Men’s Fashion Faux Pas – Dirty and Warped Shoes
Men’s Fashion Faux Pas – Dirty and Warped Shoes
Quality shoes are a staple to any man’s wardrobe and can really accent your wardrobe to make you appear polished and buttoned up. However, one of the biggest men’s fashion faux pas are dirty shoes and warped shoes. Nothing says disorganized and unkempt like bad shoes that are dirty, scuffed, and warped. After spending a considerable amount of money on high quality shoes why would you not want to take care of them? Every type of shoe requires special attention and needs to be care for in their own unique ways. Below are some of the different type of shoes and how to best care for them.
Leather Footwear Care
If you properly take care of your leather shoes they will last for years. Sometimes all that is needed is a light dusting and removing of debris with a horsehair brush to get your leather shoes in tip top shape. However if your leather shoes have heavier build-up on them then a more proper and thorough cleaning is needed. There are three steps to properly cleaning leather footwear. I will go over them in more detail bellow.
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Step 1: Cleaning Leather Footwear:Layout some newspaper on the workspace you will be using. You may want to use a pair of gloves to keep your hands from getting dirty or stained. I recommend using Saphir Saddle Soap which does a great job of removing excess wax from previous polishes and doesn’t damage your leather footwear. Use a damp sponge to work up a lather of the saddle soap on your leather footwear. Make sure you get all surface areas lathered up and clean. When done let your shoes air dry at normal room temperature. Using heat can damage the leather causing it to become brittle and crack.
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Step 2: Condition The Leather:
Applying leather conditioner keeps your leather footwear from drying out and cracking. You’ll want to apply the conditioner conservatively and rub it in to the shoe in small circular motions. Wipe away any excess once the entire surface area of your leather footwear has been conditioned. Ideally you should condition your leather shoes every 10-15 wears in harsh conditions and 20-25 wears in less harsh conditions. This Shoe Oil Leather Waterproof Conditioner by NOR-V-GEN is a great value and a great product with excellent reviews from customers.
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Step 3: Polish Leather Footwear:
Make sure to choose a polish that matches the color of your leather shoes. Wax polish seems to work best for developing that nice military looking shine. Use a damp rag to apply the wax polish and work it in to the shoe in small concentric circles. You should begin to feel the wax polish hardening up and developing a nice shine. If the wax polish remains soft, then wait about thirty seconds and begin again applying a few drops of water and working the polish in to the shoe. It is recommended to strip the wax polish from the shoe every three to six months and rebuild it. Polishing your leather footwear on a regular basis about every month or so will have your shoes looking great and lasting for years.
This Gentleman’s Hardware Shoe Polish Gift Set makes the perfect gift for any man for any occasion.
Suede Footwear Care
Suede shoes can be a bit more challenging to take care of and clean because of the sensitive nature. Before stepping out on the town in your new suede shoes it is best to first spray a suede protector spray onto the upper shoe and leaving overnight to absorb properly. A cleaning block, or eraser block works great for getting out stubborn stains. A suede brush is highly recommended in order to keep and revive the suede fabrics natural nap. You should brush your suede shoes after every use. If you happen to get grease on them you can always rub some talcum powder on them and leave to dry for several hours. The talcum powder will absorb excess moisture and the grease and powder will be easily removed when brushed with your suede brush. This Kiwi Select Suede Boot & Shoe Kit would make a great investment to make sure your suede footwear lasts a long time!
Storing Footwear
Another cause of the men’s fashion faux pas that is warped and creased shoes is not storing them properly. Shoe trees are an important investment for proper footwear storage. Not just any shoe trees though. Make sure to invest in unfinished cedar shoe trees as the cedar will help to absorb any excess moisture and the shoe tree will help your footwear return to it’s natural shape. Ideally your shoe trees should be placed inside your shoes immediately after removing them from your feet and after about and hour or two they can be removed. The Original Shoe Tree Company makes some great cedar shoe trees for men at a great value. I highly recommend investing in some.
I hope you find these tips helpful and it helps you to avoid the men’s fashion faux pas of having dirty, warped, and creased shoes. Remember first impression are everything, and for some reason one of the first things people notice on a man are his shoes. So why not impressed the hell out of them with some high quality well kept footwear.
