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

[jvc44]

Just like to complement Matt at epaulet for great customer service and care ! Really a pleasure to deal with ! Thanks Matt!

 

[jvc44]

Also received great service from Leffot great people there! Thanks

 

[jvc44]

Naval boots are killer!

 

[aldenwear]

Lots of talk about fit lately - which, for a newcomer, must be utterly maddening.

Nothing beats try-on, and there is no doubt that individual preference plays a part, as do other variables (e.g., insoles, thickness of sock).

Moreover, a person can try on the exact same model in the exact same size and may like how one pair fits and not the other ....

I consider myself TTS US9.5D (and UK8.5E). I wear a thin insole (not ortho) in all my dress shoes (always have, always will; I like how it feels). I don't even know the brand of the insole because it is so old and just keeps on ticking. But I do not wear an insole in any of my loafers, as I find the fit to be better if I don't. So, with all of that said, my sizing usually shakes out as follows:

9C - Van (slip-on)
9D - barrie, tremont, trubalance, plaza (shoes)
9.5B - aberdeen (slip-on)**
9.5C - M-58 (like barrie), M-75 (like Plaza)
9.5D - aberdeen (lace), plaza (boots), grant, hampton, snap, leydon

** If I get a 9.5D in an aberdeen slip-on, my foot damn near comes out of the shoe with every stride given the amount of heep slippage. Even the C width has too much heel slippage for my liking.

But even the above is not without certain exceptions, as I have M-75 and aberdeen models in 10C, I have hampton and aberdeen models in 9D, I have a snap model in 9.5C, and a Barrie model in 9.5B.

amazing. A gold star -- and, obviously, well-fitting Aldens -- to you for perseverance.

 

[green garden]

Wait a minute! you want to talk foot discrimination? Many of the "famous" Alden dealers talked about on this forum don't stock above size 12. Many of the pre-orders stop at size 12. So "E" width might be an issue, but size 13 and above is a crisis!!!!!

I feel your pain!

See Ya,
Steve

Interesting I thought E was as popular as D. I wear a C width and I can't even get a #8 NST. I've been in pre-order purgatory for so long it feels like hell.

 

[patrick_b]

Tan Suede chukka day today:

 

[Alcibiades]



Interesting I thought E was as popular as D.  I wear a C width and I can't even get a #8 NST.  I've been in pre-order purgatory for so long it feels like hell. 

E widths are becoming increasingly popular (Leffot has helped with this) but key retailers like Unionmade, Epaulet, Need Supply, etc only order D. The Alden branded stores generally do a good job with E widths, but sometimes they can't get enough shoes (the Alden NYC ravello PTBs are only available in D for preorder for example)

 

[FrankCowperwood]



Tan Suede chukka day today:

Spoiler

Nice shoes and nice photo!

 

[Burton]



nephew,
Aberdeen last works for me up going up one half size on my barrie last.. I do this both for loafers and tie shoes

I agree. I cannot where the shell slip ons as I have a very wide fore foot and narrow heel--the shell loafers create too much heel slip. A good rule of thumb is one half size longer for Aberdeen than Barrie.

 

[itsmejson]

I guys - I'm planning to make my first purchase into Alden.
I was unable to get the AE Snuff Suede Amok So I plan to
order a pair of the Snuff Suede Chukkas.

Does anyone have any advice for sizing?
- I've read that they run TTS and Narrow & that sizing up in
length and width is usually the way to go.

They only sizing I know is AE sizing, which I am usually
a 9.5E in strands & 10D in daltons. I'm know this might
be hard to give advice for sizing but if anyone has any
input I'd really appreciate it.

Thx

 

[Gauss17]

Assuming you are looking at the leydon last chukkas, they run fairly true to size, so I'll guess you are a 10D. However, what I would do is order both sizes, then keep the one you like best and return the other.

 

[kwhitelaw]

if I were to buy another pair, not only would they be TTS, but I'd probably attempt to go one width out

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



amazing.  A gold star -- and, obviously, well-fitting Aldens -- to you for perseverance.  

Thank you, sir. It's a relentless pursuit for shoes and boots that fit spot on - everytime.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



I guys - I'm planning to make my first purchase into Alden. I was unable to get the AE Snuff Suede Amok So I plan to order a pair of the Snuff Suede Chukkas. Does anyone have any advice for sizing? - I've read that they run TTS and Narrow & that sizing up in length and width is usually the way to go. They only sizing I know is AE sizing, which I am usually a 9.5E in strands & 10D in daltons. I'm know this might be hard to give advice for sizing but if anyone has any input I'd really appreciate it. Thx

It seems there are 3 schools of thought on the Leydon last: 1. tts (say, 10D) 2. tts plus one width (10E) 3. tts plus half size in length (10.5D) If you get a 10D and 10E, I suspect one of them will be right.

 

[sevenfoldtieguy]



if I were to buy another pair, not only would they be TTS, but I'd probably attempt to go one width out 

This is a good point. The Leydon last is the only last - of any maker (literally) - where, for me, the thought of going beyond D (or medium) width is even within the realm of possibility. Should I order another Leydon lasted shoe or boot - not terribly likely - my plan will be to order tts and tts plus one width (and possibly even tts plus 1/2 size). As I recall, Leffot, at least sometimes, when carrying Leydon lasted models, only stocks E widths - the theory being that an E width in Leydon is more or less equal to a D width in most other lasts.