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

[reidrothchild]



What color did you get? I have the black grain and they are nice but I can't seem to find out what to wear with them to really make the shoes excel with an outfit.

I'm findin that the Malverns have quite a break-in period. They are noticeably shorter than other 11.5Ds I have from AE. I love the leather on them, but I'd size up to 12D if I had to do over again. Even though this shoe is supposedly on the same last as the Leeds, it fits way smaller.

 

[otc]



I sent a pair of AEs that had the W on the sole to get recrafted. An old pair of Chesters I think. They were returned untouched. I called AE and they said since these were sold at a significant discount they could not rework them. Guess it makes sense if they are "thirds". I could not find an obvious flaw though. Has anyone else run into this?

I've heard that they do this...but it doesn't really make sense to me since by the time a shoe is ready for recrafting, there is going to be damage or wear far more significant than whatever made it a second/third.

My suggestion would be to just take something and scrape down the leather so you can't identify the W anymore....if they ask just tell them "of course there is damage to the sole, thats why I am paying you to replace it"

 

[blsing]

I've heard that they do this...but it doesn't really make sense to me since by the time a shoe is ready for recrafting, there is going to be damage or wear far more significant than whatever made it a second/third.
My suggestion would be to just take something and scrape down the leather so you can't identify the W anymore....if they ask just tell them "of course there is damage to the sole, thats why I am paying you to replace it"

I have covered all of my dress leather soles with a vibram rubber sole. All my shoes are either firsts, or seconds from Allen Edmonds outlets, but now I am worried that I wont be able to have them recrafted when the time comes.

 

[tv2177]



I have covered all of my dress leather soles with a vibram rubber sole.  All my shoes are either firsts, or seconds from Allen Edmonds outlets, but now I am worried that I wont be able to have them recrafted when the time comes.

I guess it's the best to contact an SA about it.

 

[bucksfan]

I have covered all of my dress leather soles with a vibram rubber sole. All my shoes are either firsts, or seconds from Allen Edmonds outlets, but now I am worried that I wont be able to have them recrafted when the time comes.

I've never had a problem getting them to recraft. In fact, I recently had a pair of OLD and beat up shell Leeds recrafted. They even repaired an eyelet that had torn out of the shoe, fixed where the shell had begun tearing around the eyelet, and changed the soles from Vibram rubber to double-oak leather soles. As long as the upper is still usable, my understanding is that AE doesn't care where they came from.

 

[New Shoes1]

I'm findin that the Malverns have quite a break-in period. They are noticeably shorter than other 11.5Ds I have from AE. I love the leather on them, but I'd size up to 12D if I had to do over again. Even though this shoe is supposedly on the same last as the Leeds, it fits way smaller.

What are you wearing your Malverns with? I picked up a pair of brown ones during the recent sale and was planning to wear them with jeans and occasionally dress slacks. When the wife saw them, she told me they were way too dressy for jeans and should be limited to work.

 

[reidrothchild]

Do you have the grain version? I think the brown grain verson would look fine with jeans. I have the non-grain, and my wife said the same as yours, that they were too "dressy" for jeans. I think they'd be passable with a nice pair of selvedge jeans and a sportcoat, but I can't pull them off with my crappy jeans. My wife also told me the soles were too thick to wear with plain wool dress pants. I'm wearing them right now with khakis and a tweed jacket. I think they'd be ok with heavier tweed or flannel pants as well.

 

[Patrick R]

Quote:
Funny, I wear them exclusively with jeans. I find them to be way too casual for work.

 

[Winston S.]



I've never had a problem getting them to recraft.  In fact, I recently had a pair of OLD and beat up shell Leeds recrafted.  They even repaired an eyelet that had torn out of the shoe, fixed where the shell had begun tearing around the eyelet, and changed the soles from Vibram rubber to double-oak leather soles.  As long as the upper is still usable, my understanding is that AE doesn't care where they came from. 

I don't have any experience with it, but it seems silly to not recraft a shoe if they have had rubber soles put on them.

 

[REguy]



Funny, I wear them exclusively with jeans. I find them to be way too casual for work.

+1

 

[Pastor]



I've never had a problem getting them to recraft.  In fact, I recently had a pair of OLD and beat up shell Leeds recrafted.  They even repaired an eyelet that had torn out of the shoe, fixed where the shell had begun tearing around the eyelet, and changed the soles from Vibram rubber to double-oak leather soles.  As long as the upper is still usable, my understanding is that AE doesn't care where they came from. 

This has been my experience as well.

 

[dieselman89]



Do you have the grain version? I think the brown grain verson would look fine with jeans. I have the non-grain, and my wife said the same as yours, that they were too "dressy" for jeans. I think they'd be passable with a nice pair of selvedge jeans and a sportcoat, but I can't pull them off with my crappy jeans. My wife also told me the soles were too thick to wear with plain wool dress pants. I'm wearing them right now with khakis and a tweed jacket. I think they'd be ok with heavier tweed or flannel pants as well.

I picked up the black grain version and I regret it. The soles are very thick so jeans or khakis may look good with black grain. Still feeling it out though.

 

[hohneokc]



Were they too far gone? Or they refused to?  Thats weird, because im pretty sure they should recraft any pair of Allen Edmonds, as long as they arent too ruined...
Were these seconds from an outlet?

Allen Edmonds will not recraft any shoe with "W" stamped on the sole. The "W" indicates it was worn before sold and per their policy, they do not recraft those shoes.



Thats good to hear. I want a pair in brown, but I really dont want to pay the seconds price until they go on sale.  Did you buy them as firsts?

I bought them as firsts, but it was during their Spring sale, so it was 15% off of something like that.

Chris

 

[blsing]

So shoes with a W are not sold through outlets, is that correct?

 

[reidrothchild]



I picked up the black grain version and I regret it. The soles are very thick so jeans or khakis may look good with black grain. Still feeling it out though.

I'm not a fan of black casual shoes in general. I was particularly fond of the brown grain version of the Malvern. It just looked so much duller than the non-grain version. I have the MacNeils in walnut grain, and I think they work great with khakis or jeans.