You can tell a lot by a man's shoes!

[Pilgrim]

A few trips through men's stores lead me to reflect that the art of the shoe shine must be in sad decline.

Many of the 20-something young men working in clothing stores look reasonably well put together until you see their shoes.

Scuffed, exposed leather showing, run down heels, and often inappropriate styles for the clothes they're wearing. Hasn't ANYone ever told them that dress shoes should be kept polished, and that when scuffs start to show, they should be polished again? Maybe taken them in hand and showed them how to polish shoes?

Of course, in a good men's store or upper-end department store, or with a salesperson who is over 40, you will NOT see this.

To me, one look at a guy's dress shoes tells me whether he cares about details. I'm not a detail fanatic myself, but I can't stand to see good equipment mistreated, and I regard scuffed, unshined shoes the same way: mistreatment of good equipment. A waste of money. Neglect.

If two people interviewed with me and they were equal in other respects, the job would go to the guy who took care of his shoes and accessories. It shows someone who cares about How Things Are Done.

Comments??

 

[AlanC]

You can elevate any ensemble with a high quality tie, quality shoes and a pocket square.

 

[Martinis at 8]

When I meet a new male business associate I generally look at their shoes within the first few seconds or so. This is a military habit.

M8

 

[Marc Chevalier]

True. If you ever want to know whether an individual is ex-military, look at his or her shoes. Chances are strong that they'll be better polished than the norm.


The *secret* polishing method I learned in NROTC is something I will take to my grave.

.

 

[Paisley]

I think if I hadn't been in the military, I wouldn't care at all about shoes. I have wide, oddly shaped feet, and if I'm wearing shoes that fit and feel reasonably comfortable, I'm pretty happy. But old habits die hard, so I keep my dress shoes clean and shined. My sandals, I just brush the dirt off.

 

[Fletch]

I credit the disappearance of shine parlors, and even repair shops, outside the larger cities. Shoes seem to be going the way of small electrics: no fix, just toss. Sad.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It might also have something to do with the leathers used for most shoes today. I've found that these leathers seem to resist holding a wax shine. For whatever reason, my vintage shoes polish much better.

.

 

[Paisley]

When I was in basic training, I was constantly busted for having unshined boots. It wasn't for lack of effort, they just wouldn't hold a shine.

Even various friends, including a guy who went to a military high school, tried their hand at it. They were the worst boots they'd ever seen.

Today, though, I'm wearing a pair of Naturalizer shoes a few years old that have a glossy shine without much effort.

 

[dnjan]

It might also have something to do with the leathers used for most shoes today. I've found that these leathers seem to resist holding a wax shine. For whatever reason, my vintage shoes polish much better.

.

I think that it is the silicone water-proofing treatment used for a lot of leather shoes today. Caranauba-based waxes just don't do well on top of silicone-based finishes.

On a separate note (but still on-topic with the thread):
How many of you had to polish your shoes on Saturday (when you were a kid) to be ready for church and the following week of school?

 

[Pilgrim]

I never had a timeline to polish shoes, but my dad mentioned it to me a few times when mine got looking too rough.

I have read that in many first meetings and job interviews, one of the first things men (in particular) notice is the state of your shoes. I suspect many a job has been lost because of poorly maintained shoes.

 

[Paisley]

Given how hard it is to find a good word processor (which we'll be looking for shortly), I wouldn't care if the best candidate were wearing Birkenstocks.

 

[Pilgrim]

And I don't blame you. If someone is going to ride a desk and not come in direct contact with customers, the context of dressing is different - at least now.

Back 40 years ago, it probably would have made a difference even if the person interviewing worked as a typist or in a stockroom and never saw a customer. But if male, he would have been expected to wear slacks, a dress shirt and dress shoes (I know, I was a stockroom boy at a JC Penney store). By virtue of working in an office, typists (usually female at that time, for stereotypical reasons we all know) would have been expected to dress to office standards.

Today, appearance standards aren't as thoughtlessly and reflexively applied as they were then, which I think is good. I'd rather have a good stock guy who wears jeans and tennies than a mediocre one who dresses well. I'd rather have a super word processor who shows up in jeans and Birkies rather than a well-dressed one who can't do the job very well.

And before someone else comments on the inherent assumption in the two preceding paragraphs, I'lll do it: IMHO, wearing jeans to work is NOT "well-dressed" in any context other than manual labor.

But it never hurts them to look as sharp as is practical. And if they're male, and wear dress shoes, I'd notice how they took care of them.

