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

[md2010]



 shoe should be comfortable when buying or it likely wouldn't ever be comfortable.  

Sad but true. I have total 6+ pairs of shoes that are just a bit too tight around the pinky toe(left shoes only). Some of them I have worn over 10 times, have treated them with leather stretcher and have larger shoe trees on them for months. With little to no improvement. My left pinky toe now has a small corn and it’s a bit painful. Juts wearing my wide fitting shoes for the time being.

 

[JDMills]

Strands in black, 2 years in.

 

[Variatio]

Vara
Varatio they are shell burgundy patriots

Thx, they look awsome!

 

[Variatio]

Just a little spit shine treatment for my new shell patriots.

What the hell are you doing to your poor cordovan shoes? They are not supposed to shine like this at all.

 

[cbtaylor]

I don't have the dundees, but here are some photos I took yesterday of my brown shell strands and my cigar shell Alden PTB (Aberdeen last; special makeup at a men's store in Birmingham) that I shined up yesterday with the Mac Method, followed by Alden Defender and some light buffing. I'm happy with the results. Both pair have had about ten wearings each. They are illuminated with fading afternoon sunlight through my glass screen door. Size 9D and 9.5C respectively.

What store in Birmingham does special make ups?

 

[bucksfan]

Just a little spit shine treatment for my new shell patriots.

Nice job. Just be careful and don't use too much product on your cordovans. it will collect dirt in the creases and be a real pain to get out. Stick with brushing and an occasional wipe with a cotton cloth for a while, use product only when they are looking dry (and very little even then).


Quote:

I don't have the dundees, but here are some photos I took yesterday of my brown shell strands and my cigar shell Alden PTB (Aberdeen last; special makeup at a men's store in Birmingham) that I shined up yesterday with the Mac Method, followed by Alden Defender and some light buffing. I'm happy with the results. Both pair have had about ten wearings each. They are illuminated with fading afternoon sunlight through my glass screen door. Size 9D and 9.5C respectively.

Great pic! I really like the variances in your brown strands and the difference between Alden's cigar and AE's brown shell.

So I don't know if anyone saw my post before... does anyone have both the brown shell strands and dark brown shell dundees and can provide a pic so I can see the difference in color?

Thanks!

Don't have the "dark" brown shell Dundees, but I do have the brown shell Strands. I think it's the same material - AE just doesn't use the word "dark" in their Strand description. That said, there will be variances from one piece of brown shell to another. My Strands are pretty dark, slightly darker than the brown shell that C&J uses in their Marlow line of shoes.

See below: brown shell Strand, Marlow wingtip, marlow PTB, Marlow Tassel. First, no flash, then with flash. Then, Strand in direct sunlight (pretty similar to how it looks on the foot IRL) and in fluorescent light.

 

[coolarrow]

Sheltons today:



These are the older, corrected grain version. Indoor, flash pix.

 

[Olifter]



I went to Allen Edmonds to try on some strands last week. The salesperson said that the shoes fit really well and that I shouldn't go up in width because the front and heel of my foot fit perfectly. Basically my flat feet/overpronation make it hard to lace up fully in the middle of the shoe. The pair on the right is really snug. They said that the leather would stretch and fit to my foot. I wasn't sure though and took pictures. Any thoughts/advice is appreciated. Size is 13D. I'm considering trying 13E or 12E. Someone else suggested that bar lacing might help the problem too.

I'm a D width and for AE 5 last shoes I go to an E width. Those look tight to me.

 

[frank212]



Quote:

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I pulled the trigger on a pair of burgundy Cambridges from Jeffersonville. Monica was able to locate a pair in 8e.  If they're wider than the McAllisters in the the same size, I'll be ecstatic.
Anyone have an idea of how long they usually take to ship? It's been two days and I have a pending AE authorization on my CC, but no actual charge yet.

Just received FedEx notification ETA tomorrow. Sweet.

 

[Cold Iron]

I saw this Cordovan care kit at Hanger Project, http://www.hangerproject.com/closet/cordovan-shoeshine-starter-kit.html.

Any thoughts or experience using Deer Bone on your Cordovan? I don't want my vegetarian girlfriend walking in on me stroking my deer bone against shoes. Unnecessarily, anyway.

