Should You Mirror Shine Your Shoes?

Рет қаралды 67,391

Күн бұрын

We discuss whether mirror polishing your shoe is always a must or not: gentl.mn/mirror-shine-shoes
#polish #shoes #notsponsored
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00:00 Mirror Shine Your Shoe Introduction
Within the realm of classic menswear, there’s no question that a mirror shine on a pair of dress shoes is regarded as the ultimate shoe treatment. There’s so much information available in articles, videos, tips, tricks, and hacks about mirror shining your shoes, but the rarely asked question is: should you mirror shine your shoes?
01:17 What Is A Mirror Shine?
In simple terms, a mirror shine is the result of extensive polishing of a shoe, in which the surface is rendered to a smooth, flat, and reflective shine. The shine itself comes from the application of multiple layers of wax polishes that fill in the pore structure of the leather, thus, creating a sleek and glossy surface that reflects a high quantity of light, giving the shoe a glass-like appearance.
03:39 How To Achieve A Mirror Shine
There are many specialist tools and gadgets on the market that are designed for the shoe polishing enthusiast, but the reality is the majority of them are expensive or just unnecessary, as you only need to consider a few inexpensive items when performing a mirror shine.
08:08 Why Should You Mirror Shine Your Shoes?
We put our heads (and toes!) together and came up with four reasons for polishing your shoes to a mirror shine: 1. It looks Fantastic!
2. It Shows That you Care!
3. It Elevates Formality
4. It Offers Some Weather Protection
11:05 Why Shouldn’t You Mirror Shine Your Shoes?
In direct contrast to our first point about a mirror shine looking good, it also has the potential of the following: 1. It Can Look Fussy!
2. It can Off The Balance Of Your Outfit
3. It Takes A Ton Of Time
4. It Won't Last Long!
14:29 So, Should You Do a Mirror Shine?
It’s safe to say that there are many considerations that go into whether you should or shouldn’t mirror shine your shoes. The finished results often make a pair of dress shoes look exquisite, but it’s also worth noting that for all the hours and effort required to achieve the desired finish, it’s only a matter of time before your shoes pick up a scuff that shatters the mirror shine.
Of course, it all depends on your personal tastes, but here are two answers to the question we think will help you out: 1. If you have the time to spend, enjoy the look, and feel it compliments your wardrobe choices, then a mirror shine should look great on your shoes
2. But if you feel it’s too much hassle, or usually wear less formal combinations, then simply buffing your shoes to a gentle shine will be best for you
16:28 Outfit Rundown

Пікірлер: 216

@drip369 Жыл бұрын

I'm pretty sure Preston's Puns will be quite reflective today

@gdretired4385 Жыл бұрын

Finally, a video that discusses the positive and negative points of having a mirror shine.

@uubuilds Жыл бұрын

I mirror shine my shoes, not because it looks great(which it does), but instead because I enjoy the process of sitting down after a long day and just shining away. So what it really comes down to for me is if you enjoy doing it, because if you do then you should and if you don’t enjoy it and just do it for the results then maybe you shouldn’t do it

@the_9ent Жыл бұрын

How long does it take to do one shoe?

@eyeheartsushi2212 Жыл бұрын

@@the_9ent 20 to 30 minutes for the initial mirror shine. Touch-ups 5 to 10 minutes.

@TagatosElma 3 ай бұрын

La parte favorita de mi día es cuando termino todos mis quehaceres y, por fin, puedo sentarme a limpiar y lustrar mis zapatos. Cepillos, betún y un tereré para calmar la sed mientras lustro mis zapatos es lo único que pido para relajarme 👞🦅

@JimTimber 3 ай бұрын

If the shoe fits ! lol.. it's that's glass slipper moment !! lol

@marcioolimpio8052 Жыл бұрын

I really like Preston presentations. He's clear in his speaking and his English articulation makes the general comprehension easier for those - like me - who aren't English native speakers. Well done, folks!

