Making it last - shoe edition

Let's say you've achieved closet nirvana. You have all the fabulous shoes, bags, and clothes a girl could want and you make amazing outfits and look sensational every day.  Even if your reality is a little different than that, you're probably at least part way there and you've got some great things.  You want them to be wearable as long as possible. 

How do you extend the life of your fashion finds?  Let's start with shoes.  Obviously they take a beating, hitting the street as they do.  Their soles wear down, their tips fall off and they can end up in a state that we'll just call less than fresh. 

Let's go inside out.  Whether you wear socks, hose or go commando, you're going to end up with sweat and dirt in your shoes.  When you are ready to put your shoes away for the night, there are a few things you can do to refresh them. The simplest and least expensive is to wipe out the inside with baby wipes.  Yep, regular drug store baby wipes. After all, if they're mild enough to clean a sensitive little baby butt, they're safe for your leather lined shoes.

The normal day to day grime can be wiped away.  A used dryer sheet rolled into your shoe will help keep it smelling fresh.  When you've spent many hours on your feet with the swelling and sweating that comes from that, a little more help is needed. Foot powders can be used in the shoe to absorb moisture and odor.

Now onto the part of the shoe you see.  Wearing suede or light colored leather?  Minor marks can be removed by rubbing gently with a Pink Pearl eraser or a white gum eraser from the art supply store.  Smudges on patent leather blend in after a swipe of white vinegar on a paper towel.  When you scuff the heels of your black pumps, get the Sharpie out of your desk drawer and dab on.

Sometimes self help is not enough.  Find a good cobbler and make friends.  He or she can save your soles.  Think that the red bottoms of Louboutins are the only ones worth saving?  Any shoe can be zip soled, the rubber comes in almost every color of the rainbow and your cobbler can cut it to the perfect size.  Not only does it ensure the bottoms will last, it provides a non-slip surface.

 

 

Pointy toes that wear first on the bottom can be protected with little triangles.  Tips can be replaced with a sturdier version than the one that came on the shoe. A talented cobbler is your shoe wardrobe's best friend.

 

Whether you bought your footwear at Payless Shoes or Saks Fifth Avenue, pay them a little attention and they'll last long enough to make that cost per wear look pretty good.