Why don't Irish men look after their shoes?

Balaclava1991 · 21-01-2014 03:41PM

househero wrote: »

Its true. But, what you must realise, is they don't give a shot. (I'm not swearing on here) They probably wouldn't be wearing formal attire if they didn't have to.

Spending too much time in airports I get to see how the majority if people from other countries dress (or at least how people flying to those countries dress as a whole), Irish men are quite smart in comparison, American designer brands are quite common. Much better looking than sports clothes loving countries. Of which there are many. Next time you are in an airport take a look at the boarding q for a few countries and you will see what I mean.

And actually in some countries eating with your hands in a 'fancy' restaurant is quite the norm. Maybe a little bit of travel will open your mind and change your expectations and priorities in life. There are so many more important things to worry about in life. Such as being more tolerant of other people and their decisions in life.

Its best not to judge on appearances as it often leads to embarrassing incorrect assumptions.

I am not going to compromise on this.
If you have black leather shoes you freaking polish them.
No arguments.

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 03:42PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

I am not going to compromise on this.
If you have black leather shoes you freaking polish them.
No arguments.

Or burgundy, or brown, or tan, or navy, or green... or are we only allowed wear black ones? :rolleyes:

21-01-2014 03:55PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

Polishing your shoes is civilized.

Civilised?

Surely that's a step too far. So people without polished shoes (perhaps because they have more important things to do) are less civilised than you?

I would say treating other people as your equals despite the state of their shoes is a considerably more civilised thing to do.

Sitting down to polish my shoes the other day took three hours, and I only had that time free because it was finally a bit nice outside (I wont use coloured polish indoors, I'm quite messy with it) and I was having a long weekend from work. Not everyone has that time, even if they were only to do a half-job at it.

Balaclava1991 · 21-01-2014 04:38PM

true-or-false wrote: »

Civilised?

Surely that's a step too far. So people without polished shoes (perhaps because they have more important things to do) are less civilised than you?

I would say treating other people as your equals despite the state of their shoes is a considerably more civilised thing to do.

Sitting down to polish my shoes the other day took three hours, and I only had that time free because it was finally a bit nice outside (I wont use coloured polish indoors, I'm quite messy with it) and I was having a long weekend from work. Not everyone has that time, even if they were only to do a half-job at it.

It doesn't take three hours to polish your shoes!

A person who does not polish their shoes or cannot neatly knot a tie or button his top collar or shave properly or trim his beard or mow his lawn or cut back overgrown bushes or wash his car or keep his mouth shut when he chews is a lesser being.

Neatness and attention to detail is a sign of discipline, strength of character, responsibility and maturity.

Someone who can be trusted and depended upon.

Three hours to polish your shoes????

househero · 21-01-2014 04:43PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

I am not going to compromise on this.
If you have black leather shoes you freaking polish them.
No arguments.

The point is, people don't. And they are free to do so.

However I would look at VERY BADLY scuffed shoes the same way I see tights with bad ladders in them.

You are right in the fact that they could look so much better if they polished their shoes, I have thrown out a few pairs I could have probably just polished, but that would ruin the fun of buying new ones wouldn't it. But the point is, they look better wearing formal clothes and the way I see it, I can look better than the majority just with a little effort.

Worry about you, not others.

freshpopcorn · 21-01-2014 04:43PM

I think the truth is a lot of men see shoes as part of work and if they can get away with them looking scruffy there happy. I know men who would have good enough jobs and they might polish there shoes if they were really dirty or if they were going to a wedding/funeral.

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 04:48PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

A person who does ...[snip]... is a lesser being.

That's a bit of a ridiculous comment.

househero · 21-01-2014 04:53PM

eviltimeban wrote: »

Well... I live in Ireland... I see men in Ireland... hence... etc. You see where I'm going.

Your statement makes it sound like your not Irish.

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 04:54PM

BDJW wrote: »

They are something you put in your shoes to keep the shape when you aren't wearing them. These are shoe trees:

Well, proper ones look like this:

They help keep the shape of the shoes and absorb moisture from the leather.

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 04:55PM

househero wrote: »

Your statement makes it sound like your not Irish.

I am Irish, born and bred in Dublin, but what's that got to do with it?

househero · 21-01-2014 05:03PM

eviltimeban wrote: »

I am Irish, born and bred in Dublin, but what's that got to do with it?

Nothing really. But its good to stir the pot on such a ridiculous thread haha with comments being thrown around about shooting scruffy shoe people who are deemed lesser beings than someone with too much time on their hands and probably no children. Its all gone a little mad in here.

I think people wearing grey trousers that are not in school, should have their legs sawn off and stitched back on upside down. Just for the craic.

Nice shoe preservers where did u get them?

GreeBo · 21-01-2014 05:13PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

I wouldn't buy a shirt that is not suitable for cuff links. End of. What's the point?

A double cuff shirt looks ridiculous with a fitted jumper, you have lumps at the end of your sleeve.

Perhaps you never wear a jumper/sweater?

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 05:15PM

househero wrote: »

Nothing really. But its good to stir the pot on such a ridiculous thread haha with comments being thrown around about shooting scruffy shoe people who are deemed lesser beings than someone with too much time on their hands and probably no children. Its all gone a little mad in here.

It wasn't me that posted that - if you read back - it was Balaclava, and no, I do not agree with his / her comments.

I have children, two in fact, yet I'm still able to dress well and while I would never openly criticise a person's clothes, I just noted that a lot (not all) of Irish men (or men in Ireland) didn't look after their shoes very well. I wasn't making a judgement or offering them to a firing squad, just saying.

