down stairs.
Because of the firm internal insert in the Danskos, the manufacturer advises only wearing them for 4 hours at most at the very beginning. The second day, wear them for 6 hours, and the next day for 8 hours until the Danskos have formed to your feet and can be worn comfortably for an entire shift.
Pro Tip: Bring backup shoes when breaking in your Danskos. Take a spare pair of shoes to work with you. If the Danskos become too much on the first day, you’ll have backups ready to use while you are still breaking in your new shoes.
You can hurt yourself if you try to break in your new Danskos too quickly. So know when to give your feet a break.
Stretching Out Your Dansko Clogs
What if you purchase a set of clogs and they are too tight or the Danskos hurt the top of your foot? What then?
Not a problem! There are several methods of stretching out Danskos to help them properly fit your feet and not cause blisters or other issues from being too tight.
Why Do Danskos Hurt the Top of My Feet?
Because they are too tight and need to be stretched. Here are several methods that you can use to stretch your Danskos at home so they don’t hurt the top of your feet anymore.
The Ice Method
No, you are not soaking your brand new, expensive shoes with melting ice.
Simply fill a heavy-duty ziplock bag with water. Maybe put it in a second ziplock just in case. Place the bag of water inside the shoe, and let them sit in the freezer overnight.
Throughout the night, the water will freeze and expand, stretching the shoe.
If in the morning the shoe hasn’t stretched enough, fill the bag with a little more water and let it freeze again.
The cold will not hurt your shoe or damage the leather.
The Heat Method
Using a heat gun or high-temp blow dryer (hairstylists and barbers out there 😉 ), warm up the leather without burning your hands and stretch the leather a little bit at a time.
Some might use steam for the heat method, but I wouldn’t recommend steam for Danskos because of the leather, and you will most likely burn your hands using steam. A blow dryer on high heat is plenty hot enough to stretch the shoe without wetting the leather.
👉 Depending on how much your shoe needs stretching, the heat method for stretching Dansko clogs might take a few sessions.
If your shoes need stretching, be sure to take care of that BEFORE trying to break in the Dansko soles.
Remember, break in Danskos gradually—don’t rush it!
Wearing Socks
Thick socks may help in the first few days. But the more you wear the shoe and the more the Danskos are broken in, you can use regular socks again if you want.
The sock method is only for those that need to stretch the Dansko clogs a tiny little bit. The ice and heat methods above will stretch them a bit more dramatically than a thick pair of socks. And the sock method requires you to wear them and your feet suffer through the tightness for a few days.
Know When to Stop Stretching Out Your Dansko Clogs
If you have never worn Danskos before and you try to use them for a full day before breaking them in, you will definitely doubt that they are the best shoes for hairstylists.
It is very hard on your feet to go from 0 to 100 in these shoes because from minimal foot support to extra support is just too much.
It’s better to break them in slowly.
There is no harm in switching out your shoes in the middle of the day if you feel them starting to get tired. When this happens, just note how much time it’s been and give yourself an extra hour of wearing them tomorrow.
Stretching the Shoes with Oil or Spray
Sometimes using a leather-stretching spray or oil can be helpful, but it’s another expense and not as effective as the ice or heat methods.
Using a spray or oil is a last-resort method if the others didn’t work.
Understanding How Danskos are Supposed to Fit
To know when Danskos are fitting you correctly is if your finger can fit in the shoe between your foot and the edge.
Test this out on both sides of your heel and on the top of your foot.
If your finger can snuggly fit, your Danskos are the right size!
FAQs: How to Break in Danskos? The Best Shoes for Hairstylists
How Long Does It Take to Break in Dansko Clogs?
If you’re using the above methods, stretching out Dansko clogs can take anywhere between 12 hours to a week.
How to Choose Your Dansko Clogs
👉 Are Danskos supposed to be tight? No!
Dansko clogs specifically are not supposed to be tight to your foot.
When choosing your first pair, make sure that your finger can fit between the side of your foot, your heel, and the top of your foot between the shoe and your sock. The shoe will slip on and off easily.
They’re clogs; they aren’t supposed to fit like running shoes. If the Dansko shoes are any tighter than a finger’s worth of space between the shoe and the foot, you will be in pain because of the blisters.
Dansko uses a European size chart, meaning that your foot is measured in centimeters for more accurate shoe size manufacturing and fittings. So the American shoe size system doesn’t exist with this brand.
However, that means that you get a more accurate size that fits your foot exactly to the centimeter!
If you have never worn Danskos before, it may take 4-7 days. Though if you are replacing your last pair of Danskos, it may only take 2-3 days.
But remember, if you have to stretch them, factor that into your timeframe. If you need shoes for standing all day because of a new job, be sure to get them early and break them in before you start. It’s a lot easier to start the process before you have to stand in them all day.
You will not wear out your Dansko clogs very quickly, which is another reason why they are the best shoes for hairstylists.
All it takes for me, after years of wearing Dansko clogs, I break them in about 2 days. That’s all it takes.
For some, they feel the need to replace their Danskos every 6 months, but that’s for a very high volume of use. Others may not need to replace their Danskos for years.
Breaking in Danskos is a lot easier than wearing them out.