***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by zippyh

Feb has been a shoe blowout month.

Whiskey PTBs from shoemart.

Ravello LWB with crepe sole from AOC.

Outstanding!

 

[PorterInjax]

Originally Posted by Jorge

Try Leffot if you're in NYC.

Thanks Jorge. Not in NY but will send off an email to them

 

[makewayhomer]

Originally Posted by WhatAboutBob

What brands?
Allen Edmonds makes a PTB and longwing in shell if you have a bit of patience you can find vintage Hanover, Florsheim, and other deadstock USA brands of similar (or identical) styles, sometimes barely used, sometimes new. anyways, burgundy shell PTB's and longwings aren't THAT hard to find cheaper & close or equivalent in quality to Alden. but cigar, ravello, whiskey are a ton harder or impossible to find in other brands, so that's where I would allocate my Alden budget to. save money where you can, spend where you can't. that's what I would do anyways, but horses for courses

 

[ozzyboo]

Originally Posted by arrow

Speaking of Black...

Alden of Carmel - AF43
Black Shell Cordovan
TruBalance Last
Commando Sole...
...made for stompin....

Those are fine looking boots, Arrow. I just picked up a very similar pair from Blackbird, the Christopherson's Creamery Milkman Boot. Looks like the only difference is that Blackbirds' are on the Barrie last:

http://www.blackbirdballard.com/Alde...oot_14606.html

Enjoy!

 

[Woodyear]

Does anyone know where or how i can get some cordovan boots, either shortwing or cap toe in any color although preferably brown or #8 or ravello, in a C width? I prefer cordovan but can deal with whatever i can find. I love the jcrew cordovans but it seems theyre only available in d width and start at size 9. I need an 8.5c but it sems no place stocks or has access to c width boots except shoemarts indy boot which im not really interested in. Id be willing to special order the c width boots and wait if necessary but i dont even know where to order from. Also im interested in a plaza or aberdeen last especially because theyre sleeker but i also like the way barrie looks.

 

[norweejun]

Originally Posted by arrow

Am I the only one that find the commando soles looking a little imbalanced? The heel just looks so clunky compared to the rest of the sole. I would think a double sole, half rubber half leather (like they do on the indy, except with a commando sole instead of the neoprene), would look better. I was thinking of having my cobbler install this on one of my commando soled boots, has anyone else tried this?

 

[bbhewee]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

Saw earlier that WP is going out of business...any word on whether any of their Alden boots are part of their final in store sale and if someone is willing to kop a 9D in the brown pebble grain double waterlock sole boot for a fee (if they are part of it)?

This. In a 12D pour moi please.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Originally Posted by bbhewee

This. In a 12D pour moi please.

The silence is killing me, I guess that means no.

 

[MickCollins1916]

whiskey shell chukkas today

 

[WhatAboutBob]

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

The silence is killing me, I guess that means no.

Did you try calling WP and submitting an order over the phone?

 

[ChrisGold]

Cigar shell chukka this morning.

 

[mediahound]

Originally Posted by makewayhomer

Allen Edmonds makes a PTB and longwing in shell if you have a bit of patience you can find vintage Hanover, Florsheim, and other deadstock USA brands of similar (or identical) styles, sometimes barely used, sometimes new. anyways, burgundy shell PTB's and longwings aren't THAT hard to find cheaper & close or equivalent in quality to Alden. but cigar, ravello, whiskey are a ton harder or impossible to find in other brands, so that's where I would allocate my Alden budget to. save money where you can, spend where you can't. that's what I would do anyways, but horses for courses
Ravello is nice but too close to these J Crews to be worth the extra. These are $470.: http://www.jcrew.com/browse/popup_si...olor=undefined http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/we...lden/18582.jsp The Ravello is like $670. Whisky I don't like (too yellowish) and cigar looks sorta boring to me (for the price). Color 8 is more appealing and classy/classic IMO. If you have no Cordovan, it's the first must have Cordovan over all else. I would not even consider a longwing Cordovan in another lower brand, they are not the same quality and are not even the original Alden Color 8, which is special and unique to Alden.

 

[Alcibiades]

Originally Posted by mediahound

Ravello is nice but too close to these J Crews to be worth the extra. These are $470.:

http://www.jcrew.com/browse/popup_si...olor=undefined

http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/we...lden/18582.jsp

The Ravello is like $670.

Whisky I don't like (too yellowish) and cigar looks sorta boring to me (for the price).

Color 8 is more appealing and classy/classic IMO. If you have no Cordovan, it's the first must have Cordovan over all else. I would not even consider a longwing Cordovan in another lower brand, they are not the same quality and are not even the original Alden Color 8, which is special and unique to Alden.

#8 is my favorite Alden color, followed probably by ravello (it has a nice red tint to it). The problem with cigar is that the Ralph Lauren Crockett and Jones cordovan shoes have a dark brown color that's looks a lot better, IMO, so I'd rather get those. Whiskey seems a bit too inconsitent to me - I think "tan" calf shoes (including the J Crew "tobacco" Alden, but also branching out to other shoe brands) look a bit better. Alden's #8 is unmatched though. I'd buy multiple #8 pairs before some of their other shell. Black is also pretty good.

EDIT - Here is a link to a thread about the C&J "dark brown" cordovan (which is close to cigar) from Ask Andy.

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/f...Brown-Cordovan

I find this color much more appealing than cigar. You can buy the wingtip, loafer and tassel online (sometimes on sale), and the various RL stores will occasionally have different models in the color (chukkas, pref monk strap, etc).

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Originally Posted by WhatAboutBob

Did you try calling WP and submitting an order over the phone?

I didn't, because the email stipulated in store purchases only...and i don't know if it applies to the Aldens.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Originally Posted by mediahound

Ravello is nice but too close to these J Crews to be worth the extra. These are $470.: http://www.jcrew.com/browse/popup_si...olor=undefined http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/we...lden/18582.jsp The Ravello is like $670. Whisky I don't like (too yellowish) and cigar looks sorta boring to me (for the price). Color 8 is more appealing and classy/classic IMO. If you have no Cordovan, it's the first must have Cordovan over all else. I would not even consider a longwing Cordovan in another lower brand, they are not the same quality and are not even the original Alden Color 8, which is special and unique to Alden.
I've had these and they are far closer to whiskey than ravello. Especially considering the JCrew is calf at $470. It'll never shine like cordovan. As far as the #8 goes, its a beautiful color, but the cigar (from what I've seen) patinas so beautifully. I'd go with the cigar if you can get it. I think the fact that #8 is so commonly available that you'd want to acquire the other colors first. I have LWBs in whiskey, black, cigar, and ravello (my #8s are vintage NOS Hanovers) and one day I'm sure I'll spring for the Aldens, but I'd prefer to build elsewhere. The Hanovers have a lovely reddish color on them that the my #8 Aldens have yet to develop, probably becuase they are older.