Allen Edmonds Shoes...

[Orgetorix]

Ask them to put "zip soles" on the front. They wear about as fast as the rubber heels, and "zips and heels" run about $35. I haven't worn a sole since I had them start doing this for me a couple of years ago.

Not sure if ALL Nordies in the area do this, but Montgomery Mall does.

Thanks; I'll check that out. Will they do that with any pair of shoes, or just brands they sell like AEs?

 

[Matt Deckard]

The mocha is a little darker than a Hershey bar.

Could you post a pic of your zip soled shoes?

 

[Canadave]

are these zip soles?

Look at the "dress tap" here http://www.soletech.com/soletech/shoerepair/repair_taps.shtml It's like a rubber half-sole.

I'm not sure if this is the same as a zip sole, but I have these done to my dress shoes when they are brand new. I think any shoemaker (cobbler) can do it. It serves many purposes, including extending the life of your leather soles.

David

 

[kools]

I'm really excited about my latest win:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&item=290068220013&rd=1&rd=1#ebayphotohosting

I'm crazy about this "Chestnut" color...I've got a pair of AE in the same color, model "Dryden" that I wear quite often!

I was out the other night...some guy (never met 'em) who has seen me perform stopped me to say he has heard that I'm a big AE fan. Cool.

 

[Feraud]

I'm really excited about my latest win:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&item=290068220013&rd=1&rd=1#ebayphotohosting

Congrats! I have the same shoe in black.
I picked 'em up at a nice discount.

 

[Canadave]

...who has seen me perform...

What do you do?

David

 

[Matt Deckard]

 

[cookie]

Astaire, I can relate to differences in feel, though mine align differently. I have 4 pair of AEs, all from Ebay. They all fit pretty well and are the only shoes I would ever buy online. The strange thing is this: two of my AEs have rubber soles (one is a casual, and one is semi-casual, i.e. fairly dressy from the top, but with the rubber sole). The other two are leather soled dress shoes. Here is my point of confusion. The rubber sole shoes have a padded leather liner, so that my foot feels like its in a tennis shoe. The leather sole shoes have a leather liner, but it is not at all padded. It is thinner and hard.

Also, one pair of leather sole is brown and very soft, one pair of rubber sole is brown and soft as an expensive glove, and one pair of leather sole is black, and not all that soft.

Anybody have any comment on these things. Is the leather liner of all AEs supposed to be padded; is there a correlation between colour and leather quality (hard to imagine that is the case)?

Just a question I am a 44/10 Euro/UK perfect evrry tiem USA 10.5 /11 is hard. I bought a pair of Alden 11Cs on eBay and they were a good fit but a little wide. I then bought an AE Mcallister 11C and I am waiting to receive same. Will they be a similar size or am I in for a big surprise?

 

[cookie]

Okay, who let Teacher in here? :eusa_doh:

Anybody see these vintage AE specs on ebay (NFI)?

simply stunning and straight to the favourites button for future reference and whistful desire

 

[Zemke Fan]

Vintage AEs for $112!

NOS and... tag on the box was $28! Wowzer!

 

[kools]

What do you do?

Musician...although I don't perform as regularly as I once. I've found that fronting a jump blues band 6 nights a week does not compliment my role as father to two challenging young boys!

 

[Matt Deckard]

 

[Matt Deckard]

This was a respose I gave on Ask Andy regarding Allen edmonds new ownership and qulaity... any way thought i would post it here as well.

I have my new pair of Dryden shoes which use the #2 last. Is this a new last or an old one?

Inside it says made in the USA of imported materials instead of the old Made in the USA. I deduce some materials nowadays need to be imported because of scarcity. The only difference beteen these shoes and the regular allen Edmonds I own is the Poron insole and the rubber placed into the leather outsole.

I'm still getting used to the rubber in the leather as i love to go dancing and they aren't really a help, though may make the soles wear better as I tend to wear holes in the soles before I wear out heels.

As for the Poron insole... it makes the shoe feel much much more comfortable. I've been wearing Alden style 639

For years because of the combination last which fit extremely well on my Hobbit feet.
They I thought were the most comfortable dress shoe I'd ever own. Could walk for miles and miles without issue. Then I tried on the Dryden... the Poron makes the difference.

I look at vintage shoes in my closet which tend to have more of the cushioning and cupping of the heel features which Alden and Allen Edmonds of today have left behind. Seeing these innovations come back is a good thing.

Will Allen Edmonds lose customers and dilute their quality? I myself think they are raising the price to maintain the quality while trying to branch out into new markets. So far far these little innovations they are making to a few of their dress shoes are very nice. The styling is still unaltered on their classics and it is nice to see new styles hit the shelves just like it was nice to see new styles back in the 20's and 30's.

 

[vonwotan]

I used to be a huge fan of Allen Edmonds - the vast majority of my shoes are still Allan Edmonds. Unfortunately, a couple years ago, they made the decision to stop making custom sizes for many of their shoes and started charging a $100 surcharge. The latest changes seem to have limited my options even further as they have retired some of the old lasts. I have not ordered recently so I have not seen the changes in material, or rubber insets. It looks as though Alden is the last major US manufacturer who will make my size for a retail-ish price. It is to the point where purchasing through an orthopaedic specialist is less expensive once they have made your mold. We have a local place that works with Alden and others for their orthopaedic shoes...

 

[cookie]

Yeah that's right AEs are soooo conservative!



Vintage "Allen-Edmonds" Croc. Dress Shoes. Malibu ~Ostendo~ Cushioned Heel

 

[Matt Deckard]

Custom order I'm sure /\