@ProxyBuks Жыл бұрын

After approx. 3 years since it was announced, we have a shoe shine series😁

@gentlemansgazette Жыл бұрын

Well, we told you that a mirror shine takes time! 😅

@imaginemyshock8067 Жыл бұрын

I've been mirror shining my shoes for decades, but I've found in practice I don't like to have them 100% mirrored because I found that people assume I have patent leather shoes, and therefore have taken a cheap, plasticky way out to show off. So I aim for a two-thirds or three quarter shine so that the shoes look glossy by still look like they are well maintained genuine leather.

@racerich888 Жыл бұрын

I must agree whole heartedly with this comment a good well shined pair of shoes is all you need and over shined can verge on looking cheap and tacky (except may be with full white/black tie or the armed services). Don’t get me wrong I certainly endorse having good clean well kept pair of shoes but a good “brush polish” will give you a good shine and still shows you care about you shoes/appearance without being overly fussy. Good style is not about being over the top with any aspect of your dress, after all “Less is More”

@toobalkain Жыл бұрын

I mirror shine the caps of my cap toe Oxfords, especially black ones, but for anything else I prefer a deep, rich, matte shine, which actually tends to be harder to achieve because as soon as any wax is applied, brushing it will produce a glossy look.

@tombaily29 5 ай бұрын

I do a shine transition on the toe. The very front is 100% mirrored and it becomes less shiny as it transitions to the vamp.

@julesfalcone 2 ай бұрын

I totally agree. To much shine reminds me of patent leather - cheap.

@coryharner5306 Жыл бұрын

I just found this channel. I have watched a dozen different videos today. Why is Preston so calming? Seriously.

@gentlemansgazette Жыл бұрын

Glad to have you with us, Cory! 🙌

@coryharner5306 Жыл бұрын

@@gentlemansgazette My goodness. I can honestly say that I have never had a channel respond to anything that I have ever written. This is a much appreciated turn of events. Thank you for the wonderful content gentlemen. You are making the world a better place. One gentleman at a time.

@matthewblainey4254 Жыл бұрын

Preston's style of humour and general presenting skill really lifts the introduction from what could quite easily be a droning of contents to the highlight of my day. Great production GG

@Michael_R1957 Жыл бұрын

Another wonderful video from Preston. He makes a particularly important point about those of us who are “ klutzy “ ( because of a disability, usually), and how we almost certainly shouldn’t mirror shine our shoes. Thank you very much, Preston.

@toobalkain Жыл бұрын

it's not about being klutzy, a mirror shine is all about practice and applying enough layers of hard wax and water, but mostly practice, once you figure it out, it's like riding a bike. A deep, rich, matte shine is harder. And more desirable, a mirror shine is only for caps of cap toe Oxfords.

@Squirrel_101 Жыл бұрын

I take pride in my shoes and boots, have to have a mirror shine finish!

@axiomaddict Жыл бұрын

My dad was a lifer in the US Navy. I have positive associations with sitting across from in the kitchen him as he’d go through the process of cleaning, waxing, and re-waxing, then the final sounds of him buffing his black shoes to a high shine. I shining my shoes feels like a peaceful activity that I also enjoy.

@G1NZOU Жыл бұрын

I mirror shined mine (the first time I got a really decent pair of goodyear welted oxfords) a couple of months ago, and I feel really good every time I wear them, because I know it was my effort that made them look so good. They might look better than a lot of other people's choice of "smart shoes" but that's not what made me happy, it was personal enjoyment. I wouldn't mirror shine every shoe though, a good pair of black oxfords absolutely, but some brown brogues I might hold off and just give them a more matte clean polish, just to make them well taken care of but not ultra shiny.

@G1NZOU Жыл бұрын

Also considering companies like Kiwi are withdrawing from the British market due to lack of sales, being someone who shines their shoes sets you apart even more than in the past, and could potentially make a difference to someone who notices, not everyone will however. First successful mirror shine I did with Saphir, but before that Kiwi was my go to and it's iconic, especially for military vets who swear by it.

@dandiehm8414 Жыл бұрын

Preston's video keep getting better. Well done. Personally all of my shoes are "shiny" (polished well), but non are mirror shined.

@galou0090 Жыл бұрын

Don't use felt polish cloths! Mine sheds a lot, and an old tshirt works better. Also, repairing a mirror shine is much faster than doing a new mirror shine on a brand new pair of shoes. It takes 20-30 minutes. I think it looks good on black cap toe oxfords and more formal shoes, and I would invest on doing so!

