Spectator Shoes

[Edward]

Spectator Season...

When does this run? Sounds like I've been committing a dreadful faux pas by wearing mine whenever over the past couple of years.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Take this with a grain of salt, being I wear converse all stars with a suit to make it look casual. (geek chic)

"Never wear white after labor day" beyond that I don't know. I personally, will not be breaking out my Allen Edmonds until after the snow is gone and the ground is dry. So mid June maybe. But you can do whatever you want fashion is subjective enough.

Johnny

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"Never wear white after labor day" ...

And what the heck was the rule before Labor Day existed?

.

 

[dakotanorth]

Shoes, in the style.

New to Fedora Lounge- woohoo! :eusa_clap
Have you guys ever checked our Brentano's? There is a store out of Wisconsin (or is it Minnesota?) that sells a few. Plus I know La Rose Vintage in SF contacted the same company to make some- same style as their standards but different colors.
I have a pair of the tobacco brown and white spec's from Brentano- they look nice. My knees don't enjoy leather soles though....

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I thought that Brentano's was a chain of high-end bookstores. [huh]

.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Marc
labor day began in the USA in 1894, that's about five generations ago. I really don't think it matters what they did before then. But it did mark the end of summer, so away goes the summer wardrobe with your white shoes an linen suits. Time to break out the tweeds.
Johnny

 

[Dr Doran]

Brentano Specs

I wear Brentano's spectators, burgundy and white. They are extremely comfortable. They are a million times better than those super shiny Stacy Adams or those hideously light Rockports (I did not even know Rockport made spectators, but their wingtips in general at Macy's in SF are ghastly -- my ideal wingtip is HEAVY SOLID Florsheim Imperial Kenmoor Long Wings, which are as thick as the combat boots I used to wear in my punk rocker days in the 1980s.)

I got the Brentanos mail order through some place in the South, perhaps Louisiana. Mississippi? I think they ran 75-80 dollars or so. I have not peered closely to see whether they are grain corrected. They might be. The smoothness of the surface is kind of unnatural. At least it's not Stacy Adams plasticky smooth. I'd say these are a marvelous first-time spectator.

 

[Jerekson]

Deer Stags makes a pair of standard wingtips. Look real nice.

If they're anything like the Times plain-toe oxfords then I would imagine they are spectacular.

http://www.deerstags.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75_68&products_id=239

 

[dakotanorth]

Speaking of Stacy Adams!

Funny you should mention the "Super-shiny" SA's. I bought myself a pair of brown captoes for my birthday. I thought they looked too shiny, so I took some "Goof Off" to them to remove the shine.
It turns out, Stacy Adams doesn't exactly DYE their leather, but rather, PAINT them. So when I took the shine away, it took color with it. I was furious, debated about it, finally said 'What the hell' and stripped them mercilessly. :rage: Then I bought leather dye at a shoe repair and Presto, they now look better! They actually look like leather. It took some adjusting, dye this part 3 times, dye that part 4 times, but they came out even.:eusa_clap
Did you know: Stacy Adams makes a captoe BOOT? I think it's 5 eyelet? They're kinda sharp.

 

[Edward]

Take this with a grain of salt, being I wear converse all stars with a suit to make it look casual. (geek chic)

"Never wear white after labor day" beyond that I don't know. I personally, will not be breaking out my Allen Edmonds until after the snow is gone and the ground is dry. So mid June maybe. But you can do whatever you want fashion is subjective enough.

Johnny

When is labour day? Seems to me it's a US holiday which doesn't have that cultural resonance here.... I'm intrigued by the idea of them being seasonal wear (I at least like to know the rules before I break 'em lol ). Some bthings make sense to me as season wear, such as a panama, but it's less logical I think with an all-leather shoe (as opposed to the leather and canvas style of spectator I've seen) than a light summer hat or a white tux, for instance.

 

[imoldfashioned]

When is labour day? Seems to me it's a US holiday which doesn't have that cultural resonance here....

Ah, Labor Day! It's the first Monday in September--I always think of it as the end of Summer (last beach day, last major cookout, last opportunity to wear white, etc.). More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_day

 

[johnnycanuck]

Then again Doctor Who traveled around in time and space wearing a panama hat, spectators and carrying an umbrella anytime, anywhere. So I guess they can be worn year round in any century, or on any planet.lol
Johnny

 

[Edward]

Johnny - good point. Would that i had a TARDIS, then I could just travel to whenever what I wanted to wear was in season (hmmnn.... and cheap to buy!!) lol

Ah, Labor Day! It's the first Monday in September--I always think of it as the end of Summer (last beach day, last major cookout, last opportunity to wear white, etc.). More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_day

Aha! Thanks! That used to be a significant date for me, as it was always when school went back. Since starting at university back in 1993 (and working in one for nearly nine years now), my year has shifted more towards starting in October. I'll never get away from thinking in academic years - caldenar years are effectively meaningless to me other than as a number.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Does anyone know where I can find a pair of spectators that looks like the doctors in the picture above?
Johnny.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Does anyone know where I can find a pair of spectators that looks like the doctors in the picture above?
Johnny.

They are made by Alfred Sargent and are the Melly style.

Alan

 

[johnnycanuck]

Fantastic! Now comes the $300 question. How good are they? Quality? wear-ability? comfort? anyone have any experience with this brand?
Johnny

 

[Anthony Jordan]

They are made by Alfred Sargent and are the Melly style.

Alan

Alan,

Are you sure? They appear too brown to be Mellys to me (which I understand are ebony and white) and also appear to have a very squared-off toe, unlike the rounder, more pointed toe on my AS Georges, which I think are simply a black and white variant on the Melly. Inter alia, I find the George a bit stiff, but no more than I would espect from a new English shoe, of good quality, nothwithstanding that they are made of corrected grain leather, and very wearable overall.

 

[Alan Eardley]

That's what I was told some years ago when I enquired (spectator shoes were not well-known in the UK then), by someone who may or may not have reason to know. Remember this is an old photo, and AS may have changed the design - I have a pair of AS monk spectators with a very square toe.

You are right, the George and Melly are the same design, in different colours. I agree, for the price, the AS specs. are OK. I like 'em.

Alan

Alan,

Are you sure? They appear too brown to be Mellys to me (which I understand are ebony and white) and also appear to have a very squared-off toe, unlike the rounder, more pointed toe on my AS Georges, which I think are simply a black and white variant on the Melly. Inter alia, I find the George a bit stiff, but no more than I would espect from a new English shoe, of good quality, nothwithstanding that they are made of corrected grain leather, and very wearable overall.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Are they worth bringing a pair over to Canada? How do they compare to say Allen Edmonds?
Side note: 9.5 - D USA is 9 - E in UK right?
Johnny

 

[cookie]

Unusual AEs that brought big dough and other Specs

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...m=300153239659&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=020 http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI...m=330168736355&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=014