How to Care for Your Shoes
Invest in cedar shoe trees
“Put them in after each wear to remold any style to its original shape,” says Gregg Andrews. Shoe trees also prevent the toes of footwear from curling and eliminate crease marks, while the wood absorbs moisture.
Rotate your shoes
Wearing the same shoes two days in a row will cut their life in half. Allow them at least 24 hours to dry and return to their original shape.
Inspect regularly
Make it a ritual to polish and check for sole damage once a week. Moisturizing leather will help a shoe last. Try Windex or other household products for cleaning sneakers.
Add a textured-rubber or nonskid sole
It will protect expensive yet fragile leather soles, and the rubber provides traction to keep you from slipping on polished floors and icy sidewalks.
Use a shoehorn
It’s the cheapest way to keep the leather and structure of your shoes in shape, because it keeps you from crushing the back of the shoe when you put it on, says Kevin Harter, a Bloomingdale’s vice president.
How to Skip Socks
Besides wearing brown or tan shoes when going sockless—the color blends better with skin tones—here are two ways to get away with the no-sock look.
Wear anklets
Kevin Harter of Bloomingdale’s calls them the “no-show socks” because they provide comfort and moisture absorption without the look of socks.
Choose a modern-cut pant
Flat-front, slim-cut slacks are the only ones that go with a bare-ankle look, says Gregg Andrews. Don’t even think about trying it with a pleated suit pant.
