Bought a pair of Gaziano & Girling's latest captoe Oxfords? If you shelled out a small fortune for a fine pair of handcrafted shoes, you need to make them stand out like you're supposed to. That means creating a magnificent, gleaming polish that really gets you noticed at your next corporate function. The best part is that it doesn't take long and you'll even end up enjoying the process.
Any pair of leather dress shoes need to be regularly polished. The benefits are three-fold. Firstly, shining your shoes starts with a good cleaning, and that alone helps to keep your shoes lasting much longer. The shine just caps it off. Secondly, it really signals that you've bothered to put in the effort and people will appreciate that. They'll love the fact that you went the extra mile just to look good. Finally, the chances are high that people you look up to are also genuine shoe enthusiasts and when they notice your shoes, there's a connection that they make about your enthusiasm (you know what people say about 'birds of a feather', don't you?). It might even be a conversation starter. Just make sure you don't start but if they do bring it up, be humble about it.
But let's get back to the point (pun unintended). You might even be dumbfounded about how to even get started with shoe care but that's the reason The Boardroom exists for you. We go to the trouble so that you don't have to.
And out of all the aficionados of shoes that we researched, we have to state that we love Kirby Allison and his discerning sense of style. The YouTube-creator and sartorial expert is one of the best gurus on the internet for shoe care and we've partnered with him to bring you this simple but straightforward guide.
STEP 1
Clean Your Shoes with a Damp Cloth
To prepare the shoe to be polished, first remove any superficial dirt with a damp (but not wet) chamois. If the chamois changes the colour of the leather, then it is too wet. A shoe shine Spray Bottle from Kirby Allison is perfect for delivering just the right amount of water – dampening, but not over-wetting the chamois.
STEP 2
Apply Saphir Pommadier Cream Polish
Saphir Medaille d’Or Pommadier Cream Polish is ideal to further condition the uppers, restore colour lost through wear and cleaning, and also to add a matte shine. First, select a colour of Pommadier that best suits your needs: (1) one shade lighter than the uppers to maintain the existing upper color; (2) the exact same shade to fill scratches as necessary or all over to slightly darken; or (3) one shade darker to darken the existing upper colour. To apply the Pommadier to the uppers, use a clean chamois cloth to gather a very small amount of the cream polish. Then, apply the Pommadier to the uppers with the chamois cloth in a circular motion using light to moderate pressure.
STEP 3
Buff off Cream Polish with a Horsehair Brush
Ideally, allow the Pommadier to completely dry over the course of one hour, particularly if colour needs to be added back to the uppers. But if you do not have an hour, a few minutes should be enough to allow the polish to dry. Once the Pommadier has dried, brush the uppers with a horsehair brush using brisk side-to-side motions with light pressure. At this stage, a soft horsehair finishing brush is ideal, as it will do the best job producing a shine without removing any waxes. This cycle should be repeated two to three times to build the finish or as is otherwise necessary.
STEP 4
Apply Saphir Medaille D'Or Pate De Luxe Wax Polish
If a matte shine is preferred, there is no need to proceed any further. However, if a glossy shine is desired, Saphir Medaille d’Or Pate de Luxe Wax Polish is ideal. Because of the high concentration of waxes in the Pate de Luxe Wax Polish, it is ideally reserved for just the toe box and heel. If you apply wax polish to the vamp where the shoe bends, it can cause the wax to crack and produce a white haze (if this happens, remove with the Saphir Reno’Mat). Begin by applying a thin (less is more!) layer of wax polish, in the same shade as the previously selected Pommadier, using a clean chamois in a circular motion using light to moderate pressure. Allow the wax polish to completely dry.
STEP 5
Buff Off Wax Polish with a Horsehair Brush
Once the wax has dried, brush the uppers with a horsehair polishing brush using brisk side-to-side motions with light pressure. Be sure to thoroughly brush any creases or folds in the uppers, so as to prevent the undesirable buildup of wax over time. This cycle may be repeated as necessary to achieve the desired level of shine.
And there you have it. Five easy steps that will get you noticed for all the right reasons. It won't be easy the first time. Shoe-shining is a skill and like all skills, you'll get better with practice. At the very least, you'll have a pair of luxury shoes that could literally last a lifetime because of the care you put into it.
Note: The main body of this article and the images have been re-published with permission by Kirby Allison. For more expert advice on shoe care, shoe care products and other sartorial articles, visit Kirby Allison at https://www.kirbyallison.com or https://www.youtube.com/kirbyallison.