Have you polished your shoes?

[rayinpenn]

The job was one block off Wall Street, it was winter and the streets were laced with salt. (No I didn't have my totes on my shoes). I looked down and my oxfords were caked with salt. I couldn't go into the office with that embarrassing mess. As much as it pained me I walked across the street to the shoe shine and sat in one of the waiting chairs in front of the store - business was understandably booming. A colleague passing on the street saw me and came in and asked what I was doing. Apparently she did no know you could have your shoes shined or repaired. We ended up getting our shine at the same time sitting across from each other. The shine virgin said "now my husband will be happy because I won't have to buy new boots" I walked away incredulous.

My dad went to work with a uniform, his shirts pressed, his nails and hands clean. His buttery soft leather shoes were polished to a high shine -often by me. They had seen many a set of heels. We didn't waste money.

That $3 dollar shine was to me an extravagance that I indulged in rarely. I have had a polishing kit with an assortment of polishes for thirty years.. And yes I get heels and full soles when necessary.

I can't help but think that shine was the $4 cup of coffee of its day.
I'd like to hope the gal wised up but I see so much extravagance today I just shake my head.

Edit: I like shining my shoes it is simple, the results immediate and mostly because it takes me back in time..

Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[marko]

I wish I could find a shoe shine place locally. My small town used to have two shoe shine stores; now their both gone.
I have to go to the airport to get my shoes shined and remember to fly in shoes I want shined. PITA. I just recently learned that our nearby Nordstrom's has a shine service but it's drop off-pick up later
I shine my own shoes only when I have no other alternative.

 

[Ronstar]

There were shoe shine guys working in the lobby of the Chicago City Hall / Cook County building for as long as I remember. I haven't been there for a while. I hope they're still doing a good business. It doesn't seem like people care as much about the look of their shoes as they used to.

 

[W2R]

I haven't shined shoes in 50 years, even though I was a Navy wife when I was first married. Like many in the service at that time, my ex bought Corfam uniform shoes that did not require shining.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

When I was a young lad, one of my jobs was that of a shoe shine boy. Our neighbor in our small town owned a barber shop and that is where I worked after school and on Saturday. Swept the floors every day and shined shoes on Saturday. 10 cents a shine plus tips which were few and far between. I'm talking 1950. It rubbed off I guess because in later years, my shoes were always shined. One of my "trademarks".

 

[cooch96]

Pretty sure I haven't shined shoes this millenium. And I've maybe brush shined my old combat boots twice in ten years.

I have suede casual and nubuck formal shoes. I never paid someone to polish my shoes and I could happily live the rest of my life without doing it again. Didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't find it fulfilling.

 

[eytonxav]

IIRC, the last shoe shine I had in NYC back in the 1970s was maybe $.50, probably less. What era was your $3 shine?

 

[Lsbcal]

I never had my shoes professionally shined ... does that make me a shine virgin?

It's been many years since I've worn shoes that would require a shine. Never needed them on the job (tech industry). My shoes now are just old retired running shoes that have been washed up.

 

[Danmar]

I was often given the task of shining my fathers shoes. He would always say " dont forget the edges of the soles". I got pretty good at it.

I used to get my shoes shined ($5) when I was working but now that I'm retired I do them myself. Not because of the money, just because I dont go around there much anymore.

 

[Omalley]

I w*rk with many people who are in the 'my shoes lost their shine, time to buy a new pair' camp. I shine my regularly at home, and get new heels/soles as needed. I take pride in my black 'old man' dress shoes that I bought in 1989 that have received about 8 pairs of heels and 3 pairs of soles over the years.

 

[ls99]

Not since I got out of the Army.

 

[cat wrangler]

Does treating my hiking boots count?

 

[RockyMtn]

Used to do my own, then used airport shines or an occasional on the street. At our NYC office we had a guy who used to come around twice a week and do it while you worked at your desk.


Now our clubhouse guy shines any shoes that need shining. Mostly wear flip flops, golf shoes or tennis shoes so not a lot of shining.

 

[GrayHare]

Use to shine my shoes weekly for school, parents' orders. Now I rarely wear dress shoes, so no shining for many years.

 

[Walt34]

Not since I stopped working and then I did them myself. Now, New Balance sneakers get washed, not shined.

 

[RobbieB]

I gave up shiny shoes while I was still working, wore walking shoes.

 

[Lsbcal]

Here are my Saucony "happy shoes" :

500 miles of running, then washed for walking around.

 

[Midpack]

I don't have to shine my shoes or DW's that often any more, but I have always done it for both of us. It's very easy. I learned because I shined my Mom & Dad's shoes every week growing up in a military family. Why pay someone else to do something you can easily do yourself?

 

[harley]

How do you shine flip flops?

 

[savory]

I went back to the days of 'shoe shinning' while living in S. Africa a few years ago. It is important that your shoes are shined as you will be initially 'judged' by many people.

The other thing that caught us off-guard were the choices for irons in the Target like store. There was a display of 10 to 15 irons. People were careful to iron their clothes before leaving the house.

 

[pb4uski]

Shined my own as a kid and young adult. Later in my career I usually had them done in an airport while traveling.

Since ER only wear sneakers, sandals and slippers other than funerals and weddings and my dress shoes are looking good so no need.

 

[woodguy00]

Still shining my own. Last time was...yesterday. Taught my 23 year old son how to do it a few weeks ago.

 

[sanfanciscotreat]

I have several pair of cowboy boots. I keep them well shined and feel like a heel when they are not in good shapel

 

[aja8888]

I go in the oilfield on occasion. I have a pair of work boots with steel toes that are 30 years old (and look it). I have not shined them or put on any water repellent since new. DW has tried (unsuccessfully) to throw them out, but they got stopped at the door, so to say.

Those boots are a symbol and I'd feel like a newbie if I showed up at a well site with spit polished work boots. I would have no credibility either.

I had a pair of Johnson & Murphy wingtips for years that received new soles and heels a few times. I polished them frequently.

 

[38Chevy454]

I shine up my work shoes 2-3 times/year. Never paid to have it done. I don't get obsessed over it, but do think a quick shine is lot better than buying new.

My working around the house and garage boots I treat the leather to keep them waterproofed mainly,but it should keep the leather softer as well.