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audog

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I vastly prefer the AE shoe designs over Aldens. I only own 1 Alden shoe, a tassel moc from Brooks Bros. Alden does make fantastic boots though, so there is plenty of room for both in my life :).
The Alden Tassel moc, is such a classic design and their boots are better, PA and 5th Ave are just such classics in the shoe realm.
 

audog

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The Park Avenue is a beautiful shoe. Classic, conservative, and well balanced. My only objection is that I think the triple stitch is slightly weird.

But yeah, I mean, you can't go wrong with the PA, but it's a steal at 150 under in shell cordovan.
I kind of like the triple stitching, makes them classic, conservative (US Presidents have worn them) yet slightly fashion forward, for a classic dress shoe.
 

JFWR

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I kind of like the triple stitching, makes them classic, conservative (US Presidents have worn them) yet slightly fashion forward, for a classic dress shoe.

Yeah, the Park Avenue is literally one of the best shoes an American company has ever made. It's just a slightly odd quirk to me, but I mean, I like it, but if I had to pick between two and three, I think two gives it a slightly more elegant look.

Still, amazingly classic in all the best of ways. It's the quintessential American dress shoe.
 

Shoenut

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audog

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Yeah, the Park Avenue is literally one of the best shoes an American company has ever made. It's just a slightly odd quirk to me, but I mean, I like it, but if I had to pick between two and three, I think two gives it a slightly more elegant look.

Still, amazingly classic in all the best of ways. It's the quintessential American dress shoe.
You are correct, the quintessential American dress shoe. If AE made no other shoe, it would still be in the top 5 of all American dress shoes. Just goes with everything from a Tux to jeans. The styling is timeless, it would be at home in a 1940
s musical, or on a stage today. Sometimes, a company hits a home run, and AE did it with the PA (unlike the PA sneaker, which is 3 strikes....you are out)
 

JFWR

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The Alden Tassel moc, is such a classic design and their boots are better, PA and 5th Ave are just such classics in the shoe realm.

I'd say Allen Edmonds has a better half-brogue than Alden, too. The Strand is an amazing shoe. Design wise, I'd say it competes with the original John Lobb half-brogue.

Alden is a better boot maker in general, with more options, though I like what AE offers there, too. But Alden has an awful lot more in terms of boots.
 

JFWR

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You are correct, the quintessential American dress shoe. If AE made no other shoe, it would still be in the top 5 of all American dress shoes. Just goes with everything from a Tux to jeans. The styling is timeless, it would be at home in a 1940
s musical, or on a stage today. Sometimes, a company hits a home run, and AE did it with the PA (unlike the PA sneaker, which is 3 strikes....you are out)

The PA sneaker is like wearing white tie above the waist, jean shorts below the waist.

It's a discordant idea and I don't like it at all.

But yeah, the PA just never goes out of style.
 

audog

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I'd say Allen Edmonds has a better half-brogue than Alden, too. The Strand is an amazing shoe. Design wise, I'd say it competes with the original John Lobb half-brogue.

Alden is a better boot maker in general, with more options, though I like what AE offers there, too. But Alden has an awful lot more in terms of boots.
Alden excels at boots, AE has some good boots as well, but in general Alden does boots better. Tassel loafers also.
 

Vincent George

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The PA sneaker is like wearing white tie above the waist, jean shorts below the waist.

It's a discordant idea and I don't like it at all.

But yeah, the PA just never goes out of style.
The PA Sneaker is the objective correlative of our current virtual world re: Zoom attire: shirt and tie + no pants.
 
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