It is so interesting how some of us hang on to things! While I have never been a "shoe" person, I still have a couple of pairs of pumps from corporate days over 15 years ago.
Last winter I pulled out a pair and leather-painted them from a muddy brown (Angelus leather paint worked pretty darn well, although requires occasional touch up) when I didn't want to spring for a burgundy shoe that I would only wear with one pair of pants and very rarely.
And I recovered the ugly rubber heel of another black pair to bling it up for similar reasons. I convinced myself the block heels from 20 years ago would pass muster. And I did wear them and felt fably frugal.
So now I only have one unretouched vintage pair left (a navy pump with a 2.5" heel). I should probably donate.