Advice on first pair of dress shoes: Grenson vs Allen Edmonds

[RetroFuture]

Transitioning into more business suit attire, navy and grey suits.
I've been doing a lot of research into each shoe.

Grenson Stanley Brogue in Tan (aware it's made in India) is on sale for $200.
Allen Edmonds Strands in Walnut is nice too.

Which should I go for? Any other choices?
I don't need the best, just a good starter dress shoe that is versatile, more than decent quality and that won't break the bank.

 

[maxnharry]



Transitioning into more business suit attire, navy and grey suits. 

I've been doing a lot of research into each shoe.  

Grenson Stanley Brogue in Tan (aware it's made in India) is on sale for $200.
Allen Edmonds Strands in Walnut is nice too.

Which should I go for?  Any other choices?
I don't need the best, just a good starter dress shoe that is versatile, more than decent quality and that won't break the bank.

The Strand looks like a dressier shoe. Also don't know what a Grenson made in India is like. I have 3 pairs of Grensons made in Northampton and they are excellent shoes.

 

[RetroFuture]

The Strand looks like a dressier shoe. Also don't know what a Grenson made in India is like. I have 3 pairs of Grensons made in Northampton and they are excellent shoes.

Appreciate the help. What starter dress shoe would you personally go with. Doesn't have to be the ones I listed. Just looking for opinions and feedback.

 

[SuitedDx]



Appreciate the help.  What starter dress shoe would you personally go with.  Doesn't have to be the ones I listed.  Just looking for opinions and feedback.

A little more than $200 but Cheaney or Loake might be good places to start. Herring shoes are also priced competitively when on sale. I still think Alfred Sargent (and maybe even Wildsmith) brings the best value (A Fine Pair of Shoes is a good place to get them).

My Grensons are from Paul Stuart so they're closer to the old Masterpiece standard. AE is a fine brand with excellent customer service but their lasts never really worked for me and the quality is extremely variable (although their customer service will go out of their way to alleviate any problems).

Good luck!

 

[12345Michael54321]



What starter dress shoe would you personally go with

First, a black pair. Then, a brown pair. (Yes, I get that some people on SF reject black shoes the way vampires reject wooden stakes, eating garlic, strolling in the sunshine, and sprinkling themselves with holy water, but rejecting them this way is every bit as ridiculous as insisting that black shoes are always the best choice.)

I have nothing against tan shoes. Tan shoes are great and I own some pairs of tan shoes, myself. But they're often a far less than ideal choice for after dark, or in situations where one wishes to dress in a sober and conservative fashion. Thus limiting their versatility to a certain extent.

I suppose that amounts to my vote being "nay," on the Grenson Stanley Brogues, in tan, for your first pair of dress shoes. (Same way that I think tan suits can be well worth owning, but if you were looking for your first suit, I wouldn't push you toward one in tan.)

Well, just a thought.

 

[RetroFuture]

First, a black pair. Then, a brown pair. (Yes, I get that some people on SF reject black shoes the way vampires reject wooden stakes, eating garlic, strolling in the sunshine, and sprinkling themselves with holy water, but rejecting them this way is every bit as ridiculous as insisting that black shoes are always the best choice.)

I have nothing against tan shoes. Tan shoes are great and I own some pairs of tan shoes, myself. But they're often a far less than ideal choice for after dark, or in situations where one wishes to dress in a sober and conservative fashion. Thus limiting their versatility to a certain extent.

I suppose that amounts to my vote being "nay," on the Grenson Stanley Brogues, in tan, for your first pair of dress shoes. (Same way that I think tan suits can be well worth owning, but if you were looking for your first suit, I wouldn't push you toward one in tan.)

Well, just a thought.

Lot's to consider, definitely appreciate your insight.
What brand and model would you suggest for a first and second dress shoe, in the 300-500 range, which would you get now if you could go back with your present knowledge and do over.

 

[12345Michael54321]



What brand and model would you suggest for a first and second dress shoe, in the 300-500 range, which would you get now if you could go back with your present knowledge and do over.

Well, if I could go back to my early 20's self, in addition to hinting to myself that buying a few thousand shares in Microsoft when it goes public would not be a bad idea, I'd probably suggest buying a couple of pairs of Florsheim Royal Imperial shoes, since back then (not so much today) Florsheims were still very good shoes, indeed.

But okay, I get what you're really asking. If today I were 25 years old, and knew what I know now as a middle aged man, what currently available shoes would I buy.

Allen Edmonds Part Avenue, in black. Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue, in brown. For various reasons -

I've already mentioned the color choice thing, so that's one reason. I'm also middle aged, and even when I was 25, I tended toward the conservative, and had begun working as a lawyer (and the law is a field where the conservative is not altogether scorned), and am from a Northeastern (and Baltimore) background, where such shoes as the AE Park Avenue are commonly worn by professional men. (I've even heard them joking called "McLawyer shoes.")

And my shoe size is a 13EEE. So a shoe company that doesn't offer extra-wide widths (at least a EE), simply isn't going to get my business. I'm afraid sleek Italian shoes and my feet just aren't all that compatible. No medium width (D) shoes for me, regardless of how nice they might be.

