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

[sevenfoldtieguy]

Anyone own the AE Westchester and Alden full Strap (shell or calf)?

If yes, thoughts on fit and overall satisfaction with each model?

 

[rgweiser53]

The 3-73 is pretty wide?

I'm usually a 10D...

 

[Cold Iron]

I don't know about others who frequent this and other shoe related threads on Style Forum, but I've certainly been a compulsive shoe buyer. I really don't want to count, but since the beginning of 2013, I've probably bought close to double digit pairs of shoes (AE and others)...and I started the year with well over a dozen pairs.

I also have a problem. Is there a support group? One outside of SF, that is.

I would like to think that I am not a compulsive shoe buyer, I have a very well laid out plan at least for shell. But even with that the "want" list it is still fairly long. I sure hope that there is no support group outside of SF! It might interfere with my goals.

I'd like to add my curiosity to the shoe bag question. I currently store my shoes on a rack in my closet with shoe trees inside, but not in shoe bags. I enjoy walking by and looking at them as if they are on display. I cannot imagine hiding them under a felt bag. Does dust really harm them? Mine are in a consistent rotation and I brush them before each wearing.

I store mine on cedar shoe racks with shoe trees (of course). My flannel bags are used for travel and nothing else.

I store mine in the closet on shoe racks that I custom built without bags on them. Well 2 closets actually. I am a visual person and need to see them to decide what to wear and admit that I like the smell of cordovan filling the room too. Yes dust does build up on them and I used to keep a brush to brush them off before wearing until I noticed how much dust filled the air sometimes. Now I use a dust mitt. Light will darken light shell and lighten dark shell so putting them in bags would actually be a good idea. However I figure in time it would happen anyways.

 

[Numbernine]



I'd like to add my curiosity to the shoe bag question. I currently store my shoes on a rack in my closet with shoe trees inside, but not in shoe bags. I enjoy walking by and looking at them as if they are on display. I cannot imagine hiding them under a felt bag. Does dust really harm them? Mine are in a consistent rotation and I brush them before each wearing.

I grew up down there doc I think mildew or being chewed by gators is probably a bigger problem than dust

 

[AdamAdam]

Any thoughts on the Broadstreet -- I saw them on the website as a special order today...

I think they are awesome but would probably only wear them once or twice a year to a wedding or Christmas party so maybe I'll wait until I can get a great deal on a pair of seconds.

 

[bellyhungry]

Not sure if anyone else notices this...

Over the last few months, I purchased a pair of Ridgeway, McTavish, and McAllister each.

What I noticed is that while all 3 are built on the same last, the Ridgeway actually have a pointier toe profile.

I try to show that in the below pic, but it does not represent what I see IRL.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



I would like to think that I am not a compulsive shoe buyer, I have a very well laid out plan at least for shell. But even with that the "want" list it is still fairly long. I sure hope that there is no support group outside of SF! It might interfere with my goals.
I store mine in the closet on shoe racks that I custom built without bags on them. Well 2 closets actually. I am a visual person and need to see them to decide what to wear and admit that I like the smell of cordovan filling the room too. Yes dust does build up on them and I used to keep a brush to brush them off before wearing until I noticed how much dust filled the air sometimes. Now I use a dust mitt. Light will darken light shell and lighten dark shell so putting them in bags would actually be a good idea. However I figure in time it would happen anyways.

Speaking the truth. And the same principle regarding being visual applies for my custom made tie rack as well.

 

[LeviMay]

I just got email notification that my Walnut McAllisters are in at Harry Rosen! Will definitely post pics upon pick up!

 

[David Copeland]

I'd like to add my curiosity to the shoe bag question. I currently store my shoes on a rack in my closet with shoe trees inside, but not in shoe bags. I enjoy walking by and looking at them as if they are on display. I cannot imagine hiding them under a felt bag. Does dust really harm them? Mine are in a consistent rotation and I brush them before each wearing.

There is a valid reason why felt shoe bags are suggested to use when storing upper-end quality shoes.

Or, as one of our members has expressed here already - another solution would be a glass door shoe cabinet (which is an excellent idea).

