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

[Quadcammer]



I wore my Fifth Avenues for the first time yesterday. Literally walked from my house to my car and then from my car like 200 feet to a restaurant. When I took them off the back of the leather sole was split like 1/8 of an inch straight up the back. There was also a small flap of leather which fell off. My fiance said "I have shoes from payless which wouldnt do that after one wear."

Taking them back today...so annoyed.

pics, hard to believe

 

[cbfn]

E: nvm

 

[Cold Iron]

I just ordered my brown shell Leeds, thanks bucksfan!

So, over various points over the last couple years, I'm sure I've read several opinions on the fit of the 1 last, but I could use some help on sizing.
I bought the Bayfield last year during the 2/$200 sale and picked up my usual size, a 13D. For me, a 13D in the 5 last is just about right in the toebox, but a bit too long for my foot. A 12.5E is usually a better fit, but much more difficult to come across in a ready to wear option. A 12.5D pinches too much on the pinky toes. When I received the Bayfields, I ininitally thought the fit was pretty good, but upon wearing them, I quickly realized that the toebox was very limiting, especially on the top and side of my pinky toes. The heel seemed ok, as did the length (although it is on the smaller size compared to my other AE's...closer to a 12.5).
Is this a common complaint with the 1 last across the board, or is it just something specific to the Bayfield? I'm currently looking to get in on the MTO Shell Leeds that bucksfan is organizing, but I really don't want to screw up the sizing on this one. As cordovan is typically a slightly looser fit, as I've found with my Strands and McCalisters, I have no idea what to do. I'm leaning towards a 13E, but if anyone has any opinions, I'd gladly welcome them.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: I should add that getting to an AE store is not an easy feat for me, as I'm at least 3 hours away from the nearest one. Chances are, I won't be traveling for work anytime before the deadline for the MTO shoes.

I hope some others can chime in here - specifically Cold Iron, Horseyshoes and Sevenfold - I think you have Leeds and boots on the 1 last...? but for now here's my experience.

I am a 12D / 12E on the brannock device - literally on the line between D and E.

I have 12D Leeds in shell and 12D Dalton boots, also in shell (also in the 1 boot last, like the Bayfields). I also used to have 12D Dalton boots in calf. The Leeds seem larger in the ball-of-the-foot and slightly rounder in the toe box. The Dalton boots seem to be more pointy, with slightly less room laterally across the ball of the foot. For reference, I am a 12D in all 5-last shoes also. My 12D Leeds are among the best fitting shoes I have.

I also have 12E Leeds in shell and 12E Bayfields in chromexcel. The 12D Leeds are smaller than the 12E Leeds, but only by a small amount. Basically, I just need to wear thicker socks with the 12Es and they're good. I bought them because there was a smokin' deal and they didn't have 12Ds available in black shell at the time. The 12E bayfields seem slightly tighter across the ball of the foot, and slightly pointier to my eye than the Leeds. I bought the Bayfields in the larger width to accommodate thicker socks, but they actually fit slightly tighter than the 12E Leeds in shell, and a medium sock is best with the Bayfields.


ALso, let's talk about long-term comfort and stretching of the shoes. Shell cordovan can and does stretch slightly over time. I have noticed this with many of my 2+ year old shell cordovans. For the most part, this makes the shoe more comfortable and better-fitting. The trick to not having them stretch is to let them sit for a few minutes between taking them off your feet and putting the shoe trees in (and, not having shoe trees that are too large).

As you know, you can stretch shoes, but not shrink them. If it turns out the 13D is slightly too tight, you can 1) wait for them to stretch to your foot naturally 2) use shoe trees that are slightly too large or use a sock on top of your shoe trees for a bit (I do this with my Aldens on the Barrie last), or 3) have a cobbler (or AE) put them on a stretcher. Also, the insole will mold to the bottom of your foot, in effect loosening the upper as your foot "sinks" down into it.

Sorry for the long post, but based on all of the above, my recommendation would be a 13D for you. However, you may also want to ask Kristle to see if there's a pair of shell Leeds she can send to you, in 13D or E, to try on.

bucksfan laid it out extremely well IMO. I have the Leeds in #8 shell and black calf size 10D. Also the bayfield in CXL and black calf size 10D. The Malvern is an exception to the #1 last, they used memory foam in it which makes it extremely small compared to the other #1 last boots and the fit is a strange beast, I returned them. The bayfield is very snug on me compared to my walnut shell Daltons which are on the 1 last also. With light to medium socks the bayfield's feels like a custom made boot. My Leeds fit extremely well also, both the calf and shell. However I did develop a bunion at the base of my left foot after about a year due to the shell Leeds and the old cobbler leather of the Shelton. Once the bunion developed it was easy to tell who the culprit was as it is very painful. Both shoes just barely touched that part of my foot but it was enough to cause problems. I purchased a shoe stretcher with a bunion attachment and have not had a problem since. And the toe box felt\feels like it has enough room when new, to me they are extremely comfortable all day it was just my odd shaped left foot that was the problem and something that I need to be aware of with with all new shoes or boots that I try on. I have a very narrow heel so going up in width is usually not an option for me that I consider. It the toebox is too tight I move on to another shoe or boot.

