Allen Edmonds Park Avenue: Good Price? $220

[TRIALnERROR]

Hey Gang, I was prepared to purchase a pair of Cole Haan shoes until I read all the reviews on this board regarding Allen Edmonds. I have a few questions and would appreciate any feedback: 1) Is it worth the $120 to upgrade from Cole Haan to this shoe?; 2) Is the Park Avenue a comfortable shoe for daily wear (4x per week)?; 3) Is $220 a good price? and 4) Do Allen Edmonds' sizes run large? Thanks in advance for any guidance.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/allen-e...?origin=category&fashionColor=&resultback=415

 

[n-domino]

1) Yes, Allen Edmonds are generally much better. Cole Haan used to be a respectable shoe brand, but that ended when Nike purchased them.
2) With regards to comfort, it depends on how the last works for your feet. If you intend to wear the shoes four times a week it is recommended that you rotate with at least one other pair of shoes.
3) $220 is a very good price.
4) Their sizing is completely dependent upon the last they are built on. I would recommend trying them on in person if you live near a Nordstrom or Allen-Edmonds store. If not, read this forum's Allen-Edmonds appreciation thread and determine to the best of your knowledge what size would work.

Hope this helps.

 

[petitnoblesse]

1) Is it worth the $120 to upgrade from Cole Haan to this shoe?; 2) Is the Park Avenue a comfortable shoe for daily wear (4x per week)?; 3) Is $220 a good price? and 4) Do Allen Edmonds' sizes run large?

1) If you have the money, then yes it is.

2) Yes, but honestly I would rotate them out every couple of days if you have another pair of shoes to wear.

3) For a new pair, yes.

4.) My Park Avenues run true to size.

 

[TRIALnERROR]

Thanks so much for the speedy reply. Do they come with shoe horns or do I purchase those separately? If purchased separately, do you recommend a particular brand or do they all do the same job?

 

[dreamspace]

1) Yes, IMO
2) Good enough I guess. Just be sure to get right size (obviously)
3) Brand new? Yes
4) They have a fairly good size chart on their website, that you can print out. For me, they ran a bit smaller than expected though.

I own two pair of strands, and one park avenues.
To be honest, my taste has shifted since buying them...I find them a bit dull, but that's a mater of taste.

As far as quality goes though; Nothing but excellent in my experience.

 

[DressedWell]

If they are new AE's then $220 is a good price.

If they are "seconds" then you can find them for less than $150. Seconds are shoes AE rejected based on quality control.

If you buy at Nordstrom, double and triple check your shoes.

 

[dgsdm]

If they are new AE's then $220 is a good price.

If they are "seconds" then you can find them for less than $150. Seconds are shoes AE rejected based on quality control.

If you buy at Nordstrom, double and triple check your shoes.

Can you elaborate on this? What exactly are you suppose to check?

 

[TRIALnERROR]

The price was for a new pair (I posted the link in my original post) and I decided to pull the trigger as the sale ended at midnight (PST). I followed the printable sizing guide on AE's site, but I think I'm going to request a half size larger based on the feedback in this thread. Is AE's leather shoe care kit worth $100? Is it better to piece these items separately? Thanks for all the guidance.

Found this little gem on YouTube...

Allen Edmonds: The Shoe of Tomorrow! (circa 1940)

 

[CalTex]

keep this conversation going in the AE thread. Quick answer to your question: I do not think their shoe care kit is worth 100 USD, you can get by with spending less.

 

[TRIALnERROR]

If they are new AE's then $220 is a good price.

If they are "seconds" then you can find them for less than $150. Seconds are shoes AE rejected based on quality control.

If you buy at Nordstrom, double and triple check your shoes.

Does this mean that Nordstrom shoes are most likely "seconds"? Would it be stated on the box? How would I otherwise know? Thanks.

 

[msulinski]

Does this mean that Nordstrom shoes are most likely "seconds"? Would it be stated on the box? How would I otherwise know? Thanks.

There is a bit of debate about this. Some suspect that Allen Edmonds is having a hard time meeting demand for the Nordstrom sale and are deliberately selling seconds as firsts via Nordstrom. The president of AE denies this. Regardless of what is actually happening, a lot of people are getting second-rate shoes during the Nordstrom sale. So check them out and make sure they are good.
Nordstrom has a good return policy, so if you aren't happy with them, take them back and ask them to order you a different pair. Just don't scuff up the bottoms.

There could be any number of things wrong with the shoes that make them seconds. This includes large scratches in the leather, a crooked toe cap, sloppy stiching, etc. Just look them over and make sure you are happy with them.

 

[CalTex]

That would be really risky on their part, I think they are smart enough to realize that.

Hell I have returned shoes that I walked in, the rep sized me wrong so I did not feel bad.

 

[DressedWell]

Does this mean that Nordstrom shoes are most likely "seconds"? Would it be stated on the box? How would I otherwise know? Thanks.

There is nothing on the box that will let you know if they are seconds. But if there is a purchase sticker that indicates it is a returned shoe.

Take the shoe and hold it up in the light. Look for defects.

The sales guys will sell shoes that were returned as new. AE uses cork in the shoe to conform to your foot. If someone wore the shoe before and the cork was compressed, it will never form to your foot.

Nordstroms policy as of Sunday is they will NOT order any more new shoes until they sell off most of the returns from the sale. Nordstrom will wait a long time before sending sale shoes to the Rack. I don't know if its in the contract with AE, Bruno Magli, Santoni, and Ferragamo that their popular shoes don't end up at the Rack in large numbers.

 

[DressedWell]

Can you elaborate on this? What exactly are you suppose to check?

Look at the picture of the first post to see what a second looks like. Most seconds are not this bad.

http://www.styleforum.net/t/310293/is-this-acceptable-quality

 

[f800gs]



 There is nothing on the box that will let you know if they are seconds. But if there is a purchase sticker that indicates it is a returned shoe.

Take the shoe and hold it up in the light. Look for defects.

The sales guys will sell shoes that were returned as new. AE uses cork in the shoe to conform to your foot. If someone wore the shoe before and the cork was compressed, it will never form to your foot.

Nordstroms policy as of Sunday is they will NOT order any more new shoes until they sell off most of the returns from the sale. Nordstrom will wait a long time before sending sale shoes to the Rack. I don't know if its in the contract with AE, Bruno Magli, Santoni, and Ferragamo that their popular shoes don't end up at the Rack in large numbers.

I take it you work for Nordstrom?