Soft Scuffs on Suede Shoes

Robert Clergerie Livingw boots

If you're a shoe-a-holic, you've probably ordered a new pair of suede shoes online that arrived with scuffs. When it happened to me, being a worst-case-scenario kind of person, I immediately assumed my shoes were secretly worn, cleaned and resold. Maybe even some government conspiracy at work in there too. Or at the very least I assumed my shoes were tried on and returned.

But after doing some research, I found out that the scuffs actually were most likely to have occurred in the mail on their way to me. Know how suede is super soft? Suede is made up of lots of very very short hairs sticking up called the nap; if you rub some of those hairs the opposite direction, it will look different in that spot - lighter or darker.

Unfortunately, mail carriers will not guarantee your box never gets flipped or tossed no matter how many "this side up" notes are written on it. Those scuffs are really just from the suede rubbing against something else, like the inside of the shoebox. This is why suede shoes often arrive with a plastic bag around each shoe as well as lots of cardboard separators and tissue paper bumpers - it's all to prevent those almost inevitable light spots. Similarly, wearing your suede shoes just once can cause these scuffs. I was shocked once when I realized just crossing my feet in a chair made my two shoes rub together and totally destroyed them (temporarily).

Luckily, all is not lost if you see a suede scuff, and trust me, it'll happen. The one thing you should have in your arsenal is a suede brush. Suede brushes usually have both coarse (brass, metal, rubber, etc) and soft bristles (horsehair, synthetic fibers, etc). These different bristles may be  mixed together in a single surface or they could appear separated on a multi-sided brush. Depending on the type of bristles, some suede brushes can be quite rough though (more for cleaning up suede work boots than suede evening heels) so be careful not to assume that any old suede brush you find will be a one-size-fits-all solution. For the most delicate suede shoes, you may want nothing more than a dry toothbrush.



KORS Michael Kors Braelyn

Once you have your suede brush of choice, just use the soft side to brush the suede in a single direction to conceal most of the scuffs I mentioned above. For stubborn, matted down scuffs, you can try using the rougher side of the suede brush - but do it carefully or you risk removing the suede nap altogether. However, if you do over-brush an area, you can always rough up the rest of the shoe to help hide it.

Hint: If you have a dark mark on your shoes that isn't being brushed away, try using a suede eraser or pencil eraser on the area. And using a waterproofing suede protector spray before wearing any suede shoes is always a good idea.

Help! My Boots Need a New Pom-Pom!

Report Flurry boots with a nice pom pom detail

Did you come across a pair of clearance shoes that are perfect except for the fact they're missing a pom-pom? Or did you perhaps spill something on one of yours and want to replace it? Either way, creating a new pom-pom is super easy!Pom-poms are the little round poofs of furry stuff that decoratively dangle from clothing and accessories like zipper pulls, handbags, boots and shoes (as pictured to the right).

There are 3 ways to make a pom-pom: the finger wrapping method, the cardboard donut method or buying a pom-pom maker. All make nice looking pom-poms but each has it's own advantages and disadvantages which I'll discuss below. Keep in mind too that although any yarn will work, the type and thickness of yarn you choose will effect the final look of your pom-pom.

Finger Wrapping Method

This is the fastest way to make a pom pom, but the size, of course, depends on the person making it.  Using this method you can only make pom poms in the 5 sizes created by stacking your fingers together and you won't be able to make a pom pom that is any larger than your own hand.

Start by laying a piece of string flat on your work surface or table - this is what you will use to hang/attach your pom pom so make sure the length is double what you need (or at least 12 inches). Then start wrapping a separate piece of yarn around your fingers. You'll want to go around at least 50 times, probably closer to 100 times, but this depends on the thickness of your yarn: thicker yarn needs less revolutions. The more times you wrap the yarn around your hand, the fluffier your pom pom will be. Once you're done wrapping, carefully slide the bundle off your hand and place the center of the bundle at the center of the string you laid out earlier. Tie a tight knot around the center of the bundle.  Next, cut the loops of yarn at the top and bottom of the bundle (which were created by the knot you just tied). Then just fluff, trim any longer pieces, and you're done!

To make tiny pom poms, you could loop your yarn around a single finger, but it can be difficult to tie your string around the center of such a small lump after sliding it off your finger, so if you need something small, take a look at these brilliant Fork Pom Poms!

Report Flurry boots with a nice pom pom detail

Cardboard Donut Method

This method takes a little longer to set up, since you need to make the cardboard templates, and it takes a tiny bit more skill, but you will be able to create any size pompom you want (and create more identical pompoms in the future if necessary too) and arguably a more professional looking pompom.

Start by cutting out 2 identical circles from cardboard (the easiest way is to find something circular around the house that you can use to trace that is approximately the size you want). Then you're going to trace and cut out another circle inside the first one - and take a small cut out of the sides - so like you're making a donut shape with a bite taken out of it (the "bite" also makes it easier to cut out the inner circle). To describe it another way, the shape is like a little C inside a big C.

Second, place a piece of yarn, about 12 inches, between the 2 cardboard donuts you created so that the end of the yarn hang out of your "bite" opening and squish it in place.

Third, take the rest of your yarn and start wrapping it around your donut. The more revolutions you make, the denser and fluffier your pompom will be. (One method is to start at the center, wrap to the right, then wrap all the way around to the left side and finally back to the center again). Remember to hold the two pieces of cardboard together so that piece of yarn between them doesn't fall out while you're wrapping.

Now that all your yarn is wrapped tight, make a loose slip knot in the 12 inch piece of yarn that you placed between the cardboard pieces when you started and then cut through all the yarn in a line by placing your scissors between the 2 pieces of cardboard. Carefully remove the cardboard templates and then pull the previous slip knot super tight. Knot it again to make it a real knot. Then just trim to make all the pieces evenly and you're done!

Using a Pom-Pom Maker

Pom-Pom makers cost about $8-$10 and work like a cardboard donut but with less chance the cut pieces of string can slip out of place. They also require less set-up and always create the same size pom-pom. Follow the instructions included with your specific pom-pom maker for the best results. I love these pompom makes by Clover.