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

[feyy]

since you all are on loafers, do you wear leather insoled loafers sockless? add any insoles? use sock liners?

i've worn my mcgraws totally sockless and discovered the joys of raw, blistered toes.

 

[hohneokc]

Went with the Bourbon Flatirons today

Chris

 

[random-adam]



since you all are on loafers, do you wear leather insoled loafers sockless? add any insoles? use sock liners? 

i've worn my mcgraws totally sockless and discovered the joys of raw, blistered toes.

I use these in gray. They work well enough. That said, I've yet to wear the shoes longer than three or four hours at a time (it's only just now becoming warm enough for loafers).

 

[luv2breformed]



They are here. So I was able to scare up a troll-like poster (and his minions) a couple weeks ago...but to trash my bourbon with navy combo. Hilarious and sad exchange simultaneously. A couple of regulars attempted to curb his enthusiasm for sharing his 'knowledge' with heavily colored disparaging commentary, to no avail.

I guess, once some folks subscribe to a lifestyle blog, they are compelled to ASSIST the urchins (like myself) with no sense of style, or knowledge of themselves. I joked about it, thanked him for the help (tongue firmly planted in cheek), and ignored any further commentary... as I will continue to do in similar situations. I would, however, be much more deliberate if posting on WAYWT as a result.

My work environment...hell, my life... allows for a range of styles to be worn, so conservative business dress is just a small part of my repertoire. Also, being in awesome physical shape is part of MY style, so that my clothes fit with very minor tweaks,and look like a million bucks on me - even the inexpensive ones. Hmmm....I almost never see awesome conservative business dress on the tubs of lard lumbering through my city's central business district. But this is not just about shoes, or shoe/suit combos, amounts spent or saved, or how many months you've spent on the net being an ass hat to feel better about yourself; SHARE YOUR LIKES AND DISLIKES WITH SOME CLASS (because decorum is also a part of your style, which many lack) AND MOVE ON.

Now, I know that my position may not be popular, and that I am no authority on the finer points of conservative business dress, but if I find myself in that work environment, I WOULD LOVE TO BE REFORMED...

Until then, I'll work to improve my looks, in my way, using my means...soliciting the opinions of those I respect along the way.

Hi there. Troll here.

Good to see that the takeaway isn't at all what I intended to communicate. I will take greater care in the future.

conservative business dress isn't my MO. If you find yourself there, then I think you'd get more help from someone else.

As for the discussion at hand:

Here I am wearing navy cords and lighter/chili shoes. Put up or shut up for me if you will. Spoilered as the shoes aren't AE.

Spoiler

Explanation:

Shoes themselves have a low abomination level. They are very consistently country casual. Pebble leather, boot, blucher etc. This fact makes it easier to get away with a less than traditional combination because my outfit doesn't have to fight with the shoes.

Light shoes with dark pants is visually jarring and light shoes are casual. Therefore I needed to pair them with similarly casual items. Navy cords fit right into the country casual realm. Though they provide a strong contrast, so I will need to be careful with the rest of my choices. A matching navy tie is sedate and simple for the top block, however note it's styling. Sticking with the country casual theme we have chosen forces me to take a square bottomed wool knit. A silk tie wouldn't have worked nearly as well here. The jacket needs to be light to contrast well with the pants, and it needs to echo the country casual theme as well. Light gray flannel is a perfect choice. Shirt is similarly consistent as it is an OCBD, although the stripes might be construed as more "city" by some and may be discordant. A standard light blue OCBD may have been better.

My main point is that when you break rules, you need to do so knowledgeably with all other aspects of the outfit on point or you will look bad. Additionally, some rules are harder to break well than others.

Light shoes with a navy suit attempts to mix a very formal/businessy upper block with a casual shoe and nearly always looks jarring and discordant. This is even worse if the suit is very worsted or pinstriped etc. I maintain that is extremely difficult if not impossible to do this well, and if you just slap "country" pebble LWB on while you are wearing your worsted navy suit you aren't "rocking" it. You are just okay with looking bad.

I don't want people to "conform", I want people to execute their personal style WELL, and it takes knowledge to do that. The "rules" should serve as a guide and should certainly be broken. However, the only way to do that in a genuinely stylish way is to take the time to learn the rules and WHY they are what they are. If one simply says "I don't care about the rules" from the outset, then they are doomed. Sometimes they will put together something stylish, but it will have been an "accident" if you will and they won't be able to dress sharp consistently.

