Lifetime Shoes

[bbshriver]

All,

I'm getting married in a bit over a year, and thought this would be a good "excuse" to get a high quality pair of dress shoes, since i'll need something comfy to stand through the ceremony. I'm going with formal wear so I'd like something that looks good there, but also something I can dress down with say a grey suit. I'm not a fan of Patent leather as it doesn't "dress down" well and I'm not sure of its longevity. I'm 24 and would like to invest in something that will last decades not years.

Any suggestions? I'd really like to stay in the $200 range if at all possible. I looked at some Allen Edmonds the other day that seemed good. Do they hold up well? I have some Florsheim wingtips, but not a huge fan of the made in India shoes. Will Edmonds be worth the extra $$ over FLS?

Thanks,

 

[dhermann1]

Allen Edmonds are great, and you can get them rebuilt (not just resoled) when you need to. Even with a dinner jacket (tux) you can get away with highly shined black oxfords. I think plain toe or cap toe (NOT wingtip!) are fine with a tux.

 

[bbshriver]

Thanks for the response.
I'm looking toward Cap-Toe, as I think that's a bit more flexible than plain toe.

My thought as well that the wing-tip would not be appropriate with formal dress.

Rebuilding is interesting. I'll look into that more.

 

[Ed13]

I am a believer that good shoes should last your lifetime. You will need good leather that can be resoled and make sure they are comfortable, your feet also have to last a lifetime. My oldest dress shoes are about 20 years old and going strong.

If you want shoes that can be used in a pinch for formal or OK with a suit then I would suggest black captoes. Closed lacing also preferable, not bluchers.

Florsheims aren't what they used to be. In my opinion the Allen Edmonds would be a better choice. They can be resoled. The main problem with them is they use corrected grain leather. This is like a plastic colour coating on top of the leather which enables the shoemaker to use scarred hides which reduces cost. The problem is when the top coating is scratched or worn off the spot will need to be 'painted'.

The colour penetrates leather that has been dyed. This is always preferable for longevity. Brown shoes will take on a patina over time with natural grain leather and can look amazing with scratches and rub marks are polished out.

You may have to spend more than $200 for better quality but I believe it is worth it. Check for sales, especially on the internet. I live in Toronto and Allen Edmonds are about the best quality available locally. I now buy specific makes and lasts over the internet. The savings can be substantial.

Good luck.

 

[bbshriver]

What makes would you recommend over Allen Edmonds?

I always worry about internet sales simply due to fit. I have a short-fat foot, but my sizing is all over the place.
For instance, I have a pair of Florsheim cap toe black shoes in 9.5D that "fit" but are uncomfortable for anything more than an hour or so. I have 9.5D "Pronto Uomo" (Men's Wearhouse brand) that fit great. For my wingtips I got 9EEE FLS and they're a little large (great with thick socks). Then my "daily" shoes are 8.5W (I'm guessing similar to EEE) Redwing boots.
I looked at NordStrom and the Edmonds were the only thing they had in the wide size (8.5E fit well, but I was wearing normal socks not dress socks).

 

[Tomasso]

I think that the Peal & Co line at Brooks Brothers is the best value in the US for better shoes.They are regularly discounted 50% or more at their semi-annual sales. You need to watch the markdowns closely as size availability wanes as the price falls. Also, they don't offer factory recrafting if that is an issue.

 

[Ed13]

For a better pair of shoes I am partial to English brands such as Crockett & Jones Handgrade and Edward Green. One way to find a good deal is look for old stock made in England Polo Ralph Lauren (C&J made) or Ralph Lauren Purple Label (Edward Green made). Last year in Vegas at the Polo store they had the Purple Label shoes on sale for $250 but sadly not my size. It is worth checking your local Polo store (or outlet) and ask if they have anything in stock made in England.

The Peal shoes as mentioned are often better than Allen Edmonds. Aldens are also superior.

If your feet hurt after wearing your shoes for a few hours get rid of them. You should be able to wear shoes all day in comfort. Pain is your body telling you something is wrong. I can't stress strongly enough to take care of your feet. If need be save up to get MTO or custom shoes made.

 

[Tomasso]

Last year in Vegas at the Polo store they had the Purple Label shoes on sale for $250 but sadly not my size. It is worth checking your local Polo store (or outlet) and ask if they have anything in stock made in England.

