Shoe Trees

“Cedar, beech, lime or alderwood, Sir?”

It seems almost a facetious question for a vendor to ask, in relation to a foot-shaped device to be placed inside a shoe to preserve its correct shape and stop it from developing creases – but as most readers who have reached this corner of cyberspace will know, shoe trees also play a role in wicking away moisture and thus preventing degradation of lining and leather (which is why plastic hollow ones should only be considered for travelling purposes).

The merits of each of those woods over the others is a source of constant debate – and, indeed, provides a great deal of raw material for marketing types – but there’s no discussion to be had when it comes to every stylish man’s need for properly crafted shoe trees, whose curves and contours take in insteps, heel cup shape, sloped vamps and so on.