@bcataiji Жыл бұрын

That was a really nice casual outfit.

@Checkdenbobby Жыл бұрын

Awesome advice! I usually like to apply a mirror shine to my shoes. I’ve gotten many comments on my footwear over the years and I do suggest to first: have a reply prepared that shows, that you do care about your footwear but don’t want to intimidate anyone by doing so (I usually make clear that shoe care is just another hobby) and, secondly, to tone down the rest of your outfit. This will make a well-shined pair of shoes stand out even more and keep you from looking overly well dressed, in a sense…

@philallsopp42 Жыл бұрын

My approach is a good shine rather than the mirror. Living & working in Phoenix, dust is an ever present problem. Shoes quickly get dusty…so a mirror finish doesn’t hold up for long.

@pauldavidwallace2333 Жыл бұрын

I remember obsessively shining my shoes to a mirror shine in ROTC for every inspection. And we used those same techniques, especially an old white undershirt and we had to spit shine ours. Love the videos

@jmgerraughty Жыл бұрын

I think that there are leathers and styles that can be exceptions to the rule, and have to be evaluated one by one, but at the same time, there are shoes that demand a mirror shine no matter what. For instance: I’ve never seen a black cap toe oxford that didn’t absolutely call out for a mirror shine. But something like a tan split toe blucher? I’m pretty sure you could get away without a mirror shine on those.

@rajo741 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Preston. Another interesting and well presented video.

@richardteevan4480 Жыл бұрын

great video and subject, yes mirror shine but only areas where it makes sense!

@siegfriedo Жыл бұрын

That three days stubble suits him! 👍

@jonstern7511 Жыл бұрын

Comprehensive as usual. This really is one of the best channels in that way. And it is so good to get something other than the usual take of mirror shining being better full stop, and hear that there are reasons not to do it also. I've got another one (unless it overlaps with one in the video) and that is purpose and occasion. If I'm wearing tweeds and Trickers Country Brogues and walking through the countryside in them I guess I could have a mirror shine but I'd say the more off road and rough terrain it is the more such seems irrelevant

@JM-qs6sw Жыл бұрын

Love a good mirror shine. It was one of the things my dad taught me. I always appreciate and compliment other gents on a nice mirror shine. Great video Preston!

@Lensmaster1 Жыл бұрын

I like a nice glossy shine. It reflects light do your shoes look cared for but the first scratch doesn't ruin the look. During my Army advanced training course, another soldier took a lot of time and mirror shined the entire foot of a pair of combat boots. They looked beautiful, until he took a few steps and the polish cracked at the flex points.

@markopolo9936 Жыл бұрын

I spent countless hours shining my wedding shoes ready for the big day. It looked amazing, but as soon as I stepped outside I scuffed it and flaked it off on the gravel entrance to the venue 😂 not worth it in my opinion!

@eyeheartsushi2212 Жыл бұрын

I hate it when that happens LOL

@MrDavidlfields Жыл бұрын

There is a sort of zen to the process of taking a shoe and bringing the shine up.

@mrblowhard2u Жыл бұрын

In my day it was referred to a 'spit shine'.We used a. cotton ball to apply the wax and some water or even 'spit' (hence the name).

@Prepheckt 3 ай бұрын

I still do that!

@DrNo-zd1yn Жыл бұрын

Hello. I totally agree, that a mirror shine looks great. But it need much time and if you have lots of shoes it is, for me and my time ( I work 12 h/ day) impossible to mirror shine all shoes. So I use just a high shine. For me it is fine. I hope we will see more videos about shoe care. Great video and a great Preston. May you compare the different products? Is the price of Saphir it’s worth?

@bradle4162 Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you brought up that sometimes a mirror shine isn't all that. I've only ever thought they look good on a black shoe without a medallion. I think they look rather strange on a brown wingtip boot for example.

@FireBird7766 Жыл бұрын

Fit on point Preston! Sometimes I think that getting dressed-down looks to be this effortlessly fetching is a much bigger achievement than hitting dress codes.

