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

[rydenfan]

A shell Portland would probably be $695 which is getting dangerously close (if not higher in some cases) than Alden shell. I have 5 shell shoes made by Allen Edmonds and 5 made by Alden and the Alden shell is finished a little nicer. If the price was not an issue then I would probably go with the Alden version in #8 shell which can be had for $701 at The Shoe Mart.

Pastor,

I hear what you are saying but have a slightly different point of view. I think the two finishes are ultimately very close to one another. I do agree out of the box that the Alden is of slightly higher finish but with some work the AE is nearly identical. I personally would never buy AE burgundy cordovan as I much prefer Alden's #8. However, AE provides me the ability to order in two different brown cordovans (something nearly impossible from Alden) and also my exact choice of welt, sole etc. Ultimately I prefer my Aldens by a very slight margin but it is very, very close.

 

[chinngiskhaan]

Does this put to rest any doubt that Paul Grangard and AE read this thread? We all salivated over this boot. The boot subsequently gets pulled. A few days later it appears at the higher price.

Now, with regard to those suede strands, they are awful, ugly, an abomination. I don't think AE could give them away. They need to go immediately to the clearance line for $99 per pair.


I can see them as a casual shoe. I was somewhat perplexed by the fact they were on the dress shoe page right next to the strands and on the 1 last. You also have to keep in mind I'm not a fan of the Leeds.

yes indeed... they are COMPLETE GARBAGE, and must be sent to the clearance line ASAP! I just might be willing to spend 99$ on a pair... maybe.

 

[DJTraveler]

Seeing the Dalton on the list of seconds in a color other than walnut is odd. I would be all over those chocolates for $199. I got the list yesterday and they only have walnut in my size. Also, I picked up a pair of burgundy shell Daltons a couple months back for I think around $360. Not bad for a retail $699 boot. I would say anything under $400 for a second in a shell Dalton boot is a great price. If you can swing it, I would get on both of those.

I picked up bourbon Dalton 2nds for $199 with this current sale. It appears the $199 price for calf is not limited to walnut.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Does this put to rest any doubt that Paul Grangard and AE read this thread? We all salivated over this boot. The boot subsequently gets pulled. A few days later it appears at the higher price.

Now, with regard to those suede strands, they are awful, ugly, an abomination. I don't think AE could give them away. They need to go immediately to the clearance line for $99 per pair.


I can see them as a casual shoe. I was somewhat perplexed by the fact they were on the dress shoe page right next to the strands and on the 1 last. You also have to keep in mind I'm not a fan of the Leeds.

I'm surprised you feel that strongly about the suede Strand. I have no plans to order them, and I have actually never owned a pair of suede shoes. The Fullerton does strike me as something I'd wear, but even it will probably just be something I enjoy looking at pictures of rather than wearing, unless I can't say no to a sale down the road (or when they go on clearance a year from now). That said, I thought there was a pretty large outcry for AE to make the Strand in suede, no?

 

[Aidan K]

Looks like most people gets crease on the wing with dalton. Dalton toe box is soft thus this creasing on the toe box.

Yep, looks that way.

 

[OlafG]

I picked up bourbon Dalton 2nds for $199 with this current sale. It appears the $199 price for calf is not limited to walnut.

Yeah, that's what I figured too. The calf Daltons for $199 is roughly 50% off and the shell Daltons for $440 is 37% off. Both are pretty good deals. Guys. Please help me out here. I'm tempted to go with shell.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

yes indeed... they are COMPLETE GARBAGE, and must be sent to the clearance line ASAP! I just might be willing to spend 99$ on a pair... maybe.

My immediate issue with them wasn't the suede. I don't like the sole. If I were ever to consider them, I'd want a solid leather sole. I think the Butyl leather sole would compliment the tone of the suede well. Also, some disagreed with me, but the pictures definitely indicate a foam insole based on the wrinkled appearance. I realize that some of AE's photos are misleading, and don't portray reality, but for me the jury is out on this one until I see it in person or someone confirms that they are the solid leather insoles (despite what one of the AE customer service people said online). I shy away from the Poron and foam insoles as much as possible.

 

[Pastor]



Pastor, 

I hear what you are saying but have a slightly different point of view. I think the two finishes are ultimately very close to one another. I do agree out of the box that the Alden is of slightly higher finish but with some work the AE is nearly identical. I personally would never buy AE burgundy cordovan as I much prefer Alden's #8. However, AE provides me the ability to order in two different brown cordovans (something nearly impossible from Alden) and also my exact choice of welt, sole etc. Ultimately I prefer my Aldens by a very slight margin but it is very, very close.

For me AE has the edge in a few categories. Price is the biggest. I went with the AE patriots in burgundy shell and brown shell over the Alden LHS. The reason was primarily price. I got both pair (as seconds) for what I would have paid for one pair of Aldens. Plus you can't even get Alden cigar right now. The other area where I like AE is with their non traditional colors. I have the Daltons in walnut shell and the Dundees in cappuccino shell. While these colors may be soon gone from AE I liked them and picked them up (at full retail) because of their uniqueness. If, in the future, all AE offers in shell is black, burgundy and the occasional brown then Alden will probably be the better value unless you can get AE's on sale.

For me Alden makes a great casual shoe/boot and all my Aldens are worn with casual dress. AE excels in dressier situations which for me is most of the time. Let's face it, $700 for shoes/boots is expensive and the quality/value is not there at that price point. For another $100 I can get Carmina Shell or even Vass calf which both of these are far higher quality than anything AE or Alden makes. I've even seen some Edward Green shoes on sale at the $850 price point.

