Ask A Question, Get An Answer... - Post All Quick Questions Here (Classic menswear)

[YRR92]

I don't know what shirt I'd wear...

If you don't know what shirt to wear for going out in the evening in a suit, the answer is solid white. Otherwise, it's solid light blue.

Pantaleon, I've never seen anything like that for men. It doesn't look like a woman's shoe in terms of how the sole is done. I don't particularly like it -- I draw the "borrowed touches from my sister's school wardrobe" line at club collars.

 

[ImTheGroom]

Now

**** mimo, you're giving me second thoughts. I just thrifted a burgundy tie to match my friend's dress.

I don't know what shirt I'd wear...


I'll go with the gray suit, navy vest, and burgundy tie.


I'll break out the nehru suit next month for a different holiday party.

Eep. I would have loved to wear it tonight, but gahhhh!!! I'll post a picture later!

Also, it's snowing so I might have to wear brown dress boots instead of the black cap toes I was hoping to wear!

Now knowing you're Indian the Nehru collar works. Makes it cultural, not a guy trying to be weird and different.

 

[LEgoiste]

I tried asking on the Allen Edmonds thread but have been ridiculed so far. So, I'm going to ask over here...

This is my first time buying AE shoes. My regular shoe size is 9.5. Initially, I bought a pair of Strands on Amazon, size 9 EEE, but it was small and tight for my feet. Then, I ordered another pair directly from AE, size 9.5 E, and it fits my feet perfectly except for the top (lace) part...



That's as close as the the "V" part could meet on top. So, I'm wondering if I should go with a 9.5 EEE or different lasts with high instep.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kid Nickels]

^ sorry bro... I don't see why anyone would take to ridicule an honest question. I have those same shoes in 9.5 D standard width, but even then my feet are more long/narrow. It appears you have crazy wide/thick feet and they certainly should not be so spread over the lacings. If you can I would recommend just finding a local store to try on the wider sizes if possible. Do you have this problem with most of your dress shoes?

 

[Dingusberry]

I am thinking about going to the optician to get glasses, because my vision is getting worse.
But I don't how to get glasses. I want to get specific optical glasses from brands I like and not those brands the optician can offers.
So how does it work to buy branded glasses to fit my vision's 'stength'?

 

[Steve Smith]



I'm looking for a new wallet -- one that I can use both at work (business casual) and home (with jeans). My preference is for a thin bifold. Budget's about $40.

Thoughts about getting one of these?: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/t...inimalist-rfid-blocking-patent-pending-wallet

I'm willing to be patient with the whole kickstarter thing, and dig the look. Thoughts? Got a favorite? I'm leaning towards one of the brown leather combo ones, although some of the color ones look slick also (pics below).

I have a Flowfold and really like it a lot. These are even less expensive and a made of leftover sailcloth. http://www.flowfold.com/

 

[ovlov]

I just collected a couple of silk shirts from a new dry cleaner. One of them has a little patch of discolouration and pulling under the collar and the whole shirt feels rough and has a very slight odd smell to it.
the weird thing is the other shirt is fine. They are both the same age with about as much wear ('ive had them 3 years dryclean once a year), and the same brand. Would this be a defect or a problem with the cleaner that I should go back and yell at them over?

 

[YRR92]

I am thinking about going to the optician to get glasses, because my vision is getting worse.
But I don't how to get glasses. I want to get specific optical glasses from brands I like and not those brands the optician can offers.
So how does it work to buy branded glasses to fit my vision's 'stength'?

The ophthalmologist figures out what your prescription is. He gives you that on a regular prescription pad. You then go to a place that stocks the brands of glasses you want, and when they ask you for your prescription, you give it to them.

 

[ImTheGroom]

I assume that this is a tuxedo/smoking jacket. Why would you change from a peak? Traditionally, the peak or shawl lapel is standard for formal wear and notch lapels are for suits. A notch lapel will never look as formal as a proper peak lapel on a dinner jacket.

It's notch, and two button, so my guess is he is after a more informal jacket - a velvet blazer, rather than a dinner jacket.

 

[LEgoiste]

^ sorry bro... I don't see why anyone would take to ridicule an honest question. I have those same shoes in 9.5 D standard width, but even then my feet are more long/narrow. It appears you have crazy wide/thick feet and they certainly should not be so spread over the lacings. If you can I would recommend just finding a local store to try on the wider sizes if possible. Do you have this problem with most of your dress shoes?

Thanks. Yes, same problem with my other shoes that I wear in the office. I would definitely give a 9.5 EEE a try.

 

[Kid Nickels]



Thanks. Yes, same problem with my other shoes that I wear in the office. I would definitely give a 9.5 EEE a try.

I know the AE wider widths can indeed get pretty wide... but the sizing does vary as the width increases so at some point a super wide 9 may get close to a mid-wide 9.5. I know that's not too illustrative but I hope you catch my drift. Good luck!

 

[mimo]

I tried asking on the Allen Edmonds thread but have been ridiculed so far. So, I'm going to ask over here...

You're mixing up two things here: the width of your foot, especially the forefoot, and the height of your instep (the top of your foot, where the laces go).

