The Official Alden Thread for 2017 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[Misterg12]

Whiskey PTB.
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With new natural cordovan horween print strap.
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Holy moly Pam127.

 

[ATLVol]

PSA.....local shop in Atlanta has some alpine grain plaza lasted loafers on sale at 40% off.....Miller Brothers Ltd

 

[chipshot]

Link? ^ jeez

 

[Threeputt]

Took a flyer on some Shoemart seconds kudu chukkas. Love this greasy ass leather. I was surprised to see what looks like norvegese welting though. Pretty sure it's GYW but there's two rows of stitching on the welt. These are Cape Cod Collection. Anybody know more about this line? Does Alden do norvegese?

 

[mdubs]

Ravello Jumper x CitiShoes today.

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Dang. Great boots!

View attachment 805446 Enjoying some cigar today myself.

Superb looking Cigars.

Alden X Leffot Long-wings with antiqued double watelock soles. Most comfortable shoe I own though the only "real" shoe I do own I do have come V-tips in Color 8, antique sole on order. Can't wait!

Looking great! Funny too see those right after the Cigars.

The camera always makes these a little redder than they are:

Alden x JCrew Waxed Tobacco tan

Looks great to me!

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A cool day here, only 105. My boots and tie shoes are up in the closet bagged until late Oct.

Glad it's cooled off. Great looking tassels.

Davis Boot via B+M

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Cool Snuff PCT Boot. Enjoy them!

View attachment 805553 View attachment 805554 Got my 44623H boots today a day early. Beautiful boots, and I agree that when I photograph them the red comes out more than in real life. They are a beautiful shade of dark tan. Pardon the quality of photos. The lighting is making it look like my left boot is darker than my right boot, but I assure you they are the same.

Interesting on the coloring. Sometimes keeping the white balance can be challenging.

View attachment 805563 Here's a comparison with my AE natural shell Daltons. The color is nearly identical, but Alden clearly wins on appearance. I think the Daltons fit better....they're 8.5E and the Aldens are 8D, but the Aldens are noticeably longer, not even counting the storm welt. 7.5 E on the very last is probably where I need to be These would work, but I have to make up my mind and decide if I want to keep these, or experiment with a 7.5 D since I doubt I'll find an E width. If I do keep these, I would sell my Daltons.

Yeah, no comparison when it comes to pattern.

Haven't posted in a while, here are some Dovers in the beautiful beautiful office light:

Cool to see the Navy PTBs. Not too many of us rock them.

Whiskey PTB.
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With new natural cordovan horween print strap.
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Both are great zippy. Like the reverse shell.

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Took a flyer on some Shoemart seconds kudu chukkas. Love this leather. I was surprised to see what looks like norvegese welting though. Pretty sure it's GYW but there's two rows of stitching on the welt. These are Cape Cod Collection. Anybody know more about this line? Does Alden do norvegese?

I believe they used a different stitch out of the Maine factory. For some reason I am thinking they did a Blake stitch.

-Mike

 

[M635Guy]

View attachment 805563 Here's a comparison with my AE natural shell Daltons. The color is nearly identical, but Alden clearly wins on appearance. I think the Daltons fit better....they're 8.5E and the Aldens are 8D, but the Aldens are noticeably longer, not even counting the storm welt. 7.5 E on the very last is probably where I need to be These would work, but I have to make up my mind and decide if I want to keep these, or experiment with a 7.5 D since I doubt I'll find an E width. If I do keep these, I would sell my Daltons.

Personally, I've never found the proportions of the AE boots attractive, with the exception of their recent AE X Massdrop chukkas (which I liked enough to buy two pairs - is similar to the older Amok). The Alden WT boot is just plain classic. I hope it works out for you!

 

[Threeputt]

I believe they used a different stitch out of the Maine factory. For some reason I am thinking they did a Blake stitch.

-Mike

Thanks Mike. Definitely not Blake. Number of websites (including Shoemart) state GYW. Model is 1272S. Given the upper row of stitches what else could it be but norvegese? Whatever it is, it was a pleasant surprise.

 

[peppercorn78]

Thanks Mike. Definitely not Blake. Number of websites (including Shoemart) state GYW. Model is 1272S. Given the upper row of stitches what else could it be but norvegese? Whatever it is, it was a pleasant surprise.

It's not norvegese. That's just how all Alden storm welts are pre-stitched. It's usually not as noticeable when it's black thread against black welt.

 

[nesto916]

This is my first post, but I've been a fan of the forum for many years. The collection started with a pair of 405 and has grown to 8 pairs.

