You should invest heavily in your bed and your shoes, because if you’re not in one then you’re in the other. That’s the sound advice of George Glasgow Jr, boss of top men’s footwear business GJ Cleverley.

The British firm, which has laced up Messrs Beckham, Stallone, Statham and Day-Lewis to name a few, knows better than most that a quality pair of shoes will always cost a pretty penny.

However, there’s also an investment of effort involved in breaking in and caring for fine footwear (breaking in a bed is something entirely different). Nonetheless it’s an outlay that pays dividends in the long term, as a good pair of shoes, properly maintained, can last a lifetime.

To ensure maximum return-on-investment on the next addition to your portfolio, here are the steps to getting started.

Wearing-in Wisdom

It’s a case of patience to begin with. As Glasgow points out, English shoes in particular are generally stiffer to begin with and require breaking in. “Gradually wearing them over a few weeks will allow them to slowly mould to your feet,” he says.

“I always recommend that a client only wear his new shoes for a few hours at a time on the first four to six outings. Once broken in, they’ll be comfortable for years to come.”

Give It A Rest

The temptation to wear your brand new shoes constantly will be there, but this should be avoided at first. It’s advised that the shoes are allowed to rest between each wear.

“This lets the leather open up and adjust to your foot,” says Glasgow. “I would recommend always giving at least one day’s rest between use, ideally wearing a shoe a maximum of three times per week.”

Daily Love

Don’t just prise off your footwear and forget them at the day’s end. A little effort goes a long way, according to Glasgow. “After each wear, give your shoes a light brush to remove any dirt, then insert your shoetrees.”