STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kenzie · Chanel

I am the shoe destroyer.

erin · Chanel

maybe putting a zipsole on them? that will help from wearing out the soles. also i bet a cobbler could clean them up at the end of a season.

boobaby · Kate Spade

I have the exact same problem! I always attributed it to the fact that I do walk a lot, am very clumsy and have pretty bad luck when it comes to being caught in the rain in nice shoes. Maybe you could take them to a shoe repair shop and have new shoes zipsoled? Also, try leather protectors or conditioners?

cinderella4282 · BCBG

Mine usually last about two seasons and I have a new heel pad put on. My cobbler ususally cleans up the heel, buffs the shoe and will repair the sole on the balls of my feet as well. This usually only runs me $5 to $10 a pair. Not too bad if you REALLY love the shoe.

Lilykind · Hermes

I pronate when I walk (and run as well) which causes all my heels to wear out unevenly. I also walk a lot though, so my shoes do get a ton of wear. For example, I've heard that some people can wear Frye Campus boots for 10+ years before they show major wear. I had to get the heel on mine replaced after 2 years. I also ran my Birks into the ground after less than 2 years.

I try to buy shoes with rubber soles or I get the leather soled ones zipsoled immediately. Also, when I was in HS and had to make one or two pairs of shoes last for 2 years, I polished them myself on a biweekly basis and sprayed protectants on them like crazy. It did work. I managed to make some Steve Madden and Skechers shoes last about 4 years this way. I'd do that now, but I have too many shoes. wink

cahabo · Kate Spade

I used to be hard on shoes but now pay extra attention to how I wear them. Dragging your feet can wear out your soles. I also used to rest one shoe on top of the other while sitting and that probably wore out my shoes a lot faster than they should. It's just the little things you're really not aware of that wears them out!

Bastet · Kate Spade

kenzie wrote:

So, what's my problem? I'm about tired of ruining all of my shoes! I don't want to have buy a whole new shoe wardrobe every season. Okay, I want to, but I can't afford to, so if anyone has any tips for helping me keep my shoes in better shape, I'm all ears!

I think I walk too heavily, and that runs all my heels. I think I also pronate like Lilykind because my heels wear unevenly. One thing that helped is I started wearing my Pumas or flip flops to and from the metro to save my shoes some wear and tear on my commute. I swore I didn't want to be one of those girls in flip flops that the newspapers joke about, but it saved my shoes. (And in my defense, I don't wear them when it's cold or raining wink )

NCshopper · Hermes

Really, the only logical solution I see here is to buy more shoes. I mean, the more shoes you have in rotation, the less often you wear any given pair of shoes, so they'll all last longer! Just think of it as saving money in the long run.

-- Edited by NCshopper at 08:41, 2007-08-31