@EduardoHenrique-nd1ro Жыл бұрын

Another amazing video, Preston! Thanks for sharing with us! Cheers from Brazil!

@moorshound3243 Жыл бұрын

Basically for those of us who know how much work goes into polishing to mirror standards you get a lot of respect. My friend polishes his ammo boots with shiny caps on & I always think he looks really good.

@eaglet6703 Жыл бұрын

I just learned how to do it today. Digging the shining process right now，doing it allday long. I just can't stop chasing that perfect mirror OMG

@saurabhsharma4200 Жыл бұрын

I mirror shine my oxfords and I learned from the elegant oxford channel.

@roderik-4543 Жыл бұрын

I mirror shine my good/expensive/nice shoes, especially for formal occasions

@russelllizzi7453 7 ай бұрын

I have mirror shined all my dress shoes since my time in the military. The more you do it the less time it takes. I like the added protection from scuffs and scrapes. I don’t worry what others think it gives me a sense of pride and that is what matters.

@falxonPSN Жыл бұрын

It undeniably looks cool as heck, but the time commitment is the killer for me. While I could be super careful with how I walk around with them after doing a fresh mirror shine, I don't think I would have the time to invest. Perhaps I would consider paying someone to do it but I have no idea how much that would cost. On a different topic, the beard really suits you, Preston! Looking sharp!

@paulmathers6753 Жыл бұрын

A touch of elbow grease helps too 😃

@danalaniz7314 Жыл бұрын

Excellent and informative video. Thanks so much.

@iainstewart781 Жыл бұрын

I used to spend hours mirror shining my shoes. One day I saw a KZfaq vid from a street shoe-shine guy in New York. At the end of every shine, he buffs the shoes using a pair of ladies stockings. The result looks almost as good as a mirror shine in a fraction of the time. It was a total game-changer for me. I realise it might count as cheating, but I gave up mirror shining permanently.

@0faerieberry0 6 ай бұрын

Link?

@opinionsvary Ай бұрын

Yeah, a US Navy vet taught me this. Never try to lighter burn polish into leather because it hardens/cracks leather. Interesting enough, military polish is satan polish even though vets don't do satan shines. Polish isn't supposed to make a shoe glossy The primary use is to protect leather from abrasion & uniform the appearance. The rub in causes controlled dry time of the leather keeping it from stretching out of form/hardening at the ends past the sweat areas. There you have it. The reason. Some of those polishes mentioned would just be shoe makeup for being way too thin. The proper way to polish is to brush clean the shoe, apply a matching die to blend stretch marks/scuffs, buff dry, apply/haze polish with matching color to your shoes, brush to bead up the polish & use a nylon stocking to level the polish to a mirror shine. No water needed. I use a high gloss neutral polish because it has no pigment to rub off on your pants. European guys wear their hym higher than your supposed to showing off their laces, shoe fitment & stylish socks. Doing so helps keep polish off your dress pants or jeans. Just remember it's not formal to show ancles while standing up. I put the color dye into the leather & not the polish. Otherwise your leather will look old & polish becomes translucent in sun light showing the substrate surface below the polish. Yeah, no pigmented polish can totally hide damaged or aged leather. You might use lighter fluid to rejuvenate old dried out polish, but it'll stink for awhile. Smokers who use Zippos don't seem to mind the oder.

@TheRoadOfLoading Жыл бұрын

I was a big fan of mirror shine, every pair will do the shine from first wear. However I haven't do a mirror shine since last year. Maybe it is about the change of working environment, or just wear less formal wear nowadays. Anyway, I still find the mirror shine is attractive, especially on the particularly old used pair with damage or fading on the leather. Aged but in a beautiful way.

@eyeheartsushi2212 Жыл бұрын

Same, here. I rarely mirror shine my shoes now but was really into it a few years ago.

@ivankostamo9698 Жыл бұрын

I always mirror shine all my dress shoes, mostly out of habit and taste from being in Cadets. Either way, I find it fairly practical in that it is easier to fix a dent or scuff in a wax polish layer than a scuff or cut in plain leather. It does take quite some time to maintain the, though, but the process is fairly therapeutic, I find.

