Spectator Shoes

[LuvMyMan]

There is only one pair of spectator shoes I know of that are sort of like what I want are these. There are several problems, however. They are too expensive for me, and they also have strange styling on the toe.

It's quite hard, even with a high budget, to find new spectator shoes as I describe. I almost think it might be easier to find unworn vintage shoes, then finding new shoes like this. I have looked at J. Peterman, and they do not have this style either. It seems to be an almost extinct style of spectator shoe, that sadly, basically no one makes. Except dance shoe companies.

Few things...what size do you wear?

Some of the shoes offered (last time I took a peek) at J. Peterman are not too bad, but as you state, not what you are looking for. Finding a deal on vintage is something you just have to keep at it, eventually you can find something not so much in a price, but for the exact style you are seeking, not going to be very easy.

In all fairness, what you are seeking is going to cost in the neighborhood of at least $300.00 unless you buy from a lounger advertising here in the classifieds. Even then a decent pair of shoes is not going to be under a $100.00 again unless you shop here.

Most nice vintage shoes seem to run about $200.00 or more on eBay, depending on the size involved. Some smaller sizes are a bit harder for a seller to actually sell them, so you will see some a bit cheaper. But under a $100.00...no...I do not think so... I spend hours each day searching for shoes to buy....if you cannot find what you are looking for anywhere else, you may have to either buy something from AE (they do have some on eBay "Hampton" model shoe) or you may have to head over to some shoes listed on websites in England. Prepare yourself to spend about $500.00 but the shoes you will buy (hopefully) like maybe from Churches or Loake, of Cheaney, will be worth the cost.

One element you should always keep in mind, a cheapskate shoe is not rebuildable....a good well may shoe, is. If you take care of the shoes, even if the soles or heels wear out, a good cobbler can fix then up like new again....cheapskate shoes...not going to happen...too much glue. (ewww...glue). lol!

If I were you, I would look at the Vintage Shoe Addicts website, and officially ask him what he may have close to what you are looking for and also the size you need. I do not think you are going to be disappointed in anything he can get you. The cost may be there, but you never know what he may have or find for you...and one thing for sure....he does not sell JUNK...no cheapskate shoes there!

Good luck in your hunt...as that what it is...but you must hunt to find what you want when it comes to shoes...unless you want to part with about $5,000.00 or more and plead with a custom shoe maker to do a pair for you...then you get to wait about 4 or 6 months for the shoes to be done.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I picked up a pair of black & burgundy & bourbon & black Broadstreet seconds for a little over $400.

Not sure if the line of shoes being discontinued is a reason for the price..but for a while most of these shoes had been selling on eBay for less than $300.00 and some as low as $225.00 new and shipped!

 

[Isshinryu101]

I picked up a pair of black & burgundy & bourbon & black Broadstreet seconds for a little over $400.

Wow. Over $400 for AE's at all... much less seconds.

 

[Retro Spectator]

I have found a pair of spectator shoes like I described, but the top isn't white. If anyone has these shoes, can you please post a picture of them? I was wondering how light the top is, as there are conflicting images online. I am also wondering if the top is nubuck. I am actually surprised that barely anyone makes this style anymore.

Can nubuck be lightened by putting powder on it? That may be useful if I decide to buy these shoes, and of course, if they are even nubuck in the first place.

For those wondering, I wear a size 10 shoe.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I have found a pair of spectator shoes like I described, but the top isn't white. If anyone has these shoes, can you please post a picture of them? I was wondering how light the top is, as there are conflicting images online. I am also wondering if the top is nubuck. I am actually surprised that barely anyone makes this style anymore.

Can nubuck be lightened by putting powder on it? That may be useful if I decide to buy these shoes, and of course, if they are even nubuck in the first place.

For those wondering, I wear a size 10 shoe.

