Caveat Emptor Comparison Series: FOOT ODOR and STAINS

No Socks vs the "No Socks" Look

Why?

• Feet are two of the human body's greatest producers of perspiration. That's why locker rooms smell like locker rooms and not like Perfume Alley at Bloomies.
• Perspiration has three main components: Water, Salt, and Urea.
• Water and Salt are the two most widely prevalent chemicals which detrimentally affect leather.

I think you can figure out the rest without much help from me. Your feet, without a barrier to protect your shoes, will quickly infuse the interior of those John Lobbs or Jimmy Choos with a damp layer of salt. Worse? It is - literally - where the Sun don't shine and will stay damp for quite some time ... all the while making absolutely sure to seep into the pores of the leather. A virtual bacterial oasis! And for those of a scientific bent - lest I get chastised by my "Editor Corps" - it is actually the bacteria growing in the sweaty environment which cause the odor, not the sweat itself.

The end result? Cracking and smell inside your shoes. Rather than spending hundreds or thousands to replace those beautiful shoes you'll probably find 20 bucks worth of (Shameless Plug here...) No-Show Socks to be a better option!