STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

lynnie · Chanel

leather soles?

bex · Chanel

all i know is that when i was a little girl, my dad always talked about shoes having leather soles and how he wouldn't buy a certain pair of dress shoes because they didn't have leather soles.

so... now that i am adult- i know the better shoes have leather soles, but as soon as i buy a pair, i take them to the cobbler to have a no slip-grip type thing put on before the rain/damp ruins the bottoms!

sorry- i don't know what the benefit is... but that is all i know about leather soles!

luckylily · Gucci

I've never understood this either. I feel like if I wear a pair of leather soled shoes even once in the rain they are destroyed.

A few months ago I bought a pair of Vintage cowgirl boots that needed the sole replaced. I asked my cobbler whether I should go with leather (the original soles were leather) or rubber. He said that the only advantage to leather was that it was better for dancing. Otherwise the rubber protective sole lasts much, much longer.

deludelu · BCBG

Hum I have the same question too.....

But for some prada flats, they started to put in some rubber tip for pointy toe and half rubber sole which is a nice touch.

honey · Gucci

i don't really know... i have shoes that had a leather sole that i put a rubber sole on. the rubber sole is not as pretty as the leather sole. but maybe it's my cobbler.

cc · Marc Jacobs

My mother always says that leather soles are better than man-made soles and I think the reason she gave is that they are easier on the feet. Maybe it's something to do with shock absorption? I think this might only matter if it is leather vs. cheap plasticy man-made bottoms that some dress shoes have since obviously rubber soles would be better at absorbing shock. So I don't think it's necessarily bad or a waste to buy leather soled shoes and have the extra layer put on - maybe that makes them twice as good for your feet?