Hello Darlings, This year winter has been anything but nice to us in Toronto. Last year, I survived my first Montreal winter and moved back to Toronto to face another wave of brutal weather. They say that practice makes perfect! Over the past two years I've perfected by layering skills, learned the art of wearing heels in the snow without bodily harm and of course hair and skin rescue. Just because the temperatures hit the minus twenties does not mean that a girl needs to sacrifice on feeling fabulous!

During the winter months nothing suffers quite as much as shoes do! It breaks my heart to wear my favorite pairs in the winter.  I absolutely hate when my shoes have salt residue. To me, shoes are sacred. End of the story! I put lots of effort into prolonging the life of my footwear and with years of trial and error have come to a routine that really does leave my shoes looking great all winter and even the next season or two. Here's what I learned.

The best kept secret to great shoes is always a good cobbler! My life would not be the save without mine. It may sounds dramatic but he has brought many pairs back to life after a girls out and heels caught in cobble stones. He's performed enough rescue surgeries that by now he knows majority of my shoes and I visit him almost every other week. I always ensure that all of my shoes have a rubber sole to protect the delicate leather. Also in the winter, I take my shoes for a cleanse and touch ups every months and at the end of the season. If you're going to spend money on shoes, spend time finding a good cobbler in your area.

Between the purchase and the regular cobbler visits, come the minor details. Be sure to purchase quality care products that are suited for individual types of leather and suede. Personally, I like to use Roots Leather Care products.  The main steps of  shoes care are: Cleanse, Condition and Water Proof. Also it is important that you never dry your shoes by a heater as they will crack. All that you need is to wipe off the access water and let them air dry.

Now that we've covered the shoe lovin' steps! It's time to enjoy wearing our favorite pairs with care and joy :)

With Love...

Marta