Shoes

How to clean white sneakers

 in Shoes  tagged sneakers / tips by

How to clean white leather sneakers

how to clean white leather sneakers how to clean sneakers

How to clean white leather sneakers and what you need: sneakers / Mr. Clean Magic Eraser / Old towel or cleaning rag /

Have you ever spent a ton of money on white leather sneakers, only to watch them get disgustingly dirty? Oh yeah-been there! While it is impossible to make a pair of white sneakers look brand new, forever after, it is possible to keep them clean and looking presentable. Or shall we say, less disgusting and gross?

I purchased these beautiful Gucci sneakers last summer so that I would have something fabulous to wear on my feet at New York Fashion Week in September. They turned into my workhorse sneakers at fashion week, and since then, I wear them multiple times per week. They are really comfortable! Normally I keep my white leather sneakers clean on a regular basis, but this fall season has been hectic, and I have fallen behind on my shoe care. Hence, here are my beautiful sneakers in a very, very dirty state. Time to clean them!

It is really easy to clean white leather sneakers, and keep them clean throughout their life in your wardrobe. So, without further ado, here are my easy steps on how to clean white sneakers.

How to clean white sneakers step 1: The Wipe Down

how to clean white sneakers

The first step in cleaning your white leather sneakers is to wipe them down. Take an old towel, rag or cleaning rag and wet it. Squeeze out any excess water, and use it to wipe down your sneakers. Keep a second towel handy so you can quickly wipe off the water from your sneakers. Since they are leather, you don’t want them to soak in water. Wipe or pat them dry. This should work better on the leather, or faux leather, than the soles. The soles are harder to clean. It also takes off the top layer of dirt, allowing you to get to the deep dirt in step two. Which brings us to. . .

How to clean white sneakers step 2: A super secret magic tool!

easy way to clean white sneakers

OK, if you are a Mom, you own tons of Magic Erasers. If not, here is a tip, keep multiple Magic Erasers around your home. You will find they are the handiest cleaning product on the market. I started using Mr. Clean Magic Erasers when my kids were toddlers. It wiped crayons off the walls-yes, we had that-and I also found it cleaned any type of mark off the wall without hurting the paint. Loved it!

So, since then, I have been using my Magic Erasers on pretty much anything white for the past fifteen years. It is easy to use to clean your white leather sneakers too. Also, if your sneakers are not leather, it works too!

Take a Magic Eraser, wet it, and squeeze out any excess water. Use one side to rub on the leather, the other side to rub on the sole. The soles will be very dirty. I only clean the sides, not underneath the shoe. I know some people will clean the underneath, I am not those people. The Magic Eraser will work on the sides, and bottom; so if you choose to clean the underneath of your shoes, this will work for you too.

Gently rub the Magic Eraser on the leather. Keep your dry towel handy to rub off excess water from the leather. The leather, or faux leather, will clean quickly, and easily. When it comes to the soles, it will take some scrubbing; and some time. It took me twenty minutes to clean the sides of my sneakers’ soles. Keep in mind, the pair of sneakers pictured in this post are platform. Your sneakers might not take as long if they are normal height. There will be dirty water dripping from your shoes, make sure you have something underneath you, or clean them outside like I do.  Also, keep your dry towel handy to wipe off the extra, dripping water.

There you have it! Those are the easy steps you take for cleaning white leather sneakers. Here are a few tools you might need to help you get started:

I recommend cleaning your shoes often, instead of waiting until they are very dirty, like I did. If you wear them all the time, try to clean them every week. It will only take a few minutes. If you wait, it will be a big job, like it was for me. I plan to clean them once a week now that they are clean!

I learned shoe repair when I worked in a shoe store shortly after graduating college. If you have any shoe care, or repair questions, feel free to ask!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

easy way to clean white leather sneakers

Fall 2019 shoe wardrobe

 in General Fashion / Shoes  tagged boots / fall 2019 / gucci / sneakers by

fall 2019 shoes

Fall 2019 shoes from top left: black high heels booties / snakeskin booties (color sold out, also love these) / brown cowgirl boots / Gucci sneakers /

Temperatures may be a bit warm outside, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get my fall 2019 shoe game on point! This fall 2019 season, I am all about booties and sneakers. I am still in love with athleisure, so I have two pairs of sneakers I love to wear on the streets of Silicon Valley; as opposed to the gym. Of course I still wear my adidas Superstar sneakers, but when I am feeling a bit more “fashion-y,” these Gucci platform sneakers are my go-to.

One of the big trends in shoes this fall 2019 season is the hybrid sneaker. We are looking at sneakers that double as hiking boots, or sneakers which could also be creepers; and more! Sneakers for fall 2019 will often feature platforms, lug soles, high tops with faux fur lining, and other odd features we do not normally see in sneaks. This Gucci pair offers just enough hybrid sneaker trend, without being too avant-garde. I like to jump into trends with an understated vibe.

fall 2019 it shoes

These black, high heel booties are great for dressier looks, or just amping up a pair of jeans for a night out on the town. They are classic and chic, love!

Animal prints are always huge for fall, but for fall 2019, snakeskin is where it’s at in footwear. Look for snakeskin footwear everywhere! I love snakeskin on booties, so this pair is a current favorite of mine. The snakeskin is sold out, but the same brand has a similar pair, with the same snakeskin print leather, online here.

Lastly, the western trend is still going strong, so a pair of low cowgirl boots called my name this season. These brown cowgirl boots will be great with skinny jeans, skirts, and dresses. I am in love with the contrasting wooden heel; plus they are really comfortable. I might live in them this fall!

