Australian Members

[Osiris2012]

Herring Drakes arrived, quite happy with the oxblood colour and the quality seems great. Certainly the most I've spent on a pair of shoes to date, looking forward to getting home and investigating them a bit further as at this stage I'm not 100% sure the quality difference between say loake 1880 and these was necessarily worth it (for me) although perhaps that value that's missing for me is in how well they wear - and wear in overtime - as I haven't had a good chance to test that being at work and all. Either way pretty happy.

 

[CHECKstar]



For clarity, a box of 10 pairs (20 plates) is ~35 EUR, so a little more than 50 AUD. Shipping decreases significantly the more you buy, but one to two boxes is 20 EUR shipping, 3-4 25 EUR, etc. Plus a wire transfer fee, which varies from $22 (Cheapest I've found) to $50. One person buying one box is out about $100 AUD, but two people buying one box each is $75, 4 buying 1 is $66, etc.

I have raised metal toe taps on all my dress shoes and I have yet to notice them, which suggests to me that the difference between flush and raised would be only marginal and not worth such effort.

 

[Romp]



Given what you plan to wear them with, I would narrow it down to either of the bluchers, but also think about a suede brogue as well.

Those shoes won't work with denim, maybe chinos

Fxh, relating to your post a few days back, is it unwise to let shirts sit in a bucket of water for more than a few days?

Also in general guys, can someone confirm that shoulder bags/ shoulder straps are bad for a canvassed suit shoulder?

Yes, it will ruin your jacket

I have raised metal toe taps on all my dress shoes and I have yet to notice them, which suggests to me that the difference between flush and raised would be only marginal and not worth such effort.

The difference is actually that the flush taps sit all the way to the edge and the raise taps still allow for some roll at the tip

 

[Superfudge]

What I'm talking about is virtual slavery, where garment workers are paid below even the measly official minimum wages, workers have no rights, and child labour is common. These practices are rife, particularly in the Subcontinent. Sorry to get on my high horse but it pays to think before you buy that $4 shirt from Kmart about what the true price is and who is really paying it. You're getting a bargain but somebody is getting screwed somewhere. Nothing is for nothing.

/rant.

I think there's an onus on us to really be better global citizens about this stuff. I don't know about you, but I can't make a pair of trousers, and if I could, I have a pretty good idea about how little I'd be willing to be paid if I made them for somewhere else. That's why I buy my traousers from Howard Yount and not from Tarocash (well, one of the reasons anyway).

Not that paying a high-price on a garment guarantees that it's been ethically manufactured; to be honest I think pricing segmentation has really warped our idea of what clothing is worth and what we're willing to pay for it. On the one hand, there are retailers like Zara and H&M driving fast, disposable fashion, turning what used to be a consumer durable into a one-use product, while at the same time high-fashion brands are selling the same goods at incredible mark-ups. Is it really surprising that people have no real barometer to judge what a piece of clothing is worth?

I don't see an issue with Chinese workers being paid dollars a day to do a safe factory job that means they don't have to work as subsitence farmers, that's upward mobility, but we shouldn't expect that such low labour costs are anything other than a transitionary state helping to pull these societies up to our level, at which point we'll have to go back to paying what we would expect to be paid. We also shouldn't accept it if it means people are being endangered by working these jobs like they are in Bangladesh.

If that means buying fewer suits and shirts every year, so be it. My wardrobe doesn't have the room anyway.

 

[tobiasj]

Well said Superfudge.

 

[DartagnanRed]

Probably not a bad thing.

Can we add public servants to this list?

 

[Oli2012]



I think there's an onus on us to really be better global citizens about this stuff. I don't know about you, but I can't make a pair of trousers, and if I could, I have a pretty good idea about how little I'd be willing to be paid if I made them for somewhere else. That's why I buy my traousers from Howard Yount and not from Tarocash (well, one of the reasons anyway).