@AssoziationHmH Жыл бұрын

A great video. I particularly find your view on reasons not to mirror shine shoes interesting. There is one point you made however, which I don‘t quite agree with. I think, that a mirror shine is very well suited to even rather casual outfits. Personally, I have a pair of medium brown split toe derbys from yeosall, which I often wear with dark wash denims and chinos as well as a cognac pair of meermin half brogues which I like to wear with casual outfits in browns and earth tones. I find, that the formal nature of a mirror shines shoe shows that, even if you don’t quite dress up (e.g. wearing “only” brown chinos, a shirt and sweater) you still put a lot of effort in every outfit you put together. Other than that I totally agree with you: only start mirror shining if you particularly enjoy the process and have the time on hand. Could you make videos on regular show maintenance in the future? I would really like to see those!

@basil_jackson Жыл бұрын

Agreed. In winter I often wear tall boots (mid calf or even taller). Got quite an old pair that is generally beaten up but I still mirrorshine them and it makes them look better. Sort of 'beaten but taken care of'.

@chrisblanc663 Жыл бұрын

Love the shout out to the elegant Oxford. I often watch his channel as a way to wind down right before bed. I’m one of those people who can’t pull off a mirror shine. My work has me go in and out of my car a lot and I always scuff my shoes. But I do practice it once in a while, and I often spend a Saturday evening getting my shoes in tip-top shape for church, and the upcoming week.

@ramanshah7627 Жыл бұрын

I'm mostly skeptical of mirror shines. Sheen is an important variable in an object's appearance, and a mirror shine on a shoe is like high-gloss paint - mostly a rare accent. Like Preston noted, outside of the idiom of evening wear, mirror shine can definitely look out of balance. I think it looks out of balance more often than not. Clean shoes with a respectful, straightforward application of polish - landing somewhere in the satin to semi-gloss range of specular reflection - looks right to me much more often. An analogous thing I noted some years ago, when first gaining enthusiasm for fine watches, is the amount of care watchmakers put into sheen in their finishes. On many designs, there's a ton of effort that goes into not-glossy finishes. Extremely glossy finishes do show up, but sparingly, like punctuation in the grammar. The cheap watches I'd see on the bus would be mirror-shiny all over, and they looked cheap!

@midslids3210 Жыл бұрын

Preston, that outfit is great - near perfect in my opinion (googling the shoes in a minute too). I wear a suit for work daily and keep a mirror shine on my shoes. With that said, I can also honestly say that a marred shine at the end of the day is a sign that you work and move - not that you’re a klutz. The only way to keep a mirror shine all day without scuffs is to stay in one place, move very little and/or honestly be lazy. I travel 200-250 days out of the year and bring my shine back every morning with common hotel tools (I don’t travel with a shoe shine kit). As to why I shine them like this daily, the simple answer is 99% don’t and I know how much it truly does get noticed.

@eyeheartsushi2212 Жыл бұрын

Do you have examples of common hotel tools for shoe shining?

@midslids3210 Жыл бұрын

@@eyeheartsushi2212 my absolute minimum need while traveling to gloss my shoes back up is a hair drier and a dress sock. I travel with shoe trees so I’ll put those is, heat the scuffs lightly with a hair drier (they just disappear), leave the shoes to sit over night and then buff them with a dress sock the next morning. I pack my shoes with the trees in them and then slide them into old thick dress socks to keep them protected and looking good while in my suitcase as I bounce around.

@eyeheartsushi2212 Жыл бұрын

@@midslids3210 Nice. Thanks for the tips.

@Philipk65 Жыл бұрын

Great video and some great tips there.

@DaddySantaClaus Жыл бұрын

yes, for many reasons, like protection. it's also relaxing to do it and you look dapper

@canalwest 5 ай бұрын

Mirror shining is important in any situation. It elevates the look instantly!

