Business Casual Shoe

I'm a recent college grad about to start my career in public accounting. I work in a business casual environment, with stress on the "business", i.e. wool pants and dress shirts, no jackets or ties, but no khakis either. I have the AE Park Ave for formal occasions.

For everyday business casual, I have a pair of black AE Presidio loafers and am looking to add one more pair of AE's, preferably in brown. I am looking at the Fifth Ave, the Lexington and the Kenilworth. However, I am concerned about quality issues I've read about the Lexington and Kenilworth. Also, I'm not sure if the 5th avenue in brown would be too formal for business casual. Any recommendations on my second business casual shoe? I've been recommended the Strand but being that this would be my 2nd business casual shoe, I'm not sure if the Strand would be too noticeable to wear 2-3 times a week.

Sorry for the duplicate question but it got skipped over a little in the AE Appreciation thread..



george325 said:

I'm a recent college grad about to start my career in public accounting. I work in a business casual environment, with stress on the "business", i.e. wool pants and dress shirts, no jackets or ties, but no khakis either. I have the AE Park Ave for formal occasions.

For everyday business casual, I have a pair of black AE Presidio loafers and am looking to add one more pair of AE's, preferably in brown. I am looking at the Fifth Ave, the Lexington and the Kenilworth. However, I am concerned about quality issues I've read about the Lexington and Kenilworth. Also, I'm not sure if the 5th avenue in brown would be too formal for business casual. Any recommendations on my second business casual shoe? I've been recommended the Strand but being that this would be my 2nd business casual shoe, I'm not sure if the Strand would be too noticeable to wear 2-3 times a week. 

Sorry for the duplicate question but it got skipped over a little in the AE Appreciation thread..

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The AE Appreciate thread moves quickly but there are lots of posts like yours.

I work in the same environment. I can't imagine ever wearing black loafers so you're stuck with black Park Ave, which you can wear occasionally. If you had to stretch it out and have lots of grey/charcoal trousers you could do even 3x/week.

You're obviously on a budget (nothing wrong with that!) so I'd be hitting up the Shoebank during the current sale. If you can spend $300 do two shoes. If you want one $300 shoe, a seconds brown Jefferson.

The shoes I wear the most are a Bourbon McAllister and a Walnut Strand. The walnut Strand is not versatile and it is a bit loud, but that's my personality. I wear my Chili Park Avenues a lot as well but that's more the chili and less the Park Avenue.

I bought a walnut Clifton and a bourbon Kenilworth (as well as shell Dalton and brown Shaker Heights) from the Shoebank. The combined price of the Clifton and Kenilworth were a bit above $300, and that's the option I'd recommend. I'll wear my Shaker Heights to work as well without thinking twice but it's on the casual side of business casual.

My merlot and bourbon McAllisters have the partial rubber sole so they double as a foul-weather shoe, which is a huge bonus as you'll wear out the leather in no time.

I'm not sure what quality issues you're referencing, I haven't seen anything of the sort. The Kenilworths are terrible to fit, my PA is 10.5D and Kenilworth is 10E for me despite them being on the same last. Clifton fit like a glove.

The Lexington is a solid deal for firsts, terrible deal for seconds at the moment.

Denton said:

The AE Appreciate thread moves quickly but there are lots of posts like yours.

I work in the same environment. I can't imagine ever wearing black loafers so you're stuck with black Park Ave, which you can wear occasionally. If you had to stretch it out and have lots of grey/charcoal trousers you could do even 3x/week.

You're obviously on a budget (nothing wrong with that!) so I'd be hitting up the Shoebank during the current sale. If you can spend $300 do two shoes. If you want one $300 shoe, a seconds brown Jefferson.

The shoes I wear the most are a Bourbon McAllister and a Walnut Strand. The walnut Strand is not versatile and it is a bit loud, but that's my personality. I wear my Chili Park Avenues a lot as well but that's more the chili and less the Park Avenue.

I bought a walnut Clifton and a bourbon Kenilworth (as well as shell Dalton and brown Shaker Heights) from the Shoebank. The combined price of the Clifton and Kenilworth were a bit above $300, and that's the option I'd recommend. I'll wear my Shaker Heights to work as well without thinking twice but it's on the casual side of business casual.

My merlot and bourbon McAllisters have the partial rubber sole so they double as a foul-weather shoe, which is a huge bonus as you'll wear out the leather in no time.

