• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Gators!

Ambulance Chaser

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
13,935
Reaction score
10,021

Brian SD

Moderator
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Messages
9,492
Reaction score
128
I predict that no one will even want them so they wont go anywhere near the retail price in bidding. Does anyone actually wear alligator shoes?
 

drizzt3117

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
13,040
Reaction score
14
Those are pretty bling bling, I'd buy them for $0.01 if they were in my size
smile.gif
 

j

(stands for Jerk)
Admin
Spamminator Moderator
Joined
Feb 17, 2002
Messages
14,663
Reaction score
105
I almost said 'wow', but then I saw the elastic (and said 'ugh' instead). Am I the only one who thinks that is heretical? May as well put the two velcro straps over the top like those tan old-people shoes.
 

raley

Senior Member
Joined
May 22, 2004
Messages
779
Reaction score
0
I almost said 'wow', but then I saw the elastic (and said 'ugh' instead). Am I the only one who thinks that is heretical? May as well put the two velcro straps over the top like those tan old-people shoes.
Isn't this the "Chelsea" Last? I didn't really like it when I first saw it either, and that was a more "normal" looking shoe.
 

shoreman1782

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
8,728
Reaction score
6,883
Pretty bad. I want to know who's wearing some of the more outrageous RLPL stuff, besides Ralph. I picked up the RL Bierley Boot from this seller, went fine, went cheap.
 

bengal-stripe

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
4,621
Reaction score
1,280
That is one damn ugly shoe....
I do not understand what all that fuss is about; side elastic shoes have been a staple of English shoe design since Victorian times. According to Alan Flusser they were "invented" by J. Sparkes Hall in 1836, initially for ladies and subsequently for men as well. They became popular in the States as the "Congress gaiter" or "Boston boot". The late George Cleverley took up this style, probably by then almost forgotten, with vehemence, as he felt no other design produced a better fitting slip on. He produced numerous variations on the theme. Just have a look through the catalogue of Cleverley (the firm) in London. It certainly is their signature design. Edward Green's "Attlee" is a nice and nicely proportioned version within that family of designs. I do not know what's ugly about it. More pictures here: http://cobblers.hp.infoseek.co.jp/monthly02-06.htm I rather feel like the great German conductor Arthur Nikisch, who arriving at New York to conduct the New York Philharmonic told the press that he had scheduled a number of works by Richard Wagner. When the interviewer mentioned that New York audiences did not like Wagner, he replied: "Zen ve play him, till zey do."
 

jcusey

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Apr 24, 2003
Messages
1,803
Reaction score
54
As usual, bengal-stripe is the voice of reason. Atlee is a wonderful pattern, although I prefer it when it's specified with the leather straps covering the elastic gores.

Those shoes aren't at all Michael Irvin-ish. Perhaps if they had extreme square toes, extended welts, and were done in turquoise crocodile, but the Atlee in black crocodile is not flashy and it's not tasteless. I prefer cognac crocodile to black, and I think that crocodile shoes look better without any brogueing than with. Still, they're good shoes.

Raley, these are probably made on Edward Green's 89 last, which is used for most of the RLPL shoes. It's a roomy and elegant last. Chelsea is the name of EG's cap-toe balmoral model.
 

bengal-stripe

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 23, 2002
Messages
4,621
Reaction score
1,280
Looking closer, the two samples, both named Attlee, are actually two different designs. The crocodile one has a straight toecap, while the Japanese one has a wing tip. Judging by the picture, and I might be wrong here, it is actually not a real wing tip but a faux one. The vamp is a single piece of leather and the wing tip is not a separate piece, but a row of topstitching and brougeing (as is the heel counter).
DSC00141.JPG
"Faux Brogue" is another design feature old Mr Cleverley was very fond of. Whether crocodile is (stylistically) the best material for this design might be debatable. At present you can get the crocodile version (special orders only) at the Ralph Lauren shop in London, retailing at GBP 3200 or 3400.
 

Sevcom

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
340
Reaction score
0
That's what I thought too, though being neither a Gators or Irish fan or foe, it doesn't excite me as much
tounge.gif
But seriously, if they were my size, I'd consider bidding them. They're less Michael Irvin than old, rich sugar daddy (which I'm not, but what the hell).
 

jcusey

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Apr 24, 2003
Messages
1,803
Reaction score
54
Looking closer, the two samples, both named Attlee, are actually two different designs. The crocodile one has a straight toecap, while the Japanese one has a wing tip.
That's because we both *********** pooch on this one. The Atlee is a wing-tip, while the Kibworth is a semi-brogue. The seller on eBay either got the model name incorrect or Ralph is taking his usual liberties with EG's naming conventions.
 

zjpj83

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2004
Messages
9,425
Reaction score
28
I don't know what you guys are talking about. This is a somewhat modern interpretation of a totally classic shoe. The last is classic. The captoe design is classic. The elastic design is classic. The only thing that sets these apart from completely classic shoes is the exotic leather, which gives them a bit of a modern touch. But even that isn't really modern - you saw alligator hide, on luggage and shoes - far more in the the 30s than you do today. I despise modern shoes. Square toes and elongating lasts make me cringe. But these I like. A lot. And, yes, to whoever asked, I do have alligator shoes, and Marc has his MTM boots. You can make alligator shoes without gross square toes and ostrich inserts and even a pseudo-alligator spiked tail running down the middle of the shoe (yes, I have seen shoes like these.) You can make alligator shoes classy and classic without looking like they should be worn by NBA draft hopefulls. If they were my size, I'd bid in a second. Here are my alligator Bruno Magli loafers: http://img74.exs.cx/img74/1442/P1010299.jpg I also just picked up a brown alligator belt that I like very much. I think these RLPL shoes look great, and believe me, I am very averse to modern trends in fashion.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.7%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 15 10.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,140
Messages
10,578,728
Members
223,895
Latest member
JackiRuffner
Top