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Because your feet are so far away from Command Central (a.k.a. your head), most guys pay little attention to keeping their feet in good, clean shape – soles smooth, toenails trimmed, sock lint excised. When it comes to shoes, a lot of guys care even less about them. Why do I have to know how to shine shoes?Who has time to care about the quality and care of whatever shoes you do own?
You should. Because we here at Be Better Guys believe that whether or not you notice your shoes, others do. We don’t know what it is about shoes that cause folks to pass judgments about you as opposed to, say, your belt, your scarf, or your haircut (OK, we all make judgments about guys because of their haircut). Think of it this way – many women have, what, thirty pairs of shoes? You have two. Maybe three. Anyone who has thirty pairs of shoes likes shoes. And she’ll look at yours. Don’t think for a second that she won’t.
Furthermore, employers, customers, and job interviewers size up the little things about you – such as the condition of your shoes or whether you smell like a barnyard – to determine what kind of a man you are. Unfair as that may be, look at the shoes of the men you look up to professionally. We’ll bet in most every instance, his shoes are close to immaculate. Unless it’s Phil Jackson, in which case his clogs are immaculate.
Whether your shoes are pricey or reasonable, you should care for them equally. Your feet take a pounding and your shoes are the only things protecting your feet from the world.
Shoe Shine
Polish and shine your shoes weekly, and at the very least, take a pass with a shoeshine brush over the pair that you're wearing that day.
Get the basics for a shoeshine kit – A horsehair brush, a rag (your hole-filled undershirt will do fine), black and brown shoe polish or cream, and a bag or box to hold it all in. Kits start under $20, particularly if you supply the rag. - Wipe the shoes of any dirt.
Liberally apply the polish all the way around the shoe, and the sides of the shoe sole as well. You can apply to the tight spots with an old toothbrush, but only the military demands that kind of attention to detail. - If you have time, let stand for about 10 minutes.
- Put one hand in the shoe and with the other, brush the shoe vigorously.
- Give the shoe a little spritz of water. You can spit on the shoe, but come on, that’s foul. For a true "spit shine," try this.
- Rag it off, giving it one final rubdown for maximum shine.
- Visit a shoeshine guy every now and then and let the pros show you how it’s done.
The entire process should take under five minutes for a pair (so do them while you’re watching the game), but you give your shoes and your whole scene a finished look. Also, keeping your shoes regularly shined preserves the leather, and that preserves your investment in a decent pair of kicks.
Shoe polish versus Shoe cream
Shoe polishes, the hard wax type that comes in tins, give the shoe a high shine, but don't help to keep the leather from cracking due to loss of moisture. Shoe creams or pastes, which come in tubes or jars, keep shoe leather supple and the color consistent, but don't give as brilliant a shine. Both work well, but know you'll need a leather conditioner using the polish and an extra coat for the cream.
More Shoe Stuff You Can UseShoe Taps: Got a cobbler or shoe repair guy in your town? When you buy a new pair of shoes, visit your cobbler and have them nail in these little banana-shaped pieces of metal or plastic called taps. One under the toe, one on the heel. They wear down before your actual shoe soles and heels do.
Shoe Horn: Stuffing your feet into your shoes every day can flatten the back of the shoe (heel cup), which loosens the fit, causing it to slip, giving you blisters, and unbalancing the stock market. Buy a shoehorn [or appropriate one next time you stay in a hotel) and use it to slide your heel into your shoes and keep the shape of the shoes intact.
Shoe Trees: A shoe tree is a contraption that is frequently made of cedar (but can be plastic) that fits into your smelly, sweaty, funky shoes at the end of a long day and helps the shoes keep their shape. The cedar ones help them lose their stink. You can get plastic, but cedar's better A pair of cedar shoe trees cost about $15.
Shoe Rotation: We recommend owning at least two pair of shoes. Black and brown at minimum. Different color clothing and occasions call for different footwear, but also because switching shoes every few days saves wear and tear on all of them. Rotate ‘em.
Soles and Heels: Every other year or so, the soles and/or heels of your shoes have just had enough of living in your roughneck world. Soles get holes, heels wear unevenly (like your tires) and they need to be replaced. Mind you, the whole shoe doesn’t have to go, just the soles and heels. Take them to a cobbler or to your dry cleaner if they offer shoe repair, and keep the shoes kicking for years to come.
Shoes aren't cheap and buying a new pair every year because you wear them down to dust can get expensive really quickly. Care for your investment and present yourself as a complete guy. So shine ‘em up and keep your feet your friends!
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