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

[smfdoc]



**WARNING, WALL OF TEXT**

Side question, how the hell do you married guys do this???

Ok, your first problem is that you married a woman who can count. Just kidding, sort of. But I feel your pain as I had the same problem. Please see my earlier poem. My wife can also count and was starting to get a little concerned about the number of boxes that arrived to the house. Here is how I handled the problem.

I have a son who needed a part time job to raise a few dollars and he was starting to follow my interest in shoes. I set him up to flip some used shoes on EBay. Shoes arrive for him and he brings them into the house from other sources. He sells shoes and boxes also go out every day. Boxes of shoes arriving and departing became "normal" and no one notices "normal." Now when I buy a shoe they arrive just like all of the other ones for his business and the wife takes no notice at all. The ones I don't keep I give to him to sell as well and he makes some extra money.

I blush at my genius.

 

[danwatts2005]

I love the walnut shade. I just can't pull the trigger when I see the same pair in oxblood. I'm also worried that deep down once I buy one pair of walnut, six more will follow.

I don't know what shoe it is, but don't buy the walnut. Don't buy THE WALNUT. DON'T BUY THE WALNUT. Buy the Oxblood, or Brown, or Chili. You'll get much more use out of any of those.

Edit--Unless it's shell. Then, BUY THE WALNUT!!! BUY THE WALNUT!!!!! BUY THE FUCKIN WALNUT!!!!!!

 

[jcman311]

**WARNING, WALL OF TEXT**

Question for you fine gentleman. What got you into finer footwear? My conversion happened just recently. After I graduated from college, I got a cushy job that has a horrible dress code (depending on your view.) I've stated before, but you can wear a v-neck down to your belly button, jeans tight enough to give yourself a vasectomy, and shoes with holes in them so your toes stick out. (Serious outfit, and sadly I didn't send him home because I knew how behind the rest of the team would get for making up his work.) Anyway, I'd go out with friends and start to see how people with "real" jobs would dress and it was an eye opener. So Black Friday rolls around and I hit up Banana Republic. Mind you, their stuff is/was 20x better than the stuff I had been wearing, that's how bad my situation was.

For Christmas, I told my dad I'd like a few dress shirts so we go to Nordstrom. I get fitted for my size, try on a few, and the lady asks if I need these right away. I say no, she says they go on sale after Christmas (awesome for her to say that ps.) Next errand was heading to another store that my dad had bought me some dress cords a few years prior and I needed them tailored. I remember being in this place but not liking it. So I start looking around and notice sport coats. Grab one, try it on, feels fine, look at the price...8k. It was then I realized I wasn't at Nordstrom anymore.

My dad hands me another dress shirt to try on, and as soon as I did, I could immediately feel the quality difference between the Nordstrom one and this one. As we're about to leave I notice their shoe selection. And about had a heart attack at the pricing. I honestly can't remember the brand but I'm sure it was Italian. (I looked it up later, Di Bianco.)

Long story short, after that trip I started researching and was mind blown at what is actually out there for men's style. Lucky for me, there's an AE store 15 minutes from my work and home. THEN I learn about the shoebank and my life is now over.

Side question, how the hell do you married guys do this???

TL;DR: What got you into wearing shoes of better quality?

Funny you ask this question after I posted that bit about James Bond. It was actually the Bond movies that got me into dressing better. I started watching all of them in order about 10 years ago and after Skyfall I really got hooked into the fashion side. That led me to reading all on his clothes, which led me to searching about footwear and that led me here. That and a AE giftcard that went unspent for what was like 1.5 years. (from about 2013-early2015) Funny my first pair of real shoes were actually Loakes... and now you really cant get them in the US due to import/retailer restrictions.

I dont wear suits that often and I really dress business casual but I use just about all my footwear all the time (with jeans, wool slacks, chinos, etc) Ill even wear my black Loake chukkas with jeans. I've never had someone yell at me for it yet.

 

[Uncle]



Cheers to Ian Fleming
Also you got me thinking. I'll need shoes that start with T and F and I'll be able to wear one for each day of the week. Or just wear Daltons everyday because boots are awesome?

 

[Uncle]

Was wondering whether I had to launch my Walnut Fifth Aves on a Wednesday, but now, I can save them for "Fifth Avenue Fridays"

 

[otterhound]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

@CMT1, tell me about those handsome socks.

 

[CMT1]



@CMT1, tell me about those handsome socks.

Those are extremely inexpensive, heavy/winter weight socks from the Eddie Bauer outlet just off HIlton Head Island, SC. Something like $10 per pack of three.

They are about three years old now, they see constant wear and have held up very nicely for an inexpensive sock.

 

[Scarlet]

TL;DR: What got you into wearing shoes of better quality?

