Bespoke Suit Tailor's Tips on Being Cool in Summer (4)

VII. Shoes and socks (or not)

Tradition allows for lighter shoes and sandals for summer wear, and white bucks, de rigueur with seersucker. The only white shoes you would ever wear, right? Well maybe golf, and spectator or correspondent shoes, but never a white belt!

Sandals are OK, for social events, but flip-flops are only for the beach. Just be aware of what your shoes are saying about you! Fisherman sandals say, “I’ve been to Europe” and Birkenstocks say, “I’m a sensitive guy who recycles”.

Going without socks is a summer look, but probably doesn’t keep you cooler since perspiration stays on your foot and is not wicked away by the sock. Moisture can ruin leather. There are 125,000 sweat glands in your feet that can leave a quarter cup of moisture in your shoes every day!

Sweat is the biggest problem with sandals since you never wear socks with sandals, unless you are in Europe!

You might want to spray sandals inside and out with a stain and water protective spray for leather (available at most shoe repair shops, grocery and drug stores). It might be a good idea for any shoe you wear sans socks as well as your leather watchband!

How to eliminate perspiration odors in sandals

Liberally spray the inside of your sandals or shoes with Lysol spray to kill the germs. Follow up with Febreze brand deodorant spray to draw the smell out of the leather and then let them dry overnight.

Another solution is to cut the legs off a pair of pantyhose so that you have two tubes about 12"-18" long. Fill them with any name-brand cat litter that advertises itself as "odor absorbing". The chunkier ones work better than the sand (granular) types, which "leak" through the hose. Tie a knot in the top of each tube after filling. Put them in your sandals and leave for at least 24 hours.

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