Alden Cigar Shell Experience?

[jralden]

Hello,

I am drawn to the Alden Cigar Shell Bal shown below, but have not seen it in person. Do any of you have experience with this color in shell cordovan?
I am curious about how casual it can be worn, what the color is actually like. I do have other Alden shell cordovan shoes, but all in color 8.

Thank you,

JR

 

[jralden]

And one other question: What color polish would/do you use with this color cordovan?

JR

 

[Pundit]

I have Alden's NST in cigar shell and use Alden's brown shell polish on it. You should see this shoe in the flesh to observe how the cigar shell pieces (on one shoe) can look slightly different in color based on the viewing angle/light. It does not look bad but I think it adds to a more casual look.

 

[tropics]

there is an alden thread that is balls deep in pictures of cigar cordovan

 

[JayJay]

I like Alden's cigar shell, but find them to be best suited for casual wear because of the light-colored soles that Alden uses on them. This is why I wouldn't buy it in an oxford like the one shown in the pic.

 

[jralden]

Thank you for the advice. I guess I was trying to get a feel for whether it would fit into that grey area of casual where I haven't worn an oxford before, but I still want to have something nice on my feet. A shoe to wear when I don't want to wear a Chelsea boot, e.g..

When I went browsing in Nordstroms to get ideas, it looked as though they were offering caricature versions of dress styles, cheap-looking shoes with perforations, wings, cap toes and the like, which just brings the whole thing down to a look of kids trying to play dress-up but not knowing what real shoes should be.

 

[mcbrown]



...kids trying to play dress-up but not knowing what real shoes should be.

What pray tell should real shoes be?