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

[Gnome]

I got these PAs on ebay for $40. The scratch on the toe was not in the picture when I bought them. Is this something that can be fixed by re-crafting (which I planned to do anyway), or should I just return them? I apologize for the terrible picture quality.

 

[jjr4884]

Haha i love the fact that you have 4 pairs of the same color. I'll post the same when I order my merlot strands.... if i order them. I'm up to 3 now - shell brown, cognac, and walnut. Not picture worthy yet...

 

[mixedmajik]

Hi...is it a good idea for a student who has never bought a dressy shoe before to buy some lightly worn allen edmond sanfords off ebay that have a bit of wear on the sole? I'm looking at about 130 for it...and with customs maybe 150...is this a smart move since I can't afford new ones...or should I buy a brand new shoe in a cheaper brand because the used shoe route might not be a good idea because of the footbed (i.e lightly worn might mean different things to different people so there is a chance I won't feel good in it?) Also for the price and situation does it make sense....I wear khaki and jean pants...and the shoes are the walnut/chestnut colour. Thanks.

edit* Keep in mind before this I was hoping and planning try and only spend 70 dollars for a dressier shoe since i'm new to this stuff and because after customs it might be 90 or 100...so is it worth the budget bump keeping in mind the info provided?

 

[delmar]

Hi...is it a good idea for a student who has never bought a dressy shoe before to buy some lightly worn allen edmond sanfords off ebay that have a bit of wear on the sole? I'm looking at about 130 for it...and with customs maybe 150...is this a smart move since I can't afford new ones...or should I buy a brand new shoe in a cheaper brand because the used shoe route might not be a good idea because of the footbed (i.e lightly worn might mean different things to different people so there is a chance I won't feel good in it?) Also for the price and situation does it make sense....I wear khaki and jean pants...and the shoes are the walnut/chestnut colour. Thanks.

I'd go ahead and look at lightly used Allen Edmonds on ebay--a lot of them show up there looking like they're in hardly worn condition. Sometimes the soles are hardly scuffed. But particular styles--sanfords, for example--are hit and miss. The hitch-n-post ebay store always seems to have a lot of lightly used AE's.

I'll edit to add that ebay is a good place to look at pictures of the shoes, what they look like used, the images on the AE website don't always do them justice.

 

[mixedmajik]

Hey delmar what size are your feet just to check...and lightly worn = lightly used, no? What's the difference?

 

[kmdsimpson]



Hi...is it a good idea for a student who has never bought a dressy shoe before to buy some lightly worn allen edmond sanfords off ebay that have a bit of wear on the sole? I'm looking at about 130 for it...and with customs maybe 150...is this a smart move since I can't afford new ones...or should I buy a brand new shoe in a cheaper brand because the used shoe route might not be a good idea because of the footbed (i.e lightly worn might mean different things to different people so there is a chance I won't feel good in it?) Also for the price and situation does it make sense....I wear khaki and jean pants...and the shoes are the walnut/chestnut colour. Thanks.

edit* Keep in mind before this I was hoping and planning try and only spend 70 dollars for a dressier shoe since i'm new to this stuff and because after customs it might be 90 or 100...so is it worth the budget bump keeping in mind the info provided?

If you don't mind wearing used shoes (personal preference is all), lightly used shoes are a fine way to go. The soles are made to be replaced, so sole wear is not a sign of a bad shoe; it's more a sign of how soon you will need to spend money to resole.

What is really important is the condition of the inside, including the inside heels and insoles, and the outer leather. The insides can get torn up if the person who wore them does not properly air them out and use trees (think foot perspiration). The outside gets dried and cracked if not polished regularly. If those two items look OK, then I say you are good to go.

Think of sole and heel wear/replacement as maintenance. Damage to the inside and outside leather is permanent and really can't be fixed.

 

[horsey shoes]

They had quite a few at my local Rack yesterday, and I think they were $219.00, or it may have been $227.00. Decent deal either way, and they did look quite nice.

$219 or $239. They were all indeed in D width.

Confirmed, Nordy Rack in Dallas has them for $219 in chili and brown. Only D widths. I think I have seen them as low as $199 during their sales.

Haha i love the fact that you have 4 pairs of the same color. I'll post the same when I order my merlot strands.... if i order them. I'm up to 3 now - shell brown, cognac, and walnut. Not picture worthy yet...

Thanks. You can never have too much of your favorite shoe... that's why we are all here right?

 

[SuitedDx]



Thanks, good to know!

Here with flannel navy with pinstripes:

It might be too much for some but I like it.

 

[New Shoes1]

Can anyone share some insight on how a 9 last loafer (Randolph) is going to fit as compared with the 5 or 8 lasts?

 

[hohneokc]



Can anyone share some insight on how a 9 last loafer (Randolph) is going to fit as compared with the 5 or 8 lasts?

I wore the same size in the Randolph as I did in my 5 last and 8 last shoes - just my experience, others may vary. However, I ended up giving my Randolphs away as my high instep didn't work well with the Randolph. So fit-wise, you should be the same size. But if you have a high instep, try them on first because they may be way too tight across the top of your foot.

Chris

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Here with flannel navy with pinstripes:

It might be too much for some but I like it.

Looking sharp! Yeah, frankly they are a bit outside of my style zone, but am able to look at others wearing them like your picture above and I do think they can look good if done well.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

I got these PAs on ebay for $40. The scratch on the toe was not in the picture when I bought them. Is this something that can be fixed by re-crafting (which I planned to do anyway), or should I just return them? I apologize for the terrible picture quality.

Like you said, it is hard to tell much due to the picture quality. That said, when recrafting they will strip the original finish and re-do it. If the scratch is deep enough to be a gouge in the leather, then that isn't fixable through recrafting. If it is just a scratch in the finish, then it may very well be taken care of.

 

[New Shoes1]

I wore the same size in the Randolph as I did in my 5 last and 8 last shoes - just my experience, others may vary. However, I ended up giving my Randolphs away as my high instep didn't work well with the Randolph. So fit-wise, you should be the same size. But if you have a high instep, try them on first because they may be way too tight across the top of your foot.

Chris

Thanks. I'm going to pass, but someone else should jump on this auction for a pair of shell Randolphs in 11.5D that look almost new and are at $88 with only a few hours to go. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALLEN-EDMON...353&pid=100015&prg=1006&rk=1&sd=360566288808&

 

[SouthNarc]

Question on the AE Burnished Brown color:

I got a pair of Fifth Streets in this color and use Saphir cremes and waxes exclusively. I have several different shades of browns, including Med. and Dk. brown. For AE owners with a shoe in this color, and who use Saphir products, do you have a preference on which shade of brown works best for preserving the shoe's color?

 

[SuitedDx]

From my experience, lighter polish tends to preserve the original color whereas darker color adds to patina. Wear the FS in good health.