 

[tifosi]



Maiden voyage for the burgundy CXL/Dainite MacNeil 5's I received yesterday:

Spoiler

They are definitely some sleek LWBs!

 

[coolarrow]

Chocolate Larchmonts today:

 

[Schucknasty]

I just received an MTO pair of Lexingtons made out of brown CXL yesterday. I haven't worn them other than trying them on, but I like them. Fits about the same as most other 65-lasted AE's I have. I think it's a versatile style.

Fit pic I took yesterday for the MTO thread:

That's a great looking make-up (intentionally not spoilered).

 

[jch1]

since you all are on loafers, do you wear leather insoled loafers sockless? add any insoles? use sock liners?

i've worn my mcgraws totally sockless and discovered the joys of raw, blistered toes.

I've got a couple pairs of loafer socks from Banana Republic that I wear. I think they were under 10 bucks a pair.

 

[tifosi]



I've got a couple pairs of loafer socks from Banana Republic that I wear. I think they were under 10 bucks a pair.

Man, I hope waaay under $10 for 1/8th of a sock! LOL

 

[halfnhalfnhalf]

Quote:
Here's a pretty good deal on them:

http://factory.jcrew.com/mens-clothing/socks/PRDOVR~73681/73681.jsp?color_name=white

I swear by loafer socks - the idea of going sockless in any of my shoes gives me the willies.

 

[ridethecliche]

You can just go to H&M or nordy rack or whatever and pick up packs of 3 for like 8 bucks.

 

[bobellis75]

I'm in the market for a new pair of shoes...been looking at picking up some AE's but I'm on a tight budget...what are the thoughts on the AE for Brooks Brothers line? Looking at the light brown burnished Capotes.... http://www.brooksbrothers.com/Allen...var_MH00129_Color=LTBR&contentpos=6&cgid=0522

They retail at 298 and my company has a corporate deal with BB where we get 15% off...so they'd be around $255 at that price....which is a solid price for some AE's.

We get a deal with Jos. A Bank as well (20% off), who also carries a line of AE's which all are priced around $345....meaning I'm looking at more around $275 for a pair from them.

Or there is an AE store in the area...but we get no discount with them directly. And since I'm pushing my budget already....I'd be looking at the affordable option being the "ae" line from them which I'm not sure I'm crazy about....but they look to run about $175.

 

[MacktasticGDogg]



I'm in the market for a new pair of shoes...been looking at picking up some AE's but I'm on a tight budget...what are the thoughts on the AE for Brooks Brothers line? Looking at the light brown burnished Capotes....  http://www.brooksbrothers.com/Allen...var_MH00129_Color=LTBR&contentpos=6&cgid=0522

They retail at 298 and my company has a corporate deal with BB where we get 15% off...so they'd be around $255 at that price....which is a solid price for some AE's.

We get a deal with Jos. A Bank as well (20% off), who also carries a line of AE's which all are priced around $345....meaning I'm looking at more around $275 for a pair from them.

Or there is an AE store in the area...but we get no discount with them directly. And since I'm pushing my budget already....I'd be looking at the affordable option being the "ae" line from them which I'm not sure I'm crazy about....but they look to run about $175.

The AE for Brooks Brothers shoes are basically the same as the standard AE shoes except they usually have poron insoles and rubber outsole covers added. Some people like these modifications while others don't (I'm indifferent, but I do like the BB sole for wet weather). I believe there's a double corporate card sale (30% off) going on on 5/21, so you might want to wait until then.

If you don't mind factory seconds, checkout www.shoebank.com to see if there's anything that interests you.

 

[bobellis75]

The AE for Brooks Brothers shoes are basically the same as the standard AE shoes except they usually have poron insoles and rubber outsole covers added. Some people like these modifications while others don't (I'm indifferent, but I do like the BB sole for wet weather). I believe there's a double corporate card sale (30% off) going on on 5/21, so you might want to wait until then.

If you don't mind factory seconds, checkout www.shoebank.com to see if there's anything that interests you.

Thanks for the heads up on the corporate card sale...Maybe I'll hold out and go for the 30% deal.....

I'll check shoebank as well.

 

[Kahuna75]

I use these in gray. They work well enough. That said, I've yet to wear the shoes longer than three or four hours at a time (it's only just now becoming warm enough for loafers).

just ordered a pair...thanks...all my boat shoes I am fine with sockless but for some reason the AE's I have seem to make me want to wear a pair..if these things turn out to work well then I think some suede loafers may be in my future...ugh