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TweedyProf

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The "Pottery Barn of menswear"
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FTFY (see previous posts)
 

Claghorn

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They are Spanish in origin. I briefly looked into it (I asked RDiaz if he knew of any Spanish shoemakers that use balogna welt...it's not a super common construction method....but he didn't).

I would like to know. I'm quite happy with mine and will get another pair at some point.
 

luv2breformed

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Both are kinda meh for me. I would stick with your original keep list.

I really appreciate your input, SB. Since I already have so many to purge, I will keep these 2 for now. However if they do not see much action, I will purge.
 

New Shoes1

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They are Spanish in origin. I briefly looked into it (I asked RDiaz if he knew of any Spanish shoemakers that use balogna welt...it's not a super common construction method....but he didn't).

I would like to know. I'm quite happy with mine and will get another pair at some point.

Andrew Lock's shoes are also made in Spain by an unknown maker. My brown captoes look and fit similar to Carmina's Rain last, but the quality is not even close to Carmina level. I wonder if they use the same maker?
 

luv2breformed

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Tie purge Wave 1: 117 Ties purged. 41 ties kept.

Did any you like get donated to the fire? Which did I keep that must be torched?



 

luv2breformed

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What does everyone think of Meermin's captoes? Also, I find I keep coming back to meermin for several of the shoes I am looking out for. Are these guys good quality? Compared to AE (the only guys I know)? Given some of the comments, I am hesitant on Loake and Andrew Lock (plus in the photo these ones looked sorta cheap to me). Since I can't afford C&J, I find myself wanting like 3-4 pairs of Meermin. Should I be looking elsewhere?

533_med.jpg
 

mimo

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Meermin has some issues with delivery times and quality control. But they are cheap, and when they are good, they're lovely.

The Andrew Lock ones are also Spanish-made, on a par with AE but with a nicer colour and last shape. I've very please with mine. They're not John Lobbs, but they're both cheap like Meermin, and shipped from within the US, which will make your life easier.

Loake are rock-solid - even the cheaper Indian-made ones, though they sometimes lack the finish of the higher ranges. The one I showed you was the cheapest that wasn't polished/corrected grain, made in the UK. It's just matter of what lasts you like in person.

The Loake vendor I mentioned, Pediwear, has a really excellent service and a lot of makers. They also ship via EMS, which is linked up with USPS, so you won't get stung for courier charges and duties in the US as much as you might with others. Pediwear's website is good too: not so much on form - it's butt-ugly - but on function: fully searchable by what's in stock in your size, and by type, colour, maker etc. It's the little things. Another one in the same category of service and good web info is Herring (www.herringshoes.co.uk) - they normally use DHL or UPS but you can ask them to ship by EMS instead.

N.B. Meermin show everything in stock in every size, which can lead to misunderstandings: when you find your at the end of a Chinese-Spanish logistics chain and you thought you'd have your shoes by the weekend, it can be annoying!
 
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Monkeyface

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Meermin has some issues with delivery times and quality control. But they are cheap, and when they are good, they're lovely.

The Andrew Lock ones are also Spanish-made, on a par with AE but with a nicer colour and last shape. I've very please with mine. They're not John Lobbs, but they're both cheap like Meermin, and shipped from within the US, which will make your life easier.

Loake are rock-solid - even the cheaper Indian-made ones, though they sometimes lack the finish of the higher ranges. The one I showed you was the cheapest that wasn't polished/corrected grain, made in the UK. It's just matter of what lasts you like in person.

The Loake vendor I mentioned, Pediwear, has a really excellent service and a lot of makers. They also ship via EMS, which is linked up with USPS, so you won't get stung for courier charges and duties in the US as much as you might with others. Pediwear's website is good too: not so much on form - it's butt-ugly - but on function: fully searchable by what's in stock in your size, and by type, colour, maker etc. It's the little things. Another one in the same category of service and good web info is Herring (www.herringshoes.co.uk) - they normally use DHL or UPS but you can ask them to ship by EMS instead.

N.B. Meermin show everything in stock in every size, which can lead to misunderstandings: when you find your at the end of a Chinese-Spanish logistics chain and you thought you'd have your shoes by the weekend, it can be annoying!

Send an email asking whether they're in stock. I always do it!
 

mimo

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I sent one on 29 November. Hoping for an answer any time now. :)
 

mimo

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No, their web form. Your idea's better. But I bought other shoes in the mean time!
 

luv2breformed

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Ok, I appreciate the feedback. I don't care WHEN I get them so much, as I have plenty of ill-fitting shoes to get me by for a while. what does everyone think of the following list, then?

533_med.jpg

663_med.jpg

shoes_fall_2012_wingtip_pebblegrain_cognac_3_2048x2048.jpg

559_med.jpg


I also sent an e-mail to Meermin asking if they could do the following in a leather sole. If they can, I think I want them too.

174_med.jpg


I'm still searching for a monk I like. I may come back to the Lock, not sure.
 

mimo

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Ah. Getting into made to order is a different value proposition: only available in the higher grade, plus MTO charge = 125% price increase, for which your options are boundless. I wouldn't put three or four of your five eggs into Meermin's basket. Maybe try one or two on different lasts and see what works for you rather than diving in and buying four.
 

TweedyProf

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L2

You're going to purchase these all at once? Lost track of what the immediate needs are. Why not try one meermin, the one you have the most use for now. Don't go MTO yet. On suede loafers They had a suede carmina loafer at the shoe mart recently for 299, perhaps in your size?

Lots on meermin on the boards. As Mimo notes finishing and QC idsues buy my understanding is that meermin and carmina are related in being run by the same family so meermin has access to the same quality tanneries. MF has a few I think. Die Workwear has a review on PTO.
 

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