Carmina Shoes - Definitive Thread (reviews, advice, sizing, etc...) - official thread.



Braughn said:

I am having trouble deciding between the Carmina Fitzgerald in saddle shell or cognac shell. Both are beautiful. Is the saddle color too light to wear year-round? Which do you prefer?
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6050/6408247665_c775efe417_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6899336107_5f5338c76e_b.jpg

Click to expand...

Leaves said:

Both.

Click to expand...

Both would be good. I'd go for the darker of the two. See the recent multiple posts on the Alden thread about the lack of versatility of whiskey shell.



Kashiwa said:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Both would be good. I'd go for the darker of the two

. See the recent multiple posts on the Alden thread about the lack of versatility of whiskey shell.

Click to expand...

this shouldn't influence anybodys decision. imo.

saddle is the awesomer colour of those two. Whiskey is even better. That orangey colour goes great with denim.

Neither is great for year round wear because...they're shell cordovan.

I assume you're getting these for somewhat casual wear? Get some bucks as an equivalent summer shoe.



ncdobson said:

Navy shell Rain wholecuts. They look dark in artificial light (the right darker than the left), but are much lighter in the sun.




[FLOAT=LEFT] [/FLOAT]

Click to expand...

Love the navy wholecuts.

taxgenius said:

Love the navy wholecuts.

Click to expand...

I've been wearing them for the past 2 days to break them in. I thought that the Rain last was a little too pointy for me at first, but it's growing on me. I think that the navy shell will be even prettier when it lightens.

ncdobson said:

I've been wearing them for the past 2 days to break them in. I thought that the Rain last was a little too pointy for me at first, but it's growing on me. I think that the navy shell will be even prettier when it lightens.

Click to expand...

Isn't Rain more of a square last? Or did you mean that you thought it was too chiseled.

I'm actually considering the Epaulet x Carmina MTO Jodhpurs, but the fact that they're on the Rain last has me stumped, as it looks too square to me.



ncdobson said:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I've been wearing them for the past 2 days to break them in.

I thought that the Rain last was a little too pointy for me at first,

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

but it's growing on me. I think that the navy shell will be even prettier when it lightens.

Click to expand...

fit is all that matters.

diglett said:

Isn't Rain more of a square last? Or did you mean that you thought it was too chiseled.

Click to expand...

That's right; chiseled is what i meant.



Braughn said:

I am having trouble deciding between the Carmina Fitzgerald in saddle shell or cognac shell. Both are beautiful. Is the saddle color too light to wear year-round? Which do you prefer?
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6050/6408247665_c775efe417_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6899336107_5f5338c76e_b.jpg

Click to expand...

i just received my fitzgerald in cognac shell and i have a brogue captoe in saddle shell. here's a quick comparison of the two shell colors:



i think saddle is fine to wear year-round. winters are pretty mild in the bay area, so i'll probably still wear them occasionally (although i tend to wear boots more often in the winter). saddle is a little darker than whiskey and it will darken over time.

that said, cognac is also a beautiful color and will be generally more versatile. you might consider getting the fitzgerald in cognac and a double monk or wingtip boot in saddle.

Thanks for posting that! Hmmm, the cognac is not as dark as I imagined - for some reason, I always thought they would be this colour:



(from http://www.styleforum.net/t/40966/p...l-cordovan-shoes-do-you-have/150#post_2829583)

I think I might be taking the cognac wingtip boot off my list now. (I already have the wingtip boot in saddle shell )

^^ They have light cognac shell and dark cognac shell (or have in the past, although "light cognac" may have been saddle...). And the shade varies by batch.



Gerry Nelson said:

Thanks for posting that!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Hmmm, the cognac is not as dark as I imagined - for some reason, I always thought they would be this colour:



(from http://www.styleforum.net/t/40966/p...l-cordovan-shoes-do-you-have/150#post_2829583)

I think I might be taking the cognac wingtip boot off my list now. (I already have the wingtip boot in saddle shell  )

Click to expand...

agreed. all three are handsome shoes.

To continue with examples of Carmina cognac shell

Hey, I have a couple of quick questions for you Carmina fans.

Does the estore come out with new models often, or is it fairly stagnate?

Also, do the retailers listed ship internationally? I know that Epaulet offers some shoes stateside, but I can really only justify one more pair of shoes for now, and I want to make sure that I know everything that is out there.

I contacted Betty about a month ago asking what boots they had with the half or all rubber soles... She told me that all that they had was on the estore, which is not quite what I am looking for.
Thanks for the help.

Looking for some advice:

Based on pictures and a lot of research, I believe that the Rain last in a size 6 is what I'm looking for. However, I have never tried one on or seen it in person.

What I want is a dark brown punch cap oxford and a dark brown chelsea boot. Both of these would be MTO only. The closest thing available RTW is this.

Should I:

1. Buy the pair of shoes from the e-store, and return it after I verify the fit and design. I would lose out on shipping and return shipping, and it would take up to a month in customs.

2. Get it MTO and sell it on B&S if it doesn't work.