Shop my fall 2019 shoe wardrobe online:

These shoes will be going to New York Fashion Week with me next week, so stay tuned to see how I style them! You can see the snakeskin booties here, and the black ones here.

Which shoes are you hoping to add to your fall wardrobe this year?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

fall 2019 shoe and boots trends

Fall 2019 trends to watch

 in Color Trends / General Fashion / Handbags / Jewelry / Shoes / Trends  tagged fall 2019 by

chiara boni le petite robe fall 2019 nyfw

Chiari Boni le petite robe fall 2019 runway NYFW

The fall 2019 season is starting to appear in stores, and we are catching a glimpse of what made it from the runways to the streets. The fall 2019 runways included menswear, vintage vibes, texture, and darker colors than previous fall seasons. We saw influences from the 1940’s through to the 1990’s. The looks included athleisure, power suits, slim silhouettes, and a return to ladylike, feminine dressing. Stores shelves are almost in the same place for fall.

Store buyers went big on atheisure, power suits, blazers, anything plaid, animal prints and vintage inspiration from the 1980’s and 90’s; with a few 60’s hemlines thrown in, just to mix things up. Here is what to expect on the streets for fall.

Menswear inspiration:

laurence and chico fall 2019 nyfw

Look for power suits, blazers instead of jackets, plaid on anything and everything, trouser pants on casual days, and clunky, chunky shoes. Think 1980’s Wall Street power suit. That’s your new look for the office, and anytime you want to exert your power.

Get ready to roar!

chloe aby handbag fall it bags

Any type of animal print is hot for fall. Look for animal prints on all of your clothing, and grab yourself a pair of snakeskin boots. They are the IT boot style for fall! Meow! Roar! And any other noises animals make. Haha Grrrrr!

Where’s the big hair?

Everything 80’s is hot for fall, except the big mall hair. Leave your Aquanet under the sink this season, you can rock those exaggerated shoulders and sleeves without it. Look for giant puff sleeves, big shoulders, inverted triangle silhouettes, and neon hues mixed among the racks of dark, autumn hues. Think neon yellow, two different earrings, scrunchies, big bows, secretary blouses, and pencil skirts.

Smells like the 90’s

Who said the 90’s were dead? Obviously they live under a rock. Doc’s are back, so whip out your Mod look from the early 90’s and rocks those combat boots with your head held high. Also, be sure to pair them with a tight, black bodysuit underneath paprbag waist pants. Your rave is ready for you; and so is The Cure.

The great hemline debate

I have missed the hemline debate. It seems as if hemlines haven’t mattered in more than a decade. I remember when your hemline showed the world what you knew about fashion. No-one would dare wear last year’s hemline! The horror! Well guess what peeps! Hemline significance is back. For fall 2019 look for 60’s a-line mini-skirts, 90’s rocker postage stamp mini skirts, knee length pencil skirts, and pleated t-length skirts. Maxi’s are always accepted. Those are the hemline rules! Will you follow them?

Fall 2019’s color palette

fall 2019 color trends nyfw pantone pantone colors fall 2019color trends fall 2019nyfw fashion trends

Colors speak for themselves right? I don’t need to try and be witty? 😉

Athleisure / street style

pony x harbin fall 2019 nyfw

Athleisure is the trend that keeps on giving. Look for adidas logos everywhere, and make sure you have a pair of Superstar’s in your wardrobe. Funky sweatpants, exaggerated sole sneakers, and workout clothing you wouldn’t wear to the gym because it’s too nice. That’s what falls athleisure trend is all about. Get comfy-just make sure you don’t actually sweat in that look, um-kay?

Sparkle and shine, it’s Studio 54 time! Again.

son jung wan fall 2019 nyfw

Yes, sparkles are back, and they were not gone long. Chances are you have sparkling fabrics and sequins hanging in your closet. Grab those sparkles and pair them with jeans, wide-leg trousers and pencil skirts. Shine like the star you are!

Shrink to fit handbags

Ditch the oversize bag, this season is all about medium and small, not mini or nano, top handle satchels. One top handle please. Look for snakeskin, metallic, and smooth, structured leathers. Logos are over; so store or consign your Louis. A logo on the clasp of a bag doesn’t count. Those are always there, they are not a trend. Your handbag should whisper; if it flashes, it’s so two years ago.

Also, dressy bags should sparkle-not whisper, (confused yet?), and quilted bags are gaining momentum and could explode in 2020.

More trends to watch:

noon by noor fall 2019 nyfw

wide leg pants on the Noon by Noor fall 2019 NYFW runway

Pants this season are slim and cropped, paperbag waisted, or wide legged. Nothing else. That’s all.

Ruffles have rrrrrrrrridges! It’s “Little House on the Prairie” time people! Make sure you have too many ruffles on your blouse or dress, that way no-one can count them. Ruffle up!

Mock turtlenecks. No-one said you had to rock every trend. Um. . .yeah. . .

Denim trends follow pant trends. Look for wide legs, slim and cropped, dramatic side slits, and also, bootcut is back.

Your shoes should be metallic, snakeskin, a pair of Doc’s, or funky street sneakers. Also look for combat boots, lug soles, almost-platform soles, and any kind of tread. No-one has any excuse to slip on ice this year!

Did you lose an earring? It’s OK, wearing two matching earrings is so last year. Rock those mis-matched earrings like it’s 1986. Also, pearls are hot. That’s all.

Well, that’s the summary of the fall 2019 fashion trends which made it from the runways to the streets. As the fall season progresses, I will dig deep into trends which really work well on the street, and that I approve of. You won’t catch me in a mock turtleneck. Ew.

My current fall 2019 obsessions:

Which trends for fall 2019 do you like or dislike? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy