Suede is not a summer-only leather. It gets packed away every September by people who assume it cannot cope with rain, and that assumption costs them one of the most useful textures in a cold-weather wardrobe. Protected properly and brushed regularly, suede handles autumn and winter as well as smooth calf, and it sits better against the heavier cloth the season brings.
At Tricker's we have spent more than 190 years making footwear for British weather, and suede has always had a place in it. This guide covers how to wear it through the colder months, how to protect it before the rain arrives and what to do when it gets wet, so styles like the Kilsby derby and the Aldo chukka stay in the rotation from the first cold mornings of September through to spring.
Why Suede Belongs in a Winter Wardrobe
Suede has a warmth that polished calf does not. The nap holds light rather than reflecting it, so charcoal and cuoio suedes read as deep and textured under a low autumn sun, where a high shine can look stark against grey skies. That softness is what suits the cloth of the season. Tweed, flannel, moleskin and heavy knitwear all sit more comfortably beside a napped leather than a mirror finish.
The one thing suede asks for is protection. Once that is done, there is no reason to keep it for dry days only.
The Kilsby Derby and the Aldo Chukka
Two styles do most of the work in an autumn and winter suede rotation.
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The Kilsby derby in charcoal coarse suede.
- The coarse nap is more hardwearing than a fine suede and carries everyday wear well, which makes this the pair to reach for on a working week. Charcoal sits quietly under grey flannel and holds its own against navy and brown. Open derby lacing also gives you room over a thicker winter sock, so you are not forced into a half size up.
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The Aldo chukka in cuoio suede.
- Cuoio brings a warm tan tone that lifts the darker colours most of us default to once the clocks go back. The shaft sits lower than a country boot, so it finishes cleanly at the trouser hem and disappears under a topcoat without bunching at the ankle.
Have a look in our wider Autumn/Winter collection if you want to see the full range of suede options for the season.
Building the Outfit Around Them
- With flannel or moleskin. The charcoal Kilsby is the safer choice here. Texture against texture is the point, so let the suede and the cloth do the work and keep the sock plain.
- With heavy denim. Either style works, though the Aldo has the edge. A raw or one-wash denim with a slim leg over a chukka is about as easy as winter dressing gets.
- Under a topcoat. A lower shaft keeps the line clean. Long overcoats and tall boots fight each other, and the chukka avoids that entirely.
- On a country weekend. Suede reads as relaxed without looking scruffy, which makes it useful for the stretch between a walk and dinner when nobody wants to change twice.
Protecting Suede Before the Weather Turns
Suede asks for a different routine to smooth leather, but it is no harder. Most of the work happens before the shoes ever get wet.
- Firstly, insert your shoetrees and brush your shoes to remove any dirt or dust. It is important to brush suede with care and always in the same direction. We recommend a rubber suede brush with bristles. A brass suede brush is definitely not recommended.
- Once your shoes are brushed, you should have puffed your suede and have restored its finish. If you’d like to enhance the suede’s finish and colour, we would recommend the suede restoring spray. Simply mist your shoes 30 cm away and leave to try.
- Always make sure you look after the footwear, staining may occur easily because of the delicate nature of this high quality calf suede.
- Let your footwear dry naturally before cleaning.
All of our care guides are here and everything you need sits in our shoe care collection.
Brushing, Drying and Everyday Care
- Brush after each wear. A dedicated suede brush lifts the nap and clears dust, grit and road salt before they work into the fibres. Thirty seconds at the door is worth more than an hour of restoration in March.
- Rotate your pairs. Give every pair a full day off between wears so the lining and the insole can dry out. This does more for suede in winter than any product on the shelf.
- Use natural wood shoe trees. Most winter damage starts on the inside, where perspiration and rain have nowhere to go. Natural wood draws that moisture out and holds the shape while it does.
- Keep them away from heat. Radiators, hot air vents and open fires dry leather too fast, which can stiffen the fibres and flatten the nap for good.
When Suede Gets Wet, Muddy or Salted
Wet suede is not ruined suede. Let the pair dry naturally at room temperature, away from any heat source, with trees in. Once they are completely dry, brush the nap back up and the darkened patches will even out.
Mud is easier still. Let it dry hard, then knock it off and brush the residue away rather than trying to wipe it wet, which pushes it into the nap. Road salt is the one to watch, since it draws moisture out of the leather and leaves a pale tidemark. Brush it off the same day and treat any mark before it sets.
Built to Be Resoled
Handmade in Northampton since 1829, our suede styles are built on the same Goodyear welted construction as the rest of the range. The welt stitches the upper, lining and sole together with a leather welt, which resists water entering at the seam and lets the sole be replaced when it eventually wears through. A suede upper that has been brushed and protected through a decade of winters will comfortably outlast two or three sets of soles.
That is the argument for looking after suede rather than retiring it every autumn. A pair kept in the rotation year-round ages into something better than it started, and the care it takes amounts to a brush by the door and a can of spray every few weeks.
Explore the Autumn/Winter collection and our shoe care range to keep your suede ready for the season.