It is hard to tell from the picture if those are "bucK' on the lighter top area. I can tell you however, there is nothing that will "stick" to the leather in the way of a white color to change the appearance. Trust me, we have used all sorts of products to make a pair of spectators from normal wingtips. What seems to happen is, any product you use will crack and peel off....leaving the surface of the shoe looking very nasty. The top of shoes will bend, that starts the nasty part of a process of destroying any product used on the shoe, and more so with a NuBuck finish, the moisture the Nubuck will absorb (from your feet or outside weather elements) only add to that peeling off and cracking in chunks. Not what you would want to wear. The shoes would appear to have "leprosy"....lol! Chalk bags, (commonly called Bunny Bags or Buck Bags) would leave the Nubuck sort of spotty and now looking like a cheap man made leopard skin.

I do not see any listings at this time (other than if you can contact the Vintage Shoe Addict, Isshinryu101, and ask him what he may have in a size 10, or if he may be able to find something for you. I can and will myself, keep an eye out and if I find anything I will promptly send you a PM letting you know.

Now seriously, I have nothing against the maker of the shoes you show a link to...but...I have to honestly tell you if those shoes were the color combination you are looking for, you may like how they look, but they would fall apart rapidly if worn much, may not be rebuild-able, if you walked in them any length of time, your feet will go on strike, and you would notice the shoes looking like hell, in a short period of time.

I understand your desire to have some nice spectators. Most of us all love them. Save your money. Buy something that is exactly what you are looking for. If you take my advice and you find some nice new or vintage shoes that are the "real deal" and you compare the two shoes..(your real shoes comparing to the ones in your link) you will have a great big smile on your face....for not buying junky shoes. I have no spectators in a size 10 here or I would discuss a deal with my Husband for you to buy.

I can say however, you are doing what you can for the moment in your hunt...keep going and you will find what you are looking for. Someone else may have a size 10? But seriously ask those that are selling a larger volume of vintage shoes....and see what they may have!

 

[LuvMyMan]

Oh one last thing about eBay.....if you find some shoes listed there and like them, you may be able to use "Bill me later" for payment and I think it gives you 6 months to pay the amount off.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Wow. Over $400 for AE's at all... much less seconds.

I should add that the price I posyted was the total. $200 for a pair was what I paid.

 

[LuvMyMan]

I should add that the price I posyted was the total. $200 for a pair was what I paid.

Now that is not so bad....$200.00 a pair. It beats what some people are getting into paying for Kenmore Florsheims.....which have become a fairly sad skeleton of the shoe it was at one time.

I noted a never worn pair of real vintage Florsheim gunboats size is 11b on eBay....nice brown five nail pair...true vintage. They are the older version of Kenmore (perhaps 1950-early1960). I say that as the have a double row of nails on the bottom of the heels. The newer Kenmore shoes only had a single row. Not sure where the bidding is now on them...but it was fairly low last time I checked.

In all fairness to anyone buying AE.....they are about a choice you make for cost and some quality over shoes that are in the same price range that are real junk compared to the AE. However, if you cruise the eBay listings....there are a few nice Italian brand all leather hand made shoes....for the same price. We have a few vintage AE shoes....from early 1960's. Nice shoes well made. Heavier than the new ones.

Daniel was thinking of having me make a shoe list, (like they do for Hats here on the lounge) of shoe makes and models....and have anyone comment on each one.....give it a rating. Value verses Cost. Style verses Function. It would be interesting to see with all the information everyone could give an input on, to see where some shoes fall into a category compared to other shoes.

There is a lot of knowledge of shoes here. Some loungers perhaps know more about shoes than some employees of a shoe maker would even begin to know.

I also want to state, I am confident I speak for anyone at this time...the reason for some of the comments of what is junky shoes...is not to berate anyone...yet rather to hope they will understand what a good shoe is all about , and to save anyone from blowing money on straight junk! Daniel had a pair of Johnson and Murphy shoes on one time, while we were walking in the Casino...the sole (brand new shoes, too) came right off the shoe, was flapping like a duck bill each step he would take....talk about being a bit "miffed"....lol! $192.75 plus shipping was the cost....for a horrible shoe. Never again.

Thanks Kiddos!