Just received FedEx notification ETA tomorrow. Sweet.

Congrats! I have come close to getting a deer bone but have always been able to work things out with brushing, a little wax, reno, and did I mention brushing? As far as boning your shoes and your girlfriend catching you, can't help you LOL. But the deer bone is from a stag in Europe and good chance it was raised for food. But then again the horse hide provided for your shoe was likely from Europe also, and the horse was eaten. Of course you don't have to tell her any of this. Now you just need to train her to say all great recipes start with first you cook a pound of bacon.... Pictures of your new shoes when you get them please!

Sad but true. I have total 6+ pairs of shoes that are just a bit too tight around the pinky toe(left shoes only). Some of them I have worn over 10 times, have treated them with leather stretcher and have larger shoe trees on them for months. With little to no improvement. My left pinky toe now has a small corn and it’s a bit painful. Juts wearing my wide fitting shoes for the time being.

For a couple of years I had the same problem with my left foot at the base of my left pinky also. Twice in 2 years had the bunion surgically removed but it kept coming back, I was able to trace it down to my burgundy shell Leeds and old cobbler leather Shelton's (Great picture today coolarrow!)

I was able to use a bunion stretcher with a bunion attachment at the exact trouble spot on the shoe and expand it. It does take some nerve to do, you have to go past where you would think you would. Then over a week or so the bump you created comes back in but not all the way. You can't even tell it has been done on either shoe now. Been at least 3 years since I have had a bunion, it was well worth it.

I used this one- http://www.amazon.com/Professional-...ef=sr_1_5?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1363696979&sr=1-5

 

[Scottyb06]

Distorbiant - I was measured at Nordstroms for a pair of Walnut Strands and came in at an 11.5 D. After trying them on they felt fine all around except for the the width just below the captoe. I realize that they would stretch out a bit, but they still seemed too tight. I've since ordered a "seconds" pair in size 11.5E from the Shoebank. They feel perfect width-wise below the captoe, however, they do feel a bit too roomy near my heel and mid-part of my foot. Perhaps a better move would have been to go for an 11E vs. an 11.5.

For what it's worth I also own a pair of black Hastings in 11.5D (same 5 last as the Strand). They have stretched out a bit and aren't uncomfortable but in retrospect I do wish I would have saved the money and put it toward a better fit - likely an 11E. For my next purchase I'll be going to an AE store to try on different sizes in different lasts.

 

[cdmcallister]



No, I think I'm still going to wait on the Strands. They may end up being my 5th or 6th pair of AEs, but I'm still looking for something else to be my 4th. If I can find a store that carries the Kenilworth and I can nail down the sizing, they may be the ticket.

Just so you can see the difference after applying some care products. This is today after 3 wearings, about 16 hours total, and just a single coat of AE conditioner/cleaner. I probably will apply some AE walnut paste after this wearing. I'll have about 24 hours on them at that point and I'll post a pic after that treatment.

And these were first wear, no product as of then

EDIT: Posted these from phone...Can't really tell the diff btw the pics. The AE conditioner/cleaner darkened them some, but not significantly. It'll be interesting to see how the patina changes in the coming months. Some people have liked the way the bourbon ages and others haven't been as pleased. I plan to alternate walnut polish (recommended by AE) and med brown, tan, black, lt brown polish to really give them some depth and variety.

 

[Winston S.]



What is 5 last, 7 last and 8 last? Sorry if this question is basic.

(Most) shoes are formed on molds that are called lasts. The number designation is what Allen Edmonds call their different lasts. You can read about them here: Allen Edmonds Lasts

Actually got fitted today at a store... What a world of difference! I wear anywhere from an 11 to 11.5 in most shoes, but it turns out I'm just a modest 9.5D in Allen Edmonds

Wow that's a pretty big difference.

I'm not sure; but I hope so. I've only been to the tiny AE store at the back or the Rockefeller Center, and I hope the new store will be much spacious than that.

I've been to the Rockefeller store, the Madison ave store, the prior location for the new store, and you are going to be disappointed unless AE bought out more space than there was there or if they expanded the store into the stockroom. The new store will likely be smaller than the Rockefeller store.

