Updated on December 19, 2018 for product updates and minor content corrections.

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In the last installment of Protecting your Investment, we showed you how to safeguard your garments, this week we’ll be showing you how to protect your shoes from the mean streets. When was the last time you gave your dress shoes a proper shine? Chances are you never have or it has been an eternity. Aside from your hair, your shoes are one of the first features that people notice. What’s the point of having a crisp suit if the first thing people notice is your street scarred, worn out, dress shoes? In this weeks edition, we will be sharing the not so secret trade secrets when it comes to protecting and extending the life of your dress shoes.

Polish Every Few Weeks

Polishing your shoes is the cornerstone of protecting and maintaining your dress shoes. A good polish not only conditions and protects the leather, but it also gets rid of any scuffs, nicks, or imperfections. It is hands down the most essential thing to do to keep your shoes looking their best. If you don’t already have all the necessary supplies (polish, brush, polish rag), you can assemble your own polish kit or buy a ready made one from Brooks Brothers*. In addition, we also recommend picking up a bottle of Saphir Renovateur. This mink-oiled based cream is considered one of the very best shoe creams. Think of it as a Swiss Army Knife that can be used for cleaning, conditioning, smoothing, and polishing your dress shoes. When it comes to frequency, we recommend every three weeks or more if you put a lot of miles on them each week. Don’t know how to polish? Keep your eyes open for our upcoming article.

Find a Good Cobbler

Think of a cobbler as a tailor for your shoes. They can do anything from replacing your heels and soles, to completely refinishing shoes. Are the heels on your favorite pair of shoes worn down to the wood? Drop them off at the cobbler and for $20 they’ll throw a new pair on. Over the lifetime of a shoe, a cobbler pays dividends because instead of buying a new pair of shoes, you can just take them in for repairs. An important point here: rubber soled dress shoes, while comfortable to walk in, make it more difficult for the cobbler to repair. Unlike wood sole shoes, a cobbler cannot simply pop off a heel or replace a sole because everything is fused and glued.

Shoe Trees

Are not only an absolute must, but are also the simplest accessory you can buy to protect your dress shoes. First and foremost, they help preserve the size and shape of your shoes. After a long workday, shoe trees bring your shoes back to their original shape and size, while also muscling out creases and wrinkles. Secondly, since most shoe trees are made of pine, they serve as a good defense against odor. A pair can be had from anywhere between $20-$30 and can be found at Allen Edmonds* or Nordstrom’s*.