Caring for shoes - How much care is really necessary?

[All over the world]

Now that I have really expensive shoes I need to rethink the way I treat them if they are to last me a lifetime indeed. I used to do it the same way that I'd learned from my RSM, take a brush, add some shoe polish; give it a firm rub and that's it. Is there more that needs to be done?

There also seems to be weatherproofing products for leather, will these damage the shoe in the long run?

Is there anything else I'm missing? Thanks!

[NJS]

There's a question!
NJS

[All over the world]

There's a question!
NJS

How about you, what do you do to them?

[NJS]

There's a question!
NJS

How about you, what do you do to them?

What? Clean my own shoes?! Possibly, you miss the point but to play along:

I just take my 'Jesus' sandals down into the breaking tide and let them dry in the sun.
NJS

[All over the world]

There's a question!
NJS

How about you, what do you do to them?

What? Clean my own shoes?! Possibly, you miss the point but to play along:

I just take my 'Jesus' sandals down into the breaking tide and let them dry in the sun.
NJS

Well, then let me rephrase, how do your servants do it?

[NJS]

^
After careful preliminary instruction, I leave it to them; except the 'Jesus' sandals which, as I said, clean themselves in the crashing surf.
NJS

[All over the world]

^
After careful preliminary instruction, I leave it to them; except the 'Jesus' sandals which, as I said, clean themselves in the crashing surf.
NJS

Why buy Jesus sandals when you can beat a pair of moccasins with a bat until they look like the ones all the bankrupt aristocrats wear at the beach? It's a lot more elegant and comfortable as well as you get less contact with the burning hot sand!

[NJS]

^
After careful preliminary instruction, I leave it to them; except the 'Jesus' sandals which, as I said, clean themselves in the crashing surf.
NJS

Why buy Jesus sandals when you can beat a pair of moccasins with a bat until they look like the ones all the bankrupt aristocrats wear at the beach? It's a lot more elegant and comfortable as well as you get less contact with the burning hot sand!

It's either too hot for anything but 'Jesus' sandals or a little chilly (a tad below 20'C), which justifies co-respondents - you should just see them applying that 'Snowball' whitener! Moccasins don't really feature in tropical ex-pat living: Quiosque lunch on the lagoon and friends over for dinner: pot roasted, spit roasted, pit roasted - and so on and so forth. Here, 'dressing for dinner' primarily necssitates: an impermeable apron, a pair of rubber wellies and a good blade.
NJS

[uppercase]

Don't you know that NJS is living the good life now and doesn't need suits, ties or shoes for that matter.

I hope to follow soon and am practicing getting in the proper mood through osmosis.

In the meanwhile, stop asking silly questions for God's sake to which you already know the answer.

Post pictures of your expensive shoes and your polishing tools. Otherwise, just listen to music and dream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJkxFhFRFDA

[J.S. Groot]

Read this blog http://the-shoe-snob.blogspot.com/

[NJS]

U-C: If you are going to live abroad, I strongly recommend that you consider the things to take and the things to off-load. We have still got a mountain of stuff stored in England and really wish that we had got rid of most of it. If you make the leap, you will soon realize that most possessions are just an encumbrance on - essentially freedom of movement: true impedimenta! Moving it all around (and paying for it), insuring it, housing it, securing it, worrying about it. Better by far to get rid of it!

Moreover, lingering memories of lugging and hauling and humping ruddy great, mammoth-like suitcases (stuffed to breaking point with useless rubbish) from the nervy scrummage surrounding airport carousels and pushing them around on groaning trolleys, with defective wheels, mean that I would never, ever, ever (I don't care what she says), ever again travel on an airplane with more than: a down pillow, a good book, a notepad and pencils, a box of sweets, a snuff box, a few large handkerchiefs, a hipflask, eau de cologne (each when permissible), a toothbrush, a razor, a comb and the smallest possible cabin bag to put it all in. There is some great merit, on short trips, in cutting it all down to: toothbrush, razor and comb. Then you just watch the lemmings running off down the rat-run towards the carousel. You smile a little smile - and get the hell outa there.
NJS

[Concordia]

^
After careful preliminary instruction, I leave it to them; except the 'Jesus' sandals which, as I said, clean themselves in the crashing surf.
NJS

Obviously defective sandals, if they do get under the water long enough to be cleaned. Please warn the rest of us so we don't place orders with this maker.

[NJS]

^
After careful preliminary instruction, I leave it to them; except the 'Jesus' sandals which, as I said, clean themselves in the crashing surf.
NJS

Obviously defective sandals, if they do get under the water long enough to be cleaned. Please warn the rest of us so we don't place orders with this maker.

It's a maker in the town by the lagoon. He swears that they glide across the lake - but there is no guarantee for the ocean as it is so rough.

[All over the world]

Read this blog http://the-shoe-snob.blogspot.com/

Thanks J.S.!



No one answered my question about weatherproofing though, can it damage the shoe in the long run?

And uppercase, why is this a silly question? I learned how to care for military boots which I wasn't exactly fond of, this does not mean that I know how to take care of a good pair of shoes which I very much care about. In fact we would start by running them under the tap then drying them with an old cloth and polishing them. It wasn't really about caring for the shoes it was more about getting them shiny and clean enough for parade. And as for the leather it was the thickest I have ever seen which is probably why it could take such rough treatment.

[uppercase]

U-C: If you are going to live abroad, I strongly recommend that you consider the things to take and the things to off-load. We have still got a mountain of stuff stored in England and really wish that we had got rid of most of it. If you make the leap, you will soon realize that most possessions are just an encumbrance on - essentially freedom of movement: true impedimenta! Moving it all around (and paying for it), insuring it, housing it, securing it, worrying about it. Better by far to get rid of it!

Moreover, lingering memories of lugging and hauling and humping ruddy great, mammoth-like suitcases (stuffed to breaking point with useless rubbish) from the nervy scrummage surrounding airport carousels and pushing them around on groaning trolleys, with defective wheels, mean that I would never, ever, ever (I don't care what she says), ever again travel on an airplane with more than: a down pillow, a good book, a notepad and pencils, a box of sweets, a snuff box, a few large handkerchiefs, a hipflask, eau de cologne (each when permissible), a toothbrush, a razor, a comb and the smallest possible cabin bag to put it all in. There is some great merit, on short trips, in cutting it all down to: toothbrush, razor and comb. Then you just watch the lemmings running off down the rat-run towards the carousel. You smile a little smile - and get the hell outa there.
NJS

I couldn't agree with you more!

There's a particular joy in traveling light. And living lightly as well. I've been through my schlepping days and they are over for good.

Like you, I also take no more than one small carry on bag on trips. What doesn't fit, doesn't go.

When moving overseas, junk your possessions I say. Start over fresh. Yes, live large but lose the encumbrances. Freedom is around the corner.

Now the conundrum becomes serious when it comes to something material which we love. Like clothing.

I suppose that you, NJS, never have any need for your London suits now. What to do with these?

I ask myself that question when confronted by cartons of clothing I have not opened in years....