Allen Edmonds Sanford and/or Strand Acceptable as Casual/With Jeans & Khakis?

[mixedmajik]

I'm soon to be 20 years of age as a university student who's ego constantly wants to look better than everyone around me and have quality along with that on my body...and I've been looking into getting a dressier shoe from the SF buy and sell area.

Anyway...I've read about and heard that the Walnut Strand and the...Chestnut (I think) Sanford are less formal shoes than the PA and 5th A. I was just wondering how much less formal? Which one of these 2 goes better with a casual jeans and a sports coat look? Jeans or khaki's and a dress shirt look? Can both go with those looks or are they not THAT casual to the extent where a student can't really be rotating them or wearing them to the movies? (i.e I should only be wearing these to work when I get a professional job [which I don't have])


Been wanting to dress better with my footwear but I want to follow the rules also...If the shoes are too formal for jeans and khaki's...which comprise most of my pants at my age...then that might not work...if one or the other can go...I would be very happy...

Finally...which of the 2 is more suited to a man near 20? Yes...a man...not a boy

 

[soybomb15]

If you feel the Strands may be a bit too formal, check out the Elgin's, same shoe basically just a touch more casual.

 

[deveandepot1]

The strand is my favorite AE shoe. However, I wouldn't wear it with jeans. I don't think any non boot AEs look good with jeans.

 

[MyOtherLife]

The Sanfords are blutchers and (arguably) by default would be the casual shoe. The Strand being a balmoral is the dress shoe, albeit brogued. A Park Avenue wins over the Strand for conservative reasons and a pair of Park Avenues in black or burgundy should be the first between the two (or three). Sanfords or Strands can easily be worn casually.

 

[mixedmajik]

Thanks for the feedback so far

@Soy I'm not really saying I think they are too formal...because I don't know...thats why I'm asking...to find out you know?

@Dev So scratch for jeans? Are khaki's fine? Or as I was wondering...do you see these only as having a place in the workforce and such? Maybe I need to expand my horizon of trousers a 20 year old can be wearing also...I do have some sports jackets and wear dress shirts though which is why I thought maybe I could get away with jeans in the first place...but maybe its too much of mixed signals combining jeans and AE...which is why I was asking...gave me some food for thought...still am open to more of your opinion.

@MoL I was thinking about the open lace system of the sanford meaning its more casual...but I thought that was negated by the fact that the Strand has much more brogueing...also...are you saying a PA is more suited for my purposes than either shoe? I was confused by your statement in there about PA winning over the other shoes...And thanks for the input that they can be pulled off casually...I was thinking even moreso because walnut and chestnut colours aren't really professional (probably an ignorant statement by me) compared to others...just don't want to look out of place because I didn't check the style of these things...

It does seem somewhat subjective as to whether these 2 shoes can be pulled off casually or not judging by the current responses...hopefully I can obtain more but in general I'm thinking it is doable...maybe moreso with khaki's and chinos than jeans...and moreso with the Sanford since its open lace...this is currently where I'm at from the feedback (once again, much appreciated!)

 

[MyOtherLife]

For your purposes, stick with the Strand. You can dress them up or down. You cannot go wrong with this model. If you have high arches, the Sanford may offer more comfort and as long as the pant wifth isn't too narrow, the pant cuff will cover the lacing anyway.

 

[mixedmajik]

Thanks...I appreciate your continued support. As you said...since I can dress them up or down...I can probably get away with it on Khaki's and jeans...and still be able to use them when I'm older yet or in a more sophisticated environment than a university campus...have also got the impression that the Sanford isn't bad either and that if I can pull the trigger on either shoe at a good price then I won't really be doing myself an injustice with either...I'll prioritize strand walnut before the Sanford...I initially thought it would be the other way round with the lacing system...but you brought up a good point with the pants that I hadn't thought of

 

[Cambel]

I have a pair of Strands. It's a great shoe. I get more compliments on it than something as plain and conservative as the Park Ave.

However, I do not think they look good as a casual shoe. I have a friend who wears his with jeans and there is just something "off" about it. I don't think the Strands can be dressed down so well. (They are great dressed up, though.)

Have you thought about a pair of desert boots/chukkas? That may be too obvious of a dressier upgrade but it goes much more naturally with jeans or khakis. They're also very 'academic,' so they'll fit in very well in a university environment but will stand out from all the sneakers.

 

[coolarrow]

I agree that the sanford would be better with jeans. If you do wear the strands with jeans, make sure that the jeans are the right inseam for you. Nothing pisses me off than seeing some dude in bals with low hanging jeans and they are coming undone with threads etc. Keep it together, man!

Actually, the above would also apply if you're wearing the sanfords with jeans

 

[mixedmajik]

Aha so I think we've got a consensus with jeans...what about khakis though...the khaki's have seemed to be getting off the hook for a while . Let's bring it to the light...I never really considered the desert boot over something like bucks or open lace shoes because I just never thought they were that versatile in comparison (i.e can only be dressed down, not up with my sports coats that I will be wearing in spring til fall you know?)...but if they are...maybe something I should reconsider...I'm still learning and happily so.

 

[soybomb15]

Its funny this topic always seems to get such contrasting viewpoints. Some people say a shoe like the strand doesn't work with denim, others saying that it looks great with denim. I guess its your personal preference.

 

[Cambel]

I happened to see someone wearing walnut Strands with khakis on the bus today headed towards campus. (The guy was clearly a student.) It looked okay. I mean 'okay' in the sense that it did not look particularly good or particularly bad. Better than with denim, but it still looked to me liked the shoes belonged on a different, more formal outfit. (He was wearing a sort of Barbour type jacket, OCBD, and sweater.) I think open laced wingtips would have probably looked better. But like soybomb said, this whole decision may simply come down to personal preference.

 

[mixedmajik]

Maybe you've been riding the bus with that guy all along and never noticed until you were thinking of this thread Interesting opinion though...thanks for it...maybe would have been better if he was wearing a dress shirt...

Anyways, thanks guys...seems thats the consensus...this is what the AE customer service said to me when I emailed them about this before I posted here, didn't even mention the sanford but they did mention all split toes:

"Any spilt toe shoe like the Delray, LaSalle, Parkway, Bradley. Maybe the Strand in the Walnut color or the MctTavish."

Personally, I really don't like split toes...and don't know many who do...I think they're just trying to sell me a style not many people are buying

 

[ckprax]

If I were still a student I would go with the McTavish, Elgin, MacNeil, Sanford or Neumok; they are all very versatile. The Sanford and MacNeil will go well with jeans, chinos and slacks, the others with are not quite as formal IMO. Given your choices I would go with the Sanford over strands as they are more casual. I own walnut strands but they are not ideal for jeans and chinos, not bad but not great either.

I primarily wear jeans and chinos; my go to AE shoes are my Bayfields, Dalton, McTavish and MacNeils.

*edit- a plain toe blucher such as the Leeds, black hills or rapid city would be a good choice as well.