Start shining your shoes, if you don’t already, to Up Your Fashion Game. This Quick Tip Tuesday will show you how.
Everyone uses Kiwi brand shoe polish. It’s the most common brand. The tin also has that perfectly engineered wing nut to pop the top off!
Now, depending on the color of your shoes you’ll want different polishes. Black shoes = black polish. Brown shoes = brown polish. Any shoe that has lighter colored stitching though you’ll want a clear polish. If your shoes are oxblood, burgundy, cordovan ect, there are polishes for those too. Just be careful and pick the right one (yes, they are all different). You could also use a clear on any of the above. It won’t hide scuffs in the leather like a colored paste will, but it will still shine the leather. Clear is also good for any light brown shoes. It won’t change the color, but you’ll be able to get a nice shine.
If you don’t have any supplies, I suggest getting one of Kiwi’s small shining kits. You can get this online or even at your supermarket. It comes with a horsehair brush, a can of black polish, a can of brown polish, applicators, and a shining cloth. The only other thing you’ll need to buy is another color of polish if you have another color of shoe.
Tip: When you’re shining your shoes, what you’re really doing is shining the polish you just put on.
Now to shine your shoes:
1. Take out the laces and clean off any dirt with a damp rag. Use an old toothbrush to get the dirt out of the welt (the part where the top of the shoe is sewn to the sole)
2. Apply the appropriate polish to your shoes in small circular motions with the foam applicator or a rag. You want to get a thin coating all over. You may need to get the polish a tad wet to get it out of the can.
3. Wait 5-10 min until the polish has dried. This is important.
4. Using the horsehair brush, brush your shoes in a fast motion to shine the polish. It may help to put your other hand inside the shoe.
5. Last, use the lint free cloth that came in your kit, or a clean old t-shirt will work, and buff them until you’re happy with the shine.
6. If you drop a little water on there will create a greater shine (spit shine!), but this step is optional.
Well taken care of shoes will last a long time! If you take care of the leather and get them re-soled when they start to wear out, they will outlive you!
“I was never in the army like my dad and prefer just a little luster to a lot of shine.” – Fred Woodward
Up Your Fashion Game 