As the 9.5E is fitting you OK across the toes, your issue isn't a "wide foot" (at least, not "crazy wide"). It seems to me like this is your proper size. If in doubt, print out AE's size guide - I found it very accurate for size and width. Like you, I find some flexibility in trading off width vs length e.g. I am basically a 10E in Allen Edmonds, but a 10.5D can work too. In your case, I suspect you might be a 9EE/EEE and you're just about getting away with the 9.5E accommodating your forefoot.

Anyway, whether 9.5E or 9EE is really your size, I can see why you've also been getting 3E sizes or sizing up: with a derby (blucher), or something similarly unstructured in the upper, like a monk or even an adelaide, the bigger shoe has allowed the upper to stretch over your high instep. But what you have here is an oxford, with lots of fixed seams in the upper, and even if you get a wider or longer fitting, it still won't allow that extra leather to stretch up over the top of your foot. I actually have two pairs of shoes, both in wide fittings, in different sizes on the same last from the same maker: the first was a derby, the second I had to size up because it was an oxford and the bottom of the facing was too tight over my foot.

In general, I also find the lasts from AE to be shallow in the instep in general. Not a problem to the degree you have, but noticeable compared to most English makers. It does vary a bit across the different lasts so it's worth going into an AE store and learning if there's a last that fits you (I have several pairs, but only on two different lasts so I'm not the person to advise). Getting super-wide or bigger shoes will eventually accommodate the high instep, but end up fitting badly across your toes and probably loose in the heel too. It's not the answer.

I suspect that you have two options: either try a different maker that does shoes with higher insteps - there are plenty of English, Italian, Spanish and other makers in that price range. Or if it must be AE, you might be more comfortable sticking with bluchers, even though they're less formal. The "open" lacing allows the tongue/vamp to move up and accommodate your instep, and even though the sides of the facing will still be a little further apart, they will be straight and it won't look so uncomfortable and wrong.

 

[Tck13]

Currently, what do people think of Brooks Brothers fit? I work part time at J. Crew and I've thought about jumping over to a Brooks Brothers store. I really love J. Crew but I'm not really getting any hours and there's a BB that's much closer and probably hiring part time. I like a lot of their clothing but I've never really worn it. I'll go try some on but I'm curious as to what others think. J. Crew slim fit pants and regular everything else fits me perfectly. Can I expect to basically find the same fits?

 

[LEgoiste]

You're mixing up two things here: the width of your foot, especially the forefoot, and the height of your instep (the top of your foot, where the laces go).

As the 9.5E is fitting you OK across the toes, your issue isn't a "wide foot" (at least, not "crazy wide"). It seems to me like this is your proper size. If in doubt, print out AE's size guide - I found it very accurate for size and width. Like you, I find some flexibility in trading off width vs length e.g. I am basically a 10E in Allen Edmonds, but a 10.5D can work too. In your case, I suspect you might be a 9EE/EEE and you're just about getting away with the 9.5E accommodating your forefoot.

Anyway, whether 9.5E or 9EE is really your size, I can see why you've also been getting 3E sizes or sizing up: with a derby (blucher), or something similarly unstructured in the upper, like a monk or even an adelaide, the bigger shoe has allowed the upper to stretch over your high instep. But what you have here is an oxford, with lots of fixed seams in the upper, and even if you get a wider or longer fitting, it still won't allow that extra leather to stretch up over the top of your foot. I actually have two pairs of shoes, both in wide fittings, in different sizes on the same last from the same maker: the first was a derby, the second I had to size up because it was an oxford and the bottom of the facing was too tight over my foot.

In general, I also find the lasts from AE to be shallow in the instep in general. Not a problem to the degree you have, but noticeable compared to most English makers. It does vary a bit across the different lasts so it's worth going into an AE store and learning if there's a last that fits you (I have several pairs, but only on two different lasts so I'm not the person to advise). Getting super-wide or bigger shoes will eventually accommodate the high instep, but end up fitting badly across your toes and probably loose in the heel too. It's not the answer.

I suspect that you have two options: either try a different maker that does shoes with higher insteps - there are plenty of English, Italian, Spanish and other makers in that price range. Or if it must be AE, you might be more comfortable sticking with bluchers, even though they're less formal. The "open" lacing allows the tongue/vamp to move up and accommodate your instep, and even though the sides of the facing will still be a little further apart, they will be straight and it won't look so uncomfortable and wrong.

Thanks so much for your very informative advice! I'm definitely going to have my feet fitted professionally when I return my order in the AE store tomorrow. If a 9.5 EEE Strand doesn't fit, I'll go to with a blucher or head to a Jos A. Bank store and try on their AE Boardroom, which is pretty much a Park Avenue on the 7 last, which has a roomier instep.

 

[mimo]

I'd say the Strand just isn't for you. Going extra wide and up a size kind of proves it, even if it fits. Give up on that last. Try an AE last that fits you in your normal size: if there is one, great - then you can even look at made to order options from AE. But if not, never mind. This forum has a plethora of intensely nerdy detail on a couple of dozen great shoe makers from $200 up to $2000 and beyond. So don't settle for something that almost fits. There's something out there that does, and plenty of information to point you in the right direction.