Why is it important to look after your shoes? I never really started wearing shoes until I went to uni, I’d always believed in a good trainer and I still do, but now with work I tend to wear shoes practically every day. Throughout my late teens I would only have one or two pairs of footwear at any one time, and would wear them to death until I replaced them. Over the last couple of years I’ve started looking at my shoes as an investment – you buy a decent pair, look after them, and you’ll have them for years. It’s safe to say this hasn’t always been the case; I’ve sadly had to give up on a couple of pairs well before their due date purely because I haven’t looked after them. It’s so easy just to take them off and chuck them at the back of the wardrobe until you next need them, or if they’re your favourite pair, to wear them until the leather begins to crease and eventually crack, ruining an otherwise really good pair of shoes. Which is why I’ve teamed up with G.H. Bass & Co, to share why it’s so important to care for your shoes.

Of course there’s the obvious things to avoid doing, like pulling off your shoes without untying the laces, or even putting them on without untying and treading down the backs –  both things my Mum used to kill me for doing. But first things first its always important to protect a new pair of leather or suede shoes before you take them out for their first test drive. It was always drilled into me that whenever you buy a new suede pair, that you have to give them a quick spray with protector, else they’ll be ruined as soon as it rains, but I foolishly never used to bother doing the same with leather.

I know not everyone feels the same, but I love wearing shiny shoes. In my opinion they can make an otherwise drab/basic outfit look smart and clean. For example say your wearing a pair of black jeans and a white top; a pair of slightly battered shoes isn’t going to look half as good as a pair of beautifully polished boots. I think it’s safe to say, that a few of us never bother polishing our shoes; either because you ‘like them a tad scruffy’, because they’re not dirty enough to warrant a clean or just because you can’t be arsed. Looking after a pair of shoes isn’t only about keeping them clean, it’s about treating the leather. If you buy a decent pair and look after them properly they can last for years, but as I’m sure everyone is aware, being a natural material, leather does age. Hence why you need to look after it. As I said; polishing your shoes isn’t just about keeping them clean and shinny, it nourishes/moisturises the leather too, stopping it from creasing and then cracking.

 These Boots are from G.H. Bass & Co’s Monogram Collection. I absolutely love these Chukka Boots, I usually go for a Chukka or a Chelsea, but I really liked the hand stitched seam detail on the tops.They have always been a firm favourite of mine, they can be dressed up or down so easily and are very sturdy Boots, but what I liked most about this pair is the extra little detailing on the edge of the tongues.

So remember, treat them right and they’ll last you for years to come. What’s your favourite style of shoe?