Questionable fashion?

...or just a fashion question. Recently a friend of mine sent me a question related to fashion. I want to share the question, and my answer, in case others have been wondering the same question. And, if you too have a question, feel free to send it here. You can post it as a comment, phone me, text me, facebook message me, send messenger pigeons, smoke signals, or even ET.

Q: So I got these black boots a few months ago and they are really SHINY. I never wear them because of that. I'm kind of into worn-and-torn looking boots. What should I do to them to make them look worn? I had a pair of black boots a year ago that I put sandpaper to and I didn't really like the outcome. You could almost tell they were shiny underneath the wear and tear, if you know what I mean. If I sandpapered anymore it would've been too much. I'm thinking about just getting a less abrasive sandpaper and trying it but wanted to see if you had any other ideas before I go at them.


A: Hey dude, hope you're well. Thanks for the question. I phoned the great people at John Lobb in NYC today, and asked them if there's a way to "de-shine" patent or shiny leathers. They're technical answer is "no" because the process of making leather "patent" includes molding a finish to the leather to give it it's shiny, glossy qualities. However, I know from experience, if you use a very fine grain of sandpaper, you'll be able to take the shine down pretty easily. However, just be prepared to have a "vintage" look - you might scratch the leather or put "swirl marks" in the grain - but I actually like how this looks. So, if you don't mind trying it out, I'd recommend using a very fine grain sand paper and buff the hell out of them. If it doesn't work - at least they'll have more character and appeal than they did initially. Cool?