How many of you are into shoes... (Dress Shoes)?

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I am a LWB sucker....some Alden #8's today. Attachment 740334

Nice!!

[rickyslam]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Nice!!

Dan, as well as anyone who can chime in. I wanted to know how often do you guys polish or have someone polish / shine your shoes? I just got a pair of AE Mora 2.0 and in Vegas they have shoe shiners at every hotel. So I was wondering is it a bad thing to go to those guys? Does the stuff that they put on build up in time? Should I stay away? I'm already looking for a second pair. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

[rr-nyc]

Originally Posted by rickyslam

Dan, as well as anyone who can chime in. I wanted to know how often do you guys polish or have someone polish / shine your shoes? I just got a pair of AE Mora 2.0 and in Vegas they have shoe shiners at every hotel. So I was wondering is it a bad thing to go to those guys? Does the stuff that they put on build up in time? Should I stay away? I'm already looking for a second pair. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

There is a thread about caring for shoes but to answer your question about shoe shiners, no. I wouldn't let them polish any of my shoes. I keep my shoes cleaned and polished before I travel. If I'm away for more than a few days, I carry a travel kit with creams, rags, and brushes to do it myself if needed.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by rickyslam

Dan, as well as anyone who can chime in. I wanted to know how often do you guys polish or have someone polish / shine your shoes? I just got a pair of AE Mora 2.0 and in Vegas they have shoe shiners at every hotel. So I was wondering is it a bad thing to go to those guys? Does the stuff that they put on build up in time? Should I stay away? I'm already looking for a second pair. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

Here's all you will ever need to know about shoe care: http://www.styleforum.net/t/228153/t...als-photos-etc

The short answer though is that less is better. Brushing followed by buffing with a soft cloth will maintain your shine. Wax buildup is not a good thing, so I wouldn't have a shine guy waxing my shoes.

[rickyslam]

I finally got the Mora 2.0 from AE. Fit is snug. I went to Philly over memorial weekend and stopped in for them. They didn't have it my size so they sizes me up and said they'll shit it to my house. Got them today and just not sure if it should be snug or loose. How do you guys wear your shoes?Image1464930452.801965.jpg


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[Wesley Crusher]

In my personal experience, shoes that are slightly snug at first will loosen up after you've worn them a few times. Once the footbed settles down a bit and the leather stretches out, you should be fine.

What area of the shoes are snug? Toe box? Vamp? Length?

[kirksingleton]

I just ordered 4 pair from saks tonight. Heck of a sale going on!

[towernick]

After three pairs of AE going back to Nordstrom, I bought two pairs of Ballys last weekend. I couldn't be happier, superb shoes.

[rickyslam]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

In my personal experience, shoes that are slightly snug at first will loosen up after you've worn them a few times. Once the footbed settles down a bit and the leather stretches out, you should be fine.

What area of the shoes are snug? Toe box? Vamp? Length?

Yea I thought the same with the snug fit. It's snug on the vamp you can say, it's where the widest part of me feet are. It's comfortable though so I know I shouldn't go wider. So if it works for you then I'll do the same. Just sucks that they didn't have my size in store.

Has a little squeak from the leather. I hope that's normal.


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[rickyslam]

Originally Posted by towernick

After three pairs of AE going back to Nordstrom, I bought two pairs of Ballys last weekend. I couldn't be happier, superb shoes.

What was wrong with the AE


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[rickyslam]

Originally Posted by kirksingleton

I just ordered 4 pair from saks tonight. Heck of a sale going on!

What did you order?


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[Rogdogg]

Originally Posted by rickyslam

Dan, as well as anyone who can chime in. I wanted to know how often do you guys polish or have someone polish / shine your shoes? I just got a pair of AE Mora 2.0 and in Vegas they have shoe shiners at every hotel. So I was wondering is it a bad thing to go to those guys? Does the stuff that they put on build up in time? Should I stay away? I'm already looking for a second pair. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

As other's have said less is more when it comes to wax polish. What happens is the wax can build up over time and start to crack because it gets too thick. While in some cases it is not good for the leather in most cases it just gives the appearance that the leather is cracked when in actual fact it's just the many layers of wax. It doesn't look very nice. All of this build up of wax can be removed very easily with leather cleaning products. I use Saphir RenoMat myself and it is very good. It cleans the leather right down to it's pores and removes all excess wax build-up allowing you to essentially start from the first layer again. It's good to do this from time to time anyway if you have the time. Hydrate the leather after this, again, I use Saphir Renovateur before mostly using a Saphir shoe cream. I don't use wax polishes so much anymore. I like to care for my shoes myself as I find it a little bit therapeutic. If you are going to care for them yourself and remove wax build-up from time to time yourself I would have no problem getting them polished by a shoe shine sometimes.

