• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Alden penny loafer but with dainite sole?

Joined
Sep 13, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
1
I've been looking for a loafer like the the Alden penny loafer, but with a dainite sole instead of a leather sole. Do you guys have any recommendations (short of buying the shoe and immediately resoling it)?
 

Phileas Fogg

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
4,467
The problem with Alden is that they won’t be a special make up individually. Only large orders.

If you’re looking for shell cordovan, however, you might be a bit more limited. You could try Allen Edmonds. Given their recent QC issues I’d be wary. An option nonetheless.

Rancourt is a great American company and they can accommodate made to order:



If you want to level up and go English, both Crockett & Jones and Edward Green can do MTO shell cordovan but it will cost you well north of $1000. In the case of EG, closer to $2k.

As a side note, there is something odd about a dainite sole, which I find to be somewhat heavy, on a penny loader. There are better synthetic options, in my opinion.

Good luck.
 
Joined
Sep 13, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
1
The problem with Alden is that they won’t be a special make up individually. Only large orders.

If you’re looking for shell cordovan, however, you might be a bit more limited. You could try Allen Edmonds. Given their recent QC issues I’d be wary. An option nonetheless.

Rancourt is a great American company and they can accommodate made to order:



If you want to level up and go English, both Crockett & Jones and Edward Green can do MTO shell cordovan but it will cost you well north of $1000. In the case of EG, closer to $2k.

As a side note, there is something odd about a dainite sole, which I find to be somewhat heavy, on a penny loader. There are better synthetic options, in my opinion.

Good luck.

Thank you very much! I'm not stuck on the cordovan, and I was just looking for any rubber sole, as the area where I live is rather rainy.
 

mbdakin

Member
Joined
May 22, 2020
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Cordovan is basically waterproof already, so that's a good choice. The thicker the sole, the more casual it will look, so I agree with Phileas that I wouldn't put a Dainite sole on a penny loafer. But a thin rubber sole can look almost indistinguishable from leather. The other thing to consider is a storm welt, since the welt is another place that water can seep in. But again, bigger welts make the shoe more casual.

Loafers have less overall coverage than derbies, brogues, or boots, so they wouldn't be my first choice for a waterproof shoe. But Allen Edmonds Dylan loafer might be the kind of thing you're looking for.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,161
Messages
10,579,012
Members
223,882
Latest member
anykadaimeni
Top