Shoe News

By:  Tiffini Taylor

Leather is the most common material for shoes. Leather is a durable and sturdy material for shoes to be made from. Having a beautiful pair of leather pumps is a business woman's must have; most all dress shoes for businessmen are made of leather. Leather boots are a must have for this Autumn. Leather shoes will last for a long, long time, if taken care of properly. How to take care of leather shoes properly is good knowledge, especially if you want to keep a good, comfortable pair for more than one season.  Leather is a great material for many items, leather shoes are a reliable footwear fashion for many different occasions.

Caring for leather is a process that can begin at the manufacturing of the leather item or at the shoe cobbler facility. The shoe cobbler can put a protective coating to help in weatherproofing the leather shoe. This will help in the longevity and durability of the shoes.  A weatherproof coating can also be applied after purchasing the leather shoes.  Many shoes weatherproof coatings come in a spray can for easy application. Other weatherproof coatings can come in an easy to use polish style to rub on to the leather shoes. Always let your leather shoes dry before coating them with any kind of cleaning product or weatherproofing product. Always read the instructions on the containers and follow them. They were put there to help maintain the beauty of the shoes for an extended amount of time. It is best to apply the weatherproofing product as soon as the leather shoe is taken out of the shoe box. This will help in a longer wear for the shoes also.

After weatherproofing them and wearing them for the first time, when taking them off hang them on a shoe tree. This will help the leather shoe maintain their shape and form, so the leather shoe will last a longtime. When choosing a good shoe tree, look for a cedar shoe tree- it is the kind that most shoe cobblers will recommend. Caring for leather shoes is important for your feet. Leather shoes can be terrible for your feet if you do not take care of them properly. Soles of leather shoes need to be properly taken care of to help in wearing of the shoes for extended periods of time and for more than one season. When taking care of the soles of your shoes this in turn will help in the protection of your feet. Eventually soles of shoes may need to be replaced, there are many shoe repair options to choose from.

When caring for leather shoes, there are leather shoe kits available. These kits come with more instructions to take care of your leather shoes properly. Follow these instructions and your leather shoes will last for as long as you want them to. To help maintain the beauty and shine of your leather shoes , shoe shine polish is available and there are still shoe shine stands around different areas to visit. At HouserShoes.com and Houser Shoes there is a quality to each shoe sold and whatever Houser Shoes can help with , Houser Shoes will.  Remember that a pair of shoes covers your feet and your feet do many activities and need protected. Leather shoes offer great protection and will last a long amount of time when properly taken care of.

By:  Tiffini Taylor

Autumn is a lovely time of the year to wear your most comfortable pair of suede shoes, but how do you take care of them?   Suede shoes are a classic for Fall fashion ever since Elvis Presley sung "Blue Suede Shoes".  Times and styles have changed quite a bit since then, but suede shoes are still an easy, beautifully elegant fashion for Fall. Suede is a durable and lovely material that needs special attention when owning a pair of suede shoes. HouserShoes.com has a wonderful selection of suede shoes, in both men's and women's styles, to choose from.

Suede shoes are usually made with a special coating to protect them from the environmental elements. There are many kinds of spray coatings you can get to help protect them, too. This is the first step in protecting suede and this should be applied first thing after purchase. When wearing suede try to avoid wearing in rain and snow, suede last longer when not getting wet all the time. This is an important piece of knowledge to know but with the best quality protective coatings being used on suede shoes, it has become a very rarely used idea.  Mother Nature doesn't care if you are wearing suede shoes, so weather will never cooperate with suede shoes. The best idea is to wear your suede and look great. Then when you get home, you can prepare your suede for the next outing. Some suede shoes come with care instructions that help to know the best way to take care of your suede. Sometimes there is even a shoe label or it will come in the shoe box. This is important to locate and read.

To clean suede, one must make sure that the suede is dry. There is a cleaning brush that is specially made for suede that you can get to use on the suede. This brush will come in a special suede cleaning kit, and there will also be very helpful instructions in the kit too.  Follow the instructions of you have a suede shoe cleaning kit; be sure to check for any special instructions on the shoe label or in the shoe box. Suede is harder to clean because it is extremely sensitive to water this is also why it is important to clean the shoe once it is dry. The suede shoe cleaning kit will tell you to use gentle brush strokes and to go in the same direction. This is to take off any layer of dirt that builds up on the suede.

