WWII Army Officers Dress Shoes

[Speedster]

There!... fixed it! I just lowered my waistline to show off my skivvies. Ya want a picture of that now?????

(And beside.... you never know when a flash flood will come down the wash here in the Arizona desert. I gotta be prepared, don't I!!??)

-Dixie(?) Cannon

Now, that's better:eusa_clap

NO, please. Don't show us a picture of that lowered waistline!!!

 

[Speedster]

Speedster, I think the thread with Stacy Adams Office LQ shoes was a for sale thread I started..here's the link, and the pictures are close to the end (the Stacy Adams are the last pair pictured)
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=17517&highlight=stacy

I still have all of these shoes and they're still for sale if anyone wants to make an offer.

BTW - Speedster looks like we think alike, I even drive a vintage Porsche as my daily driver!

Doug C

THAT'S THE ONE....

Yes, that was the thread i was thinking about. Those are nice shoes, but i'm a US 8-8.5 only.

The point i think i am trying to get at is that since Officers shoes were private purchase items and that pretty much any brown shoes was accepted the Stacy Adams Madisons, who has been in production since almost the beginning of time (and were in the 40'ies) and still are, they are not reproductions but "original" wartime shoes.

 

[priestyboy]

Baggers wrote -



I can't find any mention of this shoe on WPG's website.. where did you hear or read this announcement?

Doug C

I too have heard this from WPG. Something about Jerry is still waiting on his supplier who is sooo sloow.

I'll e-mail him and ask him, refering back to this thread.

 

[priestyboy]

fftopic: In addition, with the knowledge out there on the Army shoes, the Naval aviators wore brown shoes as well.

Looking at a Naval Officers Guide, it seems to give the same open limitations on the shoes for the Navy guys, plain toe, etc.

Anybody out there have any expertise on the Navy version of these shoes?

 

[Doug C]

What I like about the Stacy Adams is the stiched area around the perameter of the shoe, it's a light natural leather color with ivory colored thread, that really stands out and has that vintage feel to it...kind of reminds me of Alden 405 boots in that respect. Most close enough shoes I've seen have an all black coloring here including the thread (if any is even visible), particularly the modern stuff. The SA set up goes much better with the russet colored leather.

Doug C

 

[Doug C]

WhatPriceGlory shoes ?

Sorry if this has been talked about before but I couldn't find anything in the archives..

I was just at the WPG website and noticed this under the Garrison Boots section:

Officer Russet Dress Shoes. Beautiful high quality oxford in high gloss russet leather. All leather sole, padded insole. Whole sizes 8-12, $95

That describes officer "low-quarters" and I don't remember ever seeing this on their site before..Is this a new item they are selling or is it left over from when they used to offer them? Anyone here know?

Doug C

 

[Doug C]

ATF Russet Servie Shoes (type II)

Here's a few pictures of the russet service shoes that are sold by ATF. I just got the and I like 'em alot. Verry soft right out of the box and not overly heavy feeling either. I order extra pairs of the Original un-issued nylon shoe strings.. they are long enough but not as long as I like so I tyed 2 pairs together which allows me to wrap them around the ankle area a few times.







Here they are with some of my other ankle boots (and w/o the flash):



Doug C

 

[Edward]

Good lookin' boots. I'm planning to pick up a pair or two of those myself when I have the ready cash. Finding "the same thing in black" is proving more of a challenge... It's obvious why they only do these in russett as uniform repros, but it would be fantastic if somebody produced boots of the same design in black. I've looked at British Ammo boots, but they seem impossible to find without the hobnails / toe / heel irons (officers, I gather, were issued with them without, though). What are the black pair in the top right of that photo? And are those Aldens on the left? Eventually I'd like to buy a pair of Alden Indys, maybe some of the Magnoli Indy boots in black and/or burgundy. All I need is to rob a bank....

 

[Doug C]

Thanks Edward - Those black boots in the picture are a pair I picked up on ebay a few weeks back. They were described as "Dimi boots" but I never heard that term before, the seller said he thought they were Stacy Adams boots but wasn't sure because the inside lable had been worn away. I thought they looked great in the picture though and got them for cheap. They are perfect in they're profile/shape IMHO too, and they are definately not the Stacy Adams boot either, I can tell by the inside lining material. I actually plan on getting a couple pairs (1 blk,1 brwn) of the Stacy Adams boots, they are cheaply priced and I love the contrasting thread around the sole (like the Aldens). Alot of folks say they look too much like a dress shoe but I think that's only true if you are delicate with them (I'm not that type though). I actually plan on stripping the dressy "gloss" off the surface as soon as I get them and try to never polish 'em.. make 'em look more like boots. Of course they'll never be "adventure" boots but would look great with big baggy khakis, etc.

PS- those are Aldens in my picture and the boots I seem to wear the most are those Cabela "duck shoes" in the center of the same picture, they are comfy!