[towernick]

Originally Posted by rickyslam

What was wrong with the AE


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Had two pair where the heel separated from the shoe, and one where a hole developed in the sole. I'm done with AE, moving on.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Rogdogg

As other's have said less is more when it comes to wax polish. What happens is the wax can build up over time and start to crack because it gets too thick. While in some cases it is not good for the leather in most cases it just gives the appearance that the leather is cracked when in actual fact it's just the many layers of wax. It doesn't look very nice. All of this build up of wax can be removed very easily with leather cleaning products. I use Saphir RenoMat myself and it is very good. It cleans the leather right down to it's pores and removes all excess wax build-up allowing you to essentially start from the first layer again. It's good to do this from time to time anyway if you have the time. Hydrate the leather after this, again, I use Saphir Renovateur before mostly using a Saphir shoe cream. I don't use wax polishes so much anymore. I like to care for my shoes myself as I find it a little bit therapeutic. If you are going to care for them yourself and remove wax build-up from time to time yourself I would have no problem getting them polished by a shoe shine sometimes.

There are so many products out there and everybody will swear by one or or another but this is kind of how I go about it.

You can either use cream or wax. But most agree it's best to use cream on the vamp where the shoe flexes the most as wax can crack. So I use wax on the toe and heel only where it doesn't and use it only when a higher shone is desired. I do tend to use neutral cream more often than colored cream as colored cream does leave more pigment behind. I only use colored cream when more color is desired or to cover up scuffs which cannot be buffed out. Neutral is also good when multiple colors are present or lighter colors where a match cannot be found. However neutral wax can flake if being used for spit shinning if you use to much.

In the military a real deep and hard spit shine was the goal, but since I'm no longer in the military I'll still spit shine but I no longer find that shave in my shoes look necessary. So I'll give it a spit shine but in no means will I do it to such an extreme. Besides it seems I no longer have to put forth so much effort either because of the quality of leather and products I am working with or the better product I am using. We used Kiwi but now I use Saphir cream and waxes. Black is the best and easiest color when spit shining but a bit of neutral on black can be a marvelous thing. By the way old cotton diapers I have found are the best thing to use when spit shinning. They are the cheapest, but they are the best material and consistency as well from my experience.

I condition when needed as well but here again less is more. I use when needed but I do not over use. I no longer use Saphir Renovateur as it is the harshest conditioner that I ever used. Besides its a cleaner and conditioner and it seems to take more finish of my shoes than any other conditioner I have used. Also some who have taken a look at this believe it has turpentine as part of it's formula and turpentine isn't considered by most to be good in the long run. I use Bick4 as it is one of the conditioner like Lexol which seems to be highly recommended and it doesn't use turpentine. It also tends to be a great way of preventing and removing water spots from the type of leather Edward Green and Gaziano and Girling use. It's also less expensive than Saphir Renovateur as well.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by dddrees

There are so many products out there and everybody will swear by one or or another but this is kind of how I go about it.

You can either use cream or wax. But most agree it's best to use cream on the vamp where the shoe flexes the most as wax can crack. So I use wax on the toe and heel only where it doesn't and use it only when a higher shone is desired. I do tend to use neutral cream more often than colored cream as colored cream does leave more pigment behind. I only use colored cream when more color is desired or to cover up scuffs which cannot be buffed out. Neutral is also good when multiple colors are present or lighter colors where a match cannot be found. However neutral wax can flake if being used for spit shinning if you use to much.

In the military a real deep and hard spit shine was the goal, but since I'm no longer in the military I'll still spit shine but I no longer find that shave in my shoes look necessary. So I'll give it a spit shine but in no means will I do it to such an extreme. Besides it seems I no longer have to put forth so much effort either because of the quality of leather and products I am working with or the better product I am using. We used Kiwi but now I use Saphir cream and waxes. Black is the best and easiest color when spit shining but a bit of neutral on black can be a marvelous thing. By the way old cotton diapers I have found are the best thing to use when spit shinning. They are the cheapest, but they are the best material and consistency as well from my experience.

I condition when needed as well but here again less is more. I use when needed but I do not over use. I no longer use Saphir Renovateur as it is the harshest conditioner that I ever used. Besides its a cleaner and conditioner and it seems to take more finish of my shoes than any other conditioner I have used. Also some who have taken a look at this believe it has turpentine as part of it's formula and turpentine isn't considered by most to be good in the long run. I use Bick4 as it is one of the conditioner like Lexol which seems to be highly recommended and it doesn't use turpentine. It also tends to be a great way of preventing and removing water spots from the type of leather Edward Green and Gaziano and Girling use. It's also less expensive than Saphir Renovateur as well.

So... for my 4000th post...

I've looked up the MSDS (dated 2010) for Saphir Renovateur. I don't see turpentine, but I do see kerosene and some chemicals that have an OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL 100 ppm for skin on the DIPROPYLENEGLYCOL MONOMETHYL ETHER, which is between 25 & 50% of the product). Not something I'd want on my clothes, or my shoes. You'll want to wear gloves, and don't get it in your eyes.

I'm with Dan on the Bick 4. I've used it on work boots with great results. And the MSDS doesn't list any hazardous chemicals.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

So... for my 4000th post...

