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Polishing Dress Shoes (1 Viewer)

J

James Daulton

Footballguy
I recently decided to up my shoe game and have purchased a couple of pairs of Allen Edmunds shoes.  Now prior to these kicks, I'd buy cheap work shoes and just chuck them when they started to look haggard.  Since the new shoes are a tad bit nicer and more expensive, I'd like to take better care of them. 

However, I'm a total novice at the whole shoe shining/polishing thing.  What kind of stuff do I need?  Do I just match up the color by eye?  Is this something I should pay someone to do, if so, who?

Help me out here grown up FBGs!

 
I've been getting my shoes shined by pretty much the same guy for a decade. Eddie's has a few different stands in Grand Central, I go to one on particular once a month or so. Sitting in an enormous leather chair for 10 minutes reading a paper is a very relaxing experience. $5 for the shine, $5 tip on top...well worth it.

 
I have a pair of AE that I recently had shined for the first time after attempting to do it myself for a year.  it's night and day.  a good shine will last you a while, I'd say just drop the $10 every 4 or so months on a professional shine.

 
One of my high school jobs was as a locker room attendant at Brynwood Country Club.  Among the duties was shining shoes.  I bet I shined over 100,000 pairs of shoes in my time there. 

 
I do all my Clarks myself.  That's only because we haven't had shoe shine boys in Cranston since the 50's I believe.  

 
Peyton Marino said:
I have a pair of AE that I recently had shined for the first time after attempting to do it myself for a year.  it's night and day.  a good shine will last you a while, I'd say just drop the $10 every 4 or so months on a professional shine.
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Where do I find a professional shine guy?  Dry cleaner maybe?  The mall?

 
James Daulton said:
Where do I find a professional shine guy?  Dry cleaner maybe?  The mall?
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there are two in my building.  do you work in an urban/city area?  if so I think you ought to be able to find one nearby.

I think most serious clothiers (Brooks Brothers, Macy's etc... not Jos A Bank) have them on hand as well.

 
RUSF18 said:
I've been getting my shoes shined by pretty much the same guy for a decade. Eddie's has a few different stands in Grand Central, I go to one on particular once a month or so. Sitting in an enormous leather chair for 10 minutes reading a paper is a very relaxing experience. $5 for the shine, $5 tip on top...well worth it.
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There are decent shoe shine/shoe repair shops all over NYC. I struggle to find one when I travel.

From Yelp it looks like Eugene's (516 W Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, MD 21210) shine shoes when repairing. Doesn't seem like they have a place to sit while you get a shine, guess you'd have to drop off & make a second trip when they're ready.

 
BobbyLayne said:
There are decent shoe shine/shoe repair shops all over NYC. I struggle to find one when I travel.

From Yelp it looks like Eugene's (516 W Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, MD 21210) shine shoes when repairing. Doesn't seem like they have a place to sit while you get a shine, guess you'd have to drop off & make a second trip when they're ready.
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Doesn't pretty much every airport have them? 

 
Ditkaless Wonders said:
One of my high school jobs was as a locker room attendant at Brynwood Country Club.  Among the duties was shining shoes.  I bet I shined over 100,000 pairs of shoes in my time there. 
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Same here (different club tho). The tips on that were great. Most guys tossed me between 10 and 20. Some #######s though would give me a fn stick of gum or some BS. 

 
James Daulton said:
I recently decided to up my shoe game and have purchased a couple of pairs of Allen Edmunds shoes.  Now prior to these kicks, I'd buy cheap work shoes and just chuck them when they started to look haggard.  Since the new shoes are a tad bit nicer and more expensive, I'd like to take better care of them. 

However, I'm a total novice at the whole shoe shining/polishing thing.  What kind of stuff do I need?  Do I just match up the color by eye?  Is this something I should pay someone to do, if so, who?

Help me out here grown up FBGs!
Click to expand...
Depends on if the leather is burnished then you want clear so it doesn't cover that up. But otherwise match color is good.

 
polish dress shoes?

say, that reminds me... how many people of polack persuasion does it take to tie a shoe?

 
Shining your shoes should take about 10 minutes to do properly.  It's not difficult at all.  There's something nice about sitting up high on that shoe shine chair and having it done but really it's an easy DIY.

Buy a tin of Kiwi wax polish that matches the color.  Brush off any dust and remove any dirt from the shoes.  Apply Kiwi with an old undershirt.  Let shoes sit to allow the polish to dry.  Buff to a shine with a clean, wetted section of the old undershirt.

 
If you have the AE's with an offsetting thread color, you're going to ruin the look if you aren't careful.  I take mine to Nordstrom.

 
I have a shoe brush that I use very lightly each week (cleaning first and then applying a small amount of water before hand) and then every 3-4 months take them to a shoe repair guy that does it professionally for $5/shoe.

 
Ignoramus said:
Shining your shoes should take about 10 minutes to do properly.  It's not difficult at all.  There's something nice about sitting up high on that shoe shine chair and having it done but really it's an easy DIY.

Buy a tin of Kiwi wax polish that matches the color.  Brush off any dust and remove any dirt from the shoes.  Apply Kiwi with an old undershirt.  Let shoes sit to allow the polish to dry.  Buff to a shine with a clean, wetted section of the old undershirt.
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Pretty much this, it's that easy.  But before I do the polish, I will hit the rough spots with this, which is more of like an ink.

