Quality shoes will keep looking good if you look after them. They may even improve as the leather ages and the shoes and patina develop character. These are the things we think are most important.

Always use a shoe horn

The heels of our shoes are carefully shaped and stiffened to be comfortable and give support. If you use a shoe horn you will maintain the heel and fit. We provide two sizes of shoe horn. One is small and idea for travel or keeping in your top pocket.

Let your shoes dry naturally using shoe trees

Shoes can absorb a lot of moisture from your feet during the day. This needs to be removed. Shoe trees are designed to do this, as the wood absorbs the moisture naturally and gradually. Traditionally, cedar is preferred for this. Never try to speed this process up by putting your shoes near a heat source. It can over-dry them and lead to cracking and damage.

Rotate your shoes

Don’t wear them two days in a row. This also links to the last point, but if you rest your shoes for at least a day, they will recover and you won’t over-stress them. They will then last longer.

Keep the natural oils in the leather

You can use wax or creams to keep the natural oils in the shoes and stop them drying out and cracking. We think shoe cream is best as it nourishes the leather and can be buffed to nice shine. If you like a more glossy shine, a neutral wax can be added afterwards.

What colour shoe cream?

This might sound obvious, but you can spoil the subtle colours in your shoes if you add too much colour. If your shoes are in good condition with no scuffs or scratches, try using a neutral shoe cream. If you are trying to hide scuffs or scratches, use a colour similar to the shoe, maybe just in that area first. You can even try a slightly darker shade in the toe area to maintain the look of a burnished toe.

Use a quality shoe brush or mitt

For best results we apply then leave the shoe cream on the shoes for at least a few minutes to be absorbed. Then you can use a soft horsehair brush to buff them up. We also like to use a sheepskin polishing mitt to give an extra shine.

Once you’ve allowed your shoes to dry after use, and cleaned and nourished them, consider storing them in shoe bags. This will stop your shoes getting dusty, and protect them when you’re transporting them. Thomas Bird shoes are delivered with shoe bags. You can order extra ones if required.