As I was waiting for a green light near Union Square in San Francisco, I stood next to a young man – about 25 – who was very well dressed. How refreshing it was to see a young person wearing elegant, good quality clothes. He was wearing a brown sport coat and navy trousers; he even had the perfect eyewear and haircut. As the light turned green and he began to walk ahead of me, I couldn’t help noticing the good cut of his clothes and high quality of the fabrics in his attire, but then my eyes lowered to his shoes…the shoes needed new heels and a good coat of polish. What a shame to spoil an otherwise impressive image.

Be aware that people see us from different angles and from head to toe. Shoes play a major part in our presentation. Not only do they have to match the style of the clothing we wear, but also, just like the rest of our attire, they should be in perfect condition. Ideally, just like everything else, shoes should be inspected thoroughly before putting them away. Since you do not want to have anything dirty in your closet, have a small kit of cleaner, shoe brush and a soft cloth where you keep your shoes and give them a quick touch up before putting them away, If they need more attention or professional care, bring them to the shoe repair shop. If you want to reduce the need of polishing, consider suede, patent and/or clothes shoes. However, they still need a good brushing or wiping with a soft cloth, and, of course, the same attention to the tips, heels and soles.

Plan periodically to do a “shoe consultation”. Inspect all of your shoes, one pair at a time, and create three piles.

• Pile #1 is for shoes that are in perfect condition, in style and are comfortable – the keepers.
• Pile #2 is for the shoes that need repairs or some other care.
• Pile #3 is for the shoes that for some reason you never wear, are out of style, or not worth repair.

Go back to pile #1 and divide these into two piles…the ones that are in season, put back on the shelf with shoetrees to help the shoes to keep their shape when not being worn. The ones that are not in season should be put in their original box, or if you did not save the box, buy clear shoeboxes at ClearShoeBoxes.com. This will make it easier to find the shoes for the next season.

Go back to pile #2, take any shoes in need of repair and cleaning to the shop and do the same as you did for Pile #1.

Go back to pile #3, anything in good condition could be taken to a resale shop and all others to a thrift shop or tossed.

As I was writing this column, I took my own advice and decided to do a shoes check in my wardrobe. It was an eye opener! I was about to throw away six pairs, but then decided to have them professionally cleaned and repaired. I tested http://www.AlexDryclean.com. They picked up the six pairs of shoes and returned them the next day. Each pair was individually packed in a white paper bag. The shoes look brand new. It was effortless and cost about $125 for heels and cleaning…definitely something to keep in mind, and to do every six months. I can honestly say that I saved six pairs of shoes!

Here are some tips on how to take care of shoes:

• General Advice
  • When you first wear new shoes, wear them in dry weather.
  • Avoid wearing the same shoes on consecutive days, this will prolong their life and keep them comfortable.

 

• Wet Shoes

  • It is recommended to let shoes dry at room temperature; never dry wet shoes near a fire or hot areas.
  • To help absorb the moisture and reshape the shoes, stuff them with newspaper.

 

• Cleaning

  • All shoes deserve good treatment.
  • Clean leather shoes regularly with a brush or damp cloth before applying a good quality shoe cream of the correct color.

 

• Suede Shoes

  • Dry suede shoes should be brushed using a rubber or suede brush.
  • For stains, use a solvent cleaner.
  • For bald patches use fine sand paper.

 

• Nubuck Leather Shoes

  • Clean with a slightly soapy warm water solution.

 

• Patent Leather

  • Use a damp cloth and good quality patent leather spray.

I am absolutely mad about shoes and got really crazy last week, I bought seven pairs from flats to platforms…thank goodness for all the deals out there (see my April 07 column.)

Till next month….

Michele