@RaoulKunz1 Жыл бұрын

I tend to applie various "grades" of mirror polish to all my shoes, "minor" gloss (three to four layers) for impression (I'm an orthopaedic bespoke shoe-maker) on the roughly ~100€ shoes worn for work (which results in a finish that is way shinier than normal polish but not fully mirroring) and as many layers as needed for a full blown formal shoe. And honestly, we should not concern ourselfs with the sartorial opinions of the "only casual" crowd but especially in lighter brown shoes a less glossy darker burnished tip suffices but that is just me who feels light and medium brown is too informal for anything more shiney. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz

@myfrestuff3453 Жыл бұрын

Wow! They broke out the Raphael "Begone!" clip @ 5:13! 😮

@johnclifford8824 Жыл бұрын

Preston is a good video host, that being said I would like to see Rafael more often. Like in the old days when I first subscribed.

@rickythe2nd63 Жыл бұрын

Same

@carltrotter7622 Жыл бұрын

Or maybe both hosts, similar to a news channel where they take turns

@marcusbrown188 Жыл бұрын

He probably manages the shipping of the company.

@gentlemansgazette Жыл бұрын

All of our hosts have other responsibilities for the company to balance with filming videos (with the exception of Kyle, who has separate demands on his schedule as a freelancer). With that said, we keep an even split between all four hosts over the course of a year, so if you check out the channel on a regular basis, you'll continue to see Raphael equally as often as Kyle, Nathan, and me. Thanks for watching! - Preston

@leonro Жыл бұрын

5:15, 11:20

@warrenbfeagins Жыл бұрын

Niles Crane is real. Great video!

@eyeheartsushi2212 Жыл бұрын

LOL

@sandeepsharma-oc4hu 3 сағат бұрын

A very well rounded presentation both for and against the proverbial 'mirror shine'! And you're not klutz either mate!

@BigSarnt Жыл бұрын

Man, even at casual state, Preston still kills it.

@j.griffgriffin 9 ай бұрын

The amount on Sundays during my active duty days of shining my jump boots for formation Monday morning has me a pro as shining shoes/boots.

@greyareaRK1 Жыл бұрын

I still remember my elementary school principle who dressed in a style you'd approve of, with a mirror finish to his shoes. His voice and demeanor suggested he must have been an officer in the military. Would the shine on your shoes be described as a satin finish?

@rogernobbs6559 Жыл бұрын

This is strange! I had a pair of these in white from Mulberry in the mid-80s! I had no idea they were called Gurkha trousers, but they did rock! My then girlfriend also thought so even though she disapproved of my style obsession because it was expensive for someone working as a clerk at the BBC. Good times!

@Rhinozzzz Ай бұрын

Hot TIP!! If you want to cut your time WAY DOWN chasing a Mirror Shine, use Saphir Mirror Gloss. I have only Allen Edmunds dress shoes and the "Mirror" pops quickly with Saphir Mirror Gloss.

@user-el8xs7ep3u Жыл бұрын

Great video as always. Would really love to see a separate video on walking canes

@jeffhreid 8 ай бұрын

Preston, good job. Keep punning along

@cyankirkpatrick5194 Жыл бұрын

I think so. Preston, I'm glad you didn't loafer around about the subject,🤨🙄😜😂🤣🤷‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤭. My dad taught me how to shine shoe's and I'm so thankful for that, because I don't have to spend hours in doing so, because I had to shine some boots and someone said wow, you did a fantastic job, and I only only had worked on them for about 15 minutes.

@rickzhang2288 Жыл бұрын

I did not know a stubble could look this good

@gritsteel4559 9 ай бұрын

Great video ! I just learned how to mirror shine, got pleased with myself, but later on felt it took too much time (I didn't even spend hours, just 30 mins or so). End of the day, nice to look at, but eventually not for me as well. I'm happy with 1 or 2 coats of Saphir creme that buffs to a good enough shine, and I don't even need wax polish unless I feel like it.

@morrisdoug6497 Жыл бұрын

I prefer an overall consistent shine on shoes.