The greatest strength that I see in AE is that their prices are low compared to other brands. If this changes then they will lose their appeal. $345 (the current price of calf models) is higher than what most people will pay for shoes but that price is at least attainable. I know i've personally turned 5-6 guys to AE who would have never paid that kind of price without some prompting and pushing from me. Now that they have tried AE they will be customers for life unless the prices continue to sneak up. If that happens they will probably move to other brands. AE has a great niche in the market between lesser quality brands such as Cole Haan, Johntson and Murphy, Kenneth Cole and higher quality brands such as Crockett and Jones and Carmina. In my opinion AE needs to stay in that niche and if on occasion they can offer something unique (like they did with the walnut and cappuccino webgems) then all the better.

 

[poena]

my new strands are creasing in front of the captoe on just the left shoe... :-/

 

[OptoDoc]

Thank you, sir. I'd love to see real life pics of this and the brogue suede Strand in comparison.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

For me AE has the edge in a few categories. Price is the biggest. I went with the AE patriots in burgundy shell and brown shell over the Alden LHS. The reason was primarily price. I got both pair (as seconds) for what I would have paid for one pair of Aldens. Plus you can't even get Alden cigar right now. The other area where I like AE is with their non traditional colors. I have the Daltons in walnut shell and the Dundees in cappuccino shell. While these colors may be soon gone from AE I liked them and picked them up (at full retail) because of their uniqueness. If, in the future, all AE offers in shell is black, burgundy and the occasional brown then Alden will probably be the better value unless you can get AE's on sale.

For me Alden makes a great casual shoe/boot and all my Aldens are worn with casual dress. AE excels in dressier situations which for me is most of the time. Let's face it, $700 for shoes/boots is expensive and the quality/value is not there at that price point. For another $100 I can get Carmina Shell or even Vass calf which both of these are far higher quality than anything AE or Alden makes. I've even seen some Edward Green shoes on sale at the $850 price point.

The greatest strength that I see in AE is that their prices are low compared to other brands. If this changes then they will lose their appeal. $345 (the current price of calf models) is higher than what most people will pay for shoes but that price is at least attainable. I know i've personally turned 5-6 guys to AE who would have never paid that kind of price without some prompting and pushing from me. Now that they have tried AE they will be customers for life unless the prices continue to sneak up. If that happens they will probably move to other brands. AE has a great niche in the market between lesser quality brands such as Cole Haan, Johntson and Murphy, Kenneth Cole and higher quality brands such as Crockett and Jones and Carmina. In my opinion AE needs to stay in that niche and if on occasion they can offer something unique (like they did with the walnut and cappuccino webgems) then all the better.

Well said. I think AE is fully aware of this niche that they have created which is largely due to their price point. I'd be surprised if it ever significantly changes. I am sure prices will inevitably sneak up, but the prices of the other brands will likely sneak up accordingly. Thus, the niche will likely still exist.

 

[OptoDoc]

Thanks for the advice, the answer from the AE store was actually that the 1 last was wider than the 5 which confused me a little.

and then comes the opposite answer from subutai, im sad now.

edit : subutai's answer does confirm the AE salesman's affirmation but is the opposite of what people have been saying before.

Just to add my .02, I'm an 8E in the 5 and an 8.5D in the 1. I probably could have even gone with a 9 in the 1 if that was my only option.

To me the 1 last definitely fits wider than the 5.

 

[New Shoes1]

Well said. I think AE is fully aware of this niche that they have created which is largely due to their price point. I'd be surprised if it ever significantly changes. I am sure prices will inevitably sneak up, but the prices of the other brands will likely sneak up accordingly. Thus, the niche will likely still exist.

The other difference is that AE is frequently putting its models on sale for 25-33% off, so very few people are actually paying $345 plus tax for a pair of calfskin AE's. As I can get Carmina for $400 shipped, I'd be hard pressed to pay $350 plus tax for AE.

 

[New Shoes1]

I'm surprised you feel that strongly about the suede Strand. I have no plans to order them, and I have actually never owned a pair of suede shoes. The Fullerton does strike me as something I'd wear, but even it will probably just be something I enjoy looking at pictures of rather than wearing, unless I can't say no to a sale down the road (or when they go on clearance a year from now). That said, I thought there was a pretty large outcry for AE to make the Strand in suede, no?

My tongue was firmly planted in my cheek on this one. I think I may pick up the suede Strand this Fall.

My immediate issue with them wasn't the suede. I don't like the sole. If I were ever to consider them, I'd want a solid leather sole. I think the Butyl leather sole would compliment the tone of the suede well. Also, some disagreed with me, but the pictures definitely indicate a foam insole based on the wrinkled appearance. I realize that some of AE's photos are misleading, and don't portray reality, but for me the jury is out on this one until I see it in person or someone confirms that they are the solid leather insoles (despite what one of the AE customer service people said online). I shy away from the Poron and foam insoles as much as possible.

I actually really like the danite sole for this one. I intend to wear them as a versatile shoe (jeans on occasion, with slacks and with flannels and a cashmere blazer), so I think it fits nicely with this versatility as well as the theory that suede is a great rainy day shoe.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

The other difference is that AE is frequently putting its models on sale for 25-33% off, so very few people are actually paying $345 plus tax for a pair of calfskin AE's. As I can get Carmina for $400 shipped, I'd be hard pressed to pay $350 plus tax for AE.

Quite true.