Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread

post #14401 of 22006

1/12/13 at 8:25pm

sn0wman

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I've got a few pair of Allen Edmonds and most are easy to find polish for (Merlot, Black, etc...)

Recently picked up a pair of Sanfords in oak (5267) but I can't find oak polish at the AE shoe care website, nor anywhere else. Do people use Natural on these? Walnut?

Thanks,

-sn0wman

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post #14402 of 22006

1/12/13 at 9:01pm

gsm1

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Everett

Assuming the size and feel of the fit is correct ---Flat feet Badandy -- I have the same problem to varing degrees on most of my shoes. Recently bought a pair of Mayfairs that have about same gaping as yours ( my 5ths and strands { also in 5 last } aren't as bad ). Went back to the AE store and tried on another pair, same. Then tried on a pair of Kenilworths ( same shoe except for the patent leather ), same. Store manager ( who I always BS with ) was telling me, it's because half of us who live in Florida have flat feet, live in flip-flops and sandals most of the time. What happens is that, when the weight goes down, your arch flattens down and the bottom of foot flattens out. causing spred at bottom of foot. I've tried all the arch pads in the stores NFG.

Roger

I have noticed that this bulging is very common to AE shoes and is to some degree inherent in how they are constructed. Take a new AE shoe and put in a flat surface and look at it from the side. You will see that the heel does not come down flat on the surface, but rather the back edge of the heel makes contact with the surface but the front end of the heel does not. Since the shoe does not have a steel shank, when you apply pressure from standing the heel will flatten out. That forces the front of the heel down and that exerts lateral pressure on the throat of the shoe, causing bowing. As the shoe is worn in, the back edge of the heel wears down and the heel begins to sit on a flat surface. That causes the bowing to go away. this has been my experience on several pairs of AE, especially those on the five last. It has also been true on my shell leeds, but is far more noticeable on balmoral style shoes.

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post #14403 of 22006

1/13/13 at 5:39am

Buddy0329

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Hello everyone.

I would love to hear your recommendations about adding to my collection of Allen Edmonds. I have a nice collection of shoes that I can rotate in and out of for work but I am pretty concentrated in terms of types of shoes (balmorals) and would not mind something different (for me at least) just to diversify my shoe collection. I recently purchased a pair of black Mctavish's which I just wore for the first time with jeans on casual Friday and quite liked the look. They are my first pair of wingtips ever and it took me some courage to commit to them since I had never worn a pair before.

Our office wear is business casual which for me usually means wool trousers, occasionally but rarely khakis or chinos. Dress shirt, but no tie or jacket. Friday's is purely a denim day for me.

Current collection:

Clifton: Black, & Burgundy

Strands: Walnut, & Dark Brown

Park Ave: Black, & Brown Antibes (the latter are out of circulation currently since they need to be re-soled)

Mctavish: Black

Is a Blucher the way to go? I use to have a pair of burgundy Cole Haan Caldwells several years ago which looked really sharp when new ,but unfortunately the quality of the leather was so poor that almost immdeiately the leather developed the worst creases I had ever seen and they became so uncomfortable I simply tossed them. Luckily I paid no more than $100 at Nordstrom during a sale. Is the Leeds an AE equivalent? Recommended?

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post #14404 of 22006

1/13/13 at 6:01am

msulinski

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Buddy0329

Hello everyone.

I would love to hear your recommendations about adding to my collection of Allen Edmonds. I have a nice collection of shoes that I can rotate in and out of for work but I am pretty concentrated in terms of types of shoes (balmorals) and would not mind something different (for me at least) just to diversify my shoe collection. I recently purchased a pair of black Mctavish's which I just wore for the first time with jeans on casual Friday and quite liked the look. They are my first pair of wingtips ever and it took me some courage to commit to them since I had never worn a pair before.

Our office wear is business casual which for me usually means wool trousers, occasionally but rarely khakis or chinos. Dress shirt, but no tie or jacket. Friday's is purely a denim day for me.