PSS- Have you thought about getting some of these service shoes and doing a dye job on them, I'm pretty sure just about any good cobler does dye jobs. I wouldn't be the least bit affaid of dyeing them myself either, Fliebing (think that's the name) have all kind on great leather dyes and applicators..do a search, they are a company that's been around forever and are based in the Equestrian world. Just make sure to tape off the area around the sole where the thread is.

Doug C

 

[Edward]

I did wonder about dying them... I successfully dyed a pair of suede Converse years ago (off-white suede looked fab until I discovered how damn easily it stained!!), but I didn't think smoothe leather would work so well? Did consider trying to home-dye some of the roughout version....

I'm also going to keep hunting US site when I have the chance. I've had my eye on a pair of Corcoran jump boots for a long time - definitely prefer that 30s / 40s style leather sole on those over a more modern combat boot with a moulded rubber sole. They're scary money over here (you could buy a pair of Aldens for what a pair of them costs in the UK!) but I found several US based sites that do them for half the UK price - I'll have to figure out shipping and tax, but it's probably still a bargain to order from the US.

 

[Mike K.]

Wow, those are some really great looking boots! I've been thinking of purchasing a pair like those for quite sometime. The ATF website states that the boots are made on an E last and run about 1/2 size large. Doug, how would you describe the fit compared to your regular shoe size? Are they really loose, or can you simply adjust the fit with different insoles or socks?

 

[Doug C]

Mike, I usually take a size 10.5 medium or regular. I bought these in ATF's size 10 though and there is plenty of room in the toe box. Plenty of room for inserts and/or thick socks too. I could probably take a 9.5 IF ATF offered half sizes..but they only offer whole sizes and the 9 would be too small without a doubt. They are roomy but not loose at all.

The leather on these are really soft and the picture on ATF's website doesn't show the true color.. I think my pictures do a better job of that. I chose these over the ones from WWII Impresson (supposedly from Corcoran) only because I'd read that ATF's were not quite as heavy, and they truely don't feel overly heavy - I'm sure my Alden's are heavier. If you go with ATF's get some of the original shoe laces from them, they are great and make the one's that come installed look like trash.

Doug C

 

[Mike K.]

Sounds great Doug. I have a pair of Chippewa work boots that are very similar in appearance. The fit is okay but they are very heavy. Hopefully the ATF boots will serve me better. Now I just need to save up the $$$.

 

[Trotsky]

I love mine; had them for a bit, broke them in really well by the standing in my bathtub method. The only problem is, and this is the only problem, is that the right one squeaks, pretty bad at times. No matter what I do, it squeaks. Annoying, but only detracts from the boot a little bit.

ATF's Jump boots are also top notch, again mine are broken in and are VERY comfortable.

 

[Flieger]

I love mine; had them for a bit, broke them in really well by the standing in my bathtub method. *snip*

I never heard of this breaking in method before - Care to elaborate for me, please?

Flieger

 

[Doug C]

I think the method he's talking about is that some folks would soak the boot in hot water for a period of time, then drain the excess water out and wear them as long as possible and as often as possible until they'd completely dried. I was also considering doing this on this pair of boots before they arrived, but after i got them I thought the leather was already soft enough not to need any extra help... I still may do it though because I've done the same with leather jackets and it always gives the surface of the leather a little more texture or just a lived in look at any rate.

Doug C

 

[Flieger]

Thanks Doug C.

I would be worried that the boot got damaged by this treatment. But after thinking about it further I realise that it would be ok as long as one doesn't try and dry them out to fast and to hot. [huh]

Got to try this sometime.

Cheers
/F

 

[Doug C]

These boots are put through much more than this in combat situations of course so I doubt any damage would occur, but yea you wouldn't want to try and dry them too fast. The part about wearing them dry gives them time to form to the individual's feet who are wearing them..

Doug C

 

[priestyboy]

I know Jerry had stated in the past he was waiting on a shipment of the russet low quarters and when I inquired he stated his supplier was running way slow and it would be a while. Well, I guess the while is now.

I considered them but in the picture they look like a low quality leather-ette. I've put the pictures up next to some photos of all angles of original USAAF shoes and there seems to be a big difference.

They seem to hauntingly resemble the USN Bates the Navy quit using a few years back. Jerry's just have a leather sole as the Bates has plastic.

For 95.00, I'm gonna hold off and search for originals (like that's gonna happen that I'll find some) or find some Bostonian Raleighs.

 

[Doug C]

That's great news... well sort of. I just noticed that the one's pictured only have 5 eyelets, while every original pair that I've ever seen (in pictures) have had six, and i think it's part of what make them different than any other plain toe oxford - now, I'm torn as to whether I want these or not. I can't understand why they'd get that detail wrong - after going through the trouble to get these to the market. sigh..

BTW - They seem to really resemble the Raleigh Bostonians I had too..

Doug C