A common happening to suede shoes is scuff marks. Most scuff marks can be easily removed with a bit of fast brushing back and forth, this also calls for patience.   A scuff mark that seems to not want to come off easily, you may want to try an eraser to get the scuff mark off. Water stains can be cleaned by soaking the excess water off the shoe and letting it dry, only after this shall you use your suede brush for the stain. Always let your suede shoe dry before cleaning them. When you step in chewing gum, it is never a good day, you can place your shoes in the freezer for a while before you clean them and the gum will harden and you can clean them much easier. Ink pens can be another hazard for suede, but the best way to conquer is to clean the ink stain before it sets.  Blot the stain, you can use sandpaper after blotting to remove the stain easily. Use the sandpaper lightly though, this is not wood it is suede.  When stains give you too much trouble then you can a small amount of vinegar on a towel to blot it onto the stain, and then let it dry and continue to clean the stain off. Steel wool is another good stain remover of suede; just make sure it is a dry stain before using lightly. Suede can be cleaned with an emery board and steam. The steam can heat and help in lifting the stain off the suede. Remember to use the emery board lightly.  Now, go fourth and wear your beautiful suede this Autumn!

by:  Tiffini Taylor

Back to school means the end of summer and soon brings the beginning of Autumn. With the changing of seasons coming upon us, it will be a changing of wardrobe selections, including shoes. Keeping the idea of summer closer than that chill of Autumn coming, I came up with a top 10 of this year's back to school shoe choices.

1. Sneakers-   The first is sneakers.  Sneakers are what sets you apart from others in gym class, walking the hallways, and going across campus, whether it be on a skateboard or walking. Many brands and styles to choose from including:  adidas, Asics, converse, easy spirit, fila, new balance, grasshoppers, reebok, and vans to name a few. Whatever brand or style you choose; sneakers will help bring your personality out.


2. Flip Flops-  With the end of summer being the beginning of the new school year, flip flops can carry over for a few more weeks. Many to choose from including styles from brands like:  reef, alegria, birkenstock, and rainbow sandals.


3. Sandals-   Sandals are a staple of summer that will never go out of style. Although similar to flip flops , sandals are completely different on all levels. Quite a few sandals come  with a buckle, a wedge heel, and multiple straps. Good sandals that will stay in style come from brands like:  birkenstock, alegria, yellow box and rainbow sandals are just a few.


4. Ballet Flat- Flats are great with jeans or dresses! The ballet flat is a great choice for the new school year. Many ballet style flats come in a variety of color choices and styles. You can find them with bows, without bows, open-toed, close- toed, pointed toe, rounded toe, or just about in anyway and in many colors. Check out brands like enzo and soda.


5. Boat Shoes-  Remember the boat shoes from the 1980's?  Well, these are, in a way, not them. The same style but much better and in quite a few colors. Yes, the boat shoe is back and better than ever!  A great brand for boat shoes- BASS!


6. Crocs-  From the garden to the work place and now to schools-crocs can cover all these activities. No longer just for the garden or nurses.  Crocs are a comfortable choice for the early morning classes across campus. Try them in different colors for a bit of fun in your style.  Just look for the brand crocs.


7. Clogs-  Clogs are back this new school year. Clogs are great with or without socks, There the best versatile stylish shoe. Some brands to look for are:  crocs, Clarks of England, and birkenstock.


8. Heels & Kitten Heels- That is right, kitten heels are making a big come back this back to school season. Walking to class in super high heels can at times be painful, but if you choose a kitten heel you can wear them all day long and feel great while looking great. High heels are still raging in fashion and for back to school. Kitten heels just provide an alternative heel size to choose.  The new school year brings an opportunity to go to dances and different activities to wear your best heels. Some brands to look for:  Jessica Simpson and Chinese Laundry.


9. Ankle Boots-  Ankle boots will lead up to the high boots this Autumn and Winter. Ankle boots have been going strong all summer and now they are a great choice for a back to school look that will sure to flatter and get noticed.  A brand to look for is Kenneth Cole.


10. Specialty Sport Shoes-  You may be wondering what I mean by this- what I am referring to is sport specific shoes. Back to school can mean back to sports, with this brings new shoes for whatever sport you are into. Plenty of brands and styles to choose from including:  Brooks, Adidas, Asics, new balance, easy spirit, fila, reebok and so on. A good pair of shoes can help you improve in any sport. Good luck to all sports!

There you have it a top 10 list of back to school styles. Go back to school in style, have fun and let your personality shine!