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

[FatTuesday]

However, I must say that in the above photos, the three shoes look nearly identical!

No worries @CMT1 - I am here to rid you of the redundancies in your shoe collection! I'll take the ones on the left off your hands.

 

[7_rocket]

@CMT1

You need to teach us how to take such stunning pictures

 

[watchidiot]

Just got my walnut MacGregor firsts and i noticed something off about it immediately when I took it out of the box.

Anyone care to guess?

Spoiler

Reason enough to return?

Meh, I'm quite tolerant for shoes that are on discount. Especially considering how far the shipment has to come to get to you.

But that's me. I think my long branches are lasted slightly off center like that too. I got them for 219$.

YMMV as per usual.

I'm completely missing it (and I am myself today returning a pair of McGregor "firsts" today).

The left shoe's entire wingtip piece is a bit off center. The fact that it took a while for me to see it, even with close inspection of zoomed in photos of the shoes being side by side makes me think I would keep them... especially if it's as much of a hassle to exchange them as I can imagine it is.

Thanks for the input guys. Not sure which shoe has an offset wingtip but yeah it appears that the wingtip and eyestays on the left shoe is sitting higher than the right shoes.

Not that anybody would put a ruler on my shoes, but just to scale the difference for those looking through their phones and PCs. The left shoes's wingtips and eyestays are quarter of an inch higher than the right shoes. If it was just the wingtip I would have probably been fine with it but because the eyestay have shifted as well it has resulted to almost closed eyestay gap on the left shoe when laced.

 

[CMT1]



Gorgeous shoes, and phenomenal photos, as always!

However, I must say that in the above photos, the three shoes look nearly identical!

Thank you, and they absolutely do - The bounce flash has a way of removing some of the shell nuance that makes them look so different in person. The brown shell is far darker than the others, more so than one would think from the photos, and while the hues look similar between the walnut shell and bourbon calf, in person the shell Strand takes an almost multi-toned (and somewhat Spectator-shoe'd) appearance where the calf keeps the same color throughout.

Like with this pic:

With an abundance of light and a bounce flash the walnut shell looks almost identical to the bourbon calf, but the two shoes are very different in person, mostly due to the (obvious) leather differences.

Since they are all pretty new, it's going to be interesting to see how they age over time.

No worries @CMT1 - I am here to rid you of the redundancies in your shoe collection!   I'll take the ones on the left off your hands. 

@CMT1

You need to teach us how to take such stunning pictures

Thanks 7_rocket. I've been shooting for over 20 years, first as an amateur and then professionally, and I can tell you that any full-frame DSLR set to automatic mode with a high-level lens can replicate these shots. There was some post-processing involved in color/contrast and sharpening enhancements, but you could still get 95% of the way there with the right gear.

These were taken with a Canon 5D2 and either 16-35 f/2.8 or a 70-200 f/2.8 IS II lens.

 

[peppercorn78]

...but you've got a great eye and aesthetic!

 

[Trader George]

Hi Guys,

Hope Im in the right thread but just wanted some quick advice.
23 years old Business Casual

Strongly prefer 5 last (don't mind more formal looking shoes)

Current 2 Pairs

1) Black Calf Fifth Ave
2) Brown Burnished Calf Strand


Looking to add a walnut pair, what do you guys think about having a second strand?Possibly the mcgregor? Are these too loud/ am I too young for wingtips or walnut strands to be appropriate? What would you guys go with?

Thanks in advance!

Hey,

I'll start by telling you that I'm 22 years old, so maybe my opinion will be helpful (and if not, at least I'll have tried). I think walnut Strands are an excellent choice, but if I had to pick I'd go with walnut McAllisters (I own both of the just mentioned shoes). That's just personal preference, but I guess I'm just illustrating that even for somebody our age they're not too loud and we're not too young. I personally own 8 pairs of wingtips, and I love every single one of them (although a few get neglected). Never think you're too young for something, or that it's too loud; in the end it all comes down to what you like (to a certain extent). Chances are you'll be wearing nicer shoes than the majority of the people you work with, anyway.