 
Ignoramus said:
Shining your shoes should take about 10 minutes to do properly.  It's not difficult at all.  There's something nice about sitting up high on that shoe shine chair and having it done but really it's an easy DIY.

Buy a tin of Kiwi wax polish that matches the color.  Brush off any dust and remove any dirt from the shoes.  Apply Kiwi with an old undershirt.  Let shoes sit to allow the polish to dry.  Buff to a shine with a clean, wetted section of the old undershirt.
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I'm in complete agreement up until the last line.  At that point, I just use a brush that I got when I was in the Army.

I just hate trying to polish a pair of wing tips.  Always get the polish in the f'ing holes and cannot get it out easily.

Three things I don't think I saw mentioned here:  1) You should not wear dress shoes two days in a row; 2) You should polish them monthl, assuming they are worn a couple times a week; 3) You should strip them down (I like using rubbing alcohol best) and then polish them up about once a year.

 
Spike said:
I'm in complete agreement up until the last line.  At that point, I just use a brush that I got when I was in the Army.

I just hate trying to polish a pair of wing tips.  Always get the polish in the f'ing holes and cannot get it out easily.

Three things I don't think I saw mentioned here:  1) You should not wear dress shoes two days in a row; 2) You should polish them monthl, assuming they are worn a couple times a week; 3) You should strip them down (I like using rubbing alcohol best) and then polish them up about once a year.
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The brush is fine but as you know you'll get a much better shine with a wetted cloth.

 
Another vote for a professional shine once a month or so (depending on how often you wear them).  Also, should get Shoe trees.  

 
Ditkaless Wonders said:
One of my high school jobs was as a locker room attendant at Brynwood Country Club.  Among the duties was shining shoes.  I bet I shined over 100,000 pairs of shoes in my time there. 
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Right on, Porterhouse!

 
Big fan of getting them shined in train stations/airports while reading a paper. Otherwise, I'm a cocktail napkin and saliva guy.

 
Some warm water on a paper towel will and some vigorous rubbing will clean and shine, a bit. Quick drying buff with a cloth adds some luster.  Then rub down with the inside of a banana and buff again.    Under 5 minutes, with no shoe care equipment, and your shoes will look sharp.

Really, just get some decent shoe care products when you buy your shoes.  Takes only a few moments to do properly.  Less is more with the polish.  Always try to get some of the old polish off first with some warm water and a vigorous but brief buffing.  For old shoes with wear marks showing through to the leather try using Kiwi polish, but ignite it first and burn until liquefied.  Dab that liquefied polish into the wear mark.  Let set for about five minutes then polish the shoe normally.

Polish that has been liquefied by flame should be tossed, it is of poor quality for future polishings. 

 
I don't know when, but I've become a shoe guy apparently (can you get gayer as you get older?  If start taking spin class I'll know for sure).  I'm in love with the AE's I'm currently wearing.  I found a shoe shop in my town that repairs and polishes, I'll be taking my 4 pair there this weekend (assuming they can do them all over the weekend).  My current shoe rack is just a wire rack where I slide the shoes in horizontally, I assume this is not a proper shoe holder for quality shoes?

 
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James Daulton said:
I don't know when, but I've become a shoe guy apparently (can you get gayer as you get older?  If start taking spin class I'll know for sure).  I'm in love with the AE's I'm currently wearing.  I found a shoe shop in my town that repairs and polishes, I'll be taking my 4 pair there this weekend (assuming they can do them all over the weekend).  My current shoe rack is just a wire rack where I slide the shoes in horizontally, I assume this is not a proper shoe holder for quality shoes?
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Best to go with cedar shoe trees.  This is the sort of thing I am talking about.

 
Spike said:
Best to go with cedar shoe trees.  This is the sort of thing I am talking about.
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I have five pairs of Johnston and murphys all using the exact shoe tree.  Love them.  If on a budget, get the plastic versions.  Those are better than nothing to maintain shape.

 
I've been in jury duty past two days and during lunch decided to have the shoe shine guy give a good polish.  Wow, what's horrific decision.  Left residue all over my shoes.  As soon as he started out I was suspicious when he didn't apply the Polish very well and should have told him to stop when he broke out a small torch but I figured being this was his job, and highly recommended, he knew better.  Just spent the past 30 minutes fixing what he did.  Very annoying.

 
Found a local shoe repair dude in the mall.  He polished up and added some color to my four pair of AE's, they look brand new.  He also showed me how to polish them myself going forward and said I shouldn't need to add color very often (but to come back to him when I did).  I bought a 5th pair recently that I'll work on myself when the time comes.  The cedar shoe trees are fantastic, thanks for that suggestion.

I'm pretty sure I'm officially a shoe guy now as I've started to notice what kind of shoes other dudes are wearing.   You can't just turn gay all of a sudden can you?

 
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James Daulton said:
Found a local shoe repair dude in the mall.  He polished up and added some color to my four pair of AE's, they look brand new.  He also showed me how to polish them myself going forward and said I shouldn't need to add color very often (but to come back to him when I did).  I bought a 5th pair recently that I'll work on myself when the time comes.  The cedar shoe trees are fantastic, thanks for that suggestion.

I'm pretty sure I'm officially a shoe guy now as I've started to notice what kind of shoes other dudes are wearing.   You can't just turn gay all of a sudden can you?
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The moment you push back.

 
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