How to Care for Cecilia Quinn Shoes
Our shoes are made from a variety of high quality materials. With any natural material, there will be variations in it's colour and texture. This shows the authenticity of each shoe and gives each pair a personal character, which we love! Over time, the shoes will wear differently depending on a variety of factors such as how often you wear them, general care, body oils, and the journeys they take, which is to be expected. To keep your Cecilia Quinn shoes looking as beautiful as possible, we have some helpful tips for you.
Storage
When you are not wearing your shoes, we recommend keeping them out of bright sunlight in a clean, dry place. If they are left for long periods of time, the air around them can have an effect and sunlight can alter the colour of the shoe.
Leathers
All of the Cecilia Quinn leather shoes are made with top grade leathers which are very soft. This makes them incredibly comfortable and they mould to your feet within a matter of minutes. As a result, please expect to see creases in your leather where your feet move. To keep your leather shoes looking new, polish them once a month to ensure they are moisturised, clean and durable to the elements. If excess dirt gathers after a long period of wearing, let the shoe dry and then take a damp cloth and wipe gently. With proper care, our leather shoes and boots will look wonderful for years.
Suede
Our suede shoes and boots are treated before they leave our factories for the first coat of protection. However, we always suggest an extra coat of protective suede spray before you brave the English weather! This will help you protect your shoes against rain, dirt, soil etc and will help prevent staining. If you find yourself caught out, let your suede shoes dry naturally before brushing them with a soft suede brush and they will look good as new. If you accidentally make a deep mark, we recommend using a suede eraser (but please do so very gently as not to change the colour of the suede). If you are wary to do this yourself, please bring your shoes to us and we can do it for you.
Calf Hair
Calf hair is a naturally occurring fibre so is very resistant to the elements. Any rain or dirt should fall off easily or with a soft brush if required, following the direction of the hair. Every Cecilia Quinn shoe made from calf hair will have its own personality and some areas may be stronger than others. Therefore, you may see signs of wear over time which is to be expected.
White soles
Our clients are often worried about how to maintain Cecilia Quinn shoes that have the signature white sole, especially if they get caught in bad weather or have to walk through a muddy patch. However, they are surprisingly easy to clean and can look brand new with proper care. If you find areas of dirt, try and address them as soon as possible. Take a damp cloth (add a little Cif for really stubborn dirt) and wipe the sole of the shoe in one direction. This will lift the majority of marks away immediately.
Will I need to re-sole my shoes?
This is entirely down to how often you wear your shoes and the way in which you walk. If you see that the sole of your shoe is wearing down, please contact us and we can recommend our cobbler to you. If you believe your shoe may require expertise of a specialist, please bring them to our boutique.
1. Treat it as a neutral
Sometimes, black feels too hard; other times, cream is too light; chocolate-brown has become the hero hue! Warmer neutrals such as honey will temper darker chocolates.
2. Mix it with denim
Playing with tones and textures doesn’t need to feel like risky business – it can be as simple as sticking to one key color and one key fabric: such as chocolate and denim.
3. Break it up with black
Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to relinquish black to the deepest, darkest depths of your closet, however mixing it with brown is an incredibly chic way to keep up with trends this season.
Try dressing from the feet up, with a great pair of brown booties, add either pair of black pants or skirt and neutral knit - gorgeous!
4. Focus on accessories!
For anyone new to trying this shade, the best way to start is with accessories... shoes!
Adding a chocolate-brown boot will enrich your winter whites and jazz up old winter outfits.It's also a great shade to pair with bold colours to give your pieces a new relaxed feel.