 

[Retro Spectator]

I actually found a pair of brown and white spectator shoes. However, there are two problems with them. First, they are dance shoes. I do not know if they would hold up to wear and tear of walking about. Second, they don't have my size. Not really that big a deal. I do not know if Aris Allen shoes are ok for walking around in, so I do believe it would be helpful if someone who has Aris Allen shoes could tell me if you can wear them out.

 

[BR Gordon]

I would not even think about wearing my dance shoes out. Aside from the felt, the soles are not designed for street use. I believe they would not last any time at all.

 

[Retro Spectator]

It seems Aris Allen has "Raw Soles". It has a leather bottom, not felt. I am not a dancer, so I might be wrong, but I don't really see how much different they are from normal leather soles.

 

[LuvMyMan]

It seems Aris Allen has "Raw Soles". It has a leather bottom, not felt. I am not a dancer, so I might be wrong, but I don't really see how much different they are from normal leather soles.

A dance shoe has a very flexible thin, light weight construction. No matter what the sole material is made of, it will be flex thin in nature. They are meant to be worn inside on a wood or flat hard tile floor. The surface of anything such as a parking lot, if you walked around a Walmarts parking lot a few dozen times, you'd have some nice holes in the soles....you would be the luckiest person alive, if you wore them for a month or two as normal shoes, and not have holes in the soles....or the entire sole just fall off or your foot split out the side. They are made for dancing...seriously only for dancing. Footware (even sport footware) is made for a specific design purpose...roller skates for streets or rinks...ice skates for ice....but neither worn in a home.

I am positive some lounger's from the past have found out the hard way with much dismay about buying a dance shoe and wearing them until well ground to death on asphalt.

Have to give you credit however, you are sure kicking up all stones and looking under any bush you come to, seeing if you may have found your shoe.....keep up your quest. I've to peek at the eBay listings and see if there are anything new hiding around....

 

[Retro Spectator]

These look nice, however, they aren't oxfords, but that doesn't really matter that much. A problem arises though, judging by the customer reviews, they apparently aren't shipping from America.

 

[Isshinryu101]

These look nice, however, they aren't oxfords, but that doesn't really matter that much. A problem arises though, judging by the customer reviews, they apparently aren't shipping from America.

as a rule, sub- $100 modern shoes are garbage quality and material-wise.

 

[LuvMyMan]

These look nice, however, they aren't oxfords, but that doesn't really matter that much. A problem arises though, judging by the customer reviews, they apparently aren't shipping from America.

Check you P.M.s Have a lead on a vintage pair for you in size 10....

 

[LuvMyMan]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261491773074

For all you that desire a "holy grail" find, hard to beat these and look at the going price!?! Size 10....so what are you that wear that size waiting for???????????

 

[Isshinryu101]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261491773074

For all you that desire a "holy grail" find, hard to beat these and look at the going price!?! Size 10....so what are you that wear that size waiting for???????????

Sadly, nowhere near a size 10. Definitely under an 8. 11 inches is the absolute shortest size 8 I have ever seen. These have the extended welt, so they are likely a 7 or in that range. STILL a fantastic buy for the small footed!

 

[LuvMyMan]

Sadly, nowhere near a size 10. Definitely under an 8. 11 inches is the absolute shortest size 8 I have ever seen. These have the extended welt, so they are likely a 7 or in that range. STILL a fantastic buy for the small footed!

Ouch! Had NO idea these shoes were that small....darn.....
But yes, still a bargain.....

 

[Isshinryu101]

Ouch! Had NO idea these shoes were that small....darn.....
But yes, still a bargain.....

Even my smallish feet are often thwarted by what was considered "average" in decades past.

 

[musicmax]

I actually found a pair of brown and white spectator shoes. However, there are two problems with them. First, they are dance shoes. I do not know if they would hold up to wear and tear of walking about. Second, they don't have my size. Not really that big a deal. I do not know if Aris Allen shoes are ok for walking around in, so I do believe it would be helpful if someone who has Aris Allen shoes could tell me if you can wear them out.

AA no longer makes that shoe and they are out of stock nationwide. I know, I looked.