***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[seer]

How far are you from shoe mart?! I live about two miles away. Bad news. Lol

I live up in Torrington, about an hour and a half away. I'm glad I don't live closer - they had a lot great shells in the irregular dept.

 

[seer]

Mac method & you'll be good to go. Betting that this will not be your last Alden shell purchase especially with TSM just down the road from you.

The guy who sold these to me, Chester, was pretty close to the Mac Method in how he told me to care for them.

 

[Alcibiades]



In my view, a chukka and a longwing both are perfectly appropriate to wear with a suit, with the longwing being slightly more formal. I wear both with suits, frequently. Should anyone, in person, criticize my choice of foortwear as being non-suit-approrpiate, they would politely but firmly be advised to take the stick out of their behind and get a hobby.
Cigar chukka, left; whiskey LWB, right. With a suit:

I bet I could wear a cigar chukka on my left foot, and a cigar PTB on my right foot, for a whole day, and no one would notice. Here, you can see how the chukka (again, cigar) and PTB (#8) look when part of the vamp is covered by a pantleg. One wonders whether the extra exposed laces on the PTB would be noticed. Most people would probably just see that the shiny part of the toebox matches on the shoes and assume that the rest of shoes are the same, too:

-Erik

I just saw this post - this is pretty convincing.

I need whiskey longwings...

 

[EngProf]



Don't mean to be a pain *********** but I'd really like some insight from you guys on this...

I fear that this is very much a you-have-to-try-it-on matter. But I'm a 7D in Barrie, which fits a tad loosely, and my 7.5D Hamptons are the best-fitting shoes I own. I tend to wear the same socks in both, but occasionally compensate for the slight looseness of the Barrie by using heavier socks. So it really sounds to me like you'd be best off in 11D.

 

[furo]

 

[Joenobody0]



Don't mean to be a pain *********** but I'd really like some insight from you guys on this...

A 7C on the Barrie fits me loosely, while a 7.5B is my correct Hampton size. If you're not particular about fit it might work for you, but I would suggest not.

 

[AldenLuver]

So simple yet fantastic. I've been considering the color 8 PTB as my go-to pair. Need to pick up a pair.

Nice purchase, looking great. Wear them in health.

Ok, I surrender! I have been resisting buying shell for a while now. I even have bad mouthed it a bit. So this AM I’m down at Shoe Mart looking to buy a shoe made of CXL. But they had this pair if irregular PTB in color #8 for $399 (besides one small scratch on the heel Chester and I could find nothing wrong). This was less than I planned on spending for the CXLs. I made the mistake of trying them on - I don’t know why I just fell in love with them. They really are a stunning shoe in person. I REPENT!

 

[seer]

So simple yet fantastic. I've been considering the color 8 PTB as my go-to pair. Need to pick up a pair.

You know growing up in a neighborhood of Italian men from the old country the PTB is pretty much all they would wear. There was a wingtip here or there, but these plain toes were standard. I remember thinking how old fashion, how stodgy. But as I grow older I’m coming to love the lines and simplicity of these shoes. They have a quiet elegance.

 

[patrick_b]



I live up in Torrington, about an hour and a half away. I'm glad I don't live closer - they had a lot great shells in the irregular dept.

I live 3+ hrs away and think it's a manageable distance and a worthwhile trip every now and again CT had been part of my sales territory for 5+ yrs until just recetntly so it made it easy to swing by every couple of months. Nowadays, I only get as close as Springfield, MA and that's rare. I know what you mean about the benefit of *not* living closer...I'd go broke!

 

[wj4]



Nice collection. I especially like the suede ptb, whiskey ptb and the cigar longwing.

Thank you. The suede PTBs were Irregulars. For $300, I can't complain. I think I am done with Aldens for a great while, unless I can get the legendary #4. Now time to work on C&J and Carmina!

 

[BIGBERTHA]

I couldn't resist

 

[P. Bateman]

Alden SF has ptbs in natural chromexcel. So sweet

 

[seer]

I couldn't resist

Good - you trapped him, now call the exterminator! ; )

 

[FrankCowperwood]



I just saw this post - this is pretty convincing.
I need whiskey longwings...

Well, looking at the B&S listings in your signature, it seems you might be a Barrie 10. Don't mean to cost you any money, but AoC has a pair of whiskey longwings listed on its irregulars page in that size. I've found Adam's standards to be very high.

 

[localman]

localman, any more pics? Did you end up sizing down or go true-to-size? I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on TheShoeMart's since J.Crew's is a 3 month wait for me

Sorry for the delayed response.

I sized down a half size and they fit me perfect. I also own the J. Crew Indy's which I also sized down a half size with. Those are a bit more roomy but fit good as well. Also for more pics you can check my profile there are a few more.

As a side note I really can't say enough good things about J. Crew's customer service. I received a pair of the cap toes as a gift and after slightly less than 2 months the speed hooks started tearing through the leather. After getting the order number they sent out a replacement pair immediately, then upon receiving those and seeing some textural abnormality on the toe of one of the boots they sent out another pair; unfortunately with some scratches that were deeper than the finish of the boot, so after contacting them again they are now sending out another pair overnight and hand checking them to make sure they are blemish free.

All that without having to plead or beg or anything like that. Just stated the facts and they were happy to help. Naturally these ones will be hand checked and chock full of scratches and they will pull a 180 on me and not accept an exchange, but I'm hoping not.

Just wanted to share that for anyone that has a pair of J. Crew boots and may be experiencing some problems.

The treadstarter would get you in the right direction. Since it was 2008 it might need a bit of adding and subtracting with Winn Perry gone. But you can add in Tassels HK, Tres Bien, Frans Boone...
In light of your photo an Orson Wells quote:
"Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others"

Great thanks for the reply!