Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - reviews, pictures, sizing, etc...

[Winston S.]



Just got a pair of Bourbon Strand seconds delivered to my door. First thing I did was check them out and they definitely have some issues. Aside from some small discolorations (which I can live with), I see these marks in the leather. There's also a bit of weirdness going on in the brogueing in that area. Wondering if it's worth sending them back over? I had to wait a good amount of time for them to come in and I don't even know if they'll have a replacement pair. Does anyone have any experience with the Shoe Bank regarding situations like this if I were to want to send them back for a different pair?

Spoiler: hide: Spoiler!

Thoughts?

They're not as bad as Sizzle's so I would probably keep.

 

[TheSizzle]



Hmm...I have a pair of bourbon strand seconds coming in the mail as I write this...I wonder if I'm getting thesizzle's pair?

I doubt it since they're still in my bedroom as I await my replacements.

 

[TheSizzle]



They're not as bad as Sizzle's so I would probably keep.

... And, if mine had been seconds, I would have kept them, but they were firsts, and I thought that made it proper to exchange. I think that's not really noticeable. If I got a pair of bourbon strand seconds with a blemish that small, I would keep them.

 

[TheSizzle]



Thanks very much to you, Sizzle, and Kentyman, for the great pics. They were helpful as I chose and waited for my bourbon Strands. I received the shoes yesterday and they are beautiful. I'm now up to three AE's: burnished brown Fifth Avenues, black Park Avenues and bourbon Strands.

Now to decide what's next. Merlot McAllisters, perhaps?

J

If you don't have burgundy colored wingtips, I think you should definitely lean that way.

 

[GOP Shoe Guy]

Just got a pair of Bourbon Strand seconds delivered to my door. First thing I did was check them out and they definitely have some issues. Aside from some small discolorations (which I can live with), I see these marks in the leather. There's also a bit of weirdness going on in the brogueing in that area. Wondering if it's worth sending them back over? I had to wait a good amount of time for them to come in and I don't even know if they'll have a replacement pair. Does anyone have any experience with the Shoe Bank regarding situations like this if I were to want to send them back for a different pair?




Thoughts?

I just sent a pair of Walnut Rutledge seconds back to AE because it had a split seam. I spoke with them yesterday morning and they were unsure if they had another pair. They advised me if they couldn't find another pair they would let me have another color of Rutledge, or issue a refund or a credit. Luckily for me they found another pair. Hopefully they are quality. I am sure they will work with you to come to a solution that you are happy with.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

So I'm really getting the itch to get more casual shoes to slowly knock sneakers completely out of my rotation. I'm a 31-year-old Software Engineer at an extremely casual company, so my Elgins are already really "fancy" by most standards. I already scored the Tan Elgin, which I love, and I have the Cognac McTavish and Brown Harbour on the way. I'm trying to decide between the following seconds: Tan Finch, Tan/Navy Finch, and Brooks Brothers Walnut/Brown Shelton. The Finches are closeout at $179, and the Sheltons are $199. Then again, $35 off for Soles4Souls might bring the Sheltons (non-closeout) to $164.

First, I'm unsure exactly the differences between these shoes. It looks like they're all on the 1-511 last, but I'm unsure of the actual differences regarding leather, soles, etc. I'm assuming the Brooks Brothers angle throws things off, as well.

Second, I'm trying to decide which color I prefer. The Tan Finch look awesome, but I worry they're too close to my Tan Elgin, color-wise. The Tan/Navy Finch look cool, but I'm worried they're more of a statement than I'm comfortable making; but maybe I shouldn't be so concerned about that. The Walnut/Brown Sheltons are maybe a tad in between because they still have some contrast. Any thoughts on "wearability" would be appreciated.

Finally, I'm unsure on which size to try with this last. I have 8.5D Strands and 8.5D Elgins. I tried 8.0D McTavishes and they were too narrow, which is why I got 8.5D Elgins and have 8.5D McTavishes on the way. As previously discussed, the 8.5D Neumoks I tried looked, confusingly, both too narrow and too long. Would y'all suggest starting with 8.5D on the 1-511 last, or is there a consensus "start half a size down" sort of rule I should start with?

