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

[NYCTechNerd]

I started off wanting one pair black (Park) and one pair brown (walnut Strand). Then it was 5 pair...then found suede, monk straps, and strandmoks that got me past 10...then i found shell and I’m sitting somewhere in the 20’s. At least I’m starting to unload some. ?

To play along, what is your normal dress/attire like? My work and lifestyle is more business casual with occasional formal needs, so that influences what I would get and would suggest if limited on number of pairs.

More business casual and non-work casual as I consider early retirement (or as my wife likes to say, I am in the consulting stage of my pre-retirement)

 

[audog]

More business casual and non-work casual as I consider early retirement (or as my wife likes to say, I am in the consulting stage of my pre-retirement)

Having been retired 1375 days (yes I keep track), DO IT NOW!!!

 

[NYCTechNerd]

Yeah! Look what came in the mail!

Decisions. Decisions. Might have to re-think my “list of 7” after all... View attachment 1483776

You know better, I have seen you in both the AE and Alden threads. Just walk away from the J&M catalog and don't look back before you hurt yourself.

 

[NYCTechNerd]

Having been retired 1375 days (yes I keep track), DO IT NOW!!!

I would now but no kids to worry about and my wife is simply not ready to stop working (high school principal and she loves what she does). Brothers, Sister, and most friends who are parents and about our age still have colleges, weddings, and other things to pay for so they simply do not yet have enough cash to be done. We were frugal for so many years and invested early, often, and wisely which really helped get us to the finish line early.

 

[audog]

I would now but no kids to worry about and my wife is simply not ready to stop working (high school principal and she loves what she does). Brothers, Sister, and most friends who are parents and about our age still have colleges, weddings, and other things to pay for so they simply do not have enough cash yet to be done. We were frugal for so many years and invested often, early, and wisely which really helped get us to the finish line early.

I retired 2 yrs before the wife did, health reasons got her to retire in January of this year. Good thing as she worked in a hospital, loved her work, but needed to retire (or at least get out of there). Having been in financial services industry, I said more times than I can remember "Retirement isn't an age, its a dollar amount". If you can afford to do it, I highly recommend doing so.......

 

[WSB17]

Yeah! Look what came in the mail!

Decisions. Decisions. Might have to re-think my “list of 7” after all...

Got mine a month ago... been on their mailing list for years as I used to buy the "Crown Aristocraft" / Made in the USA models.
I always have a soft spot for J&M but the current offerings are horrendous.

 

[Vincent George]

Got mine a month ago... been on their mailing list for years as I used to buy the "Crown Aristocraft" / Made in the USA models.
I always have a soft spot for J&M but the current offerings are horrendous.

I have Made in Usa Crowns in Captoe and Wingtip (both black). They are wonderful shoes. Sad to see that there’s no more USA Made JMs

 

[ProfilaBinding]

Cole Haan had a few shoes that were made in USA that I looked at in 2016 or 2017. They looked very close to AE so I was curious if AE was ghost building them for Cole Haan.

 

[WSB17]

Cole Haan had a few shoes that were made in USA that I looked at in 2016 or 2017. They looked very close to AE so I was curious if AE was ghost building them for Cole Haan.

That was the "Made in Maine" collection, made by Rancourt. Beautiful shoes and excellent quality.
www.townandcountrymag.com/style/news/amp7827/cole-haan-made-in-maine/

 

[Count de Monet]

I know many people frequent both here and the Alden forum but I still thought I would cross-post this.

I think to help cure my decision paralysis and improve my mental health (as related to owning and maintaining shoes), I may try to follow the 7 shoe wardrobe rule (in an abbreviated fashion). This might be heresy on this forum but it would be great if you would all play along and share your list if your were limited to just 7 (not including work/snow boots and sneakers). Here is my list:

• Black oxford
• Brown oxford
• Brown brogue
• Black tassel loafer
• Color 8 loafer/LHS
• Brown suede PTB
• Snuff Suede Chukka

if weren’t so tired and lazy I would link to the famous thread by Manton from 3-4 years ago ON THIS EXACT SAME EXERCISE (an excellent thread).

My 7, exempting sneakers, work boots, and hunting boots, would be ( in a non-COVID environment):

* black stitch cap
* dark brown punch cap or wingtip
* burg or mid- brown shell LWB
* burg or brown shell loafer (whatever color the LWB was not)
* wingtip boot with Dainite or low profile rubber sole
* suede brown chukka (though C&J’s Chiltern in “Earth” - a mossy green-brown suede - is incredibly versatile, too.
* snuff or polo suede loafer

NOTE: I don’t think it is cheating to count my three Maritimes as exempt quasi-sneakers. I think it probably IS cheating to treat my Indys as exempt as a work boot (despite officially being a work boot).

 

[OldTown]

if weren’t so tired and lazy I would link to the famous thread by Manton from 3-4 years ago ON THIS EXACT SAME EXERCISE (an excellent thread).

My 7, exempting sneakers, work boots, and hunting boots, would be ( in a non-COVID environment):

* black stitch cap
* dark brown punch cap or wingtip
* burg or mid- brown shell LWB
* burg or brown shell loafer (whatever color the LWB was not)
* wingtip boot with Dainite or low profile rubber sole
* suede brown chukka (though C&J’s Chiltern in “Earth” - a mossy green-brown suede - is incredibly versatile, too.
* snuff or polo suede loafer

NOTE: I don’t think it is cheating to count my three Maritimes as exempt quasi-sneakers. I think it probably IS cheating to treat my Indys as exempt as a work boot (despite officially being a work boot).

What's hilarious to me is you are the first person with a list so far that actually covers the normal color spectrum of dress shoe needs. I have yet to see someone else mention black and brown in the same list.

 

[munchau]

HM this morning.

 

[rxcats]

Having been retired 1375 days (yes I keep track), DO IT NOW!!!

I retired as of March 3rd of this year. Filed all of the paperwork just before last X-mas. Got out just before all of the COVID crap came to a head. Don't regret it for a second!!! I'll be 60 in December and feel really lucky to have gotten out a few years earlier than most.

 

[Count de Monet]

What's hilarious to me is you are the first person with a list so far that actually covers the normal color spectrum of dress shoe needs. I have yet to see someone else mention black and brown in the same list.

Well, I never posted in Manton’s thread but it caused me to think about it as an interesting academic exercise. And I think developing such a list is a practical guide to help purchasing decisions. Even if you have 30 shoes, do you have a collection that covers the spectrum of formality? The seasons? Rain? Is there a variety of color and leathers just to keep things interesting? Seems like you need to cover those bases, THEN be as duplicative as you like, if you like.

 

[JFWR]

What's hilarious to me is you are the first person with a list so far that actually covers the normal color spectrum of dress shoe needs. I have yet to see someone else mention black and brown in the same list.

Carbon, my friend, is a brownish grey. I'd count that on mine! But I do really prefer black and oxblood rather than black and brown.

Brown can be good, though! I have some nice brown pairs, but I wouldn't prioritize them. Also, my snowboots (excluded from the list) are brown.