1/1/2019 Update: Two Perfect Souls have relaunched this site and will no longer offer custom small size shoes. The new mission of Two Perfect Souls will be to create unique 3D printed jewelry collection that complement your style and taste effortlessly. Hope to see you again in my new journey.
Last week, I wrote about some of the tools that I keep in my shoe caring kit. So for this week, I would like to continue but also show you how to recognize that your shoe is ready for some serious TLC that only a professional can provide. For those of you who have just tuned it, you can read the first part here.
4) Keep your shoes and bags in its intended shape even if you are not wearing them. Leather will wrinkle with age. If you wear your shoes a lot; you will see crease lines that form where your feet bend. Hopefully, you have conditioned the leather of your shoes often enough that the creases will not crack easily. In addition to conditioning, I recommend using an extra tool to help the shoes keep their shape. I highly recommend investing in a cedar shoe tree as it wicks away moisture and prevents odors from building up. I prefer ones that have a split toe because let’s face it, shoes are not made perfectly for your feet off the rack. The split toe mechanism will slowly stretch the toe box of the shoe so that in time it will fit a slightly wider feet. You may not see the immediate results but with a bit of patience you will feel the difference on your feet.
(Photo: Woodlore)
(Photo: Shoe Care Supplies)
Another inexpensive preventative measure of crease lines can be found in your local party store: long balloons. Balloons will not let your boots breath as the cedar ones would, but they do the job. Some reviewers online find it easier to manage as they have more give than the stiffer cedar ones, especially around the calf area. So if you choose this option, just remember to air out your boots once in awhile.
(Photo: Amazon)
5) Become best friends with a cobbler! There will come a time when you just cannot prevent or fix the wear and tear on your shoes and this is when you take them to a good cobbler and let the master work the magic. It is important to never over wear your shoes to the point of no return because there are things that even the most skilled cobbler cannot fix. Most people know that a cobbler can buff out scratches and dress the edges of a shoe but here’s a few ways to tell that you should immediately go to the cobbler.
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When you are walking and the sound of your heels are like metal scraping the ground. This is usually a sign that you have killed your heel caps. No fret, this is actually one of the most common things a cobbler fix for women shoes. Changing it out is easy and it will feel like new once again.
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When you see stitching coming apart on your loafers or flats. Traditionally, a loafer’s upper, insole, and outsoles are all stitched together. While there are a few ways in how the stitchings can be performed, one of their common benefits is to prevent water from getting into the shoe. If the shoe’s stitching and soles are coming apart, the next time you wear it in the rain, you might have wet socks. A good cobbler can completely replace the sole or restitch it together depending on the method the shoe was constructed, price will vary accordingly as well.
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When you feel every single pebble you walk on. This usually means you’ve worn out your outsole. Luckily this is an easy fix for the cobbler. Typically what is left of your outsole will be peeled off and be replaced. You can have either rubber or leather on any shoe. What is great about rubber is that it is shock absorbent and great for rainy weather. Rubber soles at ⅛ of an inch will absorb better shock than a leather sole would. However, leather generally has more of a sophisticated look and a softer bend, so a leather-soled shoe is aesthetically pleasing and will feel less chunky on the feet like the ones from our current collection. You can decide what type of sole you want, just don’t forget to tell the cobbler.
So there you have it, all of my recommendation on how to extend the life of your shoes. What do you think? Share your comments on my Facebook page.
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