Thanks for the continued help growing my collection.

Of the 5 last, I have the Strand, McTavish, Kiowa, Neumok, and Black Hills in 8.5D. They're all a perfect fit for me. No uncomfortable break-in period, etc. This past fall I broke away from the 5 last and picked up the Long Branch (1 last), also in 8.5D. No fit issues there, either. They're comfortably snug with thick socks and have been a great winter boot. I don't have any experience with other shoes on the 1 last and can't comment on how they compare to the Long Branch, but I imagine 8.5D would be a safe bet. Hope that helps.

Shelton is double oak sole and calfskin, Finch is single sole and waxy leather. I measure right between 7D/E on brannock and usually find 7E in 1 last the most comfortable for balmorals such as Shelton (5 last I go 6.5E). I say since you own a few rough collection shoes already why not go for the calfskin Sheltons

I'll chime in here as well. The Sheltons are definitely the most dressy of the bunch that you are considering but they may end up being the most versatile. They will be more versatile than the Finches because they are made of traditional dress shoe colored leathers, and the smooth calfskin with the polished sole edge will allow them to be dressed up for a "dressier business casual." They can also be dressed down to jeans or chinos without a problem and will probably still fit into your environment. They have double oak soles as zchen pointed out, but they do not have a split reverse welt, and they have a rounded profile rather than a squared profile on the sole edges. I think that gives them a very refined look that I consider quite attractive, and it gives the double sole a much dressier look.

I have the Tan Finches as I posted pictures of a few days ago, and absolutely love them. However, I think with the Finch you will be getting a shoe that will be fitting into the same niche as your Elgins and McTavishes. If you do decide to go with the Tan Finches, I wouldn't worry about them looking too similar in color to the Elgins. The Elgins are much more of a toffee color and their texture is smoother than the Finches which have more of a golden hue. I think they can both fit into a collection strictly from a color standpoint. Personally, I'd narrow it to the Tan Finches or the Sheltons. I like the looks of the Navy/Tan Finches, but as you said, they are more of a statement shoe and are thus less versatile at at greater risk of being blown by the winds of fashion trending. For shoes that will last for many many years, I'd lean towards a more timeless color and I think the solid tan ones are safe for that. As for fit, I am true to size in the the 1-511 last, and it is one of my favorites for what it's worth. The fact that the Finches are made of Rough Collection leather didn't change their size enough for me to notice.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Just got a pair of Bourbon Strand seconds delivered to my door. First thing I did was check them out and they definitely have some issues. Aside from some small discolorations (which I can live with), I see these marks in the leather. There's also a bit of weirdness going on in the brogueing in that area. Wondering if it's worth sending them back over? I had to wait a good amount of time for them to come in and I don't even know if they'll have a replacement pair. Does anyone have any experience with the Shoe Bank regarding situations like this if I were to want to send them back for a different pair?





Thoughts?

The Shoe Bank will definitely work with you on them, no question. That said, I think those fall into the expected realm of defects for seconds. You just need to decide if they will annoy you or not, and that's a personal decision. Bear in mind that exchanging them will not in any way guarantee a better looking pair. I don't think those small cracks are a big issue for long term durability, but I would be sure to rub a little extra conditioner into that area periodically, since they usually expose a bit of the leather fibers of the corium that are under the polished surface.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Wearing my recently re-crafted walnut Evanstons today. Really hoping we can get this or the Soho custom ordered for us!

Looking good!

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

... And, if mine had been seconds, I would have kept them, but they were firsts, and I thought that made it proper to exchange. I think that's not really noticeable. If I got a pair of bourbon strand seconds with a blemish that small, I would keep them.

I think you made the right decision. That is something that shouldn't have been sent out as first quality.

 

[msulinski]

Wearing my recently re-crafted walnut Evanstons today. Really hoping we can get this or the Soho custom ordered for us!

These are nice. They look a lot like the C&J Westbourne, but at half the price. Were they available in other colors?

Regarding the Soho, does it make a good alternative to the Park Ave? I like the cap line placement better than the PA, and would consider a pair in black, assuming they are dressy enough (single leather sole, etc).