405
Cigar Chukka - Alden SF
Cigar Officer's Indy - Epaulet
Color 8 4070h - Alden SF
Tobacco LWB - Alden JCrew via eBay
Ravello PTB - Alden SF
Whiskey SWB - Harrison Ltd
Cigar LWB - theshoemart

I've been lucky enough to pick up the last 3 pairs of shell in the past 3 months. You can really see the difference between whiskey, ravello, and cigar. I'm not sure how I feel about the ravello...I would probably like it more with an antique edge. I bought them anyway, thinking that I would regret passing them up. I still think about passing up whiskey chukkas and PTB at Alden SF (years ago when I bought by chukkas and had to decide between the three) and a whiskey shortwing bal from Alden D.C. (just last year)

Believe it or not the cigar Indy was my 2nd choice. I had purchased a pair of Black and Tan indys from epaulet and was disappointed that the shoes had a black cork sole instead of red as pictured on the website. I ended up returning the shoes and picking up the cigar indys.

My cigar chukkas are fresh from restoration and are a little darker now that they've been refinished. I forgot to take before and after pics. Now that I got them back, I should have had the heels replaced locally and left them original.

I will probably stop buying shell after I pickup a black cap toe boot (4065), Whiskey PTB, and King LWB!

I will be wearing one of the new pairs in a few weeks on my wedding day...I just need to decide which pair.

Enjoy the pics everybody.

I just realized that I have a duplicate box for my chukkas in the pic, since I just got them back from alden. I don't the original box for my jcrew lwb.

 

[stevefok]

This is my first post, but I've been a fan of the forum for many years. The collection started with a pair of 405 and has grown to 8 pairs.

405
Cigar Chukka - Alden SF
Cigar Officer's Indy - Epaulet
Color 8 4070h - Alden SF
Tobacco LWB - Alden JCrew via eBay
Ravello PTB - Alden SF
Whiskey SWB - Harrison Ltd
Cigar LWB - theshoemart

I've been lucky enough to pick up the last 3 pairs of shell in the past 3 months. You can really see the difference between whiskey, ravello, and cigar. I'm not sure how I feel about the ravello...I would probably like it more with an antique edge. I bought them anyway, thinking that I would regret passing them up. I still think about passing up whiskey chukkas and PTB at Alden SF (years ago when I bought by chukkas and had to decide between the three) and a whiskey shortwing bal from Alden D.C. (just last year)

Believe it or not the cigar Indy was my 2nd choice. I had purchased a pair of Black and Tan indys from epaulet and was disappointed that the shoes had a black cork sole instead of red as pictured on the website. I ended up returning the shoes and picking up the cigar indys.

My cigar chukkas are fresh from restoration and are a little darker now that they've been refinished. I forgot to take before and after pics. Now that I got them back, I should have had the heels replaced locally and left them original.

I will probably stop buying shell after I pickup a black cap toe boot (4065), Whiskey PTB, and King LWB!

I will be wearing one of the new pairs in a few weeks on my wedding day...I just need to decide which pair.

Enjoy the pics everybody.

I just realized that I have a duplicate box for my chukkas in the pic, since I just got them back from alden. I don't the original box for my jcrew lwb.

Thanks for sharing! You have a very nice collection! Few members mentioned that the color of the recent Cigar LWBs from TSM look really good but I am surprised to see how dark they are comparing with the Cigars from few 3-4 years back.

 

[Threeputt]

It's not norvegese. That's just how all Alden storm welts are pre-stitched. It's usually not as noticeable when it's black thread against black welt.

Sorry but I want to better understand. Pre-stitched? Thanks.

 

[galileo]

I'm looking into getting the unlined suede chukka. Got a slightly overpronated feet and the best fit is TruFlare 8E - for my forefoot is quite wide. Plaza 8D NST Monk is ok but need to lace tightly to grip the heel

Tried 7.5E and quite snug, 8E better. For heel 7.5E grips well. There's no 8D.

Any tips for me? Cheers and thanks

7.5E, my pronated right foot ball joint pushing the edges but no pressure exerted. Larger left foot slightly less toe room.


8E, need to lace tighter to grip my slender instep. Toe box is fine and have 1-1.5inches left at tip.

 

[peppercorn78]

Sorry but I want to better understand. Pre-stitched? Thanks.

Sorry. That's just Alden fancy promo jargon. But basically the stitching that appears on the exterior of the welt is aesthetic in purpose. With true norvegese, the welt is folded like an L flaring outward and stitched both through the upper and the sole. With Alden's reverse welt, the "lip" is not actually part of the welt at all, but a separate piece of leather that doesn't have a functional purpose.

At least, that is what I have observed on my Alden vs Bonafe and Vass shoes. Granted, I have not actually cut the shoe open to verify my hypothesis. Nor will I! They're terribly expensive...

 

[Misterg12]

Good morning Gents. Back in Black today. Alden 4065.
Im on the look out for a pair of NST boot #8 , Aberdeen, commando in a 12d if anyone has one.

 

[jpm1]

View attachment 805898 Good morning Gents. Back in Black today. Alden 4065.
Im on the look out for a pair of NST boot #8 , Aberdeen, commando in a 12d if anyone has one.

Beautiful Boots!