Here is a photo of one example:




And . . . by adding glass doors to protect upper-end suits, clothing, and shirts from the elements - that would serve both as a protective as well as an avenue to view the quality treasures you have invested in.



Also, many have chosen hardwood floors for their closets instead of carpet - to further reduce air-born particles

 

[MDeKelver]

Does anyone here own Strand in dark brown and would care to share the pics with trousers/jeans ?

This was probably beaten to death, but what would be most suitable color of strand to go with really dark jeans? I mostly looking at a shoe for buisness casual jeans+sportcoat. Besides that my go to suit is Navy(but i don't wear it often) and I have pair of khakis.. so cognac/darkbrown/walnut?
Or maybe if it's a bad idea suggest an other shoe style for jeans+sportcoat look.

Walnut. You'll use them a lot, with your dark suits, light suits, jeans, etc.

Walnut.

 

[Calikid]

So, being one state over from AE headquarters means my "Paul Grangaard" MTO arrived today.

I went for a pair of Kenilworths in walnut shell and I think it came out pretty good. I specified some poron insoles and was a bit worried that it might affect the fit, but thankfully the shoe fits fine and not all that different from the try-on sample the ladies at AE sent me to verify my Kenilworth size.

The walnut shell color looks great, and ever slightly lighter than another pair of shell PTB's I recently received that came out much lighter than it was supposed to. So I now have two pairs of tan/dark tan colored shell PTB's at my disposal. The Kenilworths will serve as the blobby pair (check the pictures below

).

Overall, I'm very happy with the MTO experience with AE and I'd like to thank Mr. Grangaard for the nice offer to the SF community.

Onto some quick pics:







Compared with the aforementioned other pair of shell PTB's, which is Carmina. The 5-last doesn't look so sleek anymore, which is OK here. It would be kind of difficult to justify two pairs of sleek PTBs in almost the same color.





I hope you guys enjoy the pics. Now let's see some more MTO's as they get shipped!

Those Kenilworth's look great. What last is the Carmina PTB and is that saddle shell? If os how does it compare in person to the Walnut?
Thanks very much!!

 

[New Shoes1]

I would like to think that I am not a compulsive shoe buyer, I have a very well laid out plan at least for shell. But even with that the "want" list it is still fairly long. I sure hope that there is no support group outside of SF! It might interfere with my goals.
I store mine in the closet on shoe racks that I custom built without bags on them. Well 2 closets actually. I am a visual person and need to see them to decide what to wear and admit that I like the smell of cordovan filling the room too. Yes dust does build up on them and I used to keep a brush to brush them off before wearing until I noticed how much dust filled the air sometimes. Now I use a dust mitt. Light will darken light shell and lighten dark shell so putting them in bags would actually be a good idea. However I figure in time it would happen anyways.

Come on, admit it. Did this sentence cause anyone else to imagine a Robert Duvall/Apocalypse Now version of Cold Iron saying, "I love the smell of cordovan in the morning" while flying in on a chopper?

 

[New Shoes1]

Those Kenilworth's look great. What last is the Carmina PTB and is that saddle shell? If os how does it compare in person to the Walnut?
Thanks very much!!

Curious about this as well. My guess is Robert last as the toe box looks a little narrower than my Forest last shoes. By the way, I think that picture reinforces what a great shoe the Kenilworth is.

 

[David Copeland]

Come on, admit it. Did this sentence cause anyone else to imagine a Robert Duvall/Apocalypse Now version of Cold Iron saying, "I love the smell of cordovan in the morning" while flying in on a chopper?

"Smell that? You smell that?

"What?

"Cordovan, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.

"I love the smell of cordovan in the morning.

"You know, one time we laid our Remington sights on a buck herd, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' carcass. But the smell from our boots, you know that cordovan smell, permeated the whole hill. Smelled like... victory."

 

[wojt]

"Smell that? You smell that?

"What?

"Cordovan, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.

"I love the smell of cordovan in the morning.

"You know, one time we had a laid Remington sights on a buck herd, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' carcass. But the smell from our boots, you know that cordovan smell, permeated the whole hill. Smelled like... victory."

LOL