Dress for Success: Tip #2 Shoe Shine

Last week I started some Dress for Success Tips
Tip #1 - Socks and Shoes
Since I mentioned socks and shoes last week, I thought I would continue with the shoes. Even the sharpest suit can look shabby when worn with dirty and scuffed dress shoes. So this weeks tip is to shine those shoes!
For starters, I would recommend picking up a shoe shine kit, generally they come with one or two colors of polish, a foam application brush and a soft bristle brush.

Shining your shoes is easy! Let me break down the steps for you:

Step 1: Clean/Dust off your shoes, wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt.

Step 2: Pick your polish color that matches your shoes

Step 3: Use the foam applicator brush to apply a thin coat of polish to your shoe. I generally apply in small circles and make sure the polish gets in all the cracks and creases. Wait 10 to 15 minutes for the polish to dry, you applied enough polish when it dries to dull or hazy coating.

Step 4: Brush polish off with the soft bristle brush.

Step 5: Buff to a nice shine with a clean rag. I use an old cotton t-shirt.

Optional Step 6: For extra shine, use a spray bottle to apply a small amount of water while buffing.
If your shoes haven't been polished in a while, you can repeat steps 3 - 5 until your shoes are looking good!

A freshly shined dress shoe can put the finishing touch to any outfit!