Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - reviews, pictures, sizing, etc...

[Deladonis]

I would call Allen Edmonds and ask to check on these styles in "seconds". Many times they have them - especially in a 14 size. And a second is something that is rarely different to the eye.

A New Weybridge in a smaller size is available from Allen Edmonds at Amazon.

The following are appearing on eBay:

Westgate
Weybridge
Berkley

And the following show up in "Completed Listings" - which you can use in the Advance Search. (Sometimes Completed Listings means the Seller had no buyers, and you could contact the seller later)

Greenwich
Austin
Hastings

*****************
By going to Google and typing in: Allen Edmonds Hastings
You can keep track of any new listings in the search results.

Thanks a lot for your help. my size 14 is the largest issue. I see the the styles pop up from time to time. But they are size 9-10's that become available. Who are you speaking to at Allen Edmonds? I am told when I have called before that the styles I am looking for are discontinued and no longer available. Then they push some shoes that they think are simular. Size 14 is part of my problem. LIke people over size 12 wont want a stylish shoe. Thanks for your help.

 

[texastom]

well in that case I am loving my first pair of AE... At almost 50% off

Park Avenue is next...

 

[David Copeland]

I'll respond to each question / comment, if that's ok:



1) Yes, out of the box, calfskin is typically softer and definitely stretches more. The combination can make for a more comfortable shoe, at least for the first few wears. Calfskin is definitely also lighter weight. However, shell cordovan softens up over time, and can actually be even softer than a similar shoe in calfskin. For example, my J. Crew shell cordovan cap-toe boots are even softer than my Cromexcel AE Bayfields now - Each is about 1.5 yrs old.

2) The scuffing comment is interesting - because my shell shoes scuff just as much as my calfskin shoes, just differently. In my experience, a clean and well-shined shell cordovan shoe will scuff very similarly to a polished and well-shined calfskin shoe. It is in the abuse where shell cordovan really wins. If you kick the bottom of a door, or rub the edge of your shoe on a concrete stair, etc... that would spell the end of a calfskin shoe. Not so with shell cordovan.

a) On a few occasions, I have "traded up" from calfskin to shell cordovan. This happened with the Grayson, Dalton, Macneil and Park Ave. In each case, the shell cordovan version was initially tougher to break in, but after a few wears is easily as comfortable as the calfskin version. I currently own both shell and calfskin in the tassel loafer (Grayson), longwing (Macneil) and Cap-toe (Park Ave). In each case, I started with the calfskin version much earlier and when I got an alternative color, I opted for the shell version. (I.E. calfskin version in black calf, burgundy / brown version in shell cordovan).

b) A well-shined calfskin shoe will be more elegant than a well-shined shell cordovan shoe. This is due to the thickness of the leather as well as differences in the characteristics of the shine. Shell cordovan easily attains and retains a dull shine, but does not easily attain a high shine (think mirror shine or even the type of shine corrected grain leather has). With time and patience, a calfskin shoe will shine better.

c) The creasing patterns are similar, but the creasing itself is different. Calfskin has "microcreases" shell gets "rolls." See below: (burgundy shell Grayson, black calf Grayson, #8 Alden shell tassel loafer). Note particularly the creasing on my left shoe on the two Graysons, exactly the same creasing pattern, but to my eye the actual creasing is much less apparent on the shell version.





(note this pic of the Aldens was after 3 straight days of wearing, walking through airports...)

d) no - I have taken the attitude that when I want/need a new pair of shoes, I will get the shell cordovan version, unless none is available. I always prefer wearing my shell shoes. I do rotate my shoes by season, preferring boots in the winters and loafers in the summers. However, I have found that some of my shell shoes do get "welts" when exposed to water - so for that reason if it is rainy / snowy / slushy out I either wear my chromexcel Bayfields, calfskin Grayson or Macneil, and/or I use Tingley overshoes. This is simply out of my own striving to help my shoes last longer, particularly the leathers soles.

You offered some great feedback - and I thank you for it.

Perhaps the only way I can personally compare all of my calfskin AE shoes is to purchase my first Shell Cordovan and see how it wears and shines for me.

I am not a big fan of having my shoes in mirror shine (reminds me of fake patent leather too much) - but I will be experimenting with the 5-step Saphir process - with a limited amount of Saphir Wax as the final touch.

Otherwise, the look of my Allen Edmond shoes new out-of-the-box is a masked shine that I favor.

Below is a Chili color, I believe, of the Longbranch and Dalton. I was hoping to get the regular Walnut color that I hope to wear in casual dress in Montana - but am unsure how it would look in Shell Cordovan:

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

You offered some great feedback - and I thank you for it.

Perhaps the only way I can personally compare all of my calfskin AE shoes is to purchase my first Shell Cordovan and see how it wears and shines for me.

I am not a big fan of having my shoes in mirror shine (reminds me of fake patent leather too much) - but I will be experimenting with the 5-step Saphir process - with a limited amount of Saphir Wax as the final touch.

