These boots are made for sparkling

Growing up my mom always said that you knew a lot about a man based on his shoes. Pop and Den (both ex-service vets) ingrained in me that shoes should be shined. A little polish a little rub of the brush and you could keep them looking new for years. I have people ask me about my "new" shoes often and recently in a meeting someone commented on my new shoes. I showed him the bottom where they were worn out. I just keep them polished. We actually got into a discussion where he couldn't believe I polished my shoes. Why not?! I can't afford new ones all the time so why not take care of what I have? I am rough on my shoes too. Part of my street is cobble stones it eats my toes of my shoes and in the winter the salt is wicked rough on them. I hadn't done it since the spring but I pulled out 15 pairs total of mine and Dave's shoes and spent the time and polished them up. I hadn't done it when I put my boots away in the spring.


For the ones I can I use the easy cheating bottles of polish. They are great and it dyes and shines in one step. (pop would of used cream polish then buffed with a rag then shined with a brush) for ones like the stitched ones in front I use a clear cream on the right with the brush to shine.


The kiwi bottle on the right, the cordovan one is the best. The one on the left is messy and I won't buy it again. The Coach leather cleaner and softener is one of the best products on the market. I knew someone with a leather couch with cats and it always got the scratches out. I use it on all my purses. It's really great in winter if you get salt on your shoes use the cleaner then the softener and it removes all traces of salt. (I walk and take the T to work and the roads are constantly being salted when it snows)
Look at what a difference it makes. I used the one step Kiwi on this pair. No buffing necessary.


I personally now would prefer to own fewer but better quality things and take care of them instead a bunch of cheap pairs you can't even polish. I wasn't always this way but my pop did rub off on me some as I get older. I find It's so much easier now getting dressed when I only own things I "LOVE" instead of a bunch of things I kinda like.

Look how nice they all look put away!


Now I will probably do this maybe once a month until the sandals come back out in May. I usually do my purse at the same time. I don't use polish on them just the Coach stuff because polish can rub off onto clothes.

I have a cobbler too I take things to when they wear out. He put new bottoms on the red boots last winter as I had worn totally through them.
When ever you go to my grandparents house shoes are to be taken off and left at the door. (not a rule but something we always did) My shoes would always disappear for awhile and return freshly shined and polished. I have asked for Pop's kit. I miss him but I can feel close to him knowing how proud he'd be to see my boots sparkling.