How to fix up old boots with new laces

Have you ever gone digging under your bed for one pair of shoes, only to discover another that you had completely forgotten about altogether? That’s what happened to me about a week before I left for Ireland, and it occurred to me that old vintage equestrian lace-ups would be the perfect pair for the trip. They did, however, need some major TLC and a mini makeover.

I didn’t have any shoe polish on-hand, but did you know that an oil-based wood floor cleaner works great to shine up your boots? Wipe them over with a damp rag to clean off any dirt, and then follow with a bit of Murphy Oil soap to make them shine. I learned this trick through my years of horseback riding as a kid, where we’d always clean our boots and tack with it!

After your boots are cleaned up–(this is fairly straightforward here)–just swap the old laces with a color of your choice. I used red because I love the combo of bright red and black–a classic color combo (I believe we probably have Christian Louboutin to thank for that!) and it puts an interesting twist on a basic outfit. I purchased these laces in red from Allen Edmonds (a menswear store, but was Neal’s suggestion–they have a ton of different colors!) and also got them in blue and black. I really like these, too! Just make sure you get the extra long version for boots!

All done! You now have a brand new pair of boots. I love new boots, especially when they’re free! 😉 This trick would work just as great for a pair of old oxfords, too!