Styleforum › Forums › Men's Style › Classic Menswear › Allen edmunds
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Allen edmunds

post #1 of 10
1/1/03 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
Hello everyone, I have been reading this board from the beginning, but had forgotten my password, so I haven't ever regularly posted.   I have a quick question about how and when to wear my new "Park Avenue" black cap-toe laceups.  I'm still in highschool, senior year, and just purchased my first suit this year (three button navy blue Burberry with very light/thin lines).  Originally, I had been wearing an old pair of my father's J&M wingtips with the suit, but decided with the university approaching next fall I ought to go ahead and buy my first pair of formal lace-ups.  Anyway, I ordered this pair of Allen Edmunds from the local tailor where I bought my suit (and purchase my shirts, ties, casual Lacoste, et cetera).  So, essentially, my question is when can/should/must one wear lace-ups?   Should I always wear these if I am wearing my suit?  Should I ever wear them with anything less than a suit?  What sort of shoes should I wear with say a blazer and chinos or something in the dress-casual area?     Any general advice about shoes with suits, or lace-ups in general, would be very appreciated as I am yet unfamiliar with some of the finer points of dressing as an adult, and when I asked at the J&M store at Frontenac (in St.Louis M.O.) they told me "Oh, at your age, you can wear any of these shoes with a suit....". Happy New Year, Adam p.s. Anyone here attend Tulane?  I am going to school there in the fall and would love to hear some insight about the school, particularily as I already trust the opinions of many of this board's members.
Reply
Reply

Featured Stories on Styleforum

Antonio Liverano, Florentine tailor
Finamore at Pitti Uomo 83
Belvest at Pitti Uomo 83
post #2 of 10
1/1/03 at 6:02pm
Lace-ups with a suit are pretty much de rigueur, especially in a business environment. When wearing a suit casually, your shoe options are broader, but you're never going to go wrong with the lace-ups. More casually, it depends on the style of the shoe and the color and nature of your other items, but it's certainly fine to wear black lace-ups with black or charcoal trousers and a jacket. Either black or brown will work with navy; I think brown is classier, but most people are fine with black and navy. For lighter colors or earth tones, you'll be better off with brown shoes. With something as casual as chinos, I'd be more inclined to wear loafers or a less formal lace-up than a conservative leather-soled cap-toe. But, then, I rarely wear the blazer-and-chinos outfit, so I might not be the best point of reference.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 10
1/2/03 at 7:53pm
Hey Sun: If you posted a picture we could probably help more. Or tell us what model they are and we can look on A-E's web site.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 10
1/2/03 at 9:09pm
Thread Starter 
These are the shoes, mine are black.  Here is the blurb on them: "Subtle yet striking, six-eyelet cap-toe balmoral features full leather linings, single oak leather sole and custom heel". Thanks.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 10
1/3/03 at 1:46pm
The wonderful think about AE shoes is that you can send them to the manufacturer for reconditioning thus extending the life of your investment. The reconditioned shoes come back "good as new".
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 10
1/3/03 at 5:45pm
Sun: Those are great-looking shoes. PStoller posted some good advice above. I think they'd look great with gray, navy, or black slacks, even olive if the shirt matched. I think they'd match olive if you wore a blue or navy or deep purple shirt. Same with navy. I'm with PS and think brown goes better with navy if your shirt/sweater/tie is orange, yellow or an earth tone. Or if you wore a black shirt with khaki dress slacks, black shoes would look good too. Clarinet player: I recently noticed a couple of deep scars on the leather of one my pairs of Allen-Edmonds. Do you think they could fix this? I know they have the refurb program, but I though it was just for soles and heels...I was planning on giving them a call to ask.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 10
1/3/03 at 9:04pm
Steve B: I have sent AE some pretty scuffy looking shoes and was amazed at what was returned to me. I have always used their complete refurbishing program. It is well worth the money. They tend to be fairly fast in rerturning the reconditioned shoes.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 10
1/3/03 at 10:35pm
i think allen edmonds shoes are great...take a look at the website for more info on how the shoes are crafted. also, the leather they use for the park avenues is a nice grade of calfskin. i have a pair myself. the recrafting process is also a great plus. don't know if it is described on the website, but one of the packages involves completely stripping down the shoe leather, re-waxing and polishing, etc. in addition to resewing new soles/ replacing heels.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 10
1/4/03 at 12:01am
Foxx, CP: Thanks. I shall try it then. Foxx: What's with the unhappy little red guy all the time? I don't remember you posting with that all the time before...you got MARRIED (tongue firmly planted in cheek). Steve
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 10
5/18/03 at 1:55pm
As this is my first post I feel I should comment on something I actually own and love. Park Avenue's were the first "good" shoes I ever owned. Saw them in a GQ story on shoes in used in the movies. One picture featured Tom Hanks wearing Park Avenues in "Apollo 13". Four years later, I own four pairs of A-E's, and couldn't be happier with my choice. Their reconditioning program is certainly a huge benefit. In short, if you are purchasing high-dollar shoes, and you can't spring for John Lobb's, I suggest you take a long, serious look at A-E. Z
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Classic Menswear
Styleforum › Forums › Men's Style › Classic Menswear › Allen edmunds