Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - reviews, pictures, sizing, etc...

[gooter]

I just received a pair of Daltons via Amazon through its 20% off sale and $30 gift card. After walking around the house for a bit, I noticed the dark patch on the upper (shown below):

For those who own walnut calf, is this normal? Or should I have the boot returned?

I wouldn't return. Just wear them and enjoy life!

 

[gooter]

Here are the Cognac McTavish and Brown Jermyn I picked up today.


Chris

These are AWESOME

 

[New Shoes1]

Hey, so I'm not really sure how much space there should be between the end of my toe to the tip of the shoe. I'm wearing size 8 d delrays in the photo, but I think I want to buy 7.5 d fifth avenues from amazon because i can get the shoes with the 20% off discount that they are having. Should I size down or do I stick with size 8 d? I haven't really worn the shoes in public yet, but the 8d delrays fit alright to me..

or should i get 8 n fifth avenues?

Amazon is great - if you know your correct size. If you're uncertain on size, I would have AE size you and buy directly from them. If you buy from Amazon and decide after a few wears that you bought the wrong size, you are out of luck.

 

[BootSpell]



I just received a pair of Daltons via Amazon through its 20% off sale and $30 gift card. After walking around the house for a bit, I noticed the dark patch on the upper (shown below):



For those who own walnut calf, is this normal? Or should I have the boot returned?

That wouldn't bother me. Almost adds character. But you really have to decide if it will bother you. Those Dalton's aren't difficult to get so you could easily return them for a replacement.

 

[g.michael]



 

 Hey, so I'm not really sure how much space there should be between the end of my toe to the tip of the shoe. I'm wearing size 8 d delrays in the photo, but I think I want to buy 7.5 d fifth avenues from amazon because i can get the shoes with the 20% off discount that they are having. Should I size down or do I stick with size 8 d? I haven't really worn the shoes in public yet, but the 8d delrays fit alright to me..

or should i get 8 n fifth avenues?

I have both. The 8 last (Delray) is a long one and my toe hits about the same spot. If the ball of your fit is hitting in the widest part of the shoe (standing up), then you are fine. I wear the same size in the Delray (8 last) and Park Avenue (5 last).

 

[Joker Man]

Amazon is great - if you know your correct size. If you're uncertain on size, I would have AE size you and buy directly from them. If you buy from Amazon and decide after a few wears that you bought the wrong size, you are out of luck.

Amazon is not a store and the shoe you're buying may come from anywhere of the places listed. Perhaps even from the display in the window of Shoes 'R Us baking in the hot sun of Podunk, Arizona.There are no bargains and you get what you pay for.Even when I buy from AE I ask the salesgirl if the shoe was made and is at the factory and is being sent to me directly. I don't want her sending it from one of the stores where it may have been tried on a dozen times or even a display shoe.

 

[theinternet]

Welp, that picture just convinced me to buy the McTavish in cognac.

 

[Blackunderpants]

Bradley. Like 'em.

 

[g.michael]



Cognac McTavish.  This is my first pair of AE.  I am pretty excited because they look 100 times better in person than on the AE photos.

My question:  I've heard people saying they were going to coat or treat the shoes.  Pardon me for being a newb, but what do I put on these, and why?  

On the majority of shoes like these (welted calfskin or other fine leather), just take out of the box, put on, and enjoy. The leather is very durable and has enough tanning and polish from the factory to take a pretty good beating. Use shoe trees to help maintain the inside of the shoe and its shape. AE has a pretty good shoe polishing video on their website (the calfskin version--i would ignore the shell cordovan polishing version and seek other advice, ie mac method for those). Some AE leather conditioner and either cream or paste wax is about all you need for long-term care.

In addition, the leather on the McTavish has extra waxes, etc infused into it--they will wear like iron. If they get wet or scratched up, let them dry, and hit them with some conditioner and cream polish, or just some of the neatsfoot oil type products out there.

I know a couple guys here have received new cordovan models from AE and spent some time trying to strip off the factory finish--I don't understand why. Just wear, enjoy, brush and buff as needed.

 

[OptoDoc]



As long as we're on a Hale lovefest, here r mine in black. I didn't know they were discontinued.

I really want a pair of these. Do you think there would be any hiding somewhere in tone of the Shoe Banks in an 8.5E? I can't seem to find a black shoe I like (other than the Fifth Street boot), but would definately love these black Hales.

 

[hohneokc]



Cognac McTavish.  This is my first pair of AE.  I am pretty excited because they look 100 times better in person than on the AE photos.

My question:  I've heard people saying they were going to coat or treat the shoes.  Pardon me for being a newb, but what do I put on these, and why?  

I just got my Cognac McTavish yesterday. I put AE Leather Lotion on them, let them dry, and brushed them off. Looks great to me.

That's all I do with the Rough Collection shoes I have.

Chris

 

[hohneokc]



Thank you for the suggestion. I prob. go for the black McTavish, since I don't really dress suits that much. That dark brown McTavish looks very beautiful. How you gonna match it? With a dark denim, navy, dark gray chino or khaki? 

I will probably wear the Cognac McTavish with everything except black. They will definitely be casual - no suits. But other than that, I'm thinking they will go with just about everything - denim, cords, twills, flannels, etc.

Chris

 

[msulinski]

Cognac McTavish. This is my first pair of AE. I am pretty excited because they look 100 times better in person than on the AE photos.

My question: I've heard people saying they were going to coat or treat the shoes. Pardon me for being a newb, but what do I put on these, and why?

These look really nice. They actually look completely different than the picture from hohneokc. From the photo, it looks like there is no red/orange at all. Is this true IRL also?

 

[Roger Everett]



I just received a pair of Daltons via Amazon through its 20% off sale and $30 gift card. After walking around the house for a bit, I noticed the dark patch on the upper (shown below):



For those who own walnut calf, is this normal? Or should I have the boot returned?

I wouldn't worry about the coloration at all. I have both Strand and 5th Ave. in walnut, and neither pair are perfectly uniform in the shading. This is mainly appears to be due to the lightness and transparentness of the walnut coloring. Think of it as the difference between a dyed or stained pc. of wood ( in which you can still see the grain and naturalness of the wood ) and one that has been painted a solid color ( as in a black or brown shoe ). I think of it as adding character to the shoe.
Roger

 

[ElDave]

I think people sometimes lose sight of the fact they're wearing a dead animal's skin on their feet. some imperfection is to be expected. Unles you're talking about some ultra-high-end manufacturer that uses only the hides of virgin animals who went to church both on Sunday and Wednesday, perfectly uniform color suggests that the leather is low quality and overly treated. Only black should be perfectly uniform.