Monday, July 28, 2014

#381 Shine On

I grew up in a house where after we bought new shoes, the first thing we did before wearing them outside was to shine them.  It came from my dad, who was in the Army Reserve.  He had (and still does) a homemade shoe-shine kit in his bathroom cabinet with different colors of shoe shine, rags and brushes.  To this day I still shine my shoes before wearing them, and I shine them when they get scuffs or water marks on them. 

I believe that shoes say a lot about a person.  It bothers me when someone’s shoes are constantly scuffed or not taken care of.  If you take care of your shoes, they will take care of your feet, and in turn, you will look better.  I would even go so far as to say you will look more polished.  J 

Speaking of taking care of your feet, I also believe that you get what you pay for in terms of shoes.  I admit I have purchased shoes at Pay Less (their sizes go up to 13!) but usually get summer sandals and shoes that won’t get a lot of wear and tear.  They occasionally have leather shoes so I’ve tried to get those when I can.  Normally I shop at Clarks, Nordstrom or online at Zappos.  I gravitate toward well-made, comfortable leather shoes.  I may pay a little more, but they do last. 

So get some shoe shine paste and a soft cloth, and get to work.  Your feet will thank you! 

2 comments:

  1. Your Dad and my uncle! He lives in Alberta and has a few pair of shoes and a pair of boots made by a shoemaker in Calgary. They last forever and the shop has lasts of his feet on file. They get resoled and repaired as needed and I think they'd be the first things he would save in a fire after his dog and my Aunt.

    I've been thinking of having a pair of boots made. I tend to buy good shoes for quality and a long life rather than the style of the moment. I don't know if it is cheaper in the long run, but I'm happy with them and my closet isn't full of painful or outdated shoes I've only worn a few times.

    It is good to hear there are other people who think quality is better than cheap fast fashion!

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