Otherwise, the look of my Allen Edmond shoes new out-of-the-box is a masked shine that I favor.

Below is a Chili color, I believe, of the Longbranch and Dalton. I was hoping to get the regular Walnut color that I hope to wear in casual dress in Montana - but am unsure how it would look in Shell Cordovan:

That isn't chili, it is brown. They recommend their dark brown polish for maintaining the color of those Long Branches.

 

[David Copeland]

Thanks a lot for your help. my size 14 is the largest issue. I see the the styles pop up from time to time. But they are size 9-10's that become available. Who are you speaking to at Allen Edmonds? I am told when I have called before that the styles I am looking for are discontinued and no longer available. Then they push some shoes that they think are simular. Size 14 is part of my problem. LIke people over size 12 wont want a stylish shoe. Thanks for your help.

Call 800-235-2348, choose Option 4 for Customer Service - and then tell the rep you are calling to see if a discontinued style is available as a second throughout their entire database of AE Stores. That's how I scored a 2011 style that was discontinued.

I would also suggest you speak to the Recrafting department and ask if they could recraft a used pair in a smaller size to a larger size 14 - depending on how much of a size difference. When I checked closed items, I saw many were size 12 and 13.

And - the link I gave you to all of the old catalogs - you may wish to view their current catalog to see if any of the older styles are being offered with minor revisions. (I am also told that the new Fall Catalog is available too)

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Call 800-235-2348, choose Option 4 for Customer Service - and then tell the rep you are calling to see if a discontinued style is available as a second throughout their entire database of AE Stores. That's how I scored a 2011 style that was discontinued.

I would also suggest you speak to the Recrafting department and ask if they could recraft a used pair in a smaller size to a larger size 14 - depending on how much of a size difference. When I checked closed items, I saw many were size 12 and 13.

And - the link I gave you to all of the old catalogs - you may wish to view their current catalog to see if any of the older styles are being offered with minor revisions. (I am also told that the new Fall Catalog is available too)

That question has been asked before, and unfortunately the answer was no.

 

[random-adam]



Thanks a lot for your help. my size 14 is the largest issue. I see the the styles pop up from time to time. But they are size 9-10's that become available. Who are you speaking to at Allen Edmonds? I am told when I have called before that the styles I am looking for are discontinued and no longer available. Then they push some shoes that they think are simular. Size 14 is part of my problem. LIke people over size 12 wont want a stylish shoe. Thanks for your help.

You might email [email protected] and ask for a list of seconds and closeouts in your length/width. It is very tricky to find nice shoes in odd sizes (I'm a 14AA or 14AAA depending on the last; it is an intensely singular form of hell) but with patience, observation, friendly AE reps, and carefully-crafted saved eBay searches, you will find some excellent shoes out there.

 

[David Copeland]

That isn't chili, it is brown. They recommend their dark brown polish for maintaining the color of those Long Branches.

Really?

Look at the following:




compared to the following Chili on AE's site:

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Really?

Look at the following:




compared to the following Chili on AE's site:

The boots in the first picture are Long Branches, and that picture has existed longer than the Chili Daltons have been in production. The Long Branches come in either Dark Brown or Brown, and they come with two pairs of laces (red and brown). You can see the Vibram rubber lug sole in the pictured pair as well.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

^^^ Also, the boots in the first picture have speed hooks (Long Branch). Dalton's don't have speed hooks.

 

[masernaut]

And - the link I gave you to all of the old catalogs - you may wish to view their current catalog to see if any of the older styles are being offered with minor revisions. (I am also told that the new Fall Catalog is available too)

Really? I want to see this since Paul promised more suede options.

 

[David Copeland]

The boots in the first picture are Long Branches, and that picture has existed longer than the Chili Daltons have been in production. The Long Branches come in either Dark Brown or Brown, and they come with two pairs of laces (red and brown). You can see the Vibram rubber lug sole in the pictured pair as well.

Oh I understand - but I was just inquiring because both pictures show leather color that looks the same - so much the same that the Longbranch color "looks" like the Chili in the Dalton picture.

Dark Brown = Chili?

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Oh I understand - but I was just inquiring because both pictures show leather color that looks the same - so much the same that the Longbranch color "looks" like the Chili in the Dalton picture.

Dark Brown = Chili?

No, they don't mix up their colors like that. It is strictly the lighting in the picture, and the picture is Brown. Perhaps this will help:

Brown Longbranch



Burnished Chili Walton

 

[ckprax]



Oh I understand - but I was just inquiring because both pictures show leather color that looks the same - so much the same that the Longbranch color "looks" like the Chili in the Dalton picture.

Dark Brown = Chili?

You have to remember that AE photography is terrible and rarely represents the product as it appears in person.

 

[mediahound]

Oh I understand - but I was just inquiring because both pictures show leather color that looks the same - so much the same that the Longbranch color "looks" like the Chili in the Dalton picture.

because we all know you can really very accurately determine the shoe color by how it looks on an online picture....