Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread 2020 - News, Pictures, Clothing, Accessories, etc.

[sam67]

How well did this go over? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-Edmo...633351?hash=item1f14201647:g:00YAAOSwja1fJbwk

If I were going this route I'd probably try J Fitzpatrick. (from a styling perspective)

 

[madhat]

How well did this go over? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-Edmo...633351?hash=item1f14201647:g:00YAAOSwja1fJbwk

If I were going this route I'd probably try J Fitzpatrick.

They were quite popular. Jet-stream has (had?) a pair, pepper had a pair in black shell, my friend has a pair, Brooks Brothers even had a model with tartan fabric.

J Fitzpatrick lasts are much sleeker and less accommodating than the 73 last; I had to MTO a pair of button boots and they were still a bit too narrow. I'm overall happy with them after a lot of wears.

 

[Shoenut]

They were quite popular. Jet-stream has (had?) a pair, pepper had a pair in black shell, my friend has a pair, Brooks Brothers even had a model with tartan fabric.

J Fitzpatrick lasts are much sleeker and less accommodating than the 73 last; I had to MTO a pair of button boots and they were still a bit too narrow. I'm overall happy with them after a lot of wears.

Popular on this thread rarely equates to a popular seller.

 

[madhat]

Popular on this thread rarely equates to a popular seller.

But they made it to Brooks Bros, bro!

 

[woofmang]

Happy Wingtip Wednesday... uh... Thingtip Thursday?

(And to think, when I first joined this site a year and a half ago, I didn't have a single wingtip to my name...)

 

[woofmang]

But they made it to Brooks Bros, bro!

And now Brooks Brothers is bankrupt. Coincidence?

 

[madhat]

And now Brooks Brothers is bankrupt. Coincidence?

Nope! Notice how they no longer carry the SH? No SH=Bankruptcy. Seems like simple math to me?

 

[ProfilaBinding]

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White suede leeds for the brave ?

If anyone is curious, my pair runs small. I went up 1/2 size in these and they fit beautifully (but mine are sand, not white).

 

[DawgPound]

Arrival! I was weak. Flash sale caught me unguarded. $149...not too shabby Haven’t bought anything in a while, so why not. Continuing to do my part in helping the economy!

I haven’t put them next to my carbon strands, but in this lighting, they kind of remind me of them.

 

[ptfly]

Arrival! I was weak. Flash sale caught me unguarded. $149...not too shabby Haven’t bought anything in a while, so why not. Continuing to do my part in helping the economy!

I haven’t put them next to my carbon strands, but in this lighting, they kind of remind me of them.

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I am still amazed that in all this time no 11.5b or 11.5c has shown up anywhere. I was going to order full price at the beginning but there was a 9 week wait if I remember correctly. I found a F2 park but I really wanted strand in olive.

 

[DawgPound]

I am still amazed that in all this time no 11.5b or 11.5c has shown up anywhere. I was going to order full price at the beginning but there was a 9 week wait if I remember correctly. I found a F2 park but I really wanted strand in olive.

That’s tough. I guess it helps you save some $ for bigger events (trunk show) when you can order exact sizes. I’m fortunate that my 11 EEE/11.5 EEE sizing is fairly available.

 

[Shoenut]

I am still amazed that in all this time no 11.5b or 11.5c has shown up anywhere. I was going to order full price at the beginning but there was a 9 week wait if I remember correctly. I found a F2 park but I really wanted strand in olive.

That’s tough. I guess it helps you save some $ for bigger events (trunk show) when you can order exact sizes. I’m fortunate that my 11 EEE/11.5 EEE sizing is fairly available.

Olive shaved shell in the next TS? Pre-maid in 11.5B and 11.5C? All for F2 pricing? Too Bad nothing in the next TS will come in EEE.

 

[mreams99]

Clark Streets here today.

 

[tcbinnc]

As much as I still like AE, they don’t offer a lot of options in dress oxfords or loafers for folks with high insteps. Most of their classic dress oxfords are on the 5 last (e.g. PA, 5A, Strand, McAlister), which is a real challenge for folks with high insteps. I had to choose between an E with otherwise good fit but terrible looking closure and a EE, which looks better but loose in the heel.

They offered up the 201, which is a huge help, but largely limited it to the Indy line, which it seems about to be abandoned.

The 4 last worked on loafers for us high instep folks but it seems to have been largely abandoned. (My truffle shell McGraw(?) loafers found for me by the lady in Jeffersonville years ago remains one of my best finds from the abyss.)

