# Sperry Topsiders - Breaking-In / Worn Look



## At Law

Does anyone have any ideas for speeding along the process
of breaking-in and giving their brown Sperry Topsiders
a nice classic worn look?

I know it takes time to develop a classic look, however, I can't
be the only person who doesn't like wearing a brand-new
looking pair. 

Out of the box, they look like a poorly dressed man's version
of a dress shoe.


----------



## Pentheos

At Law said:


> Does anyone have any ideas for speeding along the process
> of breaking-in and giving their brown Sperry Topsiders
> a nice classic worn look?
> 
> I know it takes time to develop a classic look, however, I can't
> be the only person who doesn't like wearing a brand-new
> looking pair.
> 
> Out of the box, they look like a poorly dressed man's version
> of a dress shoe.


You could drag them behind your Porsche?


----------



## boatshoe

Get them thoroughly soaked. Then dry them out. In lieu of a sailboat, a rain shower or garden hose will suffice.


----------



## Reds & Tops

GQ recommends freezing them in a block of New England seawater. Aside from being somewhat impossible, it's a fun idea. 

Just wear them as your beater shoes all the time. I wear mine during summer rain showers as my walk to work shoes. That definitely does the trick.


----------



## Ron_A

boatshoe said:


> Get them thoroughly soaked. Then dry them out. In lieu of a sailboat, a rain shower or garden hose will suffice.


+1. That is what I did when I bought a new pair of dark brown A/Os.


----------



## Pr B

*Soak 'em*

Soak 'em. Thoroughly. Salt water might accelerate the "aging." Then--whilst they're sopping wet--wear them. Until they dry out. Be prepared for blisters. When the process is done, they should look better, fit perfectly, and you'll never get blisters from them again (once your blisters heal, that is).


----------



## SartoNYC

*Look for an old pair on Ebay while you then*

break these in.


----------



## kevinbelt

I had had mine for two years already, so they already had a patina, but I took mine canoeing and they got pretty grungy. Afterwards, I scrubbed the dirt out and rinsed them in a chlorinated pool. But time is obviously the best choice. Sometimes the only thing worse than being the guy with brand-new shoes is being the guy who beat up his brand-new shoes so that people wouldn't think he's the guy with the brand-new shoes. 

-k


----------



## At Law

Pentheos said:


> You could drag them behind your Porsche?


Thanks guys.

I think I will tie a string to them and drag them through a 
salty basin with my P-Car, at high speeds. :icon_smile_wink:


----------



## Nico01

At Law said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> I think I will tie a string to them and drag them through a
> salty basin with my P-Car, at high speeds. :icon_smile_wink:


Better yet, tie them to your Porsche, then let the car roll onto a pier by accident. Allow the car and shoes to crash into the water, then have both pulled from the water. Have the car repaired, and by the time youre done paying the body shop, the Sperrys will have a nice aged look. :icon_smile_big:


----------



## inq89

I may have to try some of the above tips, sans a Porsche. I've been wearing my LLB bluchers almost everyday for half a year to achieve an authentic broken in feel, but to no avail. I'm starting to worry that the cheap leather will remain plastic-looking forever!


----------



## AdamsSutherland

It's a sign- although maybe not as Trad as the Ode to the LHS thread-

The Ode to the Top-Sider thread is coming.

As for breaking your Sperry's in- Get Wet.
One more vote for saltwater. Although, fraternity/bar floors works pretty well, too. Or next time just buy J. Crew's broken in versions... They don't look too bad.......

I understand not wanting your Sperry's to look new; however, I thoroughly enjoy watching them age. I personally would never want to accelerate this aging process as I wear them far too frequently and want them to last as long as possible.

Also, PR B had it dead on, wear them until they dry.


----------



## eagle2250

You can achieve that worn-in look in just a few wearings, if you spend the time playing with the grand kids in the back yard, while the grass is wet...really beats up shoes in a hurry!


----------



## At Law

I put them in a bucket of margarita salt and water last evening.

This evening, I will wear them on a long walk--if they don't
completely disintegrate during the day.


----------



## eagle2250

^^LOL sir! Had you put your new Topsiders in a bucket of margarita salt and Tequila (rather than water) over night, you could have squeezed fresh lime juice on them and chewed them into submission. In some circles, that would be considered a balanced meal and you would have a pair of Topsiders, with that well worn, broken down look..to boot!


----------



## Mannix

I guess you could wear them...often


----------



## Reds & Tops

At Law said:


> I put them in a bucket of margarita salt and water last evening.
> 
> This evening, I will wear them on a long walk--if they don't
> completely disintegrate during the day.


Very curious how this turned out...


----------



## James Knight

Maybe it's just me, but my Topsiders have always taken no more than about 10 wears to look completely worn in. Some of the easiest shoes to break in ever, in my opinion.


----------



## Memphis88

inquirer89 said:


> I may have to try some of the above tips, sans a Porsche. I've been wearing my LLB bluchers almost everyday for half a year to achieve an authentic broken in feel, but to no avail. I'm starting to worry that the cheap leather will remain plastic-looking forever!


I've had mine for about that long and mine are very broken in. They fit like a glove and look like I have worn them for years.


----------



## Nico01

Memphis88 said:


> I've had mine for about that long and mine are very broken in. They fit like a glove and look like I have worn them for years.


My Timberland 'topsiders' have also worn in excellently. They've been around so long that they are actually a hand-me-down from my grandfather, and I've recently had to patch the sole with industrial adhesive as it had worn through.

