# Black polish on brown shoes?



## PinkPlaidSocks (May 1, 2008)

From Esquire's New Laws of Style:

"38. *POLISH YOUR MID- AND DARK-BROWN SHOES WITH BLACK SHOE POLISH. *This will create darker shades near the seams and gradually deepen the patina all over."

Anybody ever try this?

(Sorry if this was covered, I couldn't find it on a search.)


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## cpac (Mar 25, 2005)

I polish my cigar shell cordovans with black wax. I think the color is somewhat darker than other cigar cordovans I see out there.

I like the effect, but it's not for everyone.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Yes, I tried it on my cherry red Dr. Martens boots (it's an old traditional skinhead trick used in the 60s and 70s on cherry red and brown boots to give them an antiqued and/or oxblood look ) a few years ago and would strongly advise against it on quality shoes. Simply because as everyone knows polish attaches easier to seams and cracks and rough patches and generally just slides off smooth non-grained leather. Resulting in black patches where it did attach and just looking blotchy. However I remedied it by using oxblood parade gloss for a while and got a patina using the proper colour.

Of course it all depends on how dark your dark brown shoes are. If you want to go ahead with it, try it on the tongue first. So if you hate the result it won't be so visible. Then I'd recommend using an oxblood on mid brown shoes first before going straight to black. 

I found that on one pair of mid brown shoes oxblood polish gave a much deeper nicer finish than dark brown polish did. But again try that first before diving in with a tin of black. 

The problems occur becausze of the different levels of absorbtion of different leathers. Some rough leathers just absorb polish and become stained straightaway so you don't even get a chance to wipe it off, like I was able to do with my smooth leather Dr. Martens.

Be careful. Remember, tongue first to check how fast the leather absorbs polish and the resultant shade.


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## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

I do not polish my brown shoes with black polish, but a darker shade of brown (only with some shoes though). In particular those that are at least 18 months old, because I in my opinion the effect works better with older shoes rather then new ones.


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

If you want darker brown shoes then buy darker brown shoes. If you want shoes that look aged then wait a few years; they will look older. What are you, one of those people that buy pre-torn denim because you can't manage to rip it yourself? :crazy:


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## PinkPlaidSocks (May 1, 2008)

Wizard said:


> If you want darker brown shoes then buy darker brown shoes. If you want shoes that look aged then wait a few years; they will look older. What are you, one of those people that buy pre-torn denim because you can't manage to rip it yourself? :crazy:


Wow, great post. I'm not looking to darken my shoes or age them. It just struck me as an unusual concept and I was curious as to others' opinions. Thanks for sharing.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Nope. I haven't and wouldn't. However I have used slightly darker shoe cremes (I don't use wax.) on brown shoes to give them a darker gloss, and that seems to work well.


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## SlowE30 (Mar 18, 2008)

I've spent quite a bit of time un-doing black polish someone else put on oxblood AE's. I assume it was black polish, but it was so thick it made the shoes actually black (not "darker"), and it was flaking off!


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

SlowE30 said:


> and it was flaking off!


Ah, the joy of wax polish!


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## Cary Grant (Sep 11, 2008)

I have an old pair of AE's in chili. I recently two-toned the cap toes and am experimenting with the back 1/3rd of the shoe. On the cap I've used both creams and polishes, both black and cordovan. The end result has been a very nice, deep aged color/patina that contrasts nicely with the chili.


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