Buying my first AEs. Need some help...

[teebo911]

Hello,

First time poster here looking to buy my first pair(s) of Allen Edmonds shoes. My last two pairs of dress shoes were Johnston & Murphy's, and both had the leather strips in the heel fall apart. My casual Clark's absolutely destroy the middle of my feet. So now it is time to move up to some real shoes.

I don't have easy access to any stores that sell the AEs, so I will likely need to order online. For the J&Ms and Clarks, I take a size 13 (with a large 'M' stamped near it, I'm guessing 'medium'). My NewBalance sneakers are marked 13 4E. Should I assume that AE 13s in a D-E width would be a good fit? Do the individual models of shoes have a great deal of variance in sizing?

Also, I'd love to save a bit of money. What do you all think of eBay for the factory seconds and possibly used (!) AEs. Have you all had good experiences going that route? Are there any tips to avoid AEs that aren't really AEs (fakes, etc)? Any other tips?

I appreciate any advice you are willing to send my way. I've been doing a lot of reading on these forums, and have been learning quite a bit. Thanks to you all for helping us folks that were born without a style gene...

Thanks,
Chris

 

[sygyzy]

I am in the same boat Chris but everything I've read has put my mind at least. Notably - they fit true to size; you can get them at significant savings; I am not very concerned about buying slightly used; and AFAIK they don't make fake AE. We are talking $300 shoes, not $3000.

I am going the eBay route. I am glad we have different sized feet. BTW, AE themselves have are a seller on the site, but their prices come at only a 45-50% savings (est.)

 

[coachvu]

Originally Posted by teebo911

Hello,

First time poster here looking to buy my first pair(s) of Allen Edmonds shoes. My last two pairs of dress shoes were Johnston & Murphy's, and both had the leather strips in the heel fall apart. My casual Clark's absolutely destroy the middle of my feet. So now it is time to move up to some real shoes.

I don't have easy access to any stores that sell the AEs, so I will likely need to order online. For the J&Ms and Clarks, I take a size 13 (with a large 'M' stamped near it, I'm guessing 'medium'). My NewBalance sneakers are marked 13 4E. Should I assume that AE 13s in a D-E width would be a good fit? Do the individual models of shoes have a great deal of variance in sizing?

Also, I'd love to save a bit of money. What do you all think of eBay for the factory seconds and possibly used (!) AEs. Have you all had good experiences going that route? Are there any tips to avoid AEs that aren't really AEs (fakes, etc)? Any other tips?

I appreciate any advice you are willing to send my way. I've been doing a lot of reading on these forums, and have been learning quite a bit. Thanks to you all for helping us folks that were born without a style gene...

Thanks,
Chris

The M on your old shoes probably corresponds to a D width for AE. However, sneakers in EEEE width?!?! Do they actually fit correctly? You may want to have your feet measured at a shoe store before buying any AE online. For your first pair, you may want to buy new in case you want to return them. www.sierratradingpost.com has several pairs right now, plus they will be an extra 20% off with their current promotion. Also, fake AEs shouldn't be a problem.

 

[teebo911]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies. As for the width of the sneakers, it has 4E above the rectangle with the sizing information (not EEEE, just '4E'), with nothing else indicated in terms of width that I can see. I took that to mean the width (I recall this being on the box too). Maybe it is just 'regular' width, and that marking meant something else... And to correct my earlier statement, the sneakers are 12.5, not 13. Everything else is 13 though.

As for the fakes, it wouldn't be the first time I've seen something worth < $300 faked on ebay, so I wanted to double check.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[wheelerray]

I have not found AEs always true to size. Some models do, others run big. I would find a store and try on each model before ordering if you hope to get it right the first time via mail order.

Be especially careful with loafers, as most I've tried on were big in my usual size.

 

[coachvu]

Originally Posted by teebo911

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies. As for the width of the sneakers, it has 4E above the rectangle with the sizing information (not EEEE, just '4E'), with nothing else indicated in terms of width that I can see. I took that to mean the width (I recall this being on the box too). Maybe it is just 'regular' width, and that marking meant something else... And to correct my earlier statement, the sneakers are 12.5, not 13. Everything else is 13 though.

As for the fakes, it wouldn't be the first time I've seen something worth < $300 faked on ebay, so I wanted to double check.

