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

[Cold Iron]

Cold Iron,
Thanks for the tip on the Bayfield! I went up .5 to account for the poron insole but I did not realize I could drop it. I will tomorrow

I talked to them Friday so I could copy your mini lug tap sole on mine

When she was reviewing the order she said poron soles for options and it hit me that was an option so I asked about leather insoles and she said certainly. So thank YOU!

I agree having the shell samples is great. Many if the cappuccino pics I have seen are much lighter than the sample I have. In fact, I am am wanting to see the dark brown sample because of how dark this sample is

Last summer when I did the MTO for my Dundee's Deborah asked if I knew what color truffle (cappuccino) looked like. I said lighter than brown but darker than walnut based on the pictures on here. She said no cappuccino is actually darker than brown. And in indoor lighting it is, when it gets full sun it totally changes color. The samples don't always reflect that totally. Couple of weeks ago when I got my latest samples I took my cappuccino Dundee's outside in bright light and they were almost the color of the walnut sample that I had. I love how the cappuccino changes color during the day based on the lighting.

I don't see a lot of Park Avenues posted here. I tried mine on today casually for dinner - with my second ever attempt at spit-shining.

Very nice job! I really like my black shell Park Aves and wear them more than I thought I would, although normally I wear them with a suit. After polishing with black I hit them with a couple of coats of blue polish, I really like the effect.

I just bought some 5th Aves. I spent 22 years in the military and could shine shoes so you needed sun glasses to look at them. My 5th Avenues I put 12 coats of the AE Brown cream and got a light shine. It is kind of annoying too, that much work should have made them glow. I am going to get a wax and try that. I am scared to use some of my army tricks like coating the shoe with kiwi and running a lighter over the shoe to melt the wax in. I will try just spit shining with a wax polish, I just ordered the AE wax and will report back after a few hours with that.

Retired military here too

Like masernaut said you can't get there from here using AE premium polish or cream. You have to use paste wax. Meltonian is premium Kiwi with a bit more carnauba wax, and AE paste wax with carnauba is good too. As is Saphir paste wax. But there is nothing wrong with good old Kiwi and that still works well, very well. Less wax works better IMO, use very thin coats I hardly touch the tin of wax with any pressure with the cloth when polishing for a mirror shine.

 

[jbcohen]

I looked at Allen Edmonds they gave me a good case of sticker shock. I see that I can get some excellent prices on line however, before ordering I would like to ask one question - the shoes on my feet now are a size ten wide, does that mean that I will take a size ten wide in Allen Edmonds? Is the best thing to do to go into a local Edmond's store (there is one a few blocks from my office) and get measured? If I order on-line I need to be certain of my size.

 

[Papa Doble]



Hi all--was hoping to get your thoughts on purchasing a pair of black Strands. I wear a suit everyday in a very conservative enviornment and already have the 5th ave in the dark brown and black park aves. Since I'm not interested in Walnut, does the Strand in black make sense? Or is the more formal black color at odds with all the brogueing? 

Thanks!

If I wore a suit every day (I don't), had black PAs and dark brown FAs, and was looking for another balmoral, I'd probably add a burgundy calf or shell brogued cap toe (like the Strand) or wing tip (like the Cambridge or McAllister). If it had to be black, I'd consider the same styles in black, and I don't see anything wrong with that. A black brogued balmoral is still quite formal, and if you're going to have two black balmorals, you don't have too many other options once you have an unbrogued cap toe.

 

[msulinski]



I looked at Allen Edmonds they gave me a good case of sticker shock.  I see that I can get some excellent prices on line however, before ordering I would like to ask one question - the shoes on my feet now are a size ten wide, does that mean that I will take a size ten wide in Allen Edmonds?  Is the best thing to do to go into a local Edmond's store (there is one a few blocks from my office) and get measured?  If I order on-line I need to be certain of my size.

There is no way to say what size you will take, as all Allen Edmonds shoes do not fit the same. You should definitely go into your local store. You will want to try on the actual model you are planning on buying.

 

[ScottyBoy920]



I looked at Allen Edmonds they gave me a good case of sticker shock.  I see that I can get some excellent prices on line however, before ordering I would like to ask one question - the shoes on my feet now are a size ten wide, does that mean that I will take a size ten wide in Allen Edmonds?  Is the best thing to do to go into a local Edmond's store (there is one a few blocks from my office) and get measured?  If I order on-line I need to be certain of my size.

Go visit the store and try on a few different pair in different lasts. Shoes will certainly measure differently depending on the last they are made on.

 

[Cold Iron]

Another rainy day so calf again today. Black calf Leeds with 2 coats of blue wax on top.

 

[coolarrow]

I just bought some 5th Aves. I spent 22 years in the military and could shine shoes so you needed sun glasses to look at them. My 5th Avenues I put 12 coats of the AE Brown cream and got a light shine. It is kind of annoying too, that much work should have made them glow. I am going to get a wax and try that. I am scared to use some of my army tricks like coating the shoe with kiwi and running a lighter over the shoe to melt the wax in. I will try just spit shining with a wax polish, I just ordered the AE wax and will report back after a few hours with that.

The above looks fine. Some of the others posted are too shiny, IMHO. You're no longer in the military so you're not being graded for shiny shoes. Chill out and learn to slouch a little.