And yes the thread did go a little off the rails!

househero wrote: »

Nice shoe preservers where did u get them?

Image from the web - I don't have a set (yet). Apparently they are very good though.

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 05:16PM

GreeBo wrote: »

A double cuff shirt looks ridiculous with a fitted jumper, you have lumps at the end of your sleeve.

Perhaps you never wear a jumper/sweater?

Because cufflinks maketh the man, apparently. :rolleyes:

househero · 21-01-2014 05:23PM

eviltimeban wrote: »

It wasn't me that posted that - if you read back - it was Balaclava, and no, I do not agree with his / her comments.

I have children, two in fact, yet I'm still able to dress well and while I would never openly criticise a person's clothes, I just noted that a lot (not all) of Irish men (or men in Ireland) didn't look after their shoes very well. I wasn't making a judgement or offering them to a firing squad, just saying.

And yes the thread did go a little off the rails!

Image from the web - I don't have a set (yet). Apparently they are very good though.

Yes it all went a little military.

I will have to go on a hunt for those shoe preservers. I'll post a thread if I find them somewhere here as they look brilliant even without my shoes on them haha.

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 05:28PM

househero wrote: »

Yes it all went a little military.

I will have to go on a hunt for those shoe preservers. I'll post a thread if I find them somewhere here as they look brilliant even without my shoes on them haha.

I'll ask my friend where he got them, but they are also on Amazon: clicky

Balaclava1991 · 21-01-2014 05:42PM

GreeBo wrote: »

A double cuff shirt looks ridiculous with a fitted jumper, you have lumps at the end of your sleeve.

Perhaps you never wear a jumper/sweater?

No.

21-01-2014 05:45PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

It doesn't take three hours to polish your shoes!

If you see the first page of the thread, 'my shoes' refers to all of my many pairs of boots (one pair knee high, two pairs shin high, one pair short and one pair of ankle boots) - include the belty bits too and that's a lot of leather to get through, especially if you want it done right. One round of applying, then brush in, then another little bit of applying at the stitching and brush in, then shine with another brush, then shine with a pair of socks, then a last high-speed shine with a pair of tights (at which point I'm exhausted).

So yes, three hours.

I won't address the rest of your post as it has nothing to do with the topic on hand (and is quite scary).

Balaclava1991 · 21-01-2014 05:49PM

true-or-false wrote: »

If you see the first page of the thread, 'my shoes' refers to all of my many pairs of boots (one pair knee high, two pairs shin high, one pair short and one pair of ankle boots) - include the belty bits too and that's a lot of leather to get through, especially if you want it done right. One round of applying, then brush in, then another little bit of applying at the stitching and brush in, then shine with another brush, then shine with a pair of socks, then a last high-speed shine with a pair of tights (at which point I'm exhausted).

So yes, three hours.

I won't address the rest of your post as it has nothing to do with the topic on hand (and is quite scary).

All you need is polish, one brush to apply it (a new brush is best), one brush (usually an older one with curled hairs) to smooth it out and then a cloth to buff up your shoes to a brilliant mirror shine. It takes 5 mins maximum to polish one pair of shoes to a brilliant shine. Kiwi shoe polish is the best.

How in the name of God could it take 3 hours to polish your shoes?

You only need to polish the pair of shoes you wish to wear on that particular day.

Kintarō Hattori · 21-01-2014 06:03PM

Now chaps.... let's get back on track.

Some people polish their shoes - yay.

Some people don't -boo.

We need to encourage those scoundrels to look after their appearance a little more.

Mr Boom Boom · 21-01-2014 06:05PM

Put a match to the polish in the tin. Cover with the lid to extinguish. Perfect polish for your shoes is the result

househero · 21-01-2014 06:06PM

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Now chaps.... let's get back on track.

Some people polish their shoes - yay.

Some people don't -boo.

We need to encourage those scoundrels to look after their appearance a little more.

Ahahahaha have sum thumbs up for the shooting stars ref

meeeeh · 21-01-2014 06:13PM

Talk about bitch fight.

Irish men often don't pay attention to their shoes, half of them wear some plastic stuff anyway. That being said I don't know too many Italians who would have much regard for M&S suits or who would think that cheap suit can be improved with a tie knot and a pair of cuff links. So whoever wants to be snobbish about others being lesser because of their appearance, there is a good chance the same person would be disregarded in more fashion conscious countries.

I think neatness in appearance is important but only someone who has very little to show for himself would call another one a lesser person because of tie knot. I actually know quite a few men who got into very top positions (governments or GM's) and none of them would be particularly impressive dresser.

GreeBo · 21-01-2014 08:47PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

No.

You dont wear a jumper....ever?
But then how do you pull off the preppy look!

Balaclava1991 · 21-01-2014 10:23PM

GreeBo wrote: »

You dont wear a jumper....ever?
But then how do you pull off the preppy look!

I dress like a man not like a boy dressed by his mother.

GreeBo · 21-01-2014 10:33PM

Balaclava1991 wrote: »

I dress like a man not like a boy dressed by his mother.

Men dont wear jumpers now?

Aaaand we're done.:rolleyes:

eviltimeban · 21-01-2014 10:34PM

/thread.

dudara · 21-01-2014 11:22PM

OK - what was potentially an interesting discussion has degenerated into an utter b*tchfest.

Thread closed

dudara

Why don't Irish men look after their shoes?

Comments