Current collection:

Clifton: Black, & Burgundy

Strands: Walnut, & Dark Brown

Park Ave: Black, & Brown Antibes (the latter are out of circulation currently since they need to be re-soled)

Mctavish: Black

Is a Blucher the way to go? I use to have a pair of burgundy Cole Haan Caldwells several years ago which looked really sharp when new ,but unfortunately the quality of the leather was so poor that almost immdeiately the leather developed the worst creases I had ever seen and they became so uncomfortable I simply tossed them. Luckily I paid no more than $100 at Nordstrom during a sale. Is the Leeds an AE equivalent? Recommended?

Since you don't wear suits, I recommend a blucher or loafer. Isn't the Clifton a blucher?

My top recommendations would be the Delray in chili or the Patriot in merlot (get shell if the price is ok with you). The Leeds works too.

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post #14405 of 22006

1/13/13 at 6:03am

patrick_b

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ckprax

I got the neutral McTavish and Cordovan MacNeil seconds I ordered last week.

MacNeil

I much prefer the new, darker shade of burgundy. Mine are the old shade. I still like and wear them but if I had to choose it'd be the new version. Your collection looks great.

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post #14406 of 22006

1/13/13 at 6:57am

Buddy0329

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Quote:

Originally Posted by msulinski

Since you don't wear suits, I recommend a blucher or loafer. Isn't the Clifton a blucher?

My top recommendations would be the Delray in chili or the Patriot in merlot (get shell if the price is ok with you). The Leeds works too.

I've tried on the LaSalle's previously which I believe are very similar to the Delray you recommended, however when I put them on they looked like clown shoes on my feet. Way too large / too much volume, etc.

I've never been comfortable with loafers which is why I do not own any. My comfort zone is definitely with oxfords.

The cordovan burgundy Macneils just posted look quite attractive to me. The Leeds and Macneil look almost like sister shoes but are on different lasts. How would these differ from the 5 last shoes I am most familiar and comfortable? All of my AE's are 11.5D save for the Mctavish which are 11D.

How would you judge the versatility of Macneil versus Leeds? When would one be appropriate to wear that the other would not? As for Cordovan, is it true that they would be uncomfortable to wear in summer?

Bradley's may also fit the bill. I had a pair of Bostonian split toe bluchers from their Italian cobbler collection a few years back. Those were very versatile, comfortable, and handsome shoes. The Bradley appears to be very similar but not as sleek as I remember those shoes being.
Edited by Buddy0329 - 1/13/13 at 7:31am

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post #14407 of 22006

1/13/13 at 1:27pm

Snorkel

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Hi gang,

can you ID my AEs? I can't for the life of me find their name.

Many thanks

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post #14408 of 22006

1/13/13 at 2:21pm

lostron

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Those cordovan shoes look amazing!

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post #14409 of 22006

1/13/13 at 2:36pm

coolarrow

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Snorkel

Hi gang,

can you ID my AEs? I can't for the life of me find their name.

Many thanks

AE Drydens. Me likes nod[1].gif

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post #14410 of 22006

1/13/13 at 2:55pm

Skwalihd

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Going to get some AE's and was thinking about the tap sole. http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF5616_1_40000000001_-1

Has anyone got these before, should I just stick with leather?

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post #14411 of 22006

1/13/13 at 3:04pm

pennzi12

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Big Sur

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post #14412 of 22006

1/13/13 at 3:28pm

ElDave

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Does anyone have real life pictures of the grey cloud finish?

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post #14413 of 22006

1/13/13 at 3:49pm

BakerStreet

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So glad I found this site. I've been reading the forums for the past few months...trying to gleam information. This thread has been particularly helpful. After reading about AEs, I decided to buy a couple a few weeks ago (I thrifted them) - a plain toe lace up and a loafer. Very, very happy with them. No more Kenneth Coles and Alfanis for me. Thanks everyone!

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post #14414 of 22006

1/13/13 at 6:18pm