Vintage shoes and boots are some of the most demanded accessories and hardest to find. These shoes come at a price tag and a big part of collecting retro boots and shoes is to store them properly.
Most of us have a habit of keeping all the shoes in a pile. But it doesn’t work for vintage shoes. If you want to keep them wearable for years and get your money’s worth, you better start taking proper care of them!
There are a number of ways to store retro boots and shoes. You need to keep them shapely, dry and clean.
To get your started we have prepared a guide for you to store vintage shoes.
Let’s get started!
Fixing Leather Vintage Boots
Using Antique Leather Dressing on retro boots keep them shiny for a long period of time. If the leather has some unusual colour or is made of exotic skin, it is best to test spot them first.
Let the dressing sit for a couple of days before applying it to the whole boot. Keeping your boots conditioned will help to take care of the leather.
Some retro boots often have broken insoles. It can be easily glued with some contact cement. But if there are some other issues with the stitching or scraping, leave it to the professionals.
Use Shoe-Tree for Short Term Support
Humidity, gravity and aridity can be a disaster for your shoes. After some time, the folds and creases formed will become permanent, altering the structure of the shoes.
Use shoe tree on your retro shoes for short-term storage. These will create support and do this every time you are done wearing them.
Clean Shoes Before Storing
Before storing the shoes for the season, give them a thorough cleaning. For leather boots and shoes, saddle soaps work best. For suede shoes, use any suede cleaner and keep a magic eraser for any scratches.
After cleaning, make sure you dry them properly. There shouldn’t be moisture inside the shoes. Use a hair dryer if necessary. Then just before storing them away, stuff the shoes with tissues to smooth the toe box and the heel.
Wrap them correctly with muslin or acid-free paper and place them in the container.
Storing Vintage Shoes in A Temperature-Controlled Environment
Climate-controlled storage is ideal for vintage shoes as most of them are made of leather or suede. With changes in humidity, the leather can brittle and make the fabrics weak.
Many people have the tendency to keep shoes in the attic or the basement. However, keeping them in a place like that can damage the shoes due to harsh temperatures.
Adding Silica to Light-Weight Shoes
Summer wedges and kitten heels are often lightweight and made of fragile materials. Cork soles tend to act poorly during humidity changes.
Add packets of silica gel in their storage boxes to remove any dampness. Sometimes harsh sunlight can bleach bright-coloured shoes. So, store them away from the direct sun.
Use Shoe Organisers
This is one of the most critical aspects of storing shoes. Where to store them?
Well, you have a lot of options.
First are retro shoe storage boxes which give the highest level of protection from sunlight, humidity or dust. These boxes work especially well with vintage shoes and boots. They preserve rare leather, cork or other organic materials very well.
Another way is by keeping them individually in plastic boxes. But before storing like this, ensure that the shoes are dry to protect them against mildew growth.
However, if you wear your vintage shoes on a regular basis, keeping them in a cabinet or a rack near the entryway is a better option. It will prevent the shoes from getting disorganised or dirty.
Hopefully, with these tips, you will be able to take care of your vintage boots and shoes correctly. You need to determine whether you want to store them for the short term or a long term.
And to get your hands in the latest style of retro shoes, head to Banned Retro.