I'm not sure what quality issues you're referencing, I haven't seen anything of the sort. The Kenilworths are terrible to fit, my PA is 10.5D and Kenilworth is 10E for me despite them being on the same last. Clifton fit like a glove.

The Lexington is a solid deal for firsts, terrible deal for seconds at the moment.

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Funny you mention the Kenilworth because I just returned a pair due to the fit. I am a 10.5 D in Park Aves, so I ordered the Kenilworth in the 10 E as recommended by AE and had too much heel slippage. I also read that the Kenilworth bows out at the ankle. But, should I re order the Kenilworth, I'm not sure if I should get the 10.5 D like I do in the Park Ave, or get the 10 D. I've tried on the 10 D in the Park Ave and it was slightly tight in the outer toe area, but since the Kenilworth's seem to run a little larger I think I might be okay in the 10 D.

Then skip the Kenilworth. It's a bit casual anyways being a blucher and three eyelets.

After thinking about it find a balmoral. I think a brown or bourbon Strand could work.

Denton said:

Then skip the Kenilworth. It's a bit casual anyways being a blucher and three eyelets.

After thinking about it find a balmoral. I think a brown or bourbon Strand could work.

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All the shoe bank has left in my size for the Clifton is Walnut, is this too light of a color for business casual? Also, would a black blucher also be a no-go for business casual?



george325 said:

All the shoe bank has left in my size for the Clifton is Walnut, is this too light of a color for business casual? Also, would a black blucher also be a no-go for business casual? 

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What's your deal with black? It's the least-versatile mainstream color and you already have two. Dark Brown is the most versatile, with Chili and Bourbon fairly close behind. Walnut isn't versatile.

If you have only one suit, you don't want it to be a loud suit as everyone will know you just have one. Likewise, it will get old wearing the same loud pair of walnut shoes.

Denton said:

What's your deal with black? It's the least-versatile mainstream color and you already have two. Dark Brown is the most versatile, with Chili and Bourbon fairly close behind. Walnut isn't versatile.

If you have only one suit, you don't want it to be a loud suit as everyone will know you just have one. Likewise, it will get old wearing the same loud pair of walnut shoes.

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Very true, for that reason I probably won't go with the Clifton since I would only be able to get it in walnut. So that leaves me with the choices of Lexington, Strand, Fifth Ave and Kenilworth. For pretty much the same reason you just mentioned, I am slightly concerned about the Strand being one of the only 2 shoes I wear to work. I don't want it to be loud given that I would wear it 2 times a week. The Lexington in brown seems the safest. And I am unsure if the Fifth ave would be too formal for business casual.



george325 said:

Very true, for that reason I probably won't go with the Clifton since I would only be able to get it in walnut. So that leaves me with the choices of Lexington, Strand, Fifth Ave and Kenilworth. For pretty much the same reason you just mentioned, I am slightly concerned about the Strand being one of the only 2 shoes I wear to work. I don't want it to be loud given that I would wear it 2 times a week. The Lexington in brown seems the safest. And I am unsure if the Fifth ave would be too formal for business casual.

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Other than color, where Styleforum is pretty much right on the mark, nobody in your office is going to sneer at you for wearing a slightly formal shoe. If anything, they'll like that you aren't wearing appalling shoes.

I'd agree with Lexington in Brown but $299 seconds on Jefferson in Dark Brown would push me that way.

Denton said:

Other than color, where Styleforum is pretty much right on the mark, nobody in your office is going to sneer at you for wearing a slightly formal shoe. If anything, they'll like that you aren't wearing appalling shoes.

I'd agree with Lexington in Brown but $299 seconds on Jefferson in Dark Brown would push me that way.

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By the way, thanks for the help so far. Much appreciated. I think I'm set on the Fifth Ave in brown, I like the idea of being able to wear it bus. casual as well as with a suit. So for the second shoe I'm choosing between the Strand or the Lexington. I'm not sure if the Strand would be too loud for my second shoe, being worn twice a week. Although, I love the way it looks in bourbon. Could the Lexington work in brown too? Or should I switch it up to chili instead of doing two brown shoes



george325 said:

By the way, thanks for the help so far. Much appreciated. I think I'm set on the Fifth Ave in brown, I like the idea of being able to wear it bus. casual as well as with a suit. So for the second shoe I'm choosing between the Strand or the Lexington. I'm not sure if the Strand would be too loud for my second shoe, being worn twice a week. Although, I love the way it looks in bourbon. Could the Lexington work in brown too? Or should I switch it up to chili instead of doing two brown shoes

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No problem. Not sure how much Fifth Ave is but don't buy anything until you look how much a Jefferson is. Fifth Ave is great but you can't really wear it casually on a Saturday with jeans. If you're looking for a pure business shoe, do it.

