***The official Alden thread *** - Page 3082

My wife was watching me put on my color 8 captoe boots this morning and commented that I didn't " have any boots in that caramel color". Crap !! this is a really bad time for a shell shortage

Ravello and raw denim:


I'd say keep the Ravello. #8 will be out there for you and perhaps even at a discount in some way or another if you are patient and willing to pick up the standard black welt (which is really pretty good looking on #8 IMO). Enjoy the chukkas.

Also, my 2 cents on the shell shortage. It may be six of one and half dozen of another, but I think there's really only a shortage of exotic shell when viewed from the perspective of Alden's volume needs. Makers doing smaller runs seem to have access to many colors of shell frequently enough (I'm thinking of Rancourt, Carmina, and Vass just off the top of my head... and I don't mean to equate any of these shoemakers or to suggest that one brand is a replacement for another, just that you can order shoes or boots in exotic shell colors from them fairly reliably).

What I think we are really seeing is a shortage of enough exotic shell to make it worthwhile for Alden to produce. They clearly aren't interested in making one, two, or even half a dozen shoes at a time. And they clearly must have some serious fixed costs to cover that require them to make anything in volume for it to be worth the effort.

As I said, this really is neither here nor there if what you really want is Ravello or Whiskey or Cigar shell (and when spending the kind of money we're talking about on shoes, it's best to get what you really want). On the other hand, if you want shell in different colors and you are interested in other shoemakers, then I don't think things are quite as dire as the Alden market makes them appear.

Ravello for sureeeee. I wish my SWB had fit me much better.

Both go very well with denim although I'd lean towards the #8 with dark denim. However with that said I'd keep the ravello. You situation may change in the future and you would be much more likely to pick up another pair of 8s vs the ravello which may not be available for who knows when. Just my.02

Looks like Alden SF did so as well, but they forgot to take down the Whiskey and Cigar LHS.

Bad lighting but

Ravello and raw


#8 and raw

I think you are referring to my post.  The shoes were not already laced up, but you could see the subtle indentations on the tongue created by someone lacing and tying the laces.  It wasn't a big deal because that's what it looks like after the first time you lace and tie.  I almost always receive my new ones the way you described.  The one time I did not was with my whiskey wingtip bal oxfords.  The laces were separate in the box which makes sense because the effort required to lace those bals might have created creases right off the bat.

Finally received my exchanged J Crew cap toe boots. Had to go +.5 to my TTS of 11.5. Marcoliani argyles OTC
Edited by BeSpiffington - 3/19/13 at 2:12pm

Beautiful, why did you have to size up from your LWB Barrie size? As in, where did it feel too tight?

Alden SF kept up the whiskey shortwing bal too.

^But they don't show photos of them. You have to know to click on a given style, or do so accidentally, to see if exotic shell stock is available. I had definitely noticed that Whiskey, Cigar, and Ravello disappeared from AoC and Alden Madison sites awhile ago. Interesting to find out why.

Then get some in that caramel color and make her happy.

For Alden SF, just run a search for whiskey in the keyword search box and it will pull up whiskey models that are available, but no pics. Same for cigar. Same for ravello.

Use saphir shell cordovan cream in burgundy ("cordovan" color, as they say) and they will remain dark.

Thanks david. They seem even nicer than the size 11 mediums I originally ordered. Probably because these actually fit. I think that's just the nature of Alden shell, no two pair are alike. Kind of like snowflakes my girlfriend says. The first pair I received were too short and to narrow. I believe anybody who's ever tried lace-up boots knows that how a boot flexes is an indication of whether or not its a proper fit. Looking forward to wearing the bejesus out of these boots. Maybe then I'll go for a commando sole with an antique edge trimming like mr chorizo.