Five ways to instantly improve your shoe wardrobe!

Gemma Cartwright on how to makeover your shoe collection without (much) effort...

1. Sell / give away shoes that don't fit
We've all done it. We've bought a pair of heels in the sales which we later found were so painful we couldn't bear to wear them. Or we've thought we could get away with a size seven when we really needed a six and a half. It's time to say goodbye to these shoes and make room for new ones. If they really can't be salvaged with insoles or heel guards (be honest), give them to someone who can enjoy them or sell them on eBay and use the funds to buy a pair that truly fit.

2. Polish your leather
I'm sure for most of us the last time we ever polished a pair of black leather shoes was when we wore them for school. But you can give old, tired leather a real lift with a bit of polish, so make the effort every now and then to buff up your best courts to a shine. They'll look like new, but they'll fit like old faithfuls.

3. Get rid of those cheap, trendy shoes from 2001...
Rainbow striped stilettos a la Kylie Minogue? Bright pink striped slingbacks with cone heels? Or going back further, checked Doc Marten boots customised with beads and nail polish flowers? Wooden soled lace-up heeled kickers? Velcro dolly shoes with rubber soles? Any of these sound familiar? If you haven't worn them in the last twelve months, chances are you won'twear them again. Put them in storage for fancy dress / making a killing at a vintage fair in ten years, or throw them away. You'll thank me in the end.

4. Store your shoes properly
Space may be an issue, but shoes (particularly nice ones...) should be given the respect they deserve. Whether you put them all in their own clear boxes, label up the original boxes with polaroid photos, invest in shoe hangers, shoe racks or even that controversial shoe wheel, make sure you keep your shoes in order and never, ever chuck them in the corner of the room or in the bottom of the wardrobe. You'd never catch me doing a thing like that (*cough*).

5. Wear your shoes!
It might sound silly, but if you're anything like me you have hundreds of pairs of shoes but still wear the same four or five pairs all the time. I vote we stop the nonsense and start getting wear out of all our funky printed heels, posh designer shoes and quirky boots. They'll only gather dust otherwise. You'll have to get the soles dirty at some point, ladies (and gents)!

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Posted by Gemma on August 16, 2007 3:50 PM in Columns & Opinions
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Comments

As always, it's a GEMMA-f an article

Posted by: Jule | August 16, 2007 4:53 PM

I store my shoes in a drawer cupboard, in their original boxes, yet I put the top of their boxes underneath so I can see what shoe it is! I won't waste my polaroids to my shoes anymore. Anyway opening a drawer full of beautiful shoes in many colours always take my breath away and they stopped gathering dust in those drawers!

Posted by: Nele | August 16, 2007 6:35 PM

funny, just yesterday took the time to polish the shoes :) especially now, with the hot weather and the dust they gather, it's important to clean & hydrate the leather a bit so they don't get all crinkly.

now that you say, i'll give away some shoes that i know i'll never wear again...

Posted by: jimena | August 16, 2007 7:45 PM

Great List - With your permission of course I would like to forward this list to many of my friends and clients. I am a designer and maker of handmade, custom couture shoes and I need to give this article, along with a few other recommendations to many of my clients who are shoe Aficionados with no clue on how to manage their collection.

The only two things I would add are:
1. Buy from multiple sources and buy multiple styles - department stores and online sales are great, but it is great to step out of your comfort zone and shop vintage, peruse flea markets, buy handmade shoes from an independent designer or cobbler, and occassionally buy shoes that actually differ from your usual taste (you will often be pleasantly surprised by your choice - designers Betsy Johnson, Irregular choice, and Galliano, and custom sneaker painter Methamphibian just may be a good place to start)

2. Learn how to truly care for your shoes and wear shoes during the appropriate season - suede won't hold up well during a monsoon and sandals don't like snow. As Gemma said learn how to polish shoes or have then buffed by your neighborhood cobbler. Also, have orthotics implanted to improve comfort and fit if necessary. Some shoes stretch, others in hot, humid conditions will contract, so strech your shoes if necessary. Keep shoes in a dry, airy place...the back of the closet on the floor in a pile simply won't do.

Posted by: Gerald Joseph | August 17, 2007 3:14 PM

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