In any event I would take bucksfan advise and go with a 13D.

I rest my shell overnight before treeing them in the morning, I do not recall where I read the reasoning for it but the logic behind it impressed me enough that I do it. I also totally agree that shell becomes more comfortable and molds to the foot over time and wear, more so than calf.

sevenfoldtieguy has had several recent posts on the Leeds and why they are a great shoe. My only regret with the Leeds is that my black pair are calf and not shell.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

First day out with my brown Long Branches today. These were my Black Friday haul from the Jeffersonville outlet. Very happy with them so far.

 

[TheSizzle]

First day out with my brown Long Branches today.
They really seem to fit well into your style.

I would love to see them offered in a walnut color (combining the color of Daltons I like with the durable lug sole of these). Sure, I could make a special order, and just might, but that's what I was looking for when I checked them out in person.

 

[BootSpell]

First day out with my brown Long Branches today. These were my Black Friday haul from the Jeffersonville outlet. Very happy with them so far.

Looking good! I've given my Long Branches a few good wears since I got them during the early Oct sale and I'm quite happy with them. We don't get much rain here so most of my boots are leather-soled and when it snowed here for the past couple of days, I resorted to these as my bad weather shoes! The heavy lug (as opposed to mini-lug) soles provided pretty good traction. You look like you're having good weather wherever you are!

 

[Balmorals]

Long Branches are nice casual work boots

 

[Shiny]



Anxiously awaiting delivery of some AE Cliftons today. Apparently, fedex delivers on a saturday! May post some unboxing pix later.

Really happy with these. Color is walnut (my 1st!) Not natural light and camera flash makes them look more orangy. However, it is a nice brown. Will try to take some natural light pix of these when I wear them this week.

 

[random-adam]



Adam, that's a great suggestion for a formal shoe.
I wonder if there's some reason AE can't make a wholecut version of the Fifth Avenue. Maybe they don't have the quality control to be able to work with a piece of leather like that. But I agree - they are missing out by only having a formal blucher - which some people would say is an oxymoron.
BTW, how are your custom boots working out?

Those Westgates that dsmivtr posted would be marvelous -- but they don't exist in any form on eBay. I don't think I've ever fed a known model of shoe into eBay and not seen at least one hit for it. Yikes!

edited to add: just saw these lovelies on eBay. The toe is on the squared-off side and the size might be a smidge pinchy, but I'm looking at them long and hard for formalwear.

The burgundy shell Daltons are splendid. I've been meaning to grab some leather defender for 'em at the Alden store in DC; it's only a few metro stops from the house.

 

[kmdsimpson]



Those Westgates that dsmivtr posted would be marvelous -- but they don't exist in any form on eBay. I don't think I've ever fed a known model of shoe into eBay and not seen at least one hit for it. Yikes!
edited to add: just saw these lovelies on eBay. The toe is on the squared-off side and the size might be a smidge pinchy, but I'm looking at them long and hard for formalwear.
The burgundy shell Daltons are splendid. I've been meaning to grab some leather defender for 'em at the Alden store in DC; it's only a few metro stops from the house.

I know your shoe size limits your choices. It looks like this ebay seller sent the shoes back to AE for soles, but it would have been nice to have them fully recrafted, so they could maybe pull out some of the wrinkles. Don't look to have been treed much, either. But I guess you could always wear them and plan on recrafting later.

Those custom Daltons are great. I'd be tempted if I didn't have the Lindricks. They look very similar.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

They really seem to fit well into your style.

I would love to see them offered in a walnut color (combining the color of Daltons I like with the durable lug sole of these). Sure, I could make a special order, and just might, but that's what I was looking for when I checked them out in person.

Looking good! I've given my Long Branches a few good wears since I got them during the early Oct sale and I'm quite happy with them. We don't get much rain here so most of my boots are leather-soled and when it snowed here for the past couple of days, I resorted to these as my bad weather shoes! The heavy lug (as opposed to mini-lug) soles provided pretty good traction. You look like you're having good weather wherever you are!

Thanks! Yeah, they seem to be fitting the bill for what I needed. I was all set up on my dress shoes for work purposes, but I wanted to move away from wearing cheaper quality shoes during weekends. I needed something that could go all over town on errands, take the kids to the park, take any weather that may pop up on any given Saturday, all while looking stylish and being able to last for years with recraftings. These seemed to be the best offering for that right now (at least from AE).

 

[masernaut]

A while ago, someone in this thread linked an eBay sale of an after-market monk-strap based off an AE shoe. Here's one from Alden...
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AMAZING-Mens...hoes&hash=item416f15b839&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1288

 

[TheSizzle]



A while ago, someone in this thread linked an eBay sale of an after-market monk-strap based off an AE shoe. Here's one from Alden... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AMAZING-Mens...hoes&hash=item416f15b839&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1288

I just threw up in my mouth a little. I mean, those atrocities might as well have Velcro.

 

[lostron]



I just threw up in my mouth a little.
I mean, those atrocities might as well have Velcro.

I completely agree.. Those are ugly

 

[Michael Haines]

PSA I saw a pair of Shell Dalton's for sell on ebay in 11e. This particular pair though has commando type sole.