Show us your SHOES !!!

[Rudie]

Wouldn't that be nice?

Why oh why do most people nowadays favor sneakers and other cheap, glued stuff when they could wear something stylish like that? And why don't manufacturers of quality shoes pick up on these designs?

 

[sproily]

Those look quite big! Like 13 or 14 or something...

 

[herringbonekid]

Those look quite big! Like 13 or 14 or something...

9 or 10 US:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1930s-NEW-E...?pt=US_Mens_Vintage_Shoes&hash=item337d84abc9

 

[Isshinryu101]

I believe that the encircled 'FR' denotes factory reject.

that's not an AE sole or heel.

 

[Isshinryu101]

Wouldn't that be nice?

Why oh why do most people nowadays favor sneakers and other cheap, glued stuff when they could wear something stylish like that? And why don't manufacturers of quality shoes pick up on these designs?

Personally, I really like that boot. However, it is one of those styles that is no longer en-vogue in mens' footwear styling. Unless one loves Vintage styling, they will probably dislike that toe shape. Doesn't translate as well as, say... the French toe or the spade sole (in less spadey incarnations).

 

[Isshinryu101]

9 or 10 US:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1930s-NEW-E...?pt=US_Mens_Vintage_Shoes&hash=item337d84abc9

SHOOT! They are basically unwearable. A wonderful museum piece, but that 10AA is VERY prohibitive in making them fit. Look at that extended welt on those. Even with that welt taking up maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch of space, total forefoot width is STILL only 3 3/4 inches.

I wear in the neighborhood of an 8 1/2D US, and those would STILL be too narrow for me by a significant amount. Call them a size US10 in length & a size US7 in width.

 

[sproily]

I suppose that's the reason why they looked so big... They are extremely long in comparison to the width.

 

[herringbonekid]

...And why don't manufacturers of quality shoes pick up on these designs?

there are many good modern vintage interpretations out there (especially if you have the money to buy in the £400 -£800 bracket; St. Crispins, Gaziano etc.) but as to why modern shoe designers don't copy a boot like that exactly; as Issh hinted at, there simply wouldn't be sufficient reason to. the market for an exact repro early 20s boot would be very small, so a company wouldn't risk alienating their non-vintage obsessed customers who prefer something that looks 'current' (even though it may borrow from the past).

 

[Rudie]

I didn't mean an exact stitch-to-stitch copy. And shoes in the £400-£800 range are outside the shoe budget of about 99% of all customers. I wonder why the style/silhouette of shoes like these isn't found in the £150-£200 bracket. Of course they can't do them in the same quality at that price point. But they could capture the look and still make it a decent (compared to 99% of the other shoes out there) quality. I am sure a lot people would appreciate such a design if it were available. Most people just don't have a clue that something as appealing as these shoes exists. Red Wings find a lot of buyers with their retro models. So why shouldn't it work?

 

[herringbonekid]

Rudie, if you ask me, what you're describing already exists, eg:

http://www.septiemelargeur.fr/marceau---forme-174--box-calf-p18875-fr.html

... or others from Alfred Sargent, Herring etc.

for my money though they never get the details i like exactly right, such as the rear of the ankle which really curves in on a 20s boot but on a modern boot is much straighter and less elegant.

 

[Isshinryu101]

there are many good modern vintage interpretations out there (especially if you have the money to buy in the £400 -£800 bracket; St. Crispins, Gaziano etc.) but as to why modern shoe designers don't copy a boot like that exactly; as Issh hinted at, there simply wouldn't be sufficient reason to. the market for an exact repro early 20s boot would be very small, so a company wouldn't risk alienating their non-vintage obsessed customers who prefer something that looks 'current' (even though it may borrow from the past).

yes. Saint Crispins (over $1500, though)

They can afford to do small batch shoemaking. Other makers would need to produce many more boots to make money (at their lower price point). Demand is too low for this. Sadly, top US shoemakers, produced shoes at a high level of quality... and a high price (for the time and economics of footwear spending). Repros are basically of much lower quality.

 

[Rudie]

But the curved rear is crucial for the look. I mean, what's so difficult in getting this detail right? It's no labor and cost intensive old technique they have to use, is it? Same goes for the shape of the toe box. They just need to use different lasts, don't they?

 

[herringbonekid]

But the curved rear is crucial for the look.

i know, but i guess to the shoe/boot designers it's just not important. beats me too.

 

[Rudie]

What I am saying is: If the general public had a clue that these designs exist and if they were to be found in shops, for the price of an entry level welted shoe, they would buy them. People buy tghe most outrageous, horrible, disgusting filth if the marketing is right. So why don't the manufacturers market something with class?

 

[herringbonekid]

Rudie, it's complex and you'd have to ask the designers, but i suspect for most it wouldn't really satisfy their ego to simply copy the past. they have to feel as if they are innovating (even if to us, their innovations get uglier and uglier).

 

[Isshinryu101]

But the curved rear is crucial for the look. I mean, what's so difficult in getting this detail right? It's no labor and cost intensive old technique they have to use, is it? Same goes for the shape of the toe box. They just need to use different lasts, don't they?

What do you mean by, "curved rear"? About toeboxes, they are shorter in modern shoes. This is the more desirable look of modern shoes.

 

[herringbonekid]

Issh, above the back of the heel, where it really curves inward and hugs the tendon.

 

[Isshinryu101]

Just as a side note, the shape of many Vintage shoes and boots we see (40's and earlier) is a bit skewed. We often see ultra-narrow shoes and boots, whose proportions are different from the mid-width ones that were well worn and disintegrated. I'm not so sure that that boot in a 10D (the one we see is a 10AA) would be as eye pleasing, even to a Vintage Shoe Addict.

 

[Rudie]

Issh, look at the profile of the vintage shoes hbk posted. There's a pronounced concave curve where the heel/ankle morphs into the lower calf. Modern shoes never have a curve like this.

 

[Rudie]

hbk, if more designers would leave their ego be and jump on the retro wagon they could have similar success as Ralph Lauren. If you do it right you find enough buyers. I don't believe the market is too small. People rave about RRL.