Allen Edmonds for $30

[NotoriousMarquis]

E ebay finds are great because you can get them for incredibly cheap and then have them recrafted for $100. It's a really good experiment if nothing else.

 

[dk_ace]

Well, I admire what you were trying to do and the end result is that you got a decent pair of beater shoes probably after you've worked on them a bit.

I've been buying vintage shoes like this for a while now from thrifts, and I've learned to develop an eye for problems I can fix, and problems I can't fix. The first problem I learned about.... dents in the cap and/or toe box.

The short version is this, avoid shoes with dents. If you already have some, as did I, you can try lots of conditioning followed by trying to gently work the toe box and leather back into shape. Use of steam, and a steady and informed hand can go a long way here (or if you don't have steam, wear them and then work on them while they're still warm and damp). If it's a mild dent, and the toe box isn't crushed too much, you may be able to get them back into shape or very close. If you can get very close, wax polish could fill in the remaining deformity in the cap.

I was able to do this with a very old and well loved pair of BrassBoot shoes made in Italy. It was a lot of work, but I love the shoes now and wear them frequently. The trick here is what I paid though, $2. Even at $2, I wouldn't buy another pair in similar shape because it's just too much work. For $30, I would have never even tried it.

I recently bought another pair of old Italian shoes (J&Ms) from a thrift for $6 and did a similar reconditioning. It was much easier though because there was no significant damage. My new rule is that the damage has to be minimal, easy to fix, and the purchase price including supplies to repair must be under $10. There are deals out there like that if you know what to look for.

For those on an extremely tight budget or needing an entirely new wardrobe without a lot of money, this is a decent option to get a great pair of shoes. In my case, I also have a real love for making old things like new again. If I find a great pair of shoes that meet my criteria, I'm likely to buy them even if I don't need them just because I enjoy the process.

D

 

[The Louche]

Originally Posted by Pash

I went to Nordstrom the other day to see what size I was in Allen Edmond shoes. The first shoe I tried on was a Clifton in 13D and I went into an ecstatic trance. I had no frame of reference for how well this shoe fit my foot. Having never entertained the idea of owning a $300 shoe, I left determined to find a pair of Cliftons within my budget. I immediately went home and bought these on ebay. Feeling pretty proud of myself for snagging a pair of AEs for less than $100, I came to styleforum to celebrate. Here, I read people are finding AE shoes on sale in the $130-$140 range. Now I feel like a chump.

The Cliftons are now my only shoes other than chucks; I plan on building a set of AEs as I join the working/adult world. Can anyone give me some pointers for where to keep my eyes peeled for AE seconds and/or on sale in the $150 range? Any input would be appreciated.

Google "Allen Edmonds Shoe Bank." Call and ask what they have in stock in your size/color/style needs. I've never paid more than $150 for a pair at the Shoe Bank.

 

[phxlawstudent]

Originally Posted by Pash

I went to Nordstrom the other day to see what size I was in Allen Edmond shoes. The first shoe I tried on was a Clifton in 13D and I went into an ecstatic trance. I had no frame of reference for how well this shoe fit my foot. Having never entertained the idea of owning a $300 shoe, I left determined to find a pair of Cliftons within my budget. I immediately went home and bought these on ebay. Feeling pretty proud of myself for snagging a pair of AEs for less than $100, I came to styleforum to celebrate. Here, I read people are finding AE shoes on sale in the $130-$140 range. Now I feel like a chump.

The Cliftons are now my only shoes other than chucks; I plan on building a set of AEs as I join the working/adult world. Can anyone give me some pointers for where to keep my eyes peeled for AE seconds and/or on sale in the $150 range? Any input would be appreciated.

Don't feel like a huge chump. Yes, we've been snagging AE seconds for $150, but not Cliftons. You can only get those at Nordstroms. Okay, fine, I got one last year for $100. But your never going to see the same price ever again. Well, not until the next great recession. Why? Because AE doesn't need to move that much inventory anymore. The last couple of years AE did a 20%,40%,60% off sale of their seconds. Of course you can get them for ridiculously cheap. This year, the best they had was 20% off seconds pricing and some styles for $150.

$150 is the closeout price for AE shoes at the shoe bank. Or if they really want to sell a lot of the shoes, not really sure why the Malverns were at $150 tbh... But every other AE shoe for $150 was closeouts.

Ebay is your best bet for lowest prices on brand new firsts. Otherwise, just keep calling the shoe bank and ask to be put on their list to be notified about upcoming sales. The best one was the Malvern for $150. The strand was $189 recently, but I'm holding out for lower.

 

[jabreal00]

One man's trash is another man's treasure. Personally, I'd never buy used shoes in that type of condition. I have enough old shoes I can use as beaters. If one is on a budget wait for sales.

 

[Pash]

Originally Posted by The Louche

Google "Allen Edmonds Shoe Bank." Call and ask what they have in stock in your size/color/style needs. I've never paid more than $150 for a pair at the Shoe Bank.
Thanks, Louche; I'm going to make some calls to the Shoe Banks.

Originally Posted by phxlawstudent

Don't feel like a huge chump. Yes, we've been snagging AE seconds for $150, but not Cliftons. You can only get those at Nordstroms. Okay, fine, I got one last year for $100. But your never going to see the same price ever again. Well, not until the next great recession. Why? Because AE doesn't need to move that much inventory anymore. The last couple of years AE did a 20%,40%,60% off sale of their seconds. Of course you can get them for ridiculously cheap. This year, the best they had was 20% off seconds pricing and some styles for $150.

$150 is the closeout price for AE shoes at the shoe bank. Or if they really want to sell a lot of the shoes, not really sure why the Malverns were at $150 tbh... But every other AE shoe for $150 was closeouts.

Ebay is your best bet for lowest prices on brand new firsts. Otherwise, just keep calling the shoe bank and ask to be put on their list to be notified about upcoming sales. The best one was the Malvern for $150. The strand was $189 recently, but I'm holding out for lower.

Thank you sir for the clear breakdown. This is some great info and is a big help.