Paul Smith Trainers

Think about how much time you want to spend on shoe care and choose a material that suits you. For example, a pair of walking shoes for use in rough weather should be durable and easy to keep clean. Here are some common materials:

• Leather needs to be impregnated and lubricated to keep it nice, otherwise it's sensitive to both moisture and dirt. But if you look after it correctly, it’s durable, moulds to your foot and is easy to wipe clean.

• Like leather, suede should be impregnated to better withstand moisture. It can be a bit difficult to clean, but there are suede brushes and special shampoos for this purpose.

• Fabric shoes are not as easy to wipe clean, but they can often be thrown into the washing machine if necessary. But don't overdo it, or the sole may deteriorate.

It's important that the shoes fit well. They shouldn't be loose at the heel, and if you’re going to walk or run, they should have a little extra space at the toe – so you may need to go up a size. Also test the stability of the shoe sole. To do so, grasp the shoe with both hands and twist it. The sole should preferably bend at the front and not in the middle.