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

JubeiSpiegel · Dec 16, 2011

sportin_life said:
Anyone receive their Amok yet? How are the shoes?

Check back some pages, someone posted pics when they received their order. Evidently, the online pics look better than the real thing...

Pastor · Dec 16, 2011

Received my Bradley Shells today. $260 (250 + 10 for tax) for first quality shells. This is my first pair of shoes in the 1 last. They fit pretty good. I also have a pair of the wingtip walnut shell boots on order and they are on the same last.

bucksfan · Dec 16, 2011

Awesome! Glad AE stood by their price for you, and glad they fit. In my experience the Bradleys on the 1 last are a bit more snug than other 1 last shoes and boots. This is due to the NST stitching.

Mr. Moo · Dec 16, 2011

Allen Edmonds service is second to none, in my book.

I received a pair of the Bradley shells at the steep discount mentioned by Pastor above, and wore them for a few hours before realizing they did not fit well and actually hurt my toes. I put them up for sale here and also shot an e-mail to AE to see what they can offer, if anything (not expecting much since they were worn). I received an e-mail today telling me to return the shoes for a full refund, accompanied by a pre-paid UPS label. :slayer:

Allen Edmonds is a great company, in my eyes.

Pastor · Dec 16, 2011

Mr. Moo said:
Allen Edmonds service is second to none, in my book.

I received a pair of the Bradley shells at the steep discount mentioned by Pastor above, and wore them for a few hours before realizing they did not fit well and actually hurt my toes. I put them up for sale here and also shot an e-mail to AE to see what they can offer, if anything (not expecting much since they were worn). I received an e-mail today telling me to return the shoes for a full refund, accompanied by a pre-paid UPS label.

Allen Edmonds is a great company, in my eyes.

The ones I got were a 9.5 E as well. I hate they didn't wok for you. Hoping those cordovan dalton boots fit just as good.

clarksdb · Dec 17, 2011

Okay so I went out and exchanged the generic brand brown leather shoe cream for AE walnut shoe polish. But now I am concerned after searching about the differences between shoe cream and polish. Will polish make my shoes too shiny where they wont look good with jeans (i'll mostly be wearing my strands with jeans)? Do I need to make another exchange for the shoe cream? Or can I just use the polish sparingly to avoid getting it too shiny? What to do?

brokencycle · Dec 17, 2011

clarksdb said:
Okay so I went out and exchanged the generic brand brown leather shoe cream for AE walnut shoe polish. But now I am concerned after searching about the differences between shoe cream and polish. Will polish make my shoes too shiny where they wont look good with jeans (i'll mostly be wearing my strands with jeans)? Do I need to make another exchange for the shoe cream? Or can I just use the polish sparingly to avoid getting it too shiny? What to do?

I use normal polish and they don't get super shiny. The brown may change the color of your shoes slightly.

clarksdb · Dec 17, 2011

Yep I returned the brown for AE walnut shoe polish. Just now confused if im better off with a walnut shoe cream or shoe polish? How much more shiny do shoes get with shoe polish as opposed to shoe cream?

brokencycle · Dec 17, 2011

clarksdb said:
Yep I returned the brown for AE walnut shoe polish. Just now confused if im better off with a walnut shoe cream or shoe polish? How much more shiny do shoes get with shoe polish as opposed to shoe cream?

I've never used the cream - only the wax based polish. All I can tell you, is, with the wax, I can get anything from a mirror shine down to just a very low shine.

g.michael · Dec 17, 2011

I am really enjoying my Bayfields. They took very little breaking in and have turned out to be more comfortable and well fitting than I had imagined. The chromexcel is fantastic stuff.

dieselman89 · Dec 17, 2011

clarksdb said:
How much space should an AE shoe have length wise? My foot isnt really slipping but there is some room. Is this fine or should it be a snug fit?

You will need to do a few things, 1. go to an experienced shoeman and get your foot measured for length and width i.e. 11D, 10.5E.... AE makes theirs shoes based on widths which is very important. 2. AE also makes shoes on different "lasts" which basically means some of the shoes are more snug than others since the shape is of the shoe different. You will need to find a last that works for you. I suggest visiting Nordstrom if you want to see AE shoes.

dieselman89 · Dec 17, 2011

Testudo_Aubreii said:
I keep looking at that Cambridge/McAllister predecessor, the Broadstreet, on p. 40 of the 1965 AE catalogue: http://issuu.com/allenedmonds/docs/1965-catalog

I think it can't be the same last as the 5 last, which the Cambridge and McAllister are on. The forefoot of the Broadstreet's last looks seriously narrow, narrower than the 5 last. Men with large pinky or ring toes could not wear that shoe.

Wouldn't it be great to get our hands on the 1965 Alden catalogue and the 1965 Johnston & Murphy catalogue and compare? I'll bet we'd find that AE and J&M's beat Alden on bolder shoes with decoration: wingtips and the like. Alden would probably have been better in sober city shoes.

As for all the sharkskin shoes in the 1965 AE catalogue: that vintage shoes website in Germany has some AE sharkskins for sale:
http://www.classicshoesformen.com/manufacturers/allen-edmonds
Check out the sharkskin spectator longwing blucher!

(Doesn't look much like sharkskin suiting fabric, does it?)

Very cool catalog, the Fifth Ave. look very similar.

Karl_in_Chicago · Dec 17, 2011

g.michael said:
I am really enjoying my Bayfields. They took very little breaking in and have turned out to be more comfortable and well fitting than I had imagined. The chromexcel is fantastic stuff.

Agreed. They were really comfortable right out of the box and continue to be so. No problem with wearing them for 16+ hours, very easy to care for (that CXL is great), and they look great (IMO).

g.michael · Dec 17, 2011

Testudo_Aubreii said:
I keep looking at that Cambridge/McAllister predecessor, the Broadstreet, on p. 40 of the 1965 AE catalogue: http://issuu.com/allenedmonds/docs/1965-catalog
I think it can't be the same last as the 5 last, which the Cambridge and McAllister are on. The forefoot of the Broadstreet's last looks seriously narrow, narrower than the 5 last. Men with large pinky or ring toes could not wear that shoe.
Wouldn't it be great to get our hands on the 1965 Alden catalogue and the 1965 Johnston & Murphy catalogue and compare? I'll bet we'd find that AE and J&M's beat Alden on bolder shoes with decoration: wingtips and the like. Alden would probably have been better in sober city shoes.
As for all the sharkskin shoes in the 1965 AE catalogue: that vintage shoes website in Germany has some AE sharkskins for sale:
http://www.classicshoesformen.com/manufacturers/allen-edmonds
Check out the sharkskin spectator longwing blucher!
(Doesn't look much like sharkskin suiting fabric, does it?)

The finishing on the shoes you pointed out are far above today's models--I assume it is due to cost but it is somewhat sad to see such cool specimens from 50 years ago and realize you can't get it today from the same maker. At least AE and Alden are still around but today's finishing (from both makers), although very wearable lacks the panache from back then to some extent. It would be interesting to see Aldens from back then. J&M made some fine specimens as well--you can see them pop up on ebay from time to time and they are stunning.

blsing · Dec 18, 2011

What are people's opinions on wholecuts? They seem to be more of an "old school" shoe, but have a very simple, yet elegant look to them.

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

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