Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread 2016 - News, Pictures, Sizing, Accessories, Clothing, etc

[naspratt]



Actually it was black stitch caps, to which :foo: countered that his Phillip 2 punch caps were full of enough "win" to qualify.

Gah! That's right, he said brown punch caps are the ultimate suit shoe. Point stands! Love them for suit wear.

Just curious why you look at them differently. I wouldn't think twice about wearing a dainite anywhere.

It is lacking a level of formality that leather soles have. Same idea as single versus double leather soles. A single leather sole is most formal, I don't object to rubber soles but wouldn't wear them to a wedding, funeral, or important meeting. Just on the off chance someone possibly noticed.

 

[danwatts2005]



Just curious why you look at them differently. I wouldn't think twice about wearing a dainite anywhere.

We are in the same boat when it comes to coworkers. They wear the worst shoes. We are in and out all day and always on out feet. Johnston and murphy are by far the best shoes worn by any coworker. I have some myself. Mostly aldo, Steve Madden type of worthless shoes.

At one time, the leather soles were chosen for dancing, as well. You can move better with less traction. With modern dances, I doubt that matters.

 

[ace13x]

I haven't received mine yet, but I plan on using Tarrago Nanoprotector, per the recommendation I've seen given on this thread before. It seems to receive pretty good reviews....no leather lotion though. I've extensively researched the recommended care of the tan strandmok, and AE has said both to use leather lotion, and then they very explicitly recommended against using leather lotion, in favor of using AE's suede/nubuck waterproofer, since the leather used is "similar to nubuck" according to them. But it's not actually nubuck nor suede, obviously, it's cowhide.

I don't have anything against the Tarrago product other than the pseudo-science marketing. The AE protectant works just as well (at least on suede). Use whatever you already have, though I've never heard of it being used on non-suede/nubuck. I need to re-spray my beloved suede Dundee's so If I have some time, maybe I'll shoot a quick video of the AE Protectant this weekend.

I haven't done actual research on the Strandmok, but I thought I read somewhere that AE recommended Saddle Soap for the care of their less refined leathers.

Also thinking of giving the Dundee's a thorough cleaning with Saphir Omni'Nettoyant. The last time I brushed them out the suede brush looked filthy afterwards, but I think I'll wait on the cleaning until the end of the summer. My question is: There is another Saphir product called Omnidaim, but I haven't read anything on it other than it seams to be the same product. Anyone ever used it (Omnidaim), or know for sure if this the same as Omni'Nettoyant?

 

[ace13x]

I was thinking of Dainite-soled shoes; I wouldn't wear rubber-soles shoes for formal occasions but don't think twice about wearing them to the office (since they're miles ahead of whatever square-toed monstrosities my coworkers are sporting).

THIS!!!

 

[Captm2016]

Does fifth avenue in walnut make any sense? Just got some fifths in dark chili, and I love the fifth, so I wanna take advantage of the deal. Also have PAs in bourbon and black, and Bellevues in golden brown and dark brown. So for the fifth, it's either brown or walnut. Any recommendations? Was thinking walnut fifth with dainite might be fun, especially cuz I want to get the brown in fifth st bal boot. Then I can (eventually) complete the color spectrum with an oxblood strand or Merlot Mcallister.

 

[whodey14]



Does fifth avenue in walnut make any sense? Just got some fifths in dark chili, and I love the fifth, so I wanna take advantage of the deal. Also have PAs in bourbon and black, and Bellevues in golden brown and dark brown. So for the fifth, it's either brown or walnut. Any recommendations? Was thinking walnut fifth with dainite might be fun, especially cuz I want to get the brown in fifth st bal boot. Then I can (eventually) complete the color spectrum with an oxblood strand or Merlot Mcallister.

If I were in your shoes I'd go brown with Dainite. I will second the oxblood strands. I have them and absolutely love them.

 

[Neo1]

@harlequin782 I found your comments a little interesting. I initially tried a black strandmok - absolutely hated it, the black matte finish masked out the perfs completely. The "brown" is actually quite a weird/funky color that I liked a lot, but you have no idea how much of an impact a contrast color reverse welt can make until you have them on. Jumped right out at you. The tan was the best of the bunch, but it seemed a little dull. I viewed all these as casual only, so I was looking for something less conservative. Wound up going with a neumok and a rush street, red & green. Happy with both. I don't view the rush st as too similar to the strand at all, much more casual look to it with the reverse welt & cxl. The Elgin....that was so good im sorry I missed it. Also very casual imo, basically a mctavish with a captoe.