 

[tradbrah]

Sizing advice please:
I was measured today at a size 10A on the Brannock. However, I currently have a Strand in size 9D that is far too tight both on my pinky toe and across the instep. Any suggestions on what size(s) I should try in the 5-65 last?

 

[gatszu]

Sizing advice please:
I was measured today at a size 10A on the Brannock. However, I currently have a Strand in size 9D that is far too tight both on my pinky toe and across the instep. Any suggestions on what size(s) I should try in the 5-65 last?

You could try 10A, but I think 9.5B may work. the 5 last runs long & narrow. Some recommend going down half a length and up a width. If you have bulging, it's typically because width is inadequate.

 

[EEWithoutStyle]



Sizing advice please:
I was measured today at a size 10A on the Brannock. However, I currently have a Strand in size 9D that is far too tight both on my pinky toe and across the instep. Any suggestions on what size(s) I should try in the 5-65 last?

I'm the same size as my brannock size on the 5 last.

 

[NWTeal]



Sizing advice please:
I was measured today at a size 10A on the Brannock. However, I currently have a Strand in size 9D that is far too tight both on my pinky toe and across the instep. Any suggestions on what size(s) I should try in the 5-65 last?

How did you end up with a 9D if you're a 10A on the brannon? Just curious

 

[7_rocket]



Thank you, and they absolutely do - The bounce flash has a way of removing some of the shell nuance that makes them look so different in person. The brown shell is far darker than the others, more so than one would think from the photos, and while the hues look similar between the walnut shell and bourbon calf, in person the shell Strand takes an almost multi-toned (and somewhat Spectator-shoe'd) appearance where the calf keeps the same color throughout.

Like with this pic:

With an abundance of light and a bounce flash the walnut shell looks almost identical to the bourbon calf, but the two shoes are very different in person, mostly due to the (obvious) leather differences.

Since they are all pretty new, it's going to be interesting to see how they age over time.

Thanks 7_rocket. I've been shooting for over 20 years, first as an amateur and then professionally, and I can tell you that any full-frame DSLR set to automatic mode with a high-level lens can replicate these shots. There was some post-processing involved in color/contrast and sharpening enhancements, but you could still get 95% of the way there with the right gear.

These were taken with a Canon 5D2 and either 16-35 f/2.8 or a 70-200 f/2.8 IS II lens.

Sadly I own a Canon S95 and I suck at taking pics. Even though when it first came out it was rated as the best point and shoot money could buy, I don't know what I"m doing haha.

 

[CMT1]



Sadly I own a Canon S95 and I suck at taking pics. Even though when it first came out it was rated as the best point and shoot money could buy, I don't know what I"m doing haha.

Ha. That's still a great camera, and especially impressive in low light. I guess I should throw in one last suggestion - Shoot a lot. Shoot as much as you can, even if you have zero interest in learning anything about photography, as in the end the more shots you take positively impact the possibility that one will come out looking the way you want.

 

[suitntieguy]

I picked these Dark Burnished Chili Strands up at the $219 price. Nice shoe but see in the last two pics, the creasing. Not sure what causes this on a new shoe on some shoes or what the technical term is but it seems to occur on certain parts of a new shoe from time to time.

Would you keep this pair? Last one in stock BTW

 

[Trader George]

I picked these Dark Burnished Chili Strands up at the $219 price. Nice shoe but see in the two picks, the creasing. Not sure what causes this on a new shoe on some shoes or what the technical term is but it seems to occur on certain parts of a new shoe from time to time.

Would you keep this pair? Last one in stock BTW

Those shoes look great, especially for $219! I wouldn't worry too much about the creasing, and that's saying a lot coming from me. I personally would keep them. I've had that happen to me on a few pairs of shoes, and shoe trees have always pushed the creases out at least a little bit.

 

[peppercorn78]

^^^

(Re:dark chili strands)

Um, yes. Keep. At 219$ (and last pair), it's a steal.

Probably the wrinkles were just a sub-optimal piece of the hide. But i wouldn't think twice about it. At $385, maybe...