a polish post

Up until last week, I never really realized that 'polish' (e.g. for shoes) and 'Polish' (e.g. a person or thing from Poland) are spelled the same way. It raises the question: Would you rather have a 'Polish dog' or a 'polish dog'? I would go for the polish dog, because if I could get a moderately talented dog to polish my shoes for me, that would be great.

Today we're talking about polishing shoes. I know that it's kind of a boring subject, but it's a very important thing that often gets overlooked. Don't worry, I'll keep it short. However, prepare yourself: this is going to be a little random and scatter-brained.

Most people -both men and women- have at least one pair of shoes that ought to be polished, but the task rarely gets performed for various reasons.

I love polishing my shoes because it extends the life of the leather, brings new life to tired looking shoes, and, frankly, it makes me feel a bit classier.

A decent tin of shoe polish can cost $3-5 and last you for months. I've used Kiwi brand polish for years as it has become the industry standard, but this last weekend I picked up a different brand, Griffin, and it has been most excellent. I think I've found a new brand for my shoes. I've only used it once, but it has a little more moisture to it and I love the smell.

If you're unfamiliar with polishing shoes, you'll need 3 things: 1) shoe polish, 2) an applicator brush/sponge/cloth (I prefer brushes), and 3) a larger brush or cloth to buff. Use the buffing cloth or brush to remove any dust or light dirt from your shoes. Throw on a very light layer of polish with your applicator to the outer leather of the shoe. Let it dry for a minute. Use your buffing cloth or brush to take off the extra polish. Blim-blam! Your shoes look better than they have in weeks and you look better than you have in years. Maybe. Depending on how you looked 3-4 years ago.

Sorry this one was a little boring and text heavy, but I feel that shining your shoes every now and again can sharpen your look and lift your spirits (if you're like me and shining your shoes lifts your spirits). So, go grab a bit of polish and let those babies shine. Or get a very talented polish dog to do it for you; I'd prefer the latter, personally.
Wear it well.
Adam