I sanded them and painted them black. The joints are stiff but that makes me confident that it will last a long time and that it will stay in place while in use. I do with the cable felt a little more sturdy but I havent had any problems in the month Ive had them, and I cant really complain for this price. I would not recommend these for everyday use. Tocca prendere due numeri in più per poter infilare piede scalzo. Anyhow, I was walking around in these sandals a minute ago and found myself saying out loud "these sandals are great" to nobody. 9 / 5. I gave a pair to my wife, and I dont believe she has worn any other footware in the two weeks since then. So, as much as I wanted to keep them, I ended up returning them. Super cute, super comfortable, and a great price.