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

[pudman43]



^ don't get that webgem. the less money you have and the fewer shoes you have, the more crucial it is that whatever you get is as versatile as possible. that saddle shoe might be a nice shoe to have as your fifth, tenth, or twentieth pair of shoes, but i would absolutely not recommend getting it as your first pair.

kenilworth: it's kind of a dressy shoe. i personally wouldn't wear it with jeans. i know you said you wanted sleek, but some shoes are too sleek to look good with casual clothes. this is a personal decision.

rapid city: it's pretty casual and would go great with jeans and khakis, but as you said, it's not very sleek.

other good, first timer versatile shoes:

- leeds in anything but black
- dalton in anything but black
- blucher wingtips such as the macneil.
- chukkas (not sure if AE makes them in anything but suede, which you said would be too casual)
- Rawlins in dark brown (it's similar to the Kenilworth but is on the #8 last); only seen it once at Nord Rack, but it's a great looking shoe

things not to get:
- anything black
- anything in a balmoral (aka oxford) style. too dressy. when you need a dress shoe, you'll know it. (possible exception: AE strand in walnut)
- anything that looks fun or eye catching. you want something that you can wear all the time and will just blend in.

+1 for MacNeils. I wear mine (walnut grain) with both slacks AND jeans and out of 9 pairs of AE I own, they are one of my favorite shoes. Love the MacNeil!

 

[BCer]

[/IMG]

I too see no problem dressing up a casual look. Here are my Strands looking like a million bucks after a good polish, then out the next day dressing up some Dockers in a business casual environment (more on the casual side). Also love my natural tan and my grey McTavishes for the same sort of look. Oh and then there's the walnut Dalton's with jeans, Chinos or dress slacks. Anything goes!

 

[Master Squirrel]



I like the webgem (obviously) but what everyone else is telling is practical and good advice. The webgems are great at a great price, however you can probably find a good dress shoe as mentioned by MoneyWellSpent. You're a teacher, so you really don't have to play as many "political" games as someone in the business world does. I see this as a good thing. The saddle oxfords are a "look at me shoe", but only you know if you're cool wearing a shoe like that. I for one am. I have the Finch in this same combination. If you miss out on this webgem, you could certainly look for the Finch from the outlet. Those are from the Rough Collection and look great with khakis and jeans alike. Get what you like. It's not like this will be your last pair of shoes. I have a feeling you'll end 2013 with at least 3 pairs of AE's maybe more

If you are a teacher the saddle shoes are classically academic. While not as versatile, these will work in your rotation.

 

[robbrechter]

Bourbon McAllister is my pick. I understand it may be dressier than you think you need, but it still looks good with jeans and will pair well with any trousers you throw at it (save for black, which you shouldn't be wearing anyway). They stand out a bit because of how nice they are, not because they are bright blue or have contrast stitching, etc. They're classic.

I briefly taught right out of college and I did get much respect from my kids (high school age) initially. They tried taking advantage of me and in hindsight, I probably dressed younger. Given the chance to do it again, I would have differentiated myself as much as possible from the get go. Smart shoes, trousers or dark wash jeans that fit, a shirt, and tweed blazer gives no doubt as to who is in charge in the classroom -- the one who dresses like an adult.

None of this may apply to you and that's fine. It's just my personal experience and frankly, buying AEs is a great first step, regardless of model. Good luck with teaching. You get much respect from me for doing it.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

If you are a teacher the saddle shoes are classically academic. While not as versatile, these will work in your rotation.

Quite true, though I'd go for a solid tan Finch or perhaps the Shelton in this case. I like the color pop versions for what they are, but not as a "first for your career workhorse shoe."

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

[/URL]


I too see no problem dressing up a casual look. Here are my Strands looking like a million bucks after a good polish, then out the next day dressing up some Dockers in a business casual environment (more on the casual side). Also love my natural tan and my grey McTavishes for the same sort of look. Oh and then there's the walnut Dalton's with jeans, Chinos or dress slacks. Anything goes!

I fully agree. Looking good!

 

[calidist]

I would not get that Webgem if you're aiming for versatility.