Strand is a great shoe, just depends what you're looking for. If Chili is an option I'd look into that.

EDIT: Looked at Fifth Avenue on Shoebank, great price! Go for it. Fifth Ave > Lexington all day. If you want to get pedantic, the Lexington is a blucher with four eyelets and a captoe, meaning it has somewhat of an identity crisis as captoe is relatively formal but blucher is informal. Fifth Ave has broguing on the captoe but a formal balmoral, making it a solid business shoe for business casual up to a suit and tie.

Denton said:

No problem. Not sure how much Fifth Ave is but don't buy anything until you look how much a Jefferson is. Fifth Ave is great but you can't really wear it casually on a Saturday with jeans. If you're looking for a pure business shoe, do it.

Strand is a great shoe, just depends what you're looking for. If Chili is an option I'd look into that.

EDIT: Looked at Fifth Avenue on Shoebank, great price! Go for it. Fifth Ave > Lexington all day. If you want to get pedantic, the Lexington is a blucher with four eyelets and a captoe, meaning it has somewhat of an identity crisis as captoe is relatively formal but blucher is informal. Fifth Ave has broguing on the captoe but a formal balmoral, making it a solid business shoe for business casual up to a suit and tie.

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True, plus the creasing issues with the Lexington kind of steer me away. I'm definitely going to buy the 5th ave and probably take some time to decide on what the second shoe should be, maybe the chili Lasalle

Tell your HR apparatchiks that "business casual" is an oxymoron invented by sartorially challenged cockbreaths who lack even the slightest touch of imagination required for anyone who wants to be classified as a modern human.

If you want to keep the job, skip the rant and rock it up with casual shoes like Converse or Vans or some other sneaker variety that separates you from the crowds of cogs. You can get away with this while you're still young and once you make it a habit nobody who matters will bother you. And once you save enough dough, spend it wisely on the finest shoes you like and tell everybody else to **** off.

papa kot said:

Tell your HR apparatchiks that "business casual" is an oxymoron invented by sartorially challenged cockbreaths who lack even the slightest touch of imagination required for anyone who wants to be classified as a modern human.

If you want to keep the job, skip the rant and rock it up with casual shoes like Converse or Vans or some other sneaker variety that separates you from the crowds of cogs. You can get away with this while you're still young and once you make it a habit nobody who matters will bother you. And once you save enough dough, spend it wisely on the finest shoes you like and tell everybody else to **** off.

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I would gladly prefer to be business formal instead of business casual. I'd get another two pairs of park aves and be good to go. It's pretty annoying trying to figure out what business casual even means.

Just to add a different perspective on the conversation, because the OP stated that he had heard of quality control issues with specific AE models of late.

I, amongst other reasons realizing how much love AE gets on this board, tried really hard to like AE, but just couldn't due to quality control issues.

The first pair of McAllisters I received had a huge lump under the insole near the toe welt, so I sent them back. One of the shoes in the second pair's upper was not centered on the sole...I sent 'em back. The third pair's ankles "winged" out. Okay, three strikes and the McAllister is out.

Later, I decided to order a pair of dark brown Daltons from the San Francisco store, which is physically about an hour away from me. When I received them, not only was the color on the left boot three shades lighter than the right, but the center of the wing tip pattern was not pointing straight up the vamp, but rather was canted off to the right. This time I decided to make the drive to the store to see of I could finally, for once get a good pair of shoes. I was a bit taken back when I arrived to see that they had Dalton boots ON DISPLAY which were as wonky and off as the pair I was returning. I haven't been back, but to AE's credit, they have always been very professional easy to deal with. Their customer service really is top-notch.

So, now that I was in San Francisco anyway, it so happens that the Alden store is a couple blocks down the same street. I walked in and haven't looked back. Especially now that AE's pricing has increased to be within spitting distance of Alden's, at full retail you really should give Alden a look as well. The shoes are, in my opinion, built to a higher level than AE, however the sales associates do often come across a little snooty and the shoes are a lot more difficult to get at deep discount.

More power to you guys who can score these AE shoe bank shoes and be happy with them. I truly am not super critical about many things, but in a world where one could (heaven forbid) walk into a Macy's and get a pair of $100 leather shoes which match each other and are stitched straight, there's no excuse for a $400 pair to not be at least as finished.

How about expanding and buying something other than AE.