I routinely wear shoes without socks. Ew, gross, right? Well, I don’t really have a choice. I live in ballet flats, loafers, and pumps, none of which permit the use of socks. I also hate those little fake socks that just fall down and make shoes less comfortable. That means I don’t wear socks with most of my shoes. So how do I avoid stinky shoes?

Cedar shoe trees.

Stinky shoes are generally caused by bacteria, and bacteria loves moisture, so if you pull that moisture out of your shoes, theoretically your shoes won’t smell. If you insert the shoe trees into your shoes after you’ve worn them, the wood absorbs the moisture and should keep your shoes from smelling yucky.

Now, I’m not a scientist. I didn’t conduct a scientifically sound study, nor is this a peer-reviewed report on shoe trees. Instead, these are just some anecdotal observations about shoes and cedar trees.

They have kept my Gucci loafers looking (and smelling) brand new. After wearing the loafers, I insert the shoe trees, wipe down the outside with a baby wipe, and put them on my shelf. So far, I’ve worn the loafers probably 40 times and they are still in great condition. I also use them in my pumps (like these Aquatalia ones) and my ballet flats (like these Tory Burch ones). The trees are great because they have a hinge, which allows you to use them in all sorts of shoes.

As a parting gift, I’ll also offer these brief comments about keeping shoes smelling nice:

• I try to avoid wearing the same pair of shoes two days in a row, which I think helps.
• If you’re really in a pinch, I’ve had success putting shoes in a plastic bag in the freezer for 2 weeks to kill the bacteria. This trick helped revive a pair of Toms that got soaked in the rain.
• I know I said I hate mini-socks, but these ones from Smartwool are the best out there, and I generally use these in my Gucci sneakers.

Smell ya later!

Fashion First Impressions Gucci Review Shoes