It is true that people judge you by your feet | Why dirty shoes ruin your sense of cleanliness and cost you in both work and love

Long time no see.
This is Koba@kobakutsu.

I am a certified prosthetist and orthotist, have published several books, and have been running a shoe store for over 10 years.

* "This site uses affiliate programs to introduce products."

I'll say it straight.

Keep your shoes polished, if nothing else. You can't hide the state of your feet.

What I think every time I'm on the train

I was on the train again today, and I thought to myself,
"Wow, that's filthy."

Leather shoes that should be jet black are unmaintained and look whitish all over.
The toes are even scuffed white.

The person wearing them is in a suit, looking like a salesman.

Their upper body isn't that disheveled, but their feet are a mess.

Sitting next to them is someone whose sneakers, which should have been pure white, are stained in a mottled pattern. They are white shoes, but they aren't white. Just that alone makes them look like a "slovenly person."

When you look from the front of the seat, feet are incredibly noticeable.

You can see everything from head to toe at a glance, so if your shoes are dirty, your entire impression is dragged down by them.

It is truly the "Reiwa era poor boy style."

Sorry for being down on my luck!

References are here

Why is it immediately obvious when your shoes are dirty?

Shoes are just like a T-shirt, you know.
What would you think if there was a curry stain on a pure white T-shirt?

Wouldn't you think, 'Ugh, just buy a new one'?

Now, imagine this.

If your date showed up to meet you wearing a white T-shirt with a curry stain on it?
Wouldn't your excitement drop right then and there?

You'd definitely think, 'Seriously, why did you wear that?'

Business meetings are the same.
How would you feel if the other person showed up in tattered leather shoes?

You'd subconsciously think, 'This person can't pay attention to the small details,' right?
If their shoes are falling apart, they probably smell, and they look like they have zero sense of cleanliness.

And what if they even had a curry stain on their dress shirt?
Wouldn't you want to turn them down on the spot?

It might sound extreme, but this is actually how people form first impressions. With just your footwear, you are immediately judged as either a 'clean person' or a 'slovenly person'.

Japanese shoe culture is at a 'developing country level'

I'll be blunt here.
Most Japanese people don't know how to take care of their shoes.

For work, for formal occasions.
They only wear leather shoes because they have to.
That's why most people have never even touched a brush or shoe cream.

White sneakers are the same.

People say, 'They're white, so it's inevitable they'll get dirty,' but no, no.
If you wash them properly, the dirt comes off.

Leaving them to yellow and wearing them like that is just pure negligence.

I've been working in shoe retail for 15 years, and this dynamic hasn't changed at all. There is truly no progress. It's a sad story, but Japanese shoe culture is still at a developing country level.

At the very least, I want you to do this

You don't need an expensive shoe care set.
At the very least, I don't want you to go out in public looking 'shabby'.

• Leather shoes → Take them to a local repair shop or shoe shiner.
  It usually costs about 1,000 yen and they will make them shiny in less than 10 minutes.
  It is overwhelmingly faster than doing it yourself, and it will definitely change your impression.

If you want to do it yourself with a focus on cost-performance, just buy Renapur for now.

It contains oil and wax, so it will shine just by applying it.
You can use it immediately by wiping it with the included sponge, so even lazy people can keep it up.
Of course, if you want to do it properly, there are various steps involving cream, brushes, and polishing.

But honestly, you won't do that, right?
So this is enough.

My Renapur

• White sneakers → Don't neglect them; wash them regularly.
  For simple ways to actually wash them, please refer to this article I wrote previously

Two measures I heard from a friend who has kept their white sneakers clean for 2 years

This alone will dramatically change your sense of cleanliness.
And just by having "clean shoes," the way people see you is completely different.

Summary

People with dirty shoes, no matter how well-tailored their suit is or how well-groomed their hair is, are instantly out. Just by looking at your feet, your sloppiness or cleanliness is revealed in an instant.

That is exactly why I want to say this.

Keep your shoes shiny, at the very least. Just by taking care of your feet, the impression you make on life will change 180 degrees.

You can change starting today.
Make a smart choice.
Off you go! 😄✨

Hashtags

#ShoeCare
#WhiteSneakers
#LeatherShoeMaintenance
#FirstImpression
#Cleanliness

[Announcement: I have started a membership]

I will write about things I can't usually say on Note, content that isn't for the general public but will resonate with those it hits.

Also, I want this to function as a place to gather opinions from everyone who has trouble with their feet. I think the reliability of shoe information gathered in a paid space is high. It seems like it will be a learning experience for me, and I'm looking forward to it.