Here's my AE Kearney's, which I wore for casual Friday (and didn't have time to post):

 

[Pastor]



Last summer when I did the MTO for my Dundee's Deborah asked if I knew what color truffle (cappuccino) looked like. I said lighter than brown but darker than walnut based on the pictures on here. She said no cappuccino is actually darker than brown. And in indoor lighting it is, when it gets full sun it totally changes color. The samples don't always reflect that totally. Couple of weeks ago when I got my latest samples I took my cappuccino Dundee's outside in bright light and they were almost the color of the walnut sample that I had. I love how the cappuccino changes color during the day based on the lighting.

Here is a pic with the Cappuccino Dundees beside the Brown Shell Patriots. They look almost identical inside. Outside the Dundees have a rich almost red quality to them.

 

[Pastor]

Here are my walnut shell Daltons. I wore them last week but I took a week off from all forums so I didn't get a chance to post.
With the unlined shell these are the only boots I kept out for the summer. All my other boots are in storage patiently waiting on fall to arrive.

 

[random-adam]

Off topic...

Generally I agree. Leather sandals are nice, but not those ridiculous things that look like cages for your feet. I mean basically an upgraded flip flop.

Since this thread helped out with my business casual to formal footwear needs, I decided last year to step up my hot-weather-relaxed look as well. I sent tracings of my feet and a couple months later received some custom brown leather sandals from Piper in San Antonio. They molded exactly to my feet after I was caught out in a rainstorm for a few hours at Assateague Island National Seashore -- the sand, salt water, and soaking (don't try this with your shell) really did the trick. Recommended.

 

[AdamAdam]

I talked to them Friday so I could copy your mini lug tap sole on mine

When she was reviewing the order she said poron soles for options and it hit me that was an option so I asked about leather insoles and she said certainly. So thank YOU!
Last summer when I did the MTO for my Dundee's Deborah asked if I knew what color truffle (cappuccino) looked like. I said lighter than brown but darker than walnut based on the pictures on here. She said no cappuccino is actually darker than brown. And in indoor lighting it is, when it gets full sun it totally changes color. The samples don't always reflect that totally. Couple of weeks ago when I got my latest samples I took my cappuccino Dundee's outside in bright light and they were almost the color of the walnut sample that I had. I love how the cappuccino changes color during the day based on the lighting.
Very nice job! I really like my black shell Park Aves and wear them more than I thought I would, although normally I wear them with a suit. After polishing with black I hit them with a couple of coats of blue polish, I really like the effect.



Retired military here too

Like masernaut said you can't get there from here using AE premium polish or cream. You have to use paste wax. Meltonian is premium Kiwi with a bit more carnauba wax, and AE paste wax with carnauba is good too. As is Saphir paste wax. But there is nothing wrong with good old Kiwi and that still works well, very well. Less wax works better IMO, use very thin coats I hardly touch the tin of wax with any pressure with the cloth when polishing for a mirror shine.

I've found the same using AE premium polish. I'll work in some Kiwi. A few questions... Do you still use the AE polish for color match first and then throw some clear Kiwi on top for shine? Something like black wouldn't be an issue but I have merlot AE polish for my merlot AE shoes and I'm guessing that Kiwi doesn't offer a matching polish. Also, some said that a waxy polish will leave residue in the creases on calf. Any truth to that?

 

[AdamAdam]

This has been talked about already but with so many pages in this thread I apologize for not being able to find it and asking again. I'm 7.5 E on the 5 last McCallister in calf. What would I be in the McTavish? I understand it's the same last but with a different leather I think some were commenting that the fit was different. Thanks!

Bump. Thank you.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

Wow. I'd love to learn to get a mirror shine on my park avenues. I recently bought allen edmonds cream polish and applied that and then wax polish. I'm pretty detailed about shining my shoes and I have to say I had a hard time getting more than a dull shine. I do love my AE shoes but does anyone else have this problem?

I couldn't get anything more than a dull shine either using just the AE tube polish. Well, I guess the shine is a bit better than "dull" but it definitely isn' the elusive mirror shine. I'm going to order some saphir wax this week and hope that it will do the trick. I'm not sure if the black Park Avenues can actually achieve the mirror shine. If anyone has any pics of mirror shined Park Avenues...please post pictures along with an explanation of what you did exactly. It would be greatly appreciated.

If you want a mirror shine, you have to use carnuba wax polish, not cream polish. The Park Avenue is actually a perfect canvas for achieving a mirror shine, if that's your thing. Use whatever brand of carnuba wax polish you want, or like the most.

 

[cbtaylor]

Bump. Thank you.

I would go with same size. Anytime I sized differently on 5 last, such as the Strand to the Nuemok, it just did not feel right.

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

I've found the same using AE premium polish. I'll work in some Kiwi. A few questions... Do you still use the AE polish for color match first and then throw some clear Kiwi on top for shine? Something like black wouldn't be an issue but I have merlot AE polish for my merlot AE shoes and I'm guessing that Kiwi doesn't offer a matching polish. Also, some said that a waxy polish will leave residue in the creases on calf. Any truth to that?

Wax polish will crack in the creases. It is best used on the toe cap and heel areas, where there isn't any flexing taking place.

I may be reading too much into the last few comments, but it is starting to sound like there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the polishes and their respective purposes. The fact that AE premium polish won't achieve a mirror shine isn't indicative of it's quality. It is fantastic stuff. It simply isn't formulated with enough wax to create the mirror shine. They make carnuba wax for that purpose. You can use whatever brand you like the most, but AE's products are wonderful quality and they make a product for every application that you want (except for a stripping product like Renomat). There just isn't a need to go to multiple manufacterers to care for a simple pair of merlot (burgundy) shoes. Shoe care is very easily turned into a difficult process when it really shouldn't be.