Styleforum › Forums › Archives › Buying and Selling (Archive) › B&S Archive › AE MacNeil vs Alden 975
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

AE MacNeil vs Alden 975

post #1 of 34
9/13/07 at 12:02am
Thread Starter 
Just wanted to know LeatherSoul's, Janlibourel's, and other key person's opinion in these two shoes:


Alden



AE



Both longwings , both cordovan , and both double sole with the same exact design almost down to the medallion.

AE is $475 retail and Alden is $530

(AE right now at SC can be had 20% off)

Would an 100 dollar upgrade be worth it for the Alden?

I'm actually looking for a whiskey cordovan in the Alden.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 34
9/13/07 at 12:07am
Thread Starter 
sorry this should have been in clothing forum
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 34
9/13/07 at 12:08am
I think the shoes are substantially identical and you should buy which last fits your feet better.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 34
9/13/07 at 12:09am
Brian,

You know my viewpoint via our email correspondence. I won't post it here on the forum due to my heavily biased views.

Both are great shoes. You can't lose either way.

Aloha,

Tom

PS-Good luck getting it in whiskey!
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 34
9/13/07 at 12:14am
Thread Starter 
THanks .

so you are both saying the shoes look identical in the mega gunboat shape/last..

(macneil looks magnificent on my feet)

and the soles are both very doubly thick and the cordovan both of the same quality?


i would love it in whiskey , i had no idea it was so rare.

wow
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 34
9/13/07 at 12:21am
Although both are sold in #8 shell, the colors are somewhat different on the AE and the Alden. Consensus seems to be that Alden adds some sort of additional color treatment to its #8 shell. The point being that you might prefer one color variation over the other.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 34
9/13/07 at 1:22am
I love gunboat longwings! I've got a pair of MacNeils in calfskin. I recently checked out both the AE and the Alden in cordovan in the New York stores. The Aldens seemed to edge out the AEs on quality and, to me, design. I like the zig-zag edge on the tongue and the brogueing seemed a little "deeper" than on the AEs. But, in the end, I think you should go with what fits you best, since they both are nice.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 34
9/13/07 at 1:26am
Until very recently Alden of Carmel had that shoe on their website in Whiskey. I'm sure they had a batch made some time ago and finally just ran their stock down to the point where they've been removed from their online inventory. You might contact them to see if they have any stragglers left in the stock room. They do still have them shown in that style in both Ravello and Cigar if either of those are to your liking (I'm not always wild about their sole choices, but that's a separate issue). Also, if you're more concerned with the Whiskey shell color than the style, theshoemart.com now has an Alden norwegian in whiskey that's pretty sharp. Good luck with the hunt.

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/shoes.htm
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 34
9/13/07 at 1:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnny_flapjack View Post
Also, if you're more concerned with the Whiskey shell color than the style, theshoemart.com now has an Alden norwegian in whiskey that's pretty sharp. Good luck with the hunt.

Where did you see the norwegian in whiskey? Couldn't find in on their site. I wouldn't mind picking up a pair.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 34
9/13/07 at 1:57am
Nevermind, I found it. Thanks.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 34
9/13/07 at 2:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnny_flapjack View Post
Until very recently Alden of Carmel had that shoe on their website in Whiskey. I'm sure they had a batch made some time ago and finally just ran their stock down to the point where they've been removed from their online inventory. You might contact them to see if they have any stragglers left in the stock room. They do still have them shown in that style in both Ravello and Cigar if either of those are to your liking (I'm not always wild about their sole choices, but that's a separate issue). Also, if you're more concerned with the Whiskey shell color than the style, theshoemart.com now has an Alden norwegian in whiskey that's pretty sharp. Good luck with the hunt.

http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/shoes.htm

I have that shoe.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 34
9/13/07 at 2:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LeatherSOUL View Post
Nevermind, I found it. Thanks.

where? I'd like to see that shoe.

BTW - do you think you will ever get anymore whiskey v-tips in stock? those were amazing.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 34
9/13/07 at 3:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stax View Post
where? I'd like to see that shoe.

BTW - do you think you will ever get anymore whiskey v-tips in stock? those were amazing.

They're under the regular Alden section, not the bootmakers.

I doubt we'll be getting any more whiskey V's anytime soon. Whiskey from Alden is just too hard to get now. Cigar is getting that way too.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 34
9/13/07 at 3:28am
Thread Starter 
i cant find the whiskey on there as well. where is it?


also , what is the difference between alden and alden of carmel? are they both the same or different makes?
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 34
9/13/07 at 3:59am
They are just a shop, heres something from the carmel website: The Alden Shoe Company of Middleborough Massachusettes has chosen Alden of Carmel as one of the independent shops through which its shoes may be sold. We are proud to be an authorized dealer of Alden shoes, and one of the very few Alden dealers specializing in Alden shoes alone. Although, oddly, they don't show up under the stores listing on the main Alden site. Alden is really good about putting the individual store stamp on the insoles for many of their shops. I know they do it for all of Alden SF's stock, and I've seen other stores stamped too.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: B&S Archive
Styleforum › Forums › Archives › Buying and Selling (Archive) › B&S Archive › AE MacNeil vs Alden 975