May 2026
It's always a great time to visit the cobbler. Professional and at-home shoe care to keep your pairs looking good for years.
Welcome back!
The weather is warming up and I have some summer sandals that need to get ready. I’m also using this time to repair and clean my winter shoes before packing them away for the season. I love a visit to the cobbler (they’re true artists!) but I also have a few habits at home that keep my shoes in great condition between visits.
I wrote about my last cobbler visit over a year ago, but here are the headlines:
Going to the cobbler is cheaper than you think, especially if you factor in how much it costs to buy a new pair, and the time and effort it takes to donate, sell or recycle your old pair. It’s 2026, we’re not throwing our old shoes in the trash.
With a little bit of care your shoes can last years longer than you think.
Cobblers do more than just add new soles — they can fix fit issues, repair leather damage, dye your shoes a new color, and replace laces and zippers.
They work on all leather goods including handbags, belts, wallets, and specialty items.
So let’s get into it.
What I took to the cobbler
I bought these Stuart Weitzman boots in 2024 and got a few good wears out of them before I started slipping and sliding on smooth floors. If you saw me windmilling my arms around in Grand Central, no you didn’t. This is not an uncommon issue for boots and the fix is a simple rubber half sole that provides extra tread and costs around $40. They got a clean and polish and they’re ready to hibernate until the fall.
These navy Tory Burch Bleecker sandals have lived a life! They’re from 2017 and I got them super discounted on TheOutnet for $135. I wore them often for a few years—over 100 times ($1.26 cost per wear)—and then they sat in my closet during the pandemic and didn’t resurface until last summer. They got a good cleaning and new soles for around $60. I left the leather as it, but I always have the option to dye the soles back to their original color, or dye the whole shoe a darker color entirely. There are some pairs in great condition out there if you want them for yourself.
The Prada resale goddesses have blessed me this spring with two amazing secondhand finds! First, these embellished brown sandals from 2015 that I found on Poshmark for $73. The upper of the shoes are in perfect condition but the leather soles needed some care to protect them. They got a new full sole and now they truly look brand new. I’ve seen pairs of these on Poshmark, TheRealReal and Vestaire for way under retail.
The second are these silver heeled sandals that I scooped up on TheRealReal, brand new. The soles were in perfect condition but only the heel had rubber tread so I added a rubber half sole to the front of the shoe to protect from wear and tear. There are so many secondhand designer sandals available so take a look before you buy new shoes for all those summer weddings you’re attending this year.
What I do at home to protect my shoes
Not everything requires a professional and there are many cost effective things you can do at home that take less than 5 minutes.
The first thing I do when I decide to keep a pair of shoes is get them with weather protectant spray. I like this one because it works on suede and leather but most sprays you buy will work great (just check the label and the leather type of your shoes first). You can also buy some at the cobbler and support a small business!
After I wear my boots, I wipe off any dirt or road salt with a damp cloth, dry them off, and use this shoe shine sponge. Always check the color first and less is more when it comes to the sponge brush. Let your boots dry and they’ll look good as new. This also works for other type of leather shoes including ballet flats and sandals.
One of the best things you can do for leather is keep moisture away. After I’ve worn my shoes I let them dry and then put some inserts in the toes. I keep the tissue insets that come with the shoes but any dye safe tissue works. You could also use old socks or any breathable material. For boots, I put an empty old wine bottle in the legs to keep the shape but there are a million solutions out there you can buy or DIY.
Last but not least, keep the dust off your shoes. I have these shoes boxes for a lot of my shoes, but for sandals I use the dust bags the shoes came with. For secondhand purchases I use my old TheRealReal bags, or old pillowcases. Anything except plastic, your shoes need to breath.
And with that, let’s take a look back at April.
The Addition
This is another purchase inspired by Becky Malinsky. I love her style, but I also love that she’s the same height as me, so when I see a pant that fits without hemming, it stays in my mind. I impulsively tried these on the other week and walked out of the store with them. They’re so comfortable and the waist has adjustable button tabs that solve the problem of pants that fit at the hip but have a gap at the waist. I sized up (as Becky recommended) for a relaxed fit.
I’ve worn these 16 times in the past month and I’m pleased to find a summer pant I like that isn’t black.
The Edit
I don’t have any alterations cooking right now, but I can’t stop thinking about the Green Matters dye lot of the month colors. It might be time to send in some old t-shirts and dingy white button-ups for a refresh.
The Favorite
This is my most-worn sweater of all time with over 100 wears in fewer than 2 years. It’s a piece that I wear year-round and with the seasons changing I reach for this sweater a lot during the work week. I’m always keeping an eye on secondhand to send the link to friends and it looks like there’s one out there.
See you next month!
Lauryn
Further Reading:
The dye thing looks like a great option! Yori is my cobbler - when he mutters ‘dis gud lether’ while examining my shoes it’s like a benediction! I have thin rubber soles put on all my favorites - so worthwhile
the best inspiration - going to check out the dye spot!