Finding and restoring old shoes

One of my favorite things to do is go thrifting. Theres nothing like the thrill of finding that one-of-a-kind article of clothing or pair of shoes at a great price. The only problem is that, most of the time, the things you find while thrifting are far from being considered “new.” Since one of the best things I normally find are shoes, I wanted to write specifically about how to spot good quality pairs and then restore them. I recently found two pairs of dress shoes at a thrift store that I had really good luck with from a restoration perspective. The first was a pair of wingtip oxfords. The brand was not one that I recognized (Comfort Plus), they didn’t seem like they were originally very expensive (I recently saw a pair go for $17 on eBay in similar condition), but they seemed to have good bones and a nice condition to the outside. The second pair was a more modern dress shoe who’s brand name was the first thing I noticed. They were by an Italian shoe maker by the name of Mercanti Fiorentini. I know this brand to be a reasonably expensive brand. I have a pair of their loafers and they are possibly the most comfortable shoes I own. When shopping in thrift stores you have to buy good items when you see them because this was a rare find and unlikely to be there later.
I got the two pairs for around $20. This is a steal considering the Mercantis sell anywhere from $150 to $200 new. Neither of the two pairs of shoes were in “ready to wear” condition. They both showed reasonable signs of wear and the laces were all but destroyed. The thing to look for is the restorability of the shoes. If they have holes or rubber soles rather than leather then they may not be restorable. Look for all leather shoes. In most cases leather soles can be replaced by a shoe repair shop upwards of 4 or 5 times before the shoe will be beyond repair. In some cases even more. Laces are obviously pretty easy to replace but you may be wondering how to restore the leather to a nice wearable look. All you need to do is pick up some leather shoe conditioner from a local Journeys or DSW. This stuff is cheap and works wonders on scuffed leather. Shoe polish is a nice touch too but doesn’t condition so make sure to use the conditioner first. After applying the conditioner your shoes may not look brand new but will be in more than wearable condition. They’ll look like you’ve had them for a while but that you take care of them. Thats the last step too. Take care of the shoes. Resist the urge to wear them every day. Let them rest a day or so between wears. if you have wooden shoe keepers then these will help preserve the life of your shoes as well. To see a before and after of my Mercantis just check out the photos section on fittedmale.com.

What to wear to an interview

The other day I was at work and saw a guy come in to our store to inquire about possible openings with our company. This happens on a regular basis but what struck me as odd was his choice of outfit for approaching a manger of the store for which he wished to work. Normally dreadlocks, tattoos, and piercings don’t really bother me. (to each his own) The problem was with what he was wearing. Evidently when he woke up he decided on shorts and flip-flops. He chose to finish off the ensemble with a black t-shirt that simply read, “I hope they serve beer in Hell.” Now there are many problems with this outfit besides just the poor choice of t-shirt but instead of ripping this guy a new one I’ll take the high road and just explain what proper interview/job inquiring ensembles should look like. The clothing choices you make when deciding what to wear to an interview will greatly be determined by the job you are applying for. My general rule of thumb is to wear at least one level above what the job requires as a uniform or dress code. This means you need to observe what current employees normally wear. That’s right, you have to do a little research. If the company requires jeans and a polo as uniform/dress code then khakis paired with a button-up shirt is the bare minimum required by my rule. Personally I would still wear slacks and a tie but this still allows you to be taken seriously. If you really want the job then thats the general idea. Don’t just take this rule at face value though because theres no way a tux is required to interview for a job that requires a suit and tie everyday. When at the suit and tie level a basic match of the dress code of the company is just fine. If it happens to be a conservative firm then keep the shirt/tie combination simple and classy. If its a creative/young firm then feel free to wear some interesting color combinations between your shirt, tie, and pocket square. The best rule of thumb is, when in doubt, keep it simple and classy. Follow these simple rules when preparing for an interview and you’re sure to look well put-together and prepared for your new job.

Tide ToGo VS Shout Wipes

Being a professional looking "fitted male" requires that you look your best in all situations. That being said, we've all had that accidental spill or drip on a fresh shirt or pair of pants right before an important meeting or interview. So how do you deal with it in a timely fashion (no pun intended) and still show up to your appointment looking sharp? Luckily the detergent industry has come up with multiple solutions for this conundrum. Thats why this post is going to be a direct comparison of the Tide ToGo Pen vs. Shout Wipes. It's important to note that both of these solutions were created with convenience and portability in mind but were not created equally. I went out and purchased both of these to do a comparison of which is the most affective. I must say that I had high hopes for the Shout Wipes because they come in a multi-pack, are cheaper than the Tide Pen, and are small/flat enough to fit in a wallet. The pen is unfortunately a few bucks more expensive and not quite as convenient for guys, who generally don't carry purses. That being said, I did tests on multiple fabrics (shirts, pants, and ties) and found that the Tide ToGo Pen was much more efficient at removing stains. I believe this is mostly due to the fact that the pen has a built-in agitator, great for working stains out of the fibers, and allows you to control the amount of stain remover needed to accomplish the task. While the Tide Pen is a bit more cumbersome than it's rival, the Shout Wipe, it was much more affective at fulfilling it's purposes in all my tests. Keep one in your car, at home, and one at the office so you'll be prepared for any pesky stain that occurs.