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

[chinngiskhaan]

Ummm... no.
I mean really. It's one thing to keep language clean if talking about someone else or having an argument. But me saying, effectively "**** yeah!" ?... just no.

thats fine... I don't mean to be confrontational. Just my opinion thats all. to each their own.

 

[ryewo[i dmfsOZI490w]

Where can I see the pricing and options for MTO?

 

[wdahab]



I feel like there are more QC issues with Aldens then there are with AE. Most of the time when we see QC issues with AE shoes, they are seconds, which a lot of us buy and usually if you go back to AE they will try to remedy the issue. From what I have seen with the issues in the Alden threads those are usually firsts. C&J has its issues too. In the C&J for Ralph Lauren thread there was a recent pair of shoes where the finishing on the shell was was off. I don't see too much discussion on C&J for Peal, but I feel that is because most people don't know they are C&J.

I think the real issue is that with Aldens, what you get is all you can get. If you don't think you received a first quality shoe, or the fit isn't quite right, your options are to take that shoe anyway, at first quality, or return it and have no chance of getting that shoe. Especially when it comes to their shell cordovan, the backlog on orders is ridiculously long and many makeups are only ordered in one pair per size for the store. This isn't just for rare colors either, it applies just as much for #8 (and they don't even offer brown, for some reason!)

With AE, if you don't like your shoes, even if it's shell cordovan, they'll probably be able to get you another pair within a month or two. Except in the current situation, where people are straddling times when some colors were available and times when they aren't, you can always get whatever pair of shoes you wanted remade.

 

[7_rocket]

LaSalle are on sale Nordstrom. $199. Buy or no?

 

[bkotsko]

Any comments on the 333 last v. the 511 on fit? (Think Dalton v. Portland)

 

[njruss]

LaSalle are on sale Nordstrom. $199. Buy or no?

I got my LaSalles as seconds for $129. It seems like that is a recurring deal through the outlets/shoebank if you are willing to go that route.

 

[7_rocket]



I got my LaSalles as seconds for $129.  It seems like that is a recurring deal through the outlets/shoebank if you are willing to go that route.

Ah. I live in Canada. I think Nordstrom is finally coming in 2014. I'll hold off then. They aren't seconds

 

[Churchill W]



I think the real issue is that with Aldens, what you get is all you can get. If you don't think you received a first quality shoe, or the fit isn't quite right, your options are to take that shoe anyway, at first quality, or return it and have no chance of getting that shoe. Especially when it comes to their shell cordovan, the backlog on orders is ridiculously long and many makeups are only ordered in one pair per size for the store. This isn't just for rare colors either, it applies just as much for #8 (and they don't even offer brown, for some reason!)

With AE, if you don't like your shoes, even if it's shell cordovan, they'll probably be able to get you another pair within a month or two. Except in the current situation, where people are straddling times when some colors were available and times when they aren't, you can always get whatever pair of shoes you wanted remade.

Agree with this and the issue with Aldens is that people know that they don't really have any options so they keep their defective firsts along with the high demand for the shoes and Alden thinks it's acceptable to keep producing shoes of that quality.

 

[njruss]

Ah. I live in Canada. I think Nordstrom is finally coming in 2014. I'll hold off then. They aren't seconds

Nordstrom wouldn't have them as seconds, only the outlets. The transportation costs to order seconds and have them shipped from the US might make the firsts a better play for you at $199.

 

[chris45]

On my way stuck in traffic =( but have these lovely babies.. Ended up going with walnut for first purchase after being there in person. Will have to worry about merlot later.

Gerald was great help with the fit (measured 9c but had slip.. 8.5d felt better).

I didn't do a full on inspection of them bc was more in a hurry but will look them over closely later.

They made my jeans outfit look soo much better!

 

[ryewo[i dmfsOZI490w]



Agree with this and the issue with Aldens is that people know that they don't really have any options so they keep their defective firsts along with the high demand for the shoes and Alden thinks it's acceptable to keep producing shoes of that quality.

Agreed. You could probably add the fact that when given the choice of keeping their flawed shoes or returning them with no replacement, people probably are probably less inclined to point out on the internet all the flaws with them.

 

[NWTeal]

Yeah, those Lexingtons are gorgeous. I might be in the minority who think that cap toe looks better on bluchers than on balmorals. The Lexington/Townley is a nicer shoe than the Strand (which is pretty of course, just not my taste).

That's funny, I was just thinking the other day how weird captoe bluchers looked to me. Everyone has different tastes and luckily AE has enough models to satisfy almost all of our preferences. Although, I'm sure sooner or later I'll warm up to captoe bluchers.

I ended up hanging onto my MTO cappuccino Macneils. A few pages back I posted pictures of the pinking being chewed up on the right shoe. Cappuccino is out, so they can't be remade....although, getting them at seconds pricing made me ignore that imperfection

You really can't even tell from that picture, but at least they tried to take care of you in some way. That color really is much more interesting than the plain brown shell.

 

[OptoDoc]

Chris,

You can never go wrong with walnut Strands, though you really should get a more "formal" shoe next (either black or burgundy). Also, I don't think it would be best aesthetically to wear those with jeans as light as the ones you are sporting in that picture. A slim cut, indigo denim would be a better choice.

Congrats on your first purchase and for helping to make the footwear in Baton Rouge a little nicer.

 

[chris45]

Thanks! And you're right on the jeans, these are just what's on now

They didn't have any merlot or burgundy stands in my size at the store.. So I had to at least grab the walnut to put my hands on them in person instead on via pictures. Still debating on the darker color.... Just slightly easier to decide up against some clothes and not being in a busy store heh

 

[kpag]

Sorry if it's been discussed ad nauseum, but I don't have the time to do all the searching/reading that I'd like. How good are AE seconds? I'm seriously considering buying a couple pair right now to take advantage of the $50/$100 off sale, but not sure if I want to take a gamble on getting one or possibly even two pairs of shoes that just need to be sent back.

Right now I have the following:
Park Ave. black
Lexington merlot/burgandy
McAllister bourbon

I'm thinking of picking up a pair of walnut Strands and either brown or bourbon Kenilworth as each are available in my size in seconds. I might, however, simply buy a pair of BB Strands in walnut and add the Kenilworth (or another shoe) later on down the road. At this point just wondering if I should play it safe and get one pay of first quality shoes for ~$275 or two pairs of seconds for around $360.