Care Guide

A pair of Steffie’s is built to last several seasons of regular wear, and a few minutes of care a month keeps them that way.

Day one

Before the first wear, mist the upper with a water-and-stain protector made for suede or leather. One light pass, left to dry overnight, is the whole step, and it’s the single biggest thing you can do for the life of the shoe.

Suede styles (Landmark, Journey, and Explorer)

Every few wears, brush the suede in one direction with a suede brush to lift dust and refresh the texture.

For scuffs, a suede eraser handles most of them. Press rather than scrub.

For water marks, mist the whole upper lightly with water so it dries evenly, then brush once it’s dry. It feels counterintuitive, but it works.

For a real stain, use a damp cloth with a single drop of mild soap and blot rather than rub, then brush when dry.

When you’re done, store them on your closet shelf, or tuck them into the included dust bag if you’re traveling.

Smooth leather styles (Glide)

After a wear, wipe the leather down with a soft cloth, which takes care of most of it. For scuffs, a leather cleaner lifts nearly all of them, and on black or dark leather, a matching colored polish hides anything the cleaner can’t.

Metallic finishes (Landmark Palace)

Our metallic styles are suede with a fine shimmer, so treat them as suede first. The day-one water-and-stain protector is doubly worth it here.

Rain

Here’s the reassuring truth: your Steffie’s can handle a rainy day. Dr. Steffie gets caught in surprise rainstorms regularly (Houston goes from sunny to stormy in a matter of minutes)! After a little care, they come out looking as good as new. We wouldn’t call any suede shoe waterproof, so if you get caught in a real downpour, blot the shoes dry as soon as you’re inside, and let them air-dry for about a day. Once they’re completely dry, use our suede brush to remove any lasting debris. Good as new!

The rubber outsole, with its linear grooves, is built for traction specifically. It channels water away to give you stability on slick sidewalks and wet marble. The outsole does not require regular care, but just like your sneakers, keep an eye out for the tread wearing down with heavy wear.

Storage

Dr. Steffie keeps her shoes in her closet on a shelf for easy access. If you’re storing them long term, we recommend using the included dust bag with tissue in the toe to hold the silhouette. The box is there for you too. We designed our box as a drawer for exactly this reason, and it’s how we store our own.

When to retire a pair

A well-cared-for pair lasts a long time, but nothing lasts forever. The signs are gentle: the outsole grooves wear smooth, the leather lining starts to give, and the heel feels a little softer than it used to. When that day comes, we’d love to know. Customer feedback on real wear life is how we keep building these better.

Caring questions? Email help@steffies.us. We answer Monday through Friday.