That $250 is a EG/PL clearance price from yesteryear. Back in the day I scored several EG's from Paul Stuart for even less. In recent sales EG/PL have been barely breaking $500.

 

[bbshriver]

Thanks for the replies.
I think the English shoes will be out of my price range, but I will keep a wary eye for some. But it's hard to know without being able to try some on.

I do rather like these
http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/2009/10/12/edward-green-beaulieu-in-black/

What do you think about those doing duty for formal wear? I realize that wingtips aren't usually ideal, but those being simpler seem like they could be a bit "unique" but still work.

I think I'll probably end up going with the Edmonds though, as I can try them on first to ensure proper fit, and also closer to my pricerange.

 

[cptjeff]

I think they could work. It's primarily the brouging that makes a shoe much less formal, not so much the shape of the cap. And besides, they're beautiful shoes, and if you're only going to be wearing them formally on rare occasions, I would say focus on having something you enjoy for day to day wear.

 

[bbshriver]

How are Johnston and Murphy?
http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/product.aspx?c=1215&color=Black&width=W&pid=22178

Those look decent, but it doesn't say where they're made etc.
How would they compare to AE?

 

[Tomasso]

How are Johnston and Murphy?

Their Custom Select line is in AE's ballpark.

Those look decent, but it doesn't say where they're made etc.

"polished European calfskin upper"......sounds like corrected grain......

 

[bbshriver]

Their Custom Select line is in AE's ballpark.

"polished European calfskin upper"......sounds like corrected grain......

So $450 J&M shoes are comparable to $250 AE shoes? Sounds like I'll go with AE!

 

[Tomasso]

So $450 J&M shoes are comparable to $250 AE shoes? Sounds like I'll go with AE!

Well, the JM/CS are actually $425 and the comparable AE's are $325. The JM/CS I've seen are finished a bit better than AE but quality-wise they're still in the same ballpark, as are Alden. Of the three, AE are much easier to find discounted.

 

[bbshriver]

That link doesn't seem to work for me, but parts of the AE website weren't working for me yesterday.

I think a savings of $100 would still be nothing to sneeze at if they're comparable. I might go to the J&M store locally though just to have a look. Nowhere around here sells AE as far as I can tell, I'd have to go closer to Philly. I might check out Brooks Brothers as well.

Alden shoes are apparently only sold in one store?

Well, the JM/CS are actually $425 and the comparable AE's are $325. The JM/CS I've seen are finished a bit better than AE but quality-wise they're still in the same ballpark, as are Alden. Of the three, AE are much easier to find discounted.

 

[zetwal]

Price and quality and style are not the only factors. Please take into account that not all brands fit the same. Unfortunately, there is no sure way to know what is likely to fit you best without trying them on.

 

[bbshriver]

Yes, this is why I'm looking to avoid mail order.
I tried on some AE shoes that fit quite well. I have short, wide feet, which automatically eliminates many brands that do not offer wide widths.

 

[norton]

I would recommend either Allen Edmonds or Alden. Although I don't have any personal experience with Allen Edmonds I've heard good things about them,and they're easier to find. All my dress and most of my casual shoes are Alden's and they really are life time purchases.

Alden is only found online in a couple stores, including shoemart.com but they are sold in shoe stores near many major cities, including Philadelphia, its just hard to find which stores. The company web site has a search function: http://www.aldenshoe.com/store.asp

The stores may not carry a very big selection but they can help with the sizing and order any size made. I take a narrow width and it sometimes takes nine months to get my order, but its always worth the wait.

 

[bbshriver]

Thanks for the feedback.
Alden is still out of my price range, though I do see some stores that are relatively local. Perhaps I could try a pair compared to Allen Edmonds.

Right now I'm leaning toward the 5th Ave
http://www.shermanbrothers.com/product.php?ItemId=7293&ProductId=12618

Identical to the Park Avenue, except for the perfing on the cap toe and $30 price difference.
http://www.shermanbrothers.com/product.php?ItemId=1052&ProductId=97

 

[andy b.]

BBS,

I just noticed you're in A-town! Yeah, Sherman Bros. will be about your best bet for finding a pair locally and trying them on. Nordstrom's might have some wider widths at the King of Prussia store, but they didn't have a real large selection when I was there earlier this year.

andy b.