C&J casual wardrobe choices

[Kaplan]

Hello everybody

I'm in the process of (re)building my shoe wardrobe. Most of the fine brands that are being discussed here are not readily available where I live and I won't buy shoes on-line that I haven't tried on already.

But I can get Crockett & Jones here and have been looking at their different lasts and models. I really like shoes on the 348 last (like the Hallam on pictures and in the the flesh, but not when I try them on: They're too narrow for my foot, so for a comfortable fit the shoe ends up being way too long. Unfortunately (or luckily?) it's the same with the handgrade 337 last, so I'm now looking at the more classic 341 last, which I like more and more. There are quite a few shoes on that last, so if it fits me I will have a good selection to choose from.

These are not for work and very seldom for suits (and I already have a pair of black captoed oxfords from Church's getting resoled in England). The plan is to start my collection with some simple classics, without broguing. I've been looking at these models:

The Bradford. The colour looks much better in real life and the double sole is not too unwieldy.
The Dartmouth. The 318 last seems to fit me just as well as the 341.
I really wanted to like the Connaught (I love the colour on that picture, but have only tried it in black), but the last looks a little too round for me.

I would also like some boots, both chelsea and chukka and will most likely start with these Chiltern (they look much less bulbous in the flesh). Would you recommend the dark brown or the snuff colour?

Today I got the chance to try out a new C&J shoe called the Worcester - a dark brown suede derby with a new rubber (not Dainite) sole, on the 341 last. Strangely, it seemed more pointy than the other 341's.

My questions:

Any of these you would advice me against?
What other C&J's would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for any help and input.

 

[TKDKid]

I like the 341 last and have had my eye on the Brecon and Cottesmore for a while...

 

[Kaplan]

The storm welt on that Brecon makes it a little too clunky for my taste, but I like the look of the Cottesmore.

Does anyone else have any favourites from the C&J lineup they would recommend?

About the Chiltern, would you go with the dark brown or the snuff colour? (If you press the 'back arrow' on the Chiltern page, you can see what the dark brown looks like on another model.)

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by TKDKid

I like the 341 last and have had my eye on the Brecon and Cottesmore for a while...

Cottesmore rules.

 

[Kaplan]

Differences in last and sole aside, why would you go with an unlined boot over a lined one?

 

[boston009]

I have the Dartmouth in teak. It is a very nice casual shoe, and the last is actually quite flattering...

 

[mockingboy]

Aintree in Suede or Tetbury.

 

[potter AB]

Originally Posted by Kaplan

I really like shoes on the 348 last (like the Hallam on pictures and in the the flesh, but not when I try them on: They're too narrow for my foot,
You can get the Hallam in F, which is wider than the regular E. Perhaps you could even get half a number down in size, as I did when I got an F-fitting.

 

[flatfront]

+2 on the Cottesmore. One of the best boots around and built to last.

 

[Kaplan]

Originally Posted by potter AB

You can get the Hallam in F, which is wider than the regular E.
Perhaps you could even get half a number down in size, as I did when I got an F-fitting.
Thanks for the advice. I tried the Hallam in a F fitting, but to my eye it seemed like the wider part of the last disrupts the overall elegant shape of the shoe.

Does anyone have any input on an unlined vs a lined boot?

How about the snuff suede vs dark brown suede choice for a chukka boot? (For instance, if you have both colors, which gets the most wear and why?)

 

[KlezmerBlues]

Originally Posted by Kaplan

Differences in last and sole aside, why would you go with an unlined boot over a lined one?

For more comfortable wear in the summer.

 

[mockingboy]

Originally Posted by Kaplan

Thanks for the advice. I tried the Hallam in a F fitting, but to my eye it seemed like the wider part of the last disrupts the overall elegant shape of the shoe.

Does anyone have any input on an unlined vs a lined boot?

How about the snuff suede vs dark brown suede choice for a chukka boot? (For instance, if you have both colors, which gets the most wear and why?)

I think lined is the way to go, better for cooler weather.

Snuff suede in my opinion is more versatile...goes with jeans, dark pants, navy pants, suits. Dark suede is tougher in a more casual setting.

-Mike

 

[Kaplan]

Originally Posted by mockingboy

I think lined is the way to go, better for cooler weather.
Thanks.

Snuff suede in my opinion is more versatile...goes with jeans, dark pants, navy pants, suits. Dark suede is tougher in a more casual setting.

Do you feel the same? I would think that dark brown suede would go just as well with jeans, etc?