I had the pleasure of getting a shoe shine yesterday at Larrimor’s downtown location with the Master of Shine, Maxwell. There’s a video to come, but I thought in the mean time (before I release Maxwell’s tips to you) I’d give you some tips for caring for your leathers.

The Art of Manliness posted this fun illustrated shoe care guide.

I’d like to add a few of my own:

Add taps! After a few months of wear, have your cobbler put on the very inexpensive taps to prevent beating up the toes and heels of your leather. It helps to wait awhile so that the shoe has formed to fit your walk.

Don’t wear the same shoes day after day. It doesn’t allow them time to fully dry out (even with your fancy cedar tree) and the smell will keep away the ladies no matter how great the shoes look. Have a few pairs to let your favorites breathe after a full day’s wear.

Buy Better. Cheap shoes are a bad deal. You’ll invest more replacing pair after pair that are ruined after a few months outside. Look for good quality leather and solid construction (no glue!). They’ll last longer. They’ll polish beautifully, and you’ll have them for many years. (Maxwell shined someone’s 25 year old shoes yesterday before he did mine!)

His tips are to come soon, and they’re even better than mine. So stay tuned.