Before I graduated college a couple years ago, I was strongly of the opinion that no one should ever have to wear anything more than t-shirt, jeans and sneakers for any reason. I still sometimes get into moods like this. But knowing that I had to get a real job, I started doing research about more professional menswear and getting used to the idea that I may have to wear nicer pants and button-up shirts. I found a brand that I liked that made interesting clothing made in the USA, which reinforced my only-buy-domestic-made preference. Once I got a job I was able to start buying a few of their pieces and start replacing the dress clothes I'd had since high school. The company had previewed a line of American-made, Goodyear-welted shoes, but sadly they closed down before they went into production. With my cheap black Nunn-Bush shoes wearing down, I began shopping for new shoes. I wanted a pair of chukkas, that were made in the USA and could be worn both casually and at the office. I looked at Red Wing, Frye, Rancourt & Co, Allen Edmonds, and Capps. I fell in love with AE's Gobi chukkas, but I was still resistant to the idea of paying upwards of $200 just for a pair of shoes, so I bought the Capps. Then about a month later, I learned about the Shoe Bank and bought a pair of Gobis for $97, and a pair of Strandmoks for good measure.

Since then I've bought 10 pairs of AEs, mostly seconds. I've had mixed results with fit and finish, but the ones that I've gotten right I'm very happy with. Right now I'm trying to sell the ones that aren't good for me and am holding off on further purchases to see what the upcoming austerity brogue will be like. If I don't care for it I'll probably be going to Rancourt for a custom pair of their wingtips. Until then, I'm still wearing my AEs erry day.

 

[Scarlet]

Those are extremely inexpensive, heavy/winter weight socks from the Eddie Bauer outlet just off HIlton Head Island, SC. Something like $10 per pack of three.

They are about three years old now, they see constant wear and have held up very nicely for an inexpensive sock.

I must agree, those are very nice looking socks.

 

[naspratt]



I'm not sure I dress any better than I ever did.  This is where I might lose friends. I am probably not going to buy a three piece suit very soon, and I don't have $2000 to drop on one sport coat . . .  I wear nice shoes, and want to get better, but most of my clothes are from JAB.  I"m never going to be the guy I saw in a resturant last week, who had on a full ascot, and all the trimmings, but put a bib over it when he ate his dinner.

Because this is almost entirely not about shoes, spoilered to protect the sensibilities of the forum

Spoiler

Dressy nicely doesn't mean spending $2000 on a sport coat, wearing three-piece suits, or (God forbid) wearing an ascot. If you want to, and can pull it off, more power to you, but it really isn't necessary. I wear suits to work, not because I have to, but because I feel better and more professional. I've never spent over $1000 on a suit, and I have some decently nice pieces. eBay is your friend, as is B&S here. Just follow balearic1 on eBay (Spoopoker on SF), and you can pick up $1000 suits for a fraction of that. Or go Internet MTM, with Black Lapel, Knot Standard, or the like, and get a suit that will fit better than any you've ever owned before for under $800.

None of that is meant as judgment; there's nothing wrong with wanting better shoes and feeling comfortable in JAB. Hell, I have a couple JAB suits, including one I'm wearing tomorrow morning to an interview. But you might be surprised what you can find for a lot less that you would expect.

 

[Count de Monet]

I've known for a while that AE brick & mortar stores are dropping inventory, especially in non-D widths.  Store managers have told me as much.  But today it's seemed to have hit a new low.  I called the Plano store today, since I'm going to be in the area this weekend, to see what they had in stock in my E width size.  I was told they had a grand total of four shoes in a 10.5 E in the entire store (PA, Cornwallis, Ashton, and LGA).

So I asked the SA (who has always been great to work with) if they could order in an oxford on the newish 201 last.  He said he can probably get in a Jefferson 2.0 in by Friday and I could try it out, no strings attached.  I asked about the Hopkinson (which I'm seriously thinking about) and he told me that there are none made up anywhere in that size.  In other words, the only way I can try on an E width is to buy it, wait a few weeks to try it on, then decide whether I want to keep it. 

Again, the SA was great and I really appreciate him.  But there isn't much point in having a B&M store it you keep shrinking its inventory.  If I have to go to such lengths to try on a size, or just guess and ship things back and forth, in order to buy a $500 shoe, I might as well buy through the web from overseas makers like Bonafe, Carmina, etc.

I know inventory sitting in stores costs money but there is a cost to not having anything for customers to try on.  AE doesn't seem interested in distinguishing themselves from competitors in that price range.

/mini-rant

 

[CMT1]



I must agree, those are very nice looking socks.

Thanks!

 

[mosy]

Any theories as to why Lexington in size 9D fits me well but the McGregor in same size feels too big? Same last, both have blucher lacing. ????

anyone?

TIA!!

 

[Shazb0t]



I've decided to buy a pair of Allen Edmonds Strands. I'm favoring them in walnut. Is there a sale coming up I should be waiting for? Or a place to buy them at a discount? Thanks.

Are there routine calender sales?

 

[Count de Monet]



Are there routine calender sales?

Yes, there's a spring sale soon and the Rediscover America sale near Colombus Day. In recent times the biggest discount on walnut Strands has been the Nordstrum Anniversary Sale in late summer. I've had AE price match the Nordstrum deals.