I thought the Kenilworth is probably the best fit for your purposes, perhaps in the Bourbon or Walnut colors. The AE 5 last is probably one of the sleeker lasts they have, but it's not really that sleek when compared to some shoes made in England or Spain. For instance, the Carmina Forest last is considered one of the less-sleek lasts they have, more suitable for bluchers and boots, but it's shape is pretty similar to the AE 5 last in my opinion.

AE 5 last


Carmina Forest last

+1 on the Kenilworth. I find it to be a highly versatile shoe.

 

[nicedream]



The Leeds only come in black, but the Kenilworth comes in a variety of colours. Maybe you can get lucky and find a factory 2nd.

You can get the Leeds in brown from Lands End:

http://www.landsend.com/pp/mens-allen-edmonds-leeds-plain-toe-blucher-shoe~205635_-1.html

 

[squalidozzi]

Hello all, I posted this initially in another thread and I thought it'd be a good idea to tap into the posters on this thread here.

I'd like some advice as I'm about to graduate from college and enter the working world and would really appreciate your collective knowledge...

Currently, I have a boxy pair of cordovan (the color) blucher Eccos, a pair of black blucher Bostonians (akin to these, without the stitch cap)

and tan Johnston & Murphy loafers.

I tentatively plan on getting two suits MTM from suitsupply (would BB MTM on sale be better?), one mid grey, one navy, and I'd like to get shoes to wear with them, in business casual settings, at night, and with jeans (these are all separate instances). I have two suits now, a charcoal pinstripe RLBL and subtle windowpane Armani Collezioni, neither of which are 100% interview-appropriate.

I was looking at AE shoes, and I thought I would get a pair of brown oxfords to round out my rotation, since I already have a serviceable black shoe (not the most formal, but that will come later). Although I was attracted to the Larchmont and other bluchers at first, now I am most interested the more formal balmorals. I'm leaning towards getting the walnut McAllisters to go with these suits along with the other settings I mentioned. Should I buy a brown Strand first, and as a second get the McTavish or McAllisters in walnut? What about other shoes in the same price range with tasteful brown oxfords?

Thanks for the help

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]

...

And when you do a custom shoe you also get your choice of soles. I went with the natural thinking if I didn't like it easy enough to darken it. And I likely will with chili. I think you should.

 

[mexicutioner]



You can get the Leeds in brown from Lands End:

http://www.landsend.com/pp/mens-allen-edmonds-leeds-plain-toe-blucher-shoe~205635_-1.html

apparently the guys who aren't good enough to get hired as shoe photographers for the AE website get hired at Lands End.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



balmorals are inherently dressy, so any casual balmoral has to add a lot of casual elements to overcome the inherent dressiness. nine times out of ten, that added stuff takes them out of the realm of versatile.

walnut strands are a very light color with tons of broguing. they're quite casual, but they stand out like a mf.

similarly, my natural-colored neumoks go great with jeans, but only because they're made from a very rough-looking leather, which is even more casual than suede.

this is why i said he should stick to bluchers: you can easily find a simple, dark brown blucher that will work with casual clothes. not so with balmorals.

in summary: i didn't mean to imply that there are no casual balmorals. only that it's easier to find a casual, versatile blucher than balmoral.

+1

I literally wear zero pairs of balmorals casually. I have enough blucher models to fill that need. In fairness, I do not buy "casual" balmorals. In the eyes of some (not me), the very phrase is oxymoronic.

 

[patrick_b]

Speaking of Leeds...had these on today.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



Bourbon McAllister is my pick. I understand it may be dressier than you think you need, but it still looks good with jeans and will pair well with any trousers you throw at it (save for black, which you shouldn't be wearing anyway). They stand out a bit because of how nice they are, not because they are bright blue or have contrast stitching, etc. They're classic.

I briefly taught right out of college and I did get much respect from my kids (high school age) initially. They tried taking advantage of me and in hindsight, I probably dressed younger. Given the chance to do it again, I would have differentiated myself as much as possible from the get go. Smart shoes, trousers or dark wash jeans that fit, a shirt, and tweed blazer gives no doubt as to who is in charge in the classroom -- the one who dresses like an adult.

None of this may apply to you and that's fine. It's just my personal experience and frankly, buying AEs is a great first step, regardless of model. Good luck with teaching. You get much respect from me for doing it.

It is a nice shoe, but I personally would never wear them with jeans. But to each their own.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



Speaking of Leeds...had these on today.

Now that is a versatile shoe. Well done.