My actual topsiders, which were worn for years on the Long Island sound have long since disintegrated (though they were really abused, alternating between cold salt water and direct sunlight on a daily basis)


----------



## inq89

Memphis88 said:


> I've had mine for about that long and mine are very broken in. They fit like a glove and look like I have worn them for years.


Are your bluchers the new model with the almost plastic feel? I soaked some water on them today and let them dry out in the sun...but I don't think they changed at all.


----------



## anglophile23

Best way to break in anything-Wear them


----------



## Nico01

inquirer89 said:


> Are your bluchers the new model with the almost plastic feel? I soaked some water on them today and let them dry out in the sun...but I don't think they changed at all.


For topsiders, I think saltwater helps, as well as wearing them dry, presumably the same applies for the Bean Bluchers. You are in North carolina? You've got nice summer weather: if youre not far, go to the coast for a day and wear em into the ocean a few times. I know my topsiders got broken in within a week or two of wearing on a boat.


----------



## Beefeater

*West Indies*

I wore mine down to the BVI last year and got them wet on a boat and on the beach. Saltwater will do the trick.


----------



## Memphis88

inquirer89 said:


> Are your bluchers the new model with the almost plastic feel? I soaked some water on them today and let them dry out in the sun...but I don't think they changed at all.


Yeah, I think that'd be an adequate description of how they were out of the box.


----------



## At Law

The results of my 24 hour period of salt water soaking:

When I got home from the office last evening, I had almost
forgotten about my salt water experiment. 

However, it was a success. The saltwater did the trick. The
dark brown color had toned down a bit, and the shoes looked
quite a bit more worn/faded.

Based on the advice by others, I put them on (drenched) and
walked onto the golf course and played about 6 holes. My
traction was awful in the Topsiders (golf shoes certainly make a difference), however, the shoes are quickly aging gracefully.
I also feel like they molded well to my feet.

Now I will just continue wearing them regularly and watch the
patina develop.

Thanks to all for your advice. Margarita Salt & water is the key.


----------



## vineyard bowtie

a bit odd...


----------



## FLMike

^More than a bit. Buy something > wear it > wear it some more > eventually, it looks "worn". Going to unusual lengths to make something look what it's not (worn, in this case) doesn't sound very trad to me. But, what do I know....


----------



## Nico01

^ FWIW, topsiders are much more comfortable one theyre broken in. I put duct tape on my feet for the first few wearings to avoid blisters.


----------



## boatshoe

Nico01 said:


> ^ FWIW, topsiders are much more comfortable one theyre broken in. I put duct tape on my feet for the first few wearings to avoid blisters.


Pictures or it didn't happen.


----------



## VictoryGin

My margarita tastes funny...


----------



## Jovan

Wear them with socks for a while, then take them off once they've softened up enough. There you have it. Broken in Top-Siders, courtesy of common sense.


----------



## Tenacious Tassel

Or, you could instead opt for the plush leather and tank-like construction of the Red Wing Wabasha boat shoe. Fits beautifull right out of the box and never has that new/plastic look. After a few wairs, the leather looks like chocolate.

To be honest, I've thought about picking up the tan pair just two make sure I have more than one pair of really high quality, real leather, reasonably priced (130 @ zappos) traditional 2 eyelet boat shoes.

tt


----------



## P Hudson

Warning: barely on topic.

(1) I recently picked up a pair of LE boat shoes and am surprised at how I can wear them out of the box with no blisters or discomfort, something I have never been able to do with any other pair of shoes.

(2) My brother was wearing a pair of new Red Wings. I commmented about them being made in MN, and he replied, "I thought they were too". Apparently Red Wing is now made overseas.


----------



## themoderngentleman

The turning point in the life of my Sperrys was a trout fishing trip up to the Little Red River. They got some mud and other junk from the river on them and it dried. When I wiped all the stuff off, they were nice and broken in.


----------



## Jovan

P Hudson said:


> Warning: barely on topic.
> 
> (1) I recently picked up a pair of LE boat shoes and am surprised at how I can wear them out of the box with no blisters or discomfort, something I have never been able to do with any other pair of shoes.
> 
> (2) My brother was wearing a pair of new Red Wings. I commmented about them being made in MN, and he replied, "I thought they were too". *Apparently Red Wing is now made overseas.*


There is something very wrong with that last sentence.


----------



## Tenacious Tassel

Can't speak for all Red Wing shoes, but my Wabashas specifically say they are made in the USA.

tt


----------



## Brio1

This should do the trick (guffaws!) :


----------



## Regillus

Jovan said:


> There is something very wrong with that last sentence.


Yes, yes (sigh) - Apparently Red Wing are made overseas. Plural subject, plural verb.

"You can always deny what you said; you can never deny what you wrote." Anon.


----------



## Jovan

I meant more that yet another classic American brand that was always made domestically is now made overseas.


----------



## Brio1

Jovan said:


> I meant more that yet another classic American brand that was always made domestically is now made overseas.


I bought a pair of Sperry Topsiders over the weekend; thanks for reminding me.


----------



## AdamsSutherland

I thought this thread title looked familiar...

Oh wait, I posted in it two years ago.


----------



## Jovan

Does anyone know how to obtain replacement inserts for Top-Siders? The outers are going strong, but after two years the inserts are starting to warp and dry and get unglued...


----------

