Once you've purchased your vintage shoes, it's important to know how to care for and display these new treasures. First, be sure to know what decade your shoes were made, as the older the shoe (1930s-1960s) the more likely the rubber and glue used in construction can become brittle and lose its adhesiveness. To be sure your vintage shoes are at their best, look for cracks or crumbling in the rubber heels or soles. These heels are easily replaceable at any shoe repair shop. Be sure to do this quickly as the rubber will only continue to crumble over time.
A less likely problem to be fixed can be found in the glue sometimes used to keep the sole of a shoe attached to its upper. To check for this problem, bend the sole to check for cracking or shifting. If you notice the adhesive on your vintage shoe is drying away or becoming brittle, this can be easily fixed with shoe repair glue. Do not use craft glue as it is not strong enough for use on shoes. Leather shoes can lose their moisture as they age, leading to tearing. To avoid this problem, use saddle soap to keep your leather shoes moist.
To remove excess moisture from leather shoes, place newspaper in the shoes. As the leather dries, buff out any moisture lines with a soft cloth. Lastly, vintage fabric shoes are most likely to show damage and fraying. To stop these frays in their tracks, use a product called Fray-Check which will stop the damage from continuing.
Beyond caring for the exterior of the shoes, it is important to be able to be comfortable. Walk around inside in your shoes before taking them to the streets. Get comfortable in them and see if there is anything you need to replace or enhance. One thing that can make your shoes more comfortable and extend their life is a foam insert, which will give more support to a possibly worn down heel as well as freshen the interior of the shoe.
If your vintage collection is more for admiration than daily use, there are numerous creative ways to display your treasures. The vintage shoe devotee can use bookshelves, shadow boxes or even racks to display their finds. If your shoes are particularly old and/or costly it is important to keep them as safe as possible and away from any pollutants such as dust and sunlight. The best way to do this is through the use of a glass curio cabinet. In this way, you can display your beautiful shoe collection, while keeping them away from clumsy hands as well as dirt and dust.
A less likely problem to be fixed can be found in the glue sometimes used to keep the sole of a shoe attached to its upper. To check for this problem, bend the sole to check for cracking or shifting. If you notice the adhesive on your vintage shoe is drying away or becoming brittle, this can be easily fixed with shoe repair glue. Do not use craft glue as it is not strong enough for use on shoes. Leather shoes can lose their moisture as they age, leading to tearing. To avoid this problem, use saddle soap to keep your leather shoes moist.
To remove excess moisture from leather shoes, place newspaper in the shoes. As the leather dries, buff out any moisture lines with a soft cloth. Lastly, vintage fabric shoes are most likely to show damage and fraying. To stop these frays in their tracks, use a product called Fray-Check which will stop the damage from continuing.
Beyond caring for the exterior of the shoes, it is important to be able to be comfortable. Walk around inside in your shoes before taking them to the streets. Get comfortable in them and see if there is anything you need to replace or enhance. One thing that can make your shoes more comfortable and extend their life is a foam insert, which will give more support to a possibly worn down heel as well as freshen the interior of the shoe.
If your vintage collection is more for admiration than daily use, there are numerous creative ways to display your treasures. The vintage shoe devotee can use bookshelves, shadow boxes or even racks to display their finds. If your shoes are particularly old and/or costly it is important to keep them as safe as possible and away from any pollutants such as dust and sunlight. The best way to do this is through the use of a glass curio cabinet. In this way, you can display your beautiful shoe collection, while keeping them away from clumsy hands as well as dirt and dust.
By Mike Alvarez