@karlraffelsieper1232 8 ай бұрын

As a Vet, I'm bias. Black toe cap oxfords always have a mirror shine. Even with my Chinos and more casual outfits. I recently purchased some beautiful BlkBrd dark brown loafers, and they arrived with a high shine on the toes and part way down the side, along with just the tip of the apron, and the heal. At first I thought for such a casual shoe, it seemed out of place. Lovely but seemed out of place. However, the first day I wore them to the office, my peers, also are bit of a shoe junkie, commented and were very complimentary. My Engineering team, hardly notice... but we were busy in the data center and there was lots of work to do. I don't think a mirror shine will ever look right on loafers, but I will make sure they have a high shine in the right areas. In the summer months, I'll stick to the subdued look of my TopSiders with shorts. Speaking of the TopSiders (Boat shoes), I still haven't found a good cleaning solution for them. They aren't suede or smooth leather, rather in between, soft leather with a slight nap. Using a suede brush tends to mark the leather, saddle soap works but seems to darken them as does a leather balm / lotion / cleaner. Perhaps a video on the matter in the future?

@glenn2595 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips Preston. I don't mirror shine my shoes. Of course I polish them so they look clean when wearing a suit or standard sports jacket with dress pants combination. Basically I wear dad cargo pants/shorts with low height hiking shoes when driving the kids to their sporting events. There is an exception, if I'm wearing actual blue jeans (I only own one pair) with my just off-white Henley I have these probably 20 year old double buckle monk shoes made with deer skin. They glow! This combination gets me actual complements when out and about. Probably a combination of the shine and the unique somewhat mahogany color.

@TrailWalker03 Жыл бұрын

5:15 Noooo.....! Not just any cloth. Heaven forbid an old T-shirt! Only a kiwi cloth will do. And they last a lifetime. I still use the ones I bought for cadets, reserves and militia 40+ years ago. (And I still use Kiwi Professional from a tin with the 'EX' price tag on the lid!).

@kdawson020279 3 ай бұрын

I mirror-shine the toes of my boots, and I work in maintenance. I use Lincoln stain wax shoe polish. It gives a very easy mirror shine. It also doesn't smell like turpentine gum spirits as much as Kiwi and other polishes. My uniforms call for shoes that are polished at least to a luster, and I enjoy the meditative art of leather care. The use of an ice cube in the lid of your tin to both cool (harden) and wet the wax/leather can help if you experience issues during mirror polishing. Edit: It's just there to cool the water. Don't rub ice on your shoes. Shoe trees are also a huge help, or stuff them with socks. Good polishing does help protecting the stitching from abrasive dirt, which will prolong the life of your footwear. I wear Thorogood boots and Dan Post western work boots.

@triarencethagamemasters481 Жыл бұрын

Awesome video

@karanshetty7584 Жыл бұрын

Can you guys please review crown northampton’s hand stitched collection

@ZoomZoom-ng6sn 2 ай бұрын

Nice shoes throughout video. Very nice.

@boltthrower3215 Жыл бұрын

Some color variants are almost made for mirror shining…museum calf colors for example. Multiple colors at one shoe are also a good candidate for that extra buff.

@clintshiplett8548 Ай бұрын

It all depends on what, why, and whatever for of the shoes I am wearing. I'm a blue-collar worker, spending the majority of my waking hours in an environment where it is necessary to wear steel-toed work boots. I give them a weekly cleaning and a basic polish. Altogether my time invested for that is about a half hour a week. And well-maintained work shoes do last a lot longer. For formal events, weddings, or funerals, I keep a nice pair of simple dress shoes that are well polished. Not quite mirrors, but they spend most of their time in storage. I agree that one of the first things that everybody notices about a man is if his shoes are polished. They might not notice if they aren't, but it always seems to be that if your shoes are shined, they do look. And it is a hoot to see a surprised look on someone's face when they see a man in worn work clothes with a nicely shined pair of leather work boot.

@andrewl.3460 Жыл бұрын

I mirror shine many of my shoes and boots. I developed the habit in the military. Now I polish not for appearance but to protect and I find the process relaxing.

@TheUnvanquishable Жыл бұрын

What a co incidence i just searched this up

@bigtimmy13 Жыл бұрын

This is why I only wear suede/nubuck shoes 😂 Also, I really like that outfit Preston!

@Eric19401 Жыл бұрын

Preston is rockin' that beard.

@shoemanfu4715 Жыл бұрын

Mirror shines also provide a little bit of scuff protection. Those scuffs are better on the wax than they are on bare leather. Touching up a mirror shine also doesn't mean you have to "start over". Touch-ups are much quicker than the initial mirror shine. You do bring up a good point that I struggle with. I will wear mirror-shined shoes or boots with blue jeans...I'm sure that throws off the balance of the ensemble.