 

[ddgdl]

I doubt it since they're still in my bedroom as I await my replacements.

Phew (sorry).

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

I was in Nordstrom Rack today, and stumbled across an AE model I've not seen before... the Rawlins, in brown. It pretty much looks identical to the Kenilworth, but it's built on the 8-Last. Also, the leather was buttery soft, and felt more like Independence Collection leather rather than the traditional AE calfskin. A google search didn't really return much other than an ebay sale or two, but interestingly, it is available in Germany: http://www.allenedmonds.de/Schuhe/allenedmonds-raw.html Just wanted to mention it for anyone who has a Nordstrom Rack in their area and may be looking for a shoe similar to this. I tried it on and it was amazingly comfortable with the soft leather, but I just don't need them.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

These are nice. They look a lot like the C&J Westbourne, but at half the price. Were they available in other colors?

Regarding the Soho, does it make a good alternative to the Park Ave? I like the cap line placement better than the PA, and would consider a pair in black, assuming they are dressy enough (single leather sole, etc).

They are absolutely a good alternative to the Park Avenue, and are every bit as dressy.

 

[kentyman]

I'll chime in here as well. The Sheltons are definitely the most dressy of the bunch that you are considering but they may end up being the most versatile. They will be more versatile than the Finches because they are made of traditional dress shoe colored leathers, and the smooth calfskin with the polished sole edge will allow them to be dressed up for a "dressier business casual." They can also be dressed down to jeans or chinos without a problem and will probably still fit into your environment. They have double oak soles as zchen pointed out, but they do not have a split reverse welt, and they have a rounded profile rather than a squared profile on the sole edges. I think that gives them a very refined look that I consider quite attractive, and it gives the double sole a much dressier look.

I have the Tan Finches as I posted pictures of a few days ago, and absolutely love them. However, I think with the Finch you will be getting a shoe that will be fitting into the same niche as your Elgins and McTavishes. If you do decide to go with the Tan Finches, I wouldn't worry about them looking too similar in color to the Elgins. The Elgins are much more of a toffee color and their texture is smoother than the Finches which have more of a golden hue. I think they can both fit into a collection strictly from a color standpoint. Personally, I'd narrow it to the Tan Finches or the Sheltons. I like the looks of the Navy/Tan Finches, but as you said, they are more of a statement shoe and are thus less versatile at at greater risk of being blown by the winds of fashion trending. For shoes that will last for many many years, I'd lean towards a more timeless color and I think the solid tan ones are safe for that. As for fit, I am true to size in the the 1-511 last, and it is one of my favorites for what it's worth. The fact that the Finches are made of Rough Collection leather didn't change their size enough for me to notice.

nickurfe23, zchan, and MoneyWellSpent, thanks for the thoughtful responses. It's interesting to me that the "rough" Finch has the single sole while the calfskin Shelton has a double oak sole. So while the Finch would be "just another" Rough Collection shoe, it would be my only casual shoe with a single sole. And while the Shelton would be my only calfskin casual shoe (assuming Tan Elgin and Cognac McTavish are both cowhide?), it would be another with "clunkier" double soles.

So is it just the leather quality that makes them "fit into the same niche"? The part of me that's drawn to the Tan Finch is the same part that drew me to the other two Rough Collection shoes, so it's a battle between "go with the one you were drawn to first" and "don't keep getting the same type of shoe".

Also, if I'm honest, part of the problem is a feeling that I better get the Finch now since it's discontinued. But I'm not sure that's a legitimate enough reason, since if I got the Finch now I likely wouldn't get the Shelton later.

 

[Quadcammer]



These are nice. They look a lot like the C&J Westbourne, but at half the price. Were they available in other colors?

Regarding the Soho, does it make a good alternative to the Park Ave? I like the cap line placement better than the PA, and would consider a pair in black, assuming they are dressy enough (single leather sole, etc).

eh, the evanston is a nice shoe, but a westbourne its not. The C&J is just nicer all the way around. I guess they are similar.

But yes, the soho in black is a slightly modern cap toe oxford. perfect replacement for the blegh PA.