Taking care of one's shoes

 Instructions for taking care of your shoes

If you've been eagerly wanting a particular pair and finally acquired them, it's crucial to maintain them properly so that they last longer.

Here are a few tips to ensure they stay in good condition for as long as possible.

 

Taking good care of your shoes involves a few best practices. Using a shoehorn to put on your shoes can prevent damage to the heel counter, which can occur from rubbing against it. Another key step is using shoe trees as soon as you take them off, as this helps to stretch the leather and prevent unsightly creases. Lastly, it's recommended to avoid wearing the same pair of shoes for more than two consecutive days to prolong their lifespan.
 
   
 

You will find a wide range of shoe trees on our website. Crockett & Jones, Lobb, and Santoni each have their own shoe trees. For Latin-shaped shoes, you can purchase Upper Shoes' shoe trees, while Saphir's shoe trees are also excellent for round-shaped shoes such as Church's Grafton or Burwood. The important thing is to ensure that the shoe tree fits snugly inside the shoe, without any space on the instep, so that the leather is stretched properly.
   

Toe taps or no toe taps?

It is a question that depends on which camp you belong to.

Some people prefer to let the leather sole wear naturally. If you rotate your shoes regularly, the sole will wear gradually. However, once the sole is worn out, you will need to have it completely resoled by an artisan, which will take several weeks and cost around €160 depending on the manufacturer. Whether it's a Blake or Goodyear stitch, all can be resoled.

Others prefer to have a rubber toe tap applied after a few weeks of wear - it's important to let the sole mold to your foot first, so don't have the toe tap applied right away. A screwed-in metal toe tap can also be added to protect the toe of the shoe. This option will give you better traction, cost less for repairs, but the toe tap will need to be replaced periodically. It's important to note that if you have a toe tap added to a pair of shoes that didn't have one originally, the manufacturer will consider it a modification to the shoe and will no longer honor its warranty. This is true for all manufacturers, although defects are rare in these high-end brands.

 

What product for which leather?

Here you can find all the advice for each type of leather. As a default, your shoe care kit should include a universal cream, shoe polish, a brush for shining, and a waterproofing spray. With these first aid tools, you can do almost anything.

For anything else, such as specific questions, a grease stain on your favorite suede pair, a dog that chewed on your shoes (yes, it happens!), an elastic to be replaced on a pair of boots, a dye job, or anything else... just send us an email and we'll discuss the matter.

Check out the repairs done by Upper Shoes on our Instagram page! Our fellow cobbler Anatole Weill will be happy to put his knowledge and skills at your service.

Remember, if you take care of the top part, we can take care of the bottom part!