These shoes are meant for walking, but…protect them

Tafadzwa Zimoyo

Fashion 263

Many times we go to the saloon or barbershop to have our hair done, or to the shop to buy new clothes, or even taking back the torn old clothes at the tailor for mending.

It is actually normal.

But when it comes to shoes, it is much rare to see some people buying new shoes or repairing them.

In fact, one can have two pairs of shoes which he or she can wear for a longer period and can decide to buy new ones if there is an event or if the old pair is no longer in good condition.

With all the fashion clothes and accessories that we have, are your shoes safe and protected?

For ladies, I have been observing a lot while taking a stroll in the Harare CBD, many prefer to put on pumps because they are conducive, they are comfortable and they can be worn with any outfit depending on the type.

 

On stilettos, which are the girl’s second best friend, they seem to be for the elite working class. The challenge comes on heel tips, which is worrisome for many ladies.

Imagine while on date or going to church then your heel tip is off. I know heel tips are notoriously difficult to walk in, but are very delicate.

I can say heel tips are the ‘egg’ on a fashion statement, if you don’t take them well they break.

Some say that even if they don’t break, they can be worn down to the point at which they cause you discomfort and become a nuisance.

It is important to have some good quality stiletto heel tips around since you never know when you might need a replacement.

I had a chat with one worker at a local shop in CBD which repairs shoes and he commented on conditions anonymity.

He said when you are looking for stiletto heel tips replacement, the quality should be of a high standard.

“The tips should be made of durable material and should not come at the expense of comfort,” he said. “There are two main materials to look out for, which is plastic and metal. Metal heel tips can be less comfortable to walk in because they make a sound-tip-tock while plastic heel tips, on the other hand, are fairly robust, and also give you the durability and comfort that you need too.”

By the way heel tips add some more height to your heels.

The trick is just add a pad between the heel and the bottom of the shoe then you become the next Naomi Campbell.

For men, I know it is a burden, especially having a shoe with corner heels that are ‘half-eaten’, as they prefer to call them.

Again, not many men prefer the sole guard or protectors – that metal chip which can be installed at the corner of your heel to give the balance.

There are two types of sole guard which are the leather soles and metal guard.

The leather soles are the standard when it comes to most quality footwear.

However, the classic elegance of leather soles is great for indoors, but not always so practical for outdoors.

I know the debate on whether it is advisable to add sole guards to your shoes or not has been raised many times on the forum.

What you need to know is that the shoe needs to be protected and sole guards throw the shoe off balance.

Here are quick tips from Cosmopolitan writer Jess Edward on how to protect your shoe to last long:

◆ Think quality first. The most effective way of making sure your shoes last longer is to invest in them in the first place.

◆ Spray with a water protector. Suede or leather are vulnerable when wet but there are loads of sprays out there that can stop any damage happening. Simply spray before you wear them, and follow the instructions on the bottle to top up the protection every few months.

◆ Use a wooden shoe tree. These will stretch the shoes to their original size preventing creasing and allowing the leather to breath. The wooden shoe trees will also absorb any sweat or moisture which can age your shoes and smell nasty.

◆ Stuff them with newspaper. If your shoe addiction would leave you taking out a small mortgage on shoe trees, use newspaper as an alternative. Don’t be afraid to be generous and really pad out the shoes as much as possible.

◆ Keep them in dust bags. If you’ve splashed out on an expensive pair of shoes, chances are they will already come with a handy dust bag to protect them when in storage. If you aren’t lucky enough to own any, a pillowcase acts as a great dust bag substitute.

◆ Store in a dry place. Shoes + moisture = bad so try and find a play that is cool and dry for your shoes to sleep at night.

◆ Rotate your shoes. We know they are your favourite pair of shoes but seriously, if you wear them every day for the next month they are going to age super quickly. Try not to wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row.

◆ Polish your leather shoes. It might seem old school but a slick of polish really can work wonders in bringing your leather shoes back to life. You’ll also be able to notice any wears or tears that might need repairing from your closer inspection.

◆ Replace the soles. If the soles are starting to look like they’re on the way out, take them to a cobbler and get new ones.

The more you wear down the soles, the more it will effect the rest of the shoe and make them unfixable.