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

[halfnhalfnhalf]

Last Friday I bought a pair of grey black hills @ AE store for $ 149. Saturday found out Amazon has them for $ 99. Email AE CS and the response was they don't monitor amazon and they don't match prices, and they are not first quality

I'm not surprised that AE won't price-match Amazon - in fact I'm not sure AE price-matches anybody. Can you just return the ones you bought last week?

 

[mdubs]



I think you will like my new MTO

LoL. Nice. How much would a CXL MTO be?

 

[halfnhalfnhalf]

So, contrary to what I said a few pages ago, my first Allison MTO turned out to be not a brown shell Leeds but instead a brown shell MacNeil. My rationale is, (1) after resisting them for a long time, I've decided I'm totally into LWBs; and (2) my brown shell Norwiches are plain toe and can therefore serve as a proxy of sorts for the Leeds.

I'll post the specs as soon as Allison emails them to me, but basically I'm going with exactly what their off-the-rack MacNeil would be if they sold it in brown shell, if that makes any sense. They will have the regular lining and leather insole because the 9 E in the 7 last fits me like a dream and I don't want to do anything that might wonk that up. However, I'm open to any other suggestions people might make as to how the makeup could be improved, preferably with illustrative pics. (Of course, they will have the JR outsole.)

On another note, Allison gave me a tip that I'm not sure others here are using: If when you call her you get the recording, just press 2 and someone will page her for you. I had no trouble at all getting her on the phone that way.

Has it been 8-10 weeks yet?

 

[chris45]

I felt very guilty today . . . some may recall a discussion in the thread a couple of weeks ago where two of us received what purported to be brown shell Dundees but were burgundy shell instead. I just got around to returning mine to the New Orleans AE store, and I won't be re-ordering them because in the meantime I had found truffle (cappuccino) shells. Maybe this is silly of me but I hate taking a commission out of my go-to local guy's pocket. OTOH, I do give him my business when I buy other non-custom firsts, which I do do from time to time . . . .

Not silly at all... I'm usually the kind of guy to always pick their local establishments to help support them (especially when commission based); however, I have been doing pretty much all my orders via the Shoe Bank.

I have gone into the New Orleans store a couple times, and while I got some help, it could have been better... granted I look a bit out of place compared to the others guys since I'm younger; but that doesn't mean to overlook me and not give me the same service. I was hoping my first time in the store to get sized would be a bit more informative/helpful than it truly was... in their defense, it did get pretty hectic when I was in there, but I got pushed to the side (despite being in there before everyone else). On that trip, I ended up getting sold a display model at first quality price .. I didn't notice it was the display model until I got home (and should have been sold at seconds price).

My second experience at the NOLA store was much better -- I went in to return the 'display model' from first visit and also went to get fit on a different last. During the return process, I was asked if I wanted to go ahead and place an order for the shoes I returned... I made the mistake and mentioned I had picked up the same shoe via Shoe Bank (seconds) and got in trouble for ordering through Port Washington instead of NOLA (and taking money out of their pocket, as was described)

I haven't given up on the NOLA store but will definitely be reserving it for non-custom firsts, belts/misc items, etc. -- especially since it is an hour away.

 

[rydenfan]



LoL. Nice. How much would a CXL MTO be?

Depends a bit on the makeup but mine will be $295. I find that pretty reasonable for a Natural CXL MTO

 

[mdubs]



So, contrary to what I said a few pages ago, my first Allison MTO turned out to be not a brown shell Leeds but instead a brown shell MacNeil.  My rationale is, (1) after resisting them for a long time, I've decided I'm totally into LWBs; and (2) my brown shell Norwiches are plain toe and can therefore serve as a proxy of sorts for the Leeds.

I'll post the specs as soon as Allison emails them to me, but basically I'm going with exactly what their off-the-rack MacNeil would be if they sold it in brown shell, if that makes any sense. They will have the regular lining and leather insole because the 9 E in the 7 last fits me like a dream and I don't want to do anything that might wonk that up. However, I'm open to any other suggestions people might make as to how the makeup could be improved, preferably with illustrative pics.  (Of course, they will have the JR outsole.)

On another note, Allison gave me a tip that I'm not sure others here are using:  If when you call her you get the recording, just press 2 and someone will page her for you.  I had no trouble at all getting her on the phone that way.

Has it been 8-10 weeks yet?

I love LWBs also...

Probably too much.

I hope that yours turn out awesome. How dark of edging are you going with?

-Mike

 

[mdubs]



Depends a bit on the makeup but mine will be $295. I find that pretty reasonable for a Natural CXL MTO

That's awesome. I might do a LWB also. I always wanted the Alden Leydon LWB, but I can't pay that much for CXL.

 

[Burzan]

Depends a bit on the makeup but mine will be $295. I find that pretty reasonable for a Natural CXL MTO

I really need to jump on a MTO for something now that they have the new CXL offerings. A MacNeil in the golden brown would be amazing.

 

[coolarrow]

Tried on the Banchory's today in light tan. Fought the urge to pick them up. They were very comfortable and the uppers were super soft leather. You could feel a little cap support, though. The leather softness felt like the Neumoks, which I own. Also, I generally wear a 9.5D but the 10ds fit me like a glove. I decided against them b/c:

-light colored leather is kinda offputting to me.
-I already own the neumoks, which are casualish and unlined.
-I also own the macneils and the RL sandersons (longwings), which can work casually as well.

If they came in a darker shade of brown, I would have pounced. I thought about darkening them with obenaufs (?) but was wary of any bleeding that would transfer onto socks. It was hard walking away, though.

 

[Vidal]

Guess I could, but I don't want to go to the trouble of going to the store and then place another order. I guess I'll just keep them

Real nice and comfortable by the way

 

[jd13jd13]



No, they won't make custom lasts.  Whatever their smallest size in any given last is, that will be the smallest they will make.

Well, there are shoes in the 5 last that are made in 6D (for example the Park Avenue), but not all shoes on the 5 last (for example, the McTavish) are made in 6D. I was wondering more along the lines if they would adjust the pattern to fit a smaller size on the same last for a shoe not normally made that small.

 

[rydenfan]



I really need to jump on a MTO for something now that they have the new CXL offerings. A MacNeil in the golden brown would be amazing.

Is golden brown the same as brown CXL with a marketing twist to the name? Or is it a different color?

 

[halfnhalfnhalf]

Guess I could, but I don't want to go to the trouble of going to the store and then place another order. I guess I'll just keep them

Real nice and comfortable by the way

Definitely. A pair of black Black Hills was one of my early AE pickups and they have served me well.

 

[halfnhalfnhalf]

Quote:
No, it's definitely not brown. I'd say it's about halfway between natural and "true" brown. No idea how it would age, though.

 

[Subutai]

Is golden brown the same as brown CXL with a marketing twist to the name? Or is it a different color?

I had Allison sent me samples because I had the same question. Golden brown is a bit lighter, but not much.

Definitely interested in seeing your MTO, what are the specs?!