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

[audog]

Perhaps apples and oranges but I use Bick 4 on my Indy boots and it hasn’t affected the white stitching.

I've used VSC on mine and white stitching is still white.

 

[srlclark]

I hope people are up for another version of "What would you choose and why?"
(I wish there was a way to put a poll in an existing thread)

If you could only have 2 Allen Edmonds dress shoes that needed to cover all of your dress-up wardrobe occasions (tux, suit, sport coat and tie for work, weddings, funerals, etc.) what would they be?

The first shoe is a given: black Park Avenue

What is your second shoe, in what color, and why that one?:

• Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Strand
• Cigar, Coffee, Dark Chili, Mahogany, Oxblood, Walnut

Personally, I am very torn. Limited to 2 shoes Walnut is out immediately because it is the least versatile color IMHO. I really like Oxblood but think it may be more limited than Chili or Mahogany or even Coffee so its a pass as well. I like the Strand but it is too casual if I can only have 2 dress shoes. Maybe a Fifth Avenue when I am only wearing a sport coat (or when I am not wearing a navy or gray suit). My choices would be:

Safe choice:

• Park Avenue - black
• Park Avenue - coffee

Not as safe choice:

• Park Avenue - black
• Fifth Avenue - dark chili

Fun choice

• Park Avenue - black
• Strand - Cigar

I have 18 pairs of AE, but do not own a Park Avenue in any color, so my wardrobe needs are obviously different than yours. I have owned a black Fifth Avenue since June 2016, but I have worn it three times, I think (perhaps four, but definitely not five). A black cap-toe would thus definitely not be one of the two first dress shoes I would buy. Even a dark brown one is a bit formal for my needs. I've owned a dark brown stitch-cap toe from Carmina since February 2018 and have probably worn it four or five times. You ruled walnut out because of lack of versatility - given my circumstances that rules out shoes that are too formal to a significantly greater extent than it does shoes that are not formal enough if I'm stuck with just two pairs. I don't need black cap toes for funerals or weddings - I wore my Fifth Avenues to a Catholic funeral, but most people were in chinos. I'm a tenured professor, so I'm not likely to go for a job interview anytime soon. Even if I did need black cap toes for special occasions, if I only owned two shoes, I'd want two that I'd be happy to rotate as part of my work dress, and would just get a pair of black cap toes when I needed them. And I would never wear black shoes if I didn't have to do so - I'd go with brown or burgundy almost every time, occasionally switching them up for a pair in blue/grey/green.

I think I would go with these shoes in my collection if I could only keep two pairs:

1. Dark brown Kenilworth (I guess coffee or chili Boulevard is the closest alternative these days).
2. Merlot McAllister (I guess chili or oxblood is the closest alternative these days).

My fun choice would be:

1. Cognac McTavish.
2. Brown suede Dundee 2.0.

 

[suuteebird]

The nicest sneakers I will ever wear. Most won’t even notice they are sneakers.

 

[vdubiv]

View attachment 1509601
The nicest sneakers I will ever wear. Most won’t even notice they are sneakers.

They look so much better without the loud white sole, are they more comfortable than their big brother?

 

[Ashley_S]

View attachment 1509601
The nicest sneakers I will ever wear. Most won’t even notice they are sneakers.

Jason and I always talk about your makeups and how they always work SO much better than we picture in our heads. These are absolutely fire in person.

 

[Jimmy R]

View attachment 1509601
The nicest sneakers I will ever wear. Most won’t even notice they are sneakers.

I still don’t like the idea of the dress shoe sneaker chimera, but that combination works so well. Nicely done!

 

[munchau]

My special package arrived today: First Avenue in green shell.

 

[Genericuser1]

Ordered the Frosty, back ordered for 5 weeks. I don't mind because I didn't buy it as a holiday shoe I just wanted blue leather and a 65 last boot works really well for me; add in an additional 10% off and I had to buy.

 

[ProfilaBinding]

@munchau What really stands out to me (other than the leather) is the sole edges. They were done perfectly on your pair. I am going to try to sand down the heel stack on my green Strands and see if I can get it to look like the nice transparent brown you have.

 

[vdubiv]

I so wanted to pull the trigger on one of those new blue shoes/boots, but it seems they are not offering them in 12.5 for some reason.

Ohh well guess that's more money in my pocket

 

[pbrandes]

I hope people are up for another version of "What would you choose and why?"
(I wish there was a way to put a poll in an existing thread)

If you could only have 2 Allen Edmonds dress shoes that needed to cover all of your dress-up wardrobe occasions (tux, suit, sport coat and tie for work, weddings, funerals, etc.) what would they be?

The first shoe is a given: black Park Avenue

What is your second shoe, in what color, and why that one?:

• Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Strand
• Cigar, Coffee, Dark Chili, Mahogany, Oxblood, Walnut

Personally, I am very torn. Limited to 2 shoes Walnut is out immediately because it is the least versatile color IMHO. I really like Oxblood but think it may be more limited than Chili or Mahogany or even Coffee so its a pass as well. I like the Strand but it is too casual if I can only have 2 dress shoes. Maybe a Fifth Avenue when I am only wearing a sport coat (or when I am not wearing a navy or gray suit). My choices would be:

Safe choice:

• Park Avenue - black
• Park Avenue - coffee

Not as safe choice:

• Park Avenue - black
• Fifth Avenue - dark chili

Fun choice

• Park Avenue - black
• Strand - Cigar

The question as posed suggests the formal end of the scale, but within those constraints I still like to add a little flair:

1. Carlyle - black (formal, but a little more stylish than Parks)
2. Fifth Ave. - burgundy (a discreet touch of brogue in a dressy cap toe)

I already own both, but since I live in California and mostly telecommute I rarely opt for either. Your question has gotten me scratching my head over my 20+ pairs of dressier models (Strands, McAllisters, MacNeils, etc.).

By way of context, I'm a performing arts journalist and while opening nights at some of the more prominent theatres might frequently seem to justify some formality, the dress standards these days are so shockingly low (even on Broadway) that I usually find myself way overdressed when I make the effort.

But that doesn't stop me from growing the collection (I sprang for the Tinsel Toes as soon as I saw them listed).

The words of King Lear echo through the centuries: "O reason not the need!"

 

[mreams99]

My special package arrived today: First Avenue in green shell.
View attachment 1509657 View attachment 1509658 View attachment 1509660

Green is the best color for the First Avenue.

 

[Vincent George]

My special package arrived today: First Avenue in green shell.
View attachment 1509657 View attachment 1509658 View attachment 1509660

Amazing. Were these a Charleston special?

 

[ProfilaBinding]

Does anyone know which model of Higgins this is on the website? Natural? Brown?

 

[madhat]

Does anyone know which model of Higgins this is on the website? Natural? Brown?

View attachment 1509749

Looks natural to me, since brown would show very dark with the current colorings.