 

[Paisley]

Yes, agreed. But I can see your point. Given that I work at a downtown CPA firm, someone wearing a suit and decent shoes, or even nice slacks and a blouse, would probably fit in better here than someone wearing jeans and Birkenstocks, all else being equal.

I don't think The Man would let us hire someone sporting a bunch of tattoos or unorthodox piercings or dreadlocks.

 

[cookie]

Shoe shiners

I credit the disappearance of shine parlors, and even repair shops, outside the larger cities. Shoes seem to be going the way of small electrics: no fix, just toss. Sad.

There is an English guy who runs two stands in central Sydney in the Queen Victoria Building and in the famous Strand Arcade. He employs working visa UK and Euro girls. He also has a crew that goes to the offices and shines the shoes on site. He seems to do well. A regular shine used to be AUD3.50 and is now AUD4.50. You can have deluxe shine if you want for like USD7 with the trimmings. He does wax or straight polish.

He gets a regular trade. Sometimes you have to wait (two seats only). But nowhere does it look like those USA 5 abreasters with a punter in every chair.

 

[cookie]

Tattoos

Yes, agreed. But I can see your point. Given that I work at a downtown CPA firm, someone wearing a suit and decent shoes, or even nice slacks and a blouse, would probably fit in better here than someone wearing jeans and Birkenstocks, all else being equal.


I don't think The Man would let us hire someone sporting a bunch of tattoos or unorthodox piercings or dreadlocks.

Maybe its young the generation but every guy in the Gen Xers and Ys seems to have tatts thse days in Sydney including extraodinary briar bush types that extend everywhere. They must have time on their hands because these take multiple sessions to ink.

With all the anti-discrimination in employment these days I am sure that the prohibition on tatts will go the way of everything else that is prohibited.

 

[moustache]

I completely agree with all that has been said.I blame the sneaker(tennis shoe) for the general downward spiral.They are promoted,sold and made in such large numbers that the majority of the population see THEM and only THEM.
Everyday i see men wearing a sportcoat and sneakers.Yes,indeed.Everyday.And the sportcoat isn't even taken care of.

I shine my shoes usually every day after wearing them.Back into the trees to await the next time.it takes a whole 5 minutes to shine and polish up a pair of shoes.

Maybe many just don't care how people perceive them and their clothes.That certainly is evident for many.
Pajamas and "lounge pants" abound wherever i go.

A crying shame :cry:

As for shoe shines,i know of two in Portland that do this.One charges only $2.50 to shine(when i'm lazy i give the fella $5) and thats not bad at all!!!
But i normally do my own.

JD

 

[Rafter]

Everyday i see men wearing a sportcoat and sneakers.Yes,indeed.Everyday.And the sportcoat isn't even taken care of.
Maybe many just don't care how people perceive them and their clothes.That certainly is evident for many.
JD

And no sneakers with a fedora.
No sneakers, no matter how much they cost.
Sneakers with a fedora and a sportcoat
will make you look like a "New Wave revivalist". No boots either.
Wearing a fedora requires you to own it, as opposed to just affecting it and in this day and age is about commitment. It's also about the time and care you take in presenting yourself.
I always admired my Uncle Jack's highly polished Florsheim shoes. He had class and style that I hope I can emulate. Most people nowadays just don't care.

 

[Nts]

When I ride the elevator at the bank I work at I notice the older men(like 50 up I'm 27) say hello to you and then there eyes go straight down to your shoes. Most days I keep em shined but other days they show the scuffs from the soccer game I played with them the night before:eusa_doh: . Cant wait till I get the Allen-Edmonds I want , there will be no soccer played in those shoes.

 

[Prof Branestawm]

Stephen Fry would, I'm sure, agree with the general sentiment: there is a bit in his autobiography ("Moab is my washpot") detailing his teenage thefts and arrest. He was caught when checking into a good hotel with someone else's credit card, because the receptioness noticed he was wearing 'tramp's shoes' which were scuffed and unshined. Ironically, the first thing he had done after checking in was to see, and steal, a nice pair of new shoes. When he returned from his expedition the police were waiting for him.

 

[J. Brisbin]

The *secret* polishing method I learned in NROTC is something I will take to my grave.

You mean the one where you take the can of shoe polish, spit in it, then use a handkercheif or other cotton rag (a cloth diaper was purchased for this purpose) that's draped over your forefinger, rub the spit into the polish, then make little one-inch circles all over the area you want to polish, continually spitting into the polish as needed, and rubbing the polish with the forefinger until it gets glass-like shiny?

You mean that secret method?