But fwiw, my third and fourth pairs of shoes might well be burgundy (or some other wine-related color, like merlot or bordeaux or somesuch), and tan. Heck, make the tan ones a pair of AE Strands. I've always liked the Strand. (Although I probably like them in tan less than I do in most other colors. Still, there's nothing actually wrong with them in tan.)

But just because those might be my choices, it doesn't automatically follow that they're the best choice for anyone else. Maybe you don't have big, wide feet. Maybe you don't work in a conservative law office. Maybe you regularly go out clubbing (which was never my thing). Maybe whatever.

I would also add that whatever you wind up buying, proper care will make or break your shoes. Cared for properly, a quality pair of shoes can last for decades and still look good. (Which is why it makes sense to spend a little more up front, for quality.) And without proper care, even the finest shoes can be ruined before long. It's a little like a car - you can buy the finest, most reliable, best engineered car on the market, but if you never bother with routine maintenance it's not going to last anywhere near as long as it otherwise would.

 

[maxnharry]



A little more than $200 but Cheaney or Loake might be good places to start. Herring shoes are also priced competitively when on sale. I still think Alfred Sargent (and maybe even Wildsmith) brings the best value (A Fine Pair of Shoes is a good place to get them).

My Grensons are from Paul Stuart so they're closer to the old Masterpiece standard. AE is a fine brand with excellent customer service but their lasts never really worked for me and the quality is extremely variable (although their customer service will go out of their way to alleviate any problems).

Good luck!

I agree with this^

I've never been a big AE fan, though there are many here. My first pair of black dress shoes was a pair of NIB Grensons from Paul Stuart that I found on eBay.

 

[lestyr3]

I can't beat Michael's advice. That said, my two cents:

You want to maximize your use if for now you only have one pair, so I'd get something in dark brown or cordovan with some amount of broguing. It will go with more shades of pants and suits than tan will, and the holes will make it more useful as a weekend shoe (read: You can wear it easier with jeans & khakis) while still preserving a decent level of formality. If you've got to meet the President or are (like Mike) a lawyer, I'd get something more formal, but the dress shoes I've used the most were cordovan wingtips. Then I'd get black (dark brown will be okay at night, but black will be better) such as the Park Avenues mentioned above, then something even less formal with some brown monkstraps or suede dress shoes.

The key is understanding how formal your situations typically are, then buying to fit the level of use.

 

[element02]



Transitioning into more business suit attire, navy and grey suits.

Grenson Stanley Brogue in Tan (aware it's made in India) is on sale for $200.
Allen Edmonds Strands in Walnut is nice too.

Which should I go for? Any other choices?
I don't need the best, just a good starter dress shoe that is versatile, more than decent quality and that won't break the bank.

The Stanley in tan is a nice choice since you plan on wearing navy and grey suits. I would suggest another pair in a darker brown so you can alternate shoes. If you like Grenson, the Sid is a longwing which you can find in tan or burgundy. The Archie is a brogue similar to the Stanley. The Ellery is a double monk that you can get in tan or burnt pine.

A little more than $200 but Cheaney or Loake might be good places to start. Herring shoes are also priced competitively when on sale. I still think Alfred Sargent (and maybe even Wildsmith) brings the best value (A Fine Pair of Shoes is a good place to get them).

Cheaney, Loake and Alfred Sargent are great suggestions. You can find rebranded Loake (Charles Tyrwhitt) and Alfred Sargent (Brooks Brothers and J.Crew) at reasonable prices during sales. I can't remember who has rebranded Cheaney now. I know Cole-Haan used to.

I like Alden more than Allen Edmonds, though they do cost a little more. Ultimately, the choice depends on your budget and taste.

 

[Stirling]

Look into Barkers too.They are very much underated on sf but make solid shoes.

 

[RetroFuture]

I really appreciate all the replies so far. I'm really into streetwear, not hypebeast, but mixing brands like APC, Gant Rugger, John Elliott, Jordan, Supreme, Phillip Lim, Acne, Common Projects, Margiela, etc. Now I'm trying to get into more Classic Menswear so all these suggestions are great. So far, I have indeed purchased the Grenson Stanley Brogue in Tan, because I got it on sale from END Clothing for $210 shipped, which I think it's a good deal. I already have a pair of Mark McNairy Double Monks in Black with a cap toe.

I plan on getting Allen Edmonds PA in Black or darker Brown, and possibly the Strands in Walnut to have a nice selection of colors and styles to rotate. Further down, I'd like to get a pair of Brown double monks too. Wallet is gettin hurt. lol

 

[SomethingsFishy]

Once you know your sizing, you can do VERY well on eBay / thrifting. I have picked up four extremely nice pairs of dress shoes for less than it'd cost you to buy a single pair of Aldens new.

 

[RetroFuture]

Once you know your sizing, you can do VERY well on eBay / thrifting. I have picked up four extremely nice pairs of dress shoes for less than it'd cost you to buy a single pair of Aldens new.

I have been on eBay checking out the various models in used condition. Watching a few. As for thrifting, I'll have to look into that, not sure it's worth the time and effort tho.

 

[SomethingsFishy]

I have been on eBay checking out the various models in used condition. Watching a few. As for thrifting, I'll have to look into that, not sure it's worth the time and effort tho.

If you live in a city, it's a goldmine.