 

[harlequin782]



Does fifth avenue in walnut make any sense? Just got some fifths in dark chili, and I love the fifth, so I wanna take advantage of the deal. Also have PAs in bourbon and black, and Bellevues in golden brown and dark brown. So for the fifth, it's either brown or walnut. Any recommendations? Was thinking walnut fifth with dainite might be fun, especially cuz I want to get the brown in fifth st bal boot. Then I can (eventually) complete the color spectrum with an oxblood strand or Merlot Mcallister.

I got the 5th Ave in Walnut, and no it doesn't make any sense, now that I know better. It was my first AE purchase, and I had no idea of which color/brouging/perfing/lacing combinations were acceptable. That said, I received numerous compliments on the Walnut 5th Ave from casual observers, family, friends and coworkers...that is, before I turned them bright neon orange with AE polish..smh

 

[ace13x]

Curiosity question: Wondering if people keep their shoes in the flannel shoe bags, or in the shoe bags AND boxes, or just naked.

 

[danwatts2005]



Curiosity question:  Wondering if people keep their shoes in the flannel shoe bags, or in the shoe bags AND boxes, or just naked.

Shoe trees and racked. That's it. My off season ones all have trees; the only ones in bags are Shreveports. The Kirkwoods and Maritimes are just boxed.

 

[naspratt]



Curiosity question:  Wondering if people keep their shoes in the flannel shoe bags, or in the shoe bags AND boxes, or just naked.

I just started keeping them in bags; I found that once my rotation exceeded [mumble] about a dozen pairs [/mumble], they tended to collect dust between wearings if I didn't. I box the summer shoes (Maritime, Strawfut, Boone) sometime around October, but otherwise use the boxes for shoe care products (and to hide new pairs from the wife - "what, those? Had them forever!").

 

[harlequin782]



@harlequin782 I found your comments a little interesting. I initially tried a black strandmok - absolutely hated it, the black matte finish masked out the perfs completely. The "brown" is actually quite a weird/funky color that I liked a lot, but you have no idea how much of an impact a contrast color reverse welt can make until you have them on. Jumped right out at you. The tan was the best of the bunch, but it seemed a little dull. I viewed all these as casual only, so I was looking for something less conservative. Wound up going with a neumok and a rush street, red & green. Happy with both. I don't view the rush st as too similar to the strand at all, much more casual look to it with the reverse welt & cxl. The Elgin....that was so good im sorry I missed it. Also very casual imo, basically a mctavish with a captoe.

Some pretty good insight there. Honestly I went with the tan strandmok precisely because I do want to dress conservatively. I'm tall, so I dont really need to do much to draw more attention to myself, nor my feet. However, my one slight concern with the tan Strandmok, was that with its dull finish, it may take on the appearance of a weathered pair of workboots or cowboy boots when viewed from afar beneath a pair of jeans. But I'm thinking the tan laces will steer it back in the opposite direction.

If my recollection serves me correctly though, the Elgin was the one with the split reverse welt, no?...which is why I said it was a bit too dressy for my taste albeit to a LESSER extent than the Rush Street, or the Strand, (which from all images I've been able to find both seem to have a regular welt, and look even look less casual than the Elgin)....the Elgin would've been an ok compromise for me at one point, but not ideal for my casual shoe. But since it's no longer offered (to my knowledge) I just went straight for the Strandmok. I've seen/handled the tan strandmok, along with all the other colors several times in person at my local AE store about 10 mins away, and honestly, from the first time I saw the tan Strandmok, I knew I needed it in my life; even as I toyed around with the idea of purchasing other styles. But realistically it's just such a perfect look for what I'm going for. However I just couldn't get behind that darker brown...it's definitely funky as you say. Too funky, to me...to the point of being quirky, and sprezzaturish, and not necessarily in a good way to me. As I stared at the dark brown with that high contrast welt, I just couldn't get over how jarring that combo was to my eye...so that color never really took off with me.

Now, I will admit to being a neumok nut...ive worn through the soles of my blue neumoks, and while they were a terrific casual shoe that garnered me a good deal of compliments, their time has ended, and I wanted to branch out into some of the different casual leathers like suede, some of the rubber soles and different styles other than wingtips. I was wingtip heavy there for a while, and I never felt compelled to purchase any iteration of the strand (strandmok, strandmok 2.0, elgin, fullerton, rush street etc) until now.

 

[harlequin782]



Curiosity question:  Wondering if people keep their shoes in the flannel shoe bags, or in the shoe bags AND boxes, or just naked.

Trees + bags + boxes at all times, when not in use

 

[Captain Insano]

I just use trees and rack and let them sit naked. Now that I read the others responses I might bag any I think will sit for a while to avoid dust.... but probably not because my wife already gives me endless **** about how much I care for my shoes. To her they are "just shoes" To me they are a work of art.

 

[harlequin782]



... To her they are "just shoes" To me they are a work of art.

And don't you ever let anybody tell you any different, ya hear?!