I must admit, I was very hesitant to buy my first pair of red bottoms. The thought of spending such a large amount of money on shoes that would lose their beautiful red sole in just a few wears was mind boggling. It wasn't until a gloomy Saturday morning, spent cuddled up on my couch, watching the news, that I had a complete change of heart. There was a segment on about red bottoms, and different ways to care for them. They interviewed a well known, very experienced cobbler in New York, and he shared the dirt on how to care for your gorgeous red bottoms. I am so glad I watched it, because I learned quite a few care tips that lifted my fear of purchasing these gorgeous shoes.
If you're anything like me, buying a pair of designer shoes is an absolute treat, and not something I get to do every day. Therefore, I want to make sure I am taking the best care of my designer items so that they last me for years and years to come. I hope these tips and tricks help you as much as they did me. DISCLAIMER: I am in no way recommending that you do any of the below care tips. I am simply sharing tips that have worked great for me. Your shoes are your property, and you are to care for them as you see fit.
1. FIND AN EXPERIENCED COBBLER
The most important thing to me was finding a cobbler that had plenty of experience working with Christian Louboutins, as well as other designer items. I did heavy research, read reviews, and thoroughly "creeped" on instagram to view past work of my cobbler. I was talking to one of my friends the other day, and she said to me, "I didn't even know cobblers still existed"! Ha! If you don't have a cobbler, you should get acquainted with one. Not only can they help you restore and maintain your tired old soles, but they can help you with a wide variety of leather goods - purses, and jackets for example. Leather goods require expert care in cleaning and maintenance.
2. RED RUBBER SOLES
Pictured here you will see a red rubber sole on my Louboutins. My cobbler showed me his recommendation for my soles, and I went with it! He said, so many of his customers will try to buy their own product on Amazon, and it ends up being garbage. Trust your cobbler ladies! They work on shoes all the time, and have seen many different types of soles. A good cobbler will have many options. Why? Because not all Louboutins are the same red! Some are more orange in tone than others. Thus, it's good to have options. This picture was taken after wearing my shoes out a couple of times. As you can see, the sole holds up nicely!
This option is my personal favorite, because the rubber sole helps your grip when you walk, and lasts for a very long time. Additionally, you don't have to worry about the chipped paint look on the bottom of your shoes.
If you're like me, you wear your shoes girl! I didn't spend all this money on my shoes to have them sit in my closet on display. I spent my hard earned money on these babies so I could wear them.... A LOT! Not just once or twice.
3.REPAINT YOUR SOLES
An experienced cobbler can repaint your soles for you, so that they look brand new. If you don't like the rubber sole idea, and have money to blow, this is an option! Repainting your red soles is going to require a lot more money, time, and patience, as the red lacquer does tend to wear off after just a few wears. I personally like the red rubber sole, because the lacquer is pretty slippery to walk on, and the red rubble sole requires very little maintenance. However, you do you honey! :)
4. LOVE YOUR SHOES & STORE THEM PROPERLY
Whether you are buying a pair of Christian Louboutins, or any other designer, make sure you really love your shoes. I can not stress this enough. You are spending a lot of your hard earned money on these beauties, and they should be worth every penny. I do not believe that buying a designer items should be something to take for granted - i.e. something you feel you will get one or two wears out of. No matter your style, buy shoes that you know you will love, and get a lot of wear out of. To conclude, store your shoes in the dust bag that they come with, or keep them in the box they came in (if you can) to make sure they do not get dry or damp.
I hope these tricks were helpful! I am also interested to know what tips and tricks you have for your designer shoes! Comment below, and share.
Thanks for reading today,
Nikki Grimm