I've looked up the MSDS (dated 2010) for Saphir Renovateur. I don't see turpentine, but I do see kerosene and some chemicals that have an OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL 100 ppm for skin on the DIPROPYLENEGLYCOL MONOMETHYL ETHER, which is between 25 & 50% of the product). Not something I'd want on my clothes, or my shoes. You'll want to wear gloves, and don't get it in your eyes.

I'm with Dan on the Bick 4. I've used it on work boots with great results. And the MSDS doesn't list any hazardous chemicals.

Thank you sir. I must have either received my information from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about or I simply remembered it incorrectly in the first place. Regardless I found Saphir Renovateur too be so harsh it just didn't feel right in the first place.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Thank you sir. I must have either received my information from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about or I simply remembered it incorrectly in the first place. Regardless I found Saphir Renovateur too be so harsh it just didn't feel right in the first place.

Agree with the less is more approach on spit shining also (I use a slightly damp cotton ball and the tiniest bit of wax). I was a paratrooper in the US Army and it seems you can't jump out of airplanes unless you have very shiny boots. I learned to make crappy leather look like glass. These high quality leathers in dress shoes take almost no effort to have a beautiful glaze, so there shouldn't be a need to build up enough wax that it would crack.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Agree with the less is more approach on spit shining also (I use a slightly damp cotton ball and the tiniest bit of wax). I was a paratrooper in the US Army and it seems you can't jump out of airplanes unless you have very shiny boots. I learned to make crappy leather look like glass. These high quality leathers in dress shoes take almost no effort to have a beautiful glaze, so there shouldn't be a need to build up enough wax that it would crack.

Cotton balls was what I used initially as well and they do work, I just got tired off all those tiny little cotton balls. The old style cotton diaper was an evolution for me after cotton balls then t-shirts, and then finally old style cotton diapers. Preference kind of thing really.

From one old retired veteran to another veteran for your service.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by dddrees

Cotton balls was what I used initially as well and they do work, I just got tired off all those tiny little cotton balls. The old style cotton diaper was an evolution for me after cotton balls then t-shirts, and then finally old style cotton diapers. Preference kind of thing really.

From one old retired veteran to another veteran for your service.

Thanks for your service as well Dan

BTW, I have a line on a pair of used Lobb Chapels in dark brown here in the UAE. They are on their second owner, both individuals bought the wrong size (too big) and never wore them. I'm not sure how the second guy didn't learn from the first. The Dubai store got Chapels in three weeks ago and the UK8.5's fit me quite well. But at 6265 AED ($1750), I decided to look around for a better option. I'm trying to get to half price on these used ones.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Thanks for your service as well Dan

BTW, I have a line on a pair of used Lobb Chapels in dark brown here in the UAE. They are on their second owner, both individuals bought the wrong size (too big) and never wore them. I'm not sure how the second guy didn't learn from the first. The Dubai store got Chapels in three weeks ago and the UK8.5's fit me quite well. But at 6265 AED ($1750), I decided to look around for a better option. I'm trying to get to half price on these used ones.

Thank you, and these sounds like unused to me. Good Luck!!

[Rogdogg]

I will have to try the Bick4 product that you have mentioned. It sounds like a good product. I've never seen it for sale here though. I might have to order it online.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Rogdogg

I will have to try the Bick4 product that you have mentioned. It sounds like a good product. I've never seen it for sale here though. I might have to order it online.

I don't even know if I could find it locally or not myself. I order it via Amazon, but I don't know what options you might have unfortunately.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Rogdogg

I will have to try the Bick4 product that you have mentioned. It sounds like a good product. I've never seen it for sale here though. I might have to order it online.

All their retailers are in the US and Canada. Online is probably the best option. But postage maybe high going to BKK.

[Dial_M]

This is an interesting post thank you the colored shoes are interesting as well.

I can appreciate nice shoes as well and have a collection featuring mainly Ferragamo & Gucci. Dress shoes, suede drivers, smoking shoes, motorcycle boots at night, regular boots for bad weather, dress boots for w a suit.

[Abdullah71601]

New casual shoes from Nick. They aren't welted, but feel like I'm not wearing anything. Perhaps the most comfortable shoes I own.

`

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

New casual shoes from Nick. They aren't welted, but feel like I'm not wearing anything. Perhaps the most comfortable shoes I own.

`

They look extremely comfortable. Congrats.

Rubber sole I take it?

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by dddrees

They look extremely comfortable. Congrats.

Rubber sole I take it?

Glued on rubber. The suede is very supple, more like a nice pair of socks than leather shoes.

[Relyt]

Can anyone recommend a nice paid for a blue pinstripe suit for around $200 or under $300? I know that's not too much. But I'd like to get something a little different. Maybe a pair of more "casual," and something for court cases if I don't have to wear a uniform.

I own 7 suits ranging from Navy, Blue Pinstripe, grey etc. I've got a great tie collection, just haven't found a shoe at the regular stores that just takes my breath away.

Well I do have one pair of blue sued shoes that I like to wear with crazy socks just to have fun.

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[LeDandy]

especially opera pumps...

[swils8610]

Have you tried the Allen Edmonds Shoe Bank?