Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - Page 683

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldManMachine 

 

@ jch1 - What is it with the 5th avenue cap that you don't like? I'm planning to purchase my first quality shoe and was hoping to go with the 5th avenues. Please chime in with your thoughts and experience. Are you implying that they look short and stumpy?

 

 

 

@ New Shoes1 - what is it that you solved in the photo? I'm a shoe noob, so not quite sure what it was that you did.

Some people (myself included) feel that the toe cap line on the Park Avenues and Fifth Avenues is too far from the laces and too close to the toe, making the toe appear stubby and not sleek.  Compare the toe line on the Park Avenue below with the one on the brown shoes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Shoes1 

 

Some people (myself included) feel that the toe cap line on the Park Avenues and Fifth Avenues is too far from the laces and too close to the toe, making the toe appear stubby and not sleek.  Compare the toe line on the Park Avenue below with the one on the brown shoes.

 

 

 

 

Oh man, that makes a lot of sense. Sometimes when I look at photos from other owners, the park avenues look kind of sleek, streamlined, and slender. Other times, some photos such as the ones on AE's website makes the park avenues look stubby and short.

I'm glad I saw your post before I purchased a pair. Now, I'll have to research and find alternatives for a balmoral captoe in black for conservative wear to work. I kind of had my heart set on the AE Park Avenues since they're highly raved as a good foundational pair of shoes. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to the AE PA? What are the brown ones that you are wearing?

I would like Kent Wang's benchgrade captoe balmorals, but they only come in brown or light brown. The black are only available with the plaintoe balmorals.

EDIT:

What shoes are those that you are wearing in that photo from the "tailor's fit" thread?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldManMachine 

 

Oh man, that makes a lot of sense. Sometimes when I look at photos from other owners, the park avenues look kind of sleek, streamlined, and slender. Other times, some photos such as the ones on AE's website makes the park avenues look stubby and short.

 

I'm glad I saw your post before I purchased a pair. Now, I'll have to research and find alternatives for a balmoral captoe in black for conservative wear to work. I kind of had my heart set on the AE Park Avenues since they're highly raved as a good foundational pair of shoes. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to the AE PA? What are the brown ones that you are wearing?

 

I would like Kent Wang's benchgrade captoe balmorals, but they only come in brown or light brown. The black are only available with the plaintoe balmorals.

 

 

EDIT:

 

 

What shoes are those that you are wearing in that photo from the "tailor's fit" thread?

check out the AE Rutledge

Exactly what New Shoes stated- the fact that the cap is so far from the laces makes the shoe look stumpy (I didn't want to say that initially so as to not offend anyone!) even with my sz 11.5D foot. Compared to the Strand, which has a "longer" cap section, it becomes more noticeable.  This isn't to say the fifth ave isn't a nice shoe, they just don't look quite right for me.  I'm going to see if I can exchange (worn once) for a pair of Hampton, Rutledge, Jefferson, or Harrison (obviously having to pay the difference).  

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Shoes1 

 

Some people (myself included) feel that the toe cap line on the Park Avenues and Fifth Avenues is too far from the laces and too close to the toe, making the toe appear stubby and not sleek.  Compare the toe line on the Park Avenue below with the one on the brown shoes.

 

 

 

 

This is the exact reason why I love the discontinued AE Soho's.  My favorite AE captoe.  They got the cap toe line placement perfect on that one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gooter 

check out the AE Rutledge

The AE Rutledge looks very nice, but from the photos on AE's website, it's still a bit hard to determine if the cap is longer than the AE PA's / 5th Ave. Do you personally notice the difference, giving a longer & sleeker look?

Also, would the black rutledge be considered conservative enough to be appropriate for work?

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldManMachine 

The AE Rutledge looks very nice, but from the photos on AE's website, it's still a bit hard to determine if the cap is longer than the AE PA's / 5th Ave. Do you personally notice the difference, giving a longer & sleeker look?

 

Also, would the black rutledge be considered conservative enough to be appropriate for work?

I find that it has nicer proportions than the PA's, but keep in mind the shoe is a different shape entirely. And yes, they are work appropriate. 

Edit: I realize the pictures arent very good, and certainly dont show the proportions of the shoe very well, but its all I've got

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldManMachine 

The AE Rutledge looks very nice, but from the photos on AE's website, it's still a bit hard to determine if the cap is longer than the AE PA's / 5th Ave. Do you personally notice the difference, giving a longer & sleeker look?

 

Also, would the black rutledge be considered conservative enough to be appropriate for work?

I tried on a pair in black and own the PA's it is definitely a sleeker shoe with a longer cap. The 333 last is not as round as the 5 and looks more European. I am very seriously considering buying a pair in burnished brown. While slightly less conservative than the PA I wouldn't hesitate to wear them to the office.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gooter 

I find that it has nicer proportions than the PA's, but keep in mind the shoe is a different shape entirely. And yes, they are work appropriate. 

 

 

Edit: I realize the pictures arent very good, and certainly dont show the proportions of the shoe very well, but its all I've got

 

 

@ gooter - I'm on AE's website and I'm flipping back and forth on my browser between the AE PA and the AE Rutledge. From those photos alone, I do notice that the Rutledge has a more slender look compared to the PA and I find the perforations give it a really nice look. Thanks for the suggestion! P.S is yours the brown burnished calf or the walnut burnished calf?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sevenfoldtieguy 


Yes - without any doubt whatsoever.

Looks like I'll have to save a bit more money and purchase myself a pair of the black rutledge!! This will be my first pair of nice quality shoe for work while actually putting some thought into it. My first few pairs of shoes while in college were blocky / chunky captoe dockers, pair of Ecco laceless slip on, and now a pair of Alfani.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mexicutioner 

^ what are the brown shoes pictured?

SF member Andrew Lock has a new shoe company.  These are his benchgrade cap toes, which are $225 shipped.  About on the same level as AE quality wise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldManMachine 

 

Oh man, that makes a lot of sense. Sometimes when I look at photos from other owners, the park avenues look kind of sleek, streamlined, and slender. Other times, some photos such as the ones on AE's website makes the park avenues look stubby and short.

 

I'm glad I saw your post before I purchased a pair. Now, I'll have to research and find alternatives for a balmoral captoe in black for conservative wear to work. I kind of had my heart set on the AE Park Avenues since they're highly raved as a good foundational pair of shoes. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to the AE PA? What are the brown ones that you are wearing?

 

I would like Kent Wang's benchgrade captoe balmorals, but they only come in brown or light brown. The black are only available with the plaintoe balmorals.

 

 

EDIT:

 

What shoes are those that you are wearing in that photo from the "tailor's fit" thread?

Not everyone agrees with me, so make your own decision on what you like.  I also have a pair of Park Avenues (and will keep them because they are a good shoe), but the toe cap bothered me enough that I bought the pair in the picture you posted.  The shoes in the picture are C&J Belgraves:

As mentioned above, the brown shoes are from SF member Andrew Lock's new benchgrade line.  Very pleased with them.  http://andrewlockshoes.com/products/389994-the-brown-oxford