"I can’t leave the house without my teeth brushed and my shoes shined." — Sid
Shoes are figuratively and literally the foundation of your wardrobe. And taking care of them says a lot about who you are. (Not to mention helps the shoes last.) We wear leather shoes or suede shoes pretty much every day - it’s part of our uniform. And so we think of shoe care (aka keeping your shoes shined, suede shoes cared for, and leather soles polished) more as our duty as a man, rather than a torqued-up artisanal technique. Everyone can do it, and everyone should do it! All you need is a few minutes, a little guidance, and simple shoe care supplies.
What type of products you need will depend on the shoes in your closet. But regardless of your roll-up, you can’t go wrong with French shoe care wizards, Saphir, and they make a ton of great products. A must-have – if you can only get one shoe care product, is Saphir’s Renovateur: a cleaner, conditioner, moisturizer, and polish, all in one. And we love their wax polish for a mirror shine, shoe cream for shell cordovan, and invulner for suede protection. (It’s like Scotchguard, but better.) Add in a Saphir buffing shoe brush or wire suede brush (Redecker is a house favorite, as well), some shoe polish mitt & cloth (in Sid Mashburn green), a good shoe horn, some cedar shoe trees, and maybe a shoe care kit to keep everything organized, and you’ll be on your way.
