|
Footwear isn't
just part of your wardrobe, it is an investment.
Spend your money wisely and the return will be
more value for your dollar, more comfort, better
foot health and even a sense that you are
helping the environment.
As with all
investing, it is wise to have a counselor to
make sure your money is well spent and continues
to pay dividends. In the footwear arena, that
counselor is your local shoe care professional.
Shoe repair and
shoe care make sense for several reasons. First,
shoe repair adds value to your footwear
investment.
Quality,
well-maintained men's shoes can be resoled seven
to 10 times at a fraction of the cost of new
shoes. With new soles and heels, and
reconditioned uppers, the shoes will look like
new, yet retain that broken-in, comfortable
feel. It is not uncommon for a man to get 30
years out of a good pair of shoes. Quality
women's shoes can be resoled three to five
times.
Shoe repair can
also alleviate a variety of physical problems.
Worn heels will change your gait. When you are
not walking properly, your feet, ankles, knees,
hips and back can all suffer.
Improper fit
causes calluses, corns and bunions. Shoe repair
shops offer stretching services and fitting aids
to alleviate those problems. Typically, they can
stretch a shoe from a D to a EE in width. They
can also add more space for toes or raise an
instep. They can even stretch the calves on
boots. If your shoes are too loose, you can pick
up heel grips, tongue pads and insoles to create
a better fit.
Another reason to
have a shoe repair and shoe care routine is your
appearance. Do you want to get ahead in the
workplace? A nationwide survey showed that 89
percent of business recruiters rate good
grooming as very important to becoming a senior
executive. The most common mistake for men, and
the second most common for women, is unkempt
shoes.
On a personal
level, two out of three young female
professionals say unkempt shoes suggest negative
characteristics about men in social situations.
Half of the men fell the same about women with
sloppy footwear. The most frequent negative
character traits suggested were sloppiness,
indifference to good grooming and to detail in
general, and carelessness.
Shoes are a
reflection of their owner's personality. That's
what both personnel professionals -- who have
been known to observe people closely -- and
white collar workers (the people they usually
observe) said. Well kept shoes stand for
professionalism, attention to detail, ambition,
efficiency, conscientiousness, organization,
confidence and even friendliness.
Finally, shoe
repair is among the oldest forms of recycling.
Each year, the shoe repair industry keeps some
62 million pairs of shoes out of landfills and
on consumers' feet. So next time you invest in
footwear, get some advice from a shoe repair
professional. |
