How to Care for Velvet Shoes. A Guide

Velvet shoes are probably one of the most practical and beautiful style items in menswear. Any man who has a pair of velvet shoes can count on them to style up his outfits and take them to a whole new level.

In the fabrics world, velvet is a very rich and elegant material. It has depth and is very smooth and therefore, anything that has a good design and is made from velvet is a great item.

However, the downside to velvet in general and velvet shoes in particular is that they are quite hard to maintain. Because they are a bit pretentious, it's hard to wear them in any condition. While they might be versatile in the sense that they go with a wide variety of outfits and are therefore suited in many social contexts, they are not very versatile when it comes to conditions. Velvet shoes are best to be worn inside, as outside conditions can make them go bad quite quickly.

But you can't always have what you want and sometimes your velvet shoes will suffer because of dust, dirt, snow or other things.

This is when knowing a few tricks on cleaning them might come in handy.

They say that prevention is the best cure. This is why, before wearing your velvet shoes, you should treat them with a stain and water protector spray. Make sure the spray is right for your shoes in particular, as otherwise you will risk ruining them.

Also, even if you use a protection spray, you should do your best not to walk in the rain in velvet shoes, as they might get damaged anyway. Protective spray is used to make them easier to clean.

If you get a bit of dust on your velvet shoes you can do some basic cleaning by wiping it away with a dry cloth. You can also use a soft shoe brush (with emphasis on soft) as an alternative. Move it carefully over the shoes in one direction. This way, you will not bring any damage to the fabric.

Use a mix of mild dish detergent and water to remove small stains. Use a soft toothbrush and apply the mixture to the shoes in very small amounts. Meanwhile, do your best to keep the shoes dry. Scrub the mark with the toothbrush, and then let it sit for a few minutes and only then wipe it away. If the stain persists, repeat the process.

For best results, we recommend using a natural, soft detergent.

Additional information

As an additional piece of information, you should always remember that if a mark or stain is too big or deep, you should probably take them to a professional shoe cleaner. These might be hard to find in smaller cities, but they might help if you can find a good one.

While you must always be careful of how and when you wear your velvet shoes (avoid rain, avoid snow, avoid dirt, dust and everything else), velvet shoes can make for a wonderful sartorial companion that will style up your looks in no time. You can dress them up and down and wear them both casually and in dressier settings.

Velvet shoes make for a wonderful addition to any man or woman's wardrobe, so we definitely recommend investing in a pair if you want to be very stylish and enjoy them as much as we do.

Maintaining them properly will help you enjoy your shoes for a longer time and can bring you many good sartorial moments.

Fraquoh and Franchomme

P.S. We want to hear from you! Do you wear velvet shoes? How do you dress them? What are your tips for cleaning and maintaining them? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!