Who goes worse shod than the cobbler's wife?

A person skilled at meeting other people’s needs may neglect the same need within their own household. The wife’s poor shoes make that contrast pointed and ironic.

The proverb draws attention to the gap between someone’s work and the benefits enjoyed by those closest to them. Expertise or ready access does not guarantee that a need will be met at home.

Use it when someone regularly provides a service or solves a problem for others but leaves a comparable need unattended at home. Its rhetorical question works best as a wry observation rather than a serious inquiry.