Caring for Shoes in Your Closet
Tips for Storing Your Designer Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks
No matter how many pairs of women's shoes you own or whether you are a shoe addict or thrifty shopper, prolong the life of footwear in your closet by giving them some TLC
We live in an age where most modern women obsess about owning a pair of designer Jimmy Choos or Christian Louboutins, and would kill for a pair of Manolos.
Approximately 10% of British women in a 2006 Harper’s Bazaar survey spend £1,000 a year on pairs of shoes, and one in ten women admits to owning more than 100, according to the Daily Mail’s article "£1,000 a year on shoes – is that all," of 10th August 2006.However, no matter how many pairs you posses, if your precious fashion footwear is sitting piled high at the bottom of your wardrobe then it is time to think about giving them some tender loving care.
Whether they be designer shoes or high-street, storing them carefully will prolong the life of your delicious foot candy, keeping them in pristine condition and making your money last longer! Unlike clothes, it is very unlikey that you’ll ever grow out of a pair of Jimmy Choos, Christian Louboutins or Manolo Blahniks!
In the words of prestigious footwear designer Jimmy Choo, “For a woman, the right shoe can make everything different. It can make you walk better, feel better.” Therefore if your shoes can perform such miracles then it is important to take care of them too.
Caring for Your Shoes
- Clean your shoes after each wearing”, advises Stephanie Pendersen, author of Shoes – What Every Woman Should Know, (David & Charles 2005) “Not only will you feel great putting on a pair of clean, shiny shoes but smart footwear creates a better impression too.”
- Use a shoe horn when putting on ballet flats, courts or pumps as this will prevent you from breaking down the backs.
- Using shoe trees will help keep your shoes in shape between wears. Alternatively pad them out with non-acid paper such as tissue.
- Stuffing the toes of your shoes with tissue paper will enable them to retain their shape.
- Using a leather cleaner will keep your shoes soft and supple and prevent cracking. You can also disguise scratches if you apply a cream a shade lighter in color.
Storing Your Shoes
- Prevent your shoes from getting squashed by keeping them in their original boxes or on a rack.
- It is better to keep shoes off the floor, where they are more likely to gather dust and attract dirt. If necessary place them on an overhead shelf in your closet. The same principle applies to storing your handbags.
- There is a huge range of storage boxes available intended for storing individual pairs or multiple footwear. However, make sure these bins and boxes allow for air flow, to prevent mould setting in.
- Another alternative is to purchase a set of hang-anywhere canvas type hanging shelves.
- If you have more pairs of shoes than you can sensibly store in your closet, then buy a separate shoe cupboard or rack.
- If you are storing shoes for a long time, you can wrap them in tissue paper or bubble wrap before putting them away. Cover large metal clasps and buckles with tissue paper to stop them leaving an impression on other shoes or becoming discolored.
- Make sure your shoes are clean and dry before you store them or you are asking for trouble! It’s best if you put them somewhere dry and warm to air if they are even minutely damp. You can also apply a water repellent to suede or nubuck shoes before wearing them for the first time.