Thanks again,
Chris

4E means EEEE, which is very wide. If your foot is truly this wide, I would have thought your old J&M shoes would have been too narrow. Maybe the salesman sold you a longer shoe to accomodate this. As mentioned, not all AE fit the same. I wear a 13D, and one pair of AE fits perfectly while the other is a bit loose. You can't get half sizes this big, so if at all possible, try to find someplace and try them on before ordering online. If you can't, maybe you should order a few pairs from zappos (free shipping both ways) to figure out which last works best for you and then order the specific model you want from ebay or elsewhere.

 

[odoreater]

Interestingly, if it helps you any, I have a pair of crappy J&M's with a rubber sole that I bought from Macys that are a size 11 M. In AE, I normally wear a 10.5 EEE. So, even though you're an M in J&M, you may actually need a wide sizing in the AEs.

I would second the suggestion of buying from STP. You'll get a new shoe at a significant discount from retail and plus their is less risk in experimenting with sizing.

 

[drizzt3117]

Honestly I'd just try to buy a used AE on ebay, you can get them in nearly new condition for $20, and once you're sure of your sizing, go ahead and buy the seconds from an outlet or from STP.

 

[teebo911]

Hello Everyone,

Thanks again for the replies. My J&Ms were from Filene's, which is now Macy's. Maybe they only got flawed J&Ms? Anyway...

I think I'll have to experiment a bit to find my size. I see a pair of AE Mapletons on ebay right now for fairly cheap (E width). Maybe I'll buy those and see how it flies. It will at least give me an idea as to what I'm looking at. And if it fits, well I got a good shoe for dirt cheap. If not, I'll not have lost too much money and I could probably just resell them. I'll definitely keep STP in mind. I understand that one can never buy just one pair of AEs...

Thanks,
Chris

 

[odoreater]

Yes, the ebay route is not so bad either. I actually experimented with my AE sizing on ebay as well and was actually able to make a profit on some of the shoes that I bought which didn't fit and I had to resell (including a pair of shell cordovan MacNeils that I bought for $50 and sold for $100). The only reason I wouldn't do that right now, for myself, is because I'm so busy that I can't be bothered with scouring ebay for the cheap AEs and then having to go through the trouble to resell them. But, if you got the time then ebay is definitely a good way to go. Good luck.

 

[California Dreamer]

This web site gives detailed dimensions for each model of AE shoe, which varies depending on which last the shoe is made on. It will help you work out exactly which size you are in each AE model. http://www.aeclassics.com/ecommerce/lasts If you look for AE shoes on Zappos.com, you will find comments by other buyers as to whether a particular model fits true to size or not. As with Odoreater, I bought from STP, mainly because I could return them if they didn't fit right. I eventually got a pair that fit right, although it took a couple of goes. Zappos would have been good too, except they don't ship outside the USA.

 

[Jared]

Es come in some significantly different lasts: I prefer C, D, or E width depending on which one. You'll really save yourself a lot of trouble if you can travel to a store that carries enough that you can try on the most extreme lasts...

 

[Teacher]

Keep in mind, too, that it's virtually impossible to determine dress shoe sizes based on athletic shoe sizes. I generally wear 8.5/9 D or E in dress shoes, but all my athletic shoes are 10 or 10.5 D (and yes, the fit is the same).

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by Teacher

Keep in mind, too, that it's virtually impossible to determine dress shoe sizes based on athletic shoe sizes. I generally wear 8.5/9 D or E in dress shoes, but all my athletic shoes are 10 or 10.5 D (and yes, the fit is the same).

really? they fit the same?

i almost always wear a 10.5M in New Balance and Adidas sneakers and a 10.5D for Allen Edmonds, Brooks Brothers and most other dress shoes. Pretty sure my nikes are 10.5M's as well. The only time I wore smaller sneakers was when I played soccer - I went with a 10M in kangaroo leather cleats, but those were slightly tight to begin with.

 

[JLibourel]

I would just second the counsel that Allen-Edmonds lasts vary quite a bit in fit in the same size. Some A-E shoes, especially those on the #4 last or the old #8 last, fit me in my customary size (also 13D) as if they were the work of a bespoke cordwainer. Others, like the #2, #3 and the new #8 are not a good fit on my feet. You have to learn these matters by trial and error.

I agree that athletic/outdoor footgear can vary quite a bit from a dress shoe size. My stepson is a size 10 in his dress shoes, but I think most of his sneakers are 11s. I am a 13D in a dress shoe, but in Danner outdoor/military boots, I am a 13EE. I hiked over a thousand miles in the mountains of Southern California in a pair of Vasque size 14s. Used them so hard eventually the steel shanks crystallized and broke!