@valariebrown3768 Жыл бұрын

You lads always look so good. I agree that mirror shined shoes look fussy and overdone in all but the most formal outfits, or on little girls at Christmas. Clean is best. Many women shine their leather shoes, too, BTW, but that bit of clothing maintenance is absent on those channels, perhaps because women's shoes are not meant to be long-term investments these days, which is a pity.

@garypointing5825 Жыл бұрын

Simple trick. Johnson's clear floor polish. Apply, allow dry and you have a mirrored shine. Careful to only do the tie caps as it cracks easily. I don't but expensive shoes as I walk, a lot, so if the floor polish does damage the leather it doesn't really matter. The black Oxfords I do shine I've had for about 20years so it doesn't do that much damage

@CarlosRojasBaritono Жыл бұрын

I think like all in this world it’s just a hack, a skill that worth the efford in certain situations like a Gala, Concert, a Date or just wear our new pair of shoes joyfully hahah i usually do it when i need to wear a Tuxedo or Dinner Jacket because i don’t have any patent shoes.

@timsmith1589 Жыл бұрын

I dig the mirror shine, i also enjoy doing it so yeah.

@bharatc.sampat6406 Жыл бұрын

Carefully look into Famoco Paris. Angelus. UsA. Venetian Chicago. One mirror shine lasts a year if you’re well trained or know what to do

@QV1010 Жыл бұрын

Actually just bought some shoe polish this is great convenient

@iconicetiquette4546 Жыл бұрын

Dressing is in the detail so polished shoes are a given . Minority like myself take it to another level re mirror shine . Its an individual & personal decision, don’t forget we live in an unkempt world . Let your mirror shine 😊

@derdreckigste5097 Жыл бұрын

hey guys I really loved the video I had a question: do you have any tips on how to get this kind of shoes with less animal harm included because on the one hand I really love those but on the other hand I can´t combine having an animal died because of my shoe choice if you get what I mean...so are there any providers who assure for example that the leather is just used as a waste product...?(of course I know second hand is also a choice - probably the best..)

@gentlemansgazette Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your support! Glad to hear you enjoyed the video 🙂 As the majority of leather used to create dress shoes is a by-product of the meat industry, most high-quality dress shoe retailers will be able to inform you of the tannery where the leather came from, and you can trace the origin back from there. Otherwise, you make a great point about vintage shoes (good for your wallet, too!), and we've previously touched on vegan leather as well: www.gentlemansgazette.com/is-vegan-leather-better/?

@awerawer3101 Жыл бұрын

What are your thoughts on maintaining a mirror shine on cordovan?

@urbandaniel100 Жыл бұрын

would love to see a video on yohei fakuda shoe maker

@Molach101 Жыл бұрын

I usually only put a mirror shine on a shoe if it has a defined toe cap. I think cap-toe oxfords and derbies, and their various boot equivalents, can look a bit "unfinished" without it. I wouldn't put it on a full brogue wingtip with a rubber sole, for example.

@CyberPolice9 4 ай бұрын

I've always mirror shined my leather shoes. There's just something to be said about a statement you can make with it. Although sometimes I will feel lazy and just get it to a high shine but not mirror shined.

@Prepheckt 3 ай бұрын

You should also melt the base layer of wax in order to better fill in the pores. The base coat helps protect against scuffs. Scuffing the leather versus scuffing the polished layer is much harder to fix.

@r.mercado9737 7 ай бұрын

When the mirror shine is scoffed, there are techniques to restoring the mirror glass in a matter of moments. I tend to be into details. Semper Fi

@jonathonshanecrawford1840 Жыл бұрын

😀👔👞 I believe it depends where, what when a gentleman is doing! If it is formal, mirror shine 100% yes, semi-formal - semi-shine! At least some shoe polish on the shoes to at least protect them, it doesn't matter if the shoes cost $25 new (genuine grain leather) $470 (Top grain Leather) or $680 - $1,000 (full grain leather) or Plastic leather (Pleather) use either Kiwi or Saphir products!