So the heel of my Finch began to separate after owning for about 5 months...AE said no problem, send in and we'll fix. Got them back and noticed that when they sanded the heel it looks like they slipped and gouged into the stitching. I emailed pics to AE and they told me that it is just cosmetic. Would you accept it and move on or try and have them fix it?

Spoiler

I think they should fix the shoe but I don't know if I am being picky... Thanks

IMO if you are sending in shoes to be repaired for a defect, they should not come back worse in any way than they were sent in.

What the hell are you doing to your poor cordovan shoes? They are not supposed to shine like this at all.

IMO, he should be allowed to shine his shoes in any way he wants, they're his shoes. I've seen Alden shells shined the same way and don't think that too many people have any issues with that.

 

[MacktasticGDogg]

So my Web Gem Neumoks arrived today. I ordered a pair in all-football leather and asked the SA to see if the v-tread combination sole could be put on them. He wasn't sure but said he'll request them for me. I wasn't really expecting it to be done, but the arrival today confirmed that he had indeed came through for me on the combination sole. Pretty cool!

I ordered half a size down from my normal AE size of 9D at the recommendation of others in this thread and also from trying regular Neumoks at the store. The regular Neumok at 8.5D seemed very slightly tight width-wise but seemed to fit OK otherwise, and I read that the football leather ones fit slightly larger, so half size down seemed to be the way to go. Now that the shoes are on my feet, 8.5D appears to be the correct call. The "V" is probably a bit further apart than ideal when laced, but the shoe feels like a good fit, and should improve with some breaking in as the football leather is relatively stiff. I'm pleased with how it came out, especially since it only cost $164 with the Soles4Souls donation.

On to a few pics:

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

So the heel of my Finch began to separate after owning for about 5 months...AE said no problem, send in and we'll fix.

Got them back and noticed that when they sanded the heel it looks like they slipped and gouged into the stitching. I emailed pics to AE and they told me that it is just cosmetic.

Would you accept it and move on or try and have them fix it?







I think they should fix the shoe but I don't know if I am being picky...

Thanks

I'd be grateful if that's all they did with the sander when my Fifth Streets went back for heel separation.




After three wearings both heels started separating--one at the sole and the other at the V-Tap. I was told they would just put on new heels, but for some reason they did a full sole "recraft" including the hammer stamp underneath and unfortunately they they put the gash in the upper. Apparently AE originally just though it was "cosmetic" as they just sent them back to me like this.

As far as whether yours is cosmetic or worse, I would think the main criteria would be on whether your shoe is structurally unsound now and much more likely to cause future problems.

i tend to be kind of a sloppy walker and tend to scuff my shoes semi-regularly so I know my shoes will never remain perfect, but I did feel that AE should have called me rather than just send mine back as above as I think what happened to mine were obviously too far over the line. As far as your shoes, if they are still structurally ok, then I think the decision is yours as to where you draw the line as to what is acceptable.

I think what rubs me the wrong way about both of these cases is that AE really shouldn't consider themselves to be in a position to decide that something is "just cosmetic" and then simply send it back to the customer as an acceptable repair. I don't see this as any different than taking your car to a mechanic, and then picking it up with a massive dent or scratch in it, and then when you point it out they say "oh, that's just cosmetic."

I get that there is a risk that is being taken on by both the customer and AE through the recrafting process. If unrepairable damage is done to the shoe during recrafting, someone has to suffer the consequences. There are really two options as far as who bears the burden of risk:

AE has to be extremely careful not to damage the shoe, and if they do then they need to repeat the repair or replace the shoe.

OR

The customer just has to be understanding that something may happen to the shoe and they will wear it anyway when they get it back.

I think it really has to be handled on a case by case basis though. I think frogwash's shoes should be replaced by AE at no charge. That may just be cosemetic, but it will never go away. You will be looking at that sanded off leather for the life of the shoe over the next decade or two. I think Swiper's shoes should have been redone by AE before they even sent them back. That said, you have to pick your poison on sending them back or living with it. I agree that it will most likely not cause any structural problems, as long as most of the stitching is intact. If you send them back to be redone, then you are effectively "burning" one of your recraftings since they can only be expected to undergo 4-5 recraftings before they are done for, because every time the welt is replaced the integrity of the leather upper becomes weaker.