So for dress oxfords and loafers I have moved on to other pastures. European makers (for some reason) seem to offer more for folks with higher cones, particularly Bonafe and C&J.

I would suggest folks struggling to find a closed fit in an oxford, and/or a loafer that doesn’t feel like a medieval torture device, to not give up but instead to explore other brands.

BTW, my best fitting AE shoe of all time is an E width Macneil on the 7 last. So of course they abandoned it. . Thank goodness Ashley let us use it in the suede TS. My TS snuff Macs are perfect.

Thank you for sharing your experience and great information. I agree with you that the 65 last is quite the challenge to a high instep. On the balmorals especially, the resulting wide "V" is in the sharpest contrast to the style of an otherwise elegant form. Not a good look, imho. I do see some improvement upon multiple wears (of my 65 5A's), however. So there's hope.

It is enlightening that your optimum fit across lasts runs quite the gamut in sizing, especially widths. Something I've not tried but also not so easily accomplished no matter in store or online. Especially for me as I am very lackadaisical about returning things! lol.

My MacNeils and Surrey (the latter of which I had to go down 1/2 size to 10) are the most roomy shoes I own, from side to side, but still with resulting wide "V's". Could a drop from 3E to EE possibly have been a better fit And improve the resulting closure? Or, just make the latter worse? Hmmmm... Though plentiful from AE online, my local store (in a mall and with the same stockroom size constraints as any other shoe store) is typically light on 3E's, but on next visit, or also through online, I can try EE ( though possibly just as rare) in a last I already know the fit for in 3E.

Assuming it comes down to a high instep causing the issue, which I believe is true, I have an idea for what would make for a better resultant "V" on first wear for a high instep foot across all widths. Most any purist and possibly everyone may think it bombastic so I won't mention it now.

Lastly, I did try an Indy balmoral in store and it Did provide better closure but Also felt like I was stepping into a Great hole (as I mentioned on here once before). The reason being, I believe, is the sides run a bit higher than the AE norm. And so, why it reminds me of the Nun's shoes of yesteryear (in my 1st grade class to be exact) who also would crack my knuckles with a ruler for talking too much (I'm actually pretty quiet, btw), so naturally for me, not a good association for that shoe! lol. And also, I now realize, likely why I so often keep my hands folded in my lap. ?

 

[madhat]

Thank you for sharing your experience and great information. I agree with you that the 65 last is quite the challenge to a high insteps. On the balmorals especially, the resulting wide "V" is in the sharpest contrast to the style of an otherwise elegant form. I do see some improvement upon multiple wears (of my 65 5A's), however. It is enlightening that your optimum fit across lasts runs quite the gammut in sizing, especially widths. Something I've not tried but also not so easily accomplished no matter in store or online. Especially for me as I am very lackadaisical about returning things! lol.

My MacNeils and Surrey (the latter of which I had to go down 1/2 size to 10) are the most roomy shoes I own, from side to side, but still with resulting wide "V's". Could a drop from 3E to EE possibly have been a better fit And improve the resulting closure? Or, just make the latter worse? Hmmmm... Though plentiful from AE online, my local store (in a mall and with the same stockroom size constraints as any other shoe store) is typically light on 3E's, but on next visit, or also through online, I can try EE ( though possibly just as rare) in a last I already know the fit for in 3E.

Assuming it comes down to a high instep causing the issue, which I believe is true, I have an idea for what would make for a better resultant "V" on first wear for a high instep foot across all widths. Most any purist and possibly everyone may think it bombastic so I won't mention it now.

Lastly, I did try an Indy balmoral in store and it Did provide better closure but Also felt like I was stepping into a Great hole (as I mentioned on here once before). The reason being, I believe, is the sides run a bit higher than the AE norm. And so, why it reminds me of the Nun's shoes of yesteryear (in my 1st grade class to be exact) who also would crack my knuckles with a ruler for talking too much (I'm actually pretty quiet, btw), so naturally for me, not a good association for that shoe! lol. And also, I now realize, likely why I so often keep my hands folded in my lap. ?

Dropping from EEE to EE will result in approx 3/16" less circumference, so the V gap should be worse (ignoring mfg inconsistencies). That said, there are two ways to affect V gap: go wider or go longer. Wider will give you more circumference at the same point. Longer will push the higher part of the cone further down your foot (where your foot is lower). So, you could try half a length longer at EE if you can tolerate the added length. ...assuming the last you are working with is even offered in EE *cough* a lot aren't.
I too found the 201 to have too high of sides around the throat; they tend to hit my ankles causing irritation until they are forced to fold down. I avoid the 201 for that plus the volume.