# Creases in new shoes



## Pirendeus (Jul 17, 2009)

I've looked through old posts about creases in shoes, and while they seem to be inevitable, it doesn't seem that they should appear after a single day of wear. I purchased a new pair of Banana Republic laceups last weekend, and wore them for the first time yesterday (for eight hours, but not too much walking.) I know that BR shoes are not well made by any real standard, but I would've thought they wouldn't develop immediate creases. They don't feel too big, either. Should I assume that BR shoes are totally sub-quality, and use this as a learning experience, or hope that the pair that I purchased is an anomoly, and try to exchange them for a (hopefully) better pair?


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## MTM_Master? (Jul 8, 2009)

Do you have a pair of shoe trees? If so stick 'em in there overnight and hopefully the trees will pull out the creases (honestly-they didn't look that bad)

Keep in mind that all shoes will develop a crease after _every_ wear, unless you can find a walk to walk without bending your foot. Anytime something bends, it will leave a crease, even the best-made shoes.

A good conditioner and shoe polish can also help to keep the leather supple and hide the effects of creases.

Good luck


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## Politely (May 8, 2008)

Creases happen.


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## Pirendeus (Jul 17, 2009)

Politely said:


> Creases happen.


Yes, Politely, I know that creases happen. In my OP, I tried to imply that I was prepared to deal with creases, but I just didn't expect them so soon--definitely not after my first time wearing them.

MTM_Master: thanks for your help. I didn't realize that most shoes creased after each wear. Is this true, even for brands like AE or Alden?


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## cmacey (May 3, 2009)

If only it weren't...shoe trees will help after each wear.


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## David Reeves (Dec 19, 2008)

I have some old prada shoes, that not so nice shiny leather stuff you can't really polish. The creases are awful. Any tips apart from shoe trees? Is it even worth putting anything on this high sheen leather?


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## Stanley Ketchell (Dec 12, 2008)

Try this:

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=96077&highlight=creases+wrinkles

By chance I have hit on what appears to me to be a novel way of miraculously removing creases and wrinkles from shoes. If this is old hat and a well known wheeze please forgive my enthusiasm!

Anyway here's the magic formula.

1. Insert well fitting trees and if necessary wrap the front of the tree with kitchen paper to well and truly flatten out any creases and wrinkles.

2. Wipe with a damp cloth and let dry and then buff to remove all traces of dirt.

3. Apply wax polish liberally enough and massage with the thumbs across the grain of the creases and wrinkles.

4. Leave shoes to rest for a few hours.

5. Buff well and then apply conditioner in the same manner (ie across the grain).

6. Before the conditioner has dried use a clothes steamer to heat the conditioner, which is on the shoes, and again rub the conditioner into the creases and wrinkles across the grain.

7. Finally, buff well with rapid strokes and you will find as I did that the wrinkles and creases have considerably diminished.

8, Repeat procedure until you have shoes wondrously crease and wrinkle free!


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

Pirendeus said:


> I've looked through old posts about creases in shoes, and while they seem to be inevitable, it doesn't seem that they should appear after a single day of wear. I purchased a new pair of Banana Republic laceups last weekend, and wore them for the first time yesterday (for eight hours, but not too much walking.) I know that BR shoes are not well made by any real standard, but I would've thought they wouldn't develop immediate creases. They don't feel too big, either. Should I assume that BR shoes are totally sub-quality, and use this as a learning experience, or hope that the pair that I purchased is an anomoly, and try to exchange them for a (hopefully) better pair?
> ]


Why on earth not - the crease is caused by the leather working as you walk along. That starts instantly you take your first step.


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## Hector Freemantle (Aug 2, 2008)

GBR said:


> Why on earth not - the crease is caused by the leather working as you walk along. That starts instantly you take your first step.


But not all shoes crease the same. I think the way and to what extent the shoe crease depends on:

1. The fit of the shoe and the closeness of the last shape to your natural foot shape. Well-fitting shoes with a well-matched last shape have minimal creases.

2. The suppleness of the leather and the lining leather. Leather has elasticity and memory and will return to the shape of the last given rest and the insertion of trees or other packing material when the shoes are not being worn.

3. The match that has been made between lining and upper. Well fitted linings bend in unison with the upper and given 1 and 2 above in such cases your shoes end up with creases that are hardly noticeable.


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## From Vancouver (May 24, 2009)

Keep a pair of shoe trees in those shoes when not in wear, polish the shoes every few wears and moisturize with a cream about once a month. Your shoes should serve you fine.


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## Politely (May 8, 2008)

Pirendeus said:


> Yes, Politely, I know that creases happen. In my OP, I tried to imply that I was prepared to deal with creases, but I just didn't expect them so soon--definitely not after my first time wearing them.


Pirendeus, I meant it literally, but also as shorthand. I've gotten creases from every smooth leather shoe I've ever worn on the first day of wearing them, including AE and Alden. Actually, with my Alden shell chukkas, I got the first set of creases just in the process of putting my foot in the shoe for the first time at the store.  It's true that different shoes and leathers will crease differently, but the shoe creases simply because that's where the leather flexes with your foot.

Shoe trees may help diminish the look of creases when they're on the shoe tree, but as soon as they go on your feet and you begin walking, the creases will immediately re-appear wherever your feet flex within the shoe. Frankly, I'd be a bit concerned if my shoes didn't crease, and I suppose I'm a little curious as to why you "definitely" didn't expect creases. Do your other smooth leather shoes not crease?

For clarification, I do not have any experience with BR shoes, but I don't think creasing, by itself, is an indicator of quality (absent something really odd).


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Creases, developed through long and hard wear and mitigated by the aged patina that develops, somewhat a result of an attentive maintenance for your shoes, grant character to shoes...providing a degree of insight into the history of the shoe and of the basic nature of the man wearing the shoes. Creases will happen, embrace them!


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## Hector Freemantle (Aug 2, 2008)

Politely;966414 I've gotten creases from every smooth leather shoe I've ever worn on the first day of wearing them said:


> I think you might the underestimating the importance of quallty of manufacture and leather here. I have two pairs of one-year- old Allen Edmond Lindens in chili and black that I wear for knocking about in. Both are the same age and have seen equal wear. Both receive the same care in terms of polishing and treeing and rest. However, the chili have no creases at all wherwas the black show fine lines. I have three pairs of Herring Ricmond wingtips in tan, burgundy and black. Once again frequency of wear and treatment is the same. Despite this, while the black has virtually no creasing , the burgundy has soem and the tan a fair amount. Surely this is down to inherent factors in the shoes.


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