Not that paying a high-price on a garment guarantees that it's been ethically manufactured; to be honest I think pricing segmentation has really warped our idea of what clothing is worth and what we're willing to pay for it. On the one hand, there are retailers like Zara and H&M driving fast, disposable fashion, turning what used to be a consumer durable into a one-use product, while at the same time high-fashion brands are selling the same goods at incredible mark-ups. Is it really surprising that people have no real barometer to judge what a piece of clothing is worth?

I don't see an issue with Chinese workers being paid dollars a day to do a safe factory job that means they don't have to work as subsitence farmers, that's upward mobility, but we shouldn't expect that such low labour costs are anything other than a transitionary state helping to pull these societies up to our level, at which point we'll have to go back to paying what we would expect to be paid. We also shouldn't accept it if it means people are being endangered by working these jobs like they are in Bangladesh.

If that means buying fewer suits and shirts every year, so be it. My wardrobe doesn't have the room anyway.

This. That said, I wish there was more of a middle ground of Chinese produced, high quality basics - like the Toyota of the clothing world.

Can we add public servants to this list?

Public servants are the people I respect the most in our society. Nobody deals with **** like our ambos, nurses, teachers and police do - they deserve every cent they get.

 

[Journeyman]



After reading your comments I fully understand why Shakespeare wrote 'the first thing to do is to kill all the lawyers'

But then you kill most people in this thread

Probably not a bad thing.

Can we add public servants to this list?

Well, I'd be in real trouble if that were the case!

Public servants are the people I respect the most in our society. Nobody deals with **** like our ambos, nurses, teachers and police do - they deserve every cent they get.

Ah, but what about public servants who are lawyers?!?!?

 

[wurger]

So I ended up researching into where I could get those flush metal toe plates that we keep seeing around the forum from places like Meermin, Vass, as the shoe-makers didn't seem to be able to supply them unless they were on a pair of shoes. I've found a supplier and am going to place an order, is anyone else interested in joining in? Image attached for clarity. If there's any interest I can flesh out pricing details.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I'd be interested, but also a bit wary at the same time. Once you've got the toe plates, do you think that you'll be able to find a place that will be happy to fit them - and able to fit them competently - if you provide them with the toe plates??

Why we bothering when the cobbler can provide the toe plates and do the job in one go?

 

[wurger]



Herring Drakes arrived, quite happy with the oxblood colour and the quality seems great.  Certainly the most I've spent on a pair of shoes to date, looking forward to getting home and investigating them a bit further as at this stage I'm not 100% sure the quality difference between say loake 1880 and these was necessarily worth it (for me) although perhaps that value that's missing for me is in how well they wear - and wear in overtime - as I haven't had a good chance to test that being at work and all. Either way pretty happy.

Congraz, the quality difference will never justify the price difference, but the difference is there, how they wear is dependant on the last how they fit your feet, not the quality of leather and workmanship, since Loake isn't a cheap shoemaker by any means.

 

[joiji]

Quote:

I'd be interested, but also a bit wary at the same time. Once you've got the toe plates, do you think that you'll be able to find a place that will be happy to fit them - and able to fit them competently - if you provide them with the toe plates??

Why we bothering when the cobbler can provide the toe plates and do the job in one go?

I wasn't aware that any cobbler in Australia provided the service to do this?

 

[wurger]

Hm, adding a toe plate? that's a pretty basic work.

Well, my cobbler offers it, but I don't use it since I topy me shoes.

 

[joiji]

Hm, adding a toe plate? that's a pretty basic work.

Well, my cobbler offers it, but I don't use it since I topy me shoes.

A flush mounted one like the picture?

 

[jas0nt]



Hm, adding a toe plate? that's a pretty basic work.

Well, my cobbler offers it, but I don't use it since I topy me shoes.

Anyone can attach a toe plate (can even be a DIY job) but doing it so the thickness if flush with the leather sole would require skill and finesse.

 

[DartagnanRed]

Public servants are the people I respect the most in our society. Nobody deals with **** like our ambos, nurses, teachers and police do - they deserve every cent they get.

Whatever makes you feel warm and fluffy inside.