Shoe polish: thoughts, fun facts, questions

[ShaunMaxwell]

Specific to Highland wear, I know that brown shoes are not that popular. But amongst the brown shoes that I see with kilts, it seems very rare that people polish them. It's almost as if they expect black shoes with a kilt to be shiny, but brown ones not to be shiny. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I in left field here?

I agree with your assessment, and am guilty as charged. I too appreciate a pair of well-polished shoes, but when it comes to brown shoes — which I almost always end up wearing with my kilt (because the few occasions I have to wear kilts tend to be at Highland games, conducted during daytime hours) I have a tendency to oil them with Red Wing boot oil, which darkens the leather and eliminates the need for polishing. Here are the shoes I typically wear with my kilt before oiling:



And after oiling:



Several applications of oil were required to achieve the chocolate color I prefer (which more closely matches belts, sporrans, etc.). It's a lot easier to slap on a coat of oil with a 2.5" brush and allow it to soak in than to achieve a spit shine!

I know Jock Scot will may comment on the "chunky" soles, but I find that they're much more comfortable for wear on the streets of downtown Houston — or the uneven grounds at the Highland games. It's been my experience that they provide better traction, last longer and generally go unnoticed, as folks rarely see the soles of my feet.

SM

[Allan Thomson]

Isn't there a halfway house with that though? Ie to have a pair of conventional leather soled brogues & have a cobbler add additional new soles stuck underneath?

[ShaunMaxwell]

Isn't there a halfway house with that though? Ie to have a pair of conventional leather soled brogues & have a cobbler add additional new soles stuck underneath?

I've tried that, but didn't have a good result.

[Allan Thomson]

I've tried that, but didn't have a good result.

Suprised, I always never spotted any problem with them, but I guess it depends who does the soling & with what?

[Allan Thomson]

I've tried that, but didn't have a good result.

Suprised, works well for me, my Father & Brother. Depends on the cobbler though...

[ShaunMaxwell]

Suprised, works well for me, my Father & Brother. Depends on the cobbler though...

I suspect you're correct... And that your cobbler is better than mine!

SM

[Nomad]

Ex military and happy to admit I like polishing my shoes, sadly/gladly (choose whichever one you like) I will admit I love bulling toe caps and find it quite calming/therapeutic.

I like to think I am quite good at bulling and a long time ago I took my dads concrete encrusted work boots and bulled them up, just because I fancied the challenge, my poor dad said that people would think he never worked for a living.

[Father Bill]

What's "bulling"?

I like shining my shoes, brown or black and I'm proud that I'm good at it. Part of the problem today is that it's hard to get shoes with top-grain leather. It's mostly split and burnished and never does come up to specifications or keep a shine either. I like to melt the wax in with the back of a hot tablespoon heated from the inside over a candle and rubbed HARD on the shoe. Proud to look like I've got mirrors on them when I'm done.

[Hirsty]

Bulling is referred to spit polish this side of the pond.

[Hirsty]

I do love a well polished shoe.

I wear brown oxford brogues from Jones Bootmaker with my daywear set up.

We were having a beach wedding in Australia, being a rather casual affair I wore my tweed jacket, brogues, brown belt, green tie - day wear.

My shoe polishing kit came with me from Scotland and I bulled my brogues up to a mirror-like shine. As soon as my shiny feet hit the powder-fine sand of the beach they reverted to a matt finish.