Carlos Santos Sizing?

[patina.pal]

I just got my captoes in the wine shadow patina today and I love them! Only problem is the sizing: the shoes are a little big and I want to exchange them, but I don’t know if I need to size down a full size or a half size. I normally where a men’s 9 US.

I have to pay the return shipping which will be around $35, and I want to get it right the first time around. What size should I get? 8.5 or a full size down at 8?

 

[wdrenth]

Lovely shoes and beautiful colour. What model, and on what last are they, and where did you obtain those?

I have several models by Carlos Santos, and happy with them. Some lasts I find a bit towards the comfy side and resort to a normal insole then.

How much "a little big" are they? How well can you lace the shoes now, and how much movement it there in longitudinal and lateral direction? If it is like: with thick socks or a decent insole it will be super, then I would go for the 1/2 size down. If your feet are now really swimming, then 1 size down sounds more like it. In the end, the difference between one full size is about 1/3 of an inch (according to the theory, that is), which is quite some distance.

Maybe the retailer where you obtained the shoes are able to help as well?

Hope this helps in making a decision.

 

[Mercurio]

With Carlos Santos 234 last I must downsize half a size for a confortable fit, which last and model are your beautiful Oxford shoes?

 

[patina.pal]

Thanks for the replies! They are on the 401 last. I got them through Pediwear (they came with free saphir polish and fitting shoe trees). I believe they are the patina service oxford cap toe 8627.

When I lace them, I close the gap completely in the laces. I can wiggle my foot and don’t feel my foot swimming in it, but I haven’t tried to wear thicker wool socks yet. The vamp over the front can be pressed down quite a bit though before it makes contact with my foot.

Should that be the judge? If they fit well with thick socks then go a half size down? If more then go the full size down?

-james

 

[Mercurio]

Thanks for the replies! They are on the 401 last. I got them through Pediwear (they came with free saphir polish and fitting shoe trees). I believe they are the patina service oxford cap toe 8627.

When I lace them, I close the gap completely in the laces. I can wiggle my foot and don’t feel my foot swimming in it, but I haven’t tried to wear thicker wool socks yet. The vamp over the front can be pressed down quite a bit though before it makes contact with my foot.

Should that be the judge? If they fit well with thick socks then go a half size down? If more then go the full size down?

-james

Probably wearing thick socks would not be enough to decide. I would suggest to use a light insole as well with the thicker socks to get the feeling of a half a size difference, that I believe should be right according to your impressions.

 

[patina.pal]

So I just tried them on with some thick wool LLBean socks, and they fit perfectly, just how I would want them to. Would the verdict be a half size down? Here are some pictures for reference, with with thicker socks and with normal socks.

Would it be worth getting a different last? Or is the 401 last generally well liked?

 

[Mercurio]

^^ Those Oxford shoes are very nice, the 401 last is a new one that, I understand, replaced the 234 last that I mentioned before. I feel that that you shouldn't downsize further than half a size, otherwise they would be very tight.

 

[patina.pal]

^^ Those Oxford shoes are very nice, the 401 last is a new one that, I understand, replaced the 234 last that I mentioned before. I feel that that you shouldn't downsize further than half a size, otherwise they would be very tight.

Thanks, I’ll try to get the half size down in the same color. I’ll show pictures of the new shoes once they come in.

 

[aj2603]

i would say go a half size down

 

[cranster63]

Beautiful shoes. I really like the quality of the Carlos Santos shoes for the price, they are great value.

 

[patina.pal]

So update on an old thread, I ended up ordering just a half size down. When they got in I was excited, but they quickly stretched so the laces were closed completely and they felt a bit loose still. At that point, I was wishing I had gone a full size down. Now, I have 3/4 inserts inside of them and they are working for me, but a little tight. I don’t think that the shoes are much of a sizing problem as a general fit problem. Beautiful craftsmanship though! Next time I’ll have to make sure I pick up shoes I can try on first.

 

[skeptastic]

Wow, the wine shadow color looked like an oxblood in the first set of photos, then like an AE dark chili in the next set. It's amazing what lighting can do. Which set of photos do you feel most accurately represent the color of the shoe as you see them in the flesh?

I am all about getting some of the CS brogue wingtip boots, but concerned about sizing and color. Wine shadow has grabbed me quite a bit, but I've seen photos where they have an oxblood looks and others where they have a dark chili look. It's fascinating, but a little scary, depending on which color one is after.

I agree with you... it would be so nice to be able to try these shoes on in-person. I'm hoping to figure out the brogue boots, but might eventually give in and get Daltons. I really, really don't want to, though. I appreciate your post, the photos, and the update.

 

[patina.pal]

Wow, the wine shadow color looked like an oxblood in the first set of photos, then like an AE dark chili in the next set. It's amazing what lighting can do. Which set of photos do you feel most accurately represent the color of the shoe as you see them in the flesh?

I am all about getting some of the CS brogue wingtip boots, but concerned about sizing and color. Wine shadow has grabbed me quite a bit, but I've seen photos where they have an oxblood looks and others where they have a dark chili look. It's fascinating, but a little scary, depending on which color one is after.

I agree with you... it would be so nice to be able to try these shoes on in-person. I'm hoping to figure out the brogue boots, but might eventually give in and get Daltons. I really, really don't want to, though. I appreciate your post, the photos, and the update.

Honestly, the first photos resembled more of they actually look like, but they look more red. I have absolutely no complaint, I think they are beautiful. Another thing about this last is that it doesn’t feel like a standard width. It almost feels like its a little wide and that’s helping it feel large even after sizing down a full size. Sometimes I wish that I had gotten AE strands or other captoes (not park aves, I think the actual captoe is too short). After reading other blogs, I think the problem is more with the shoe shape rather than the sizing. I guess my foot isn’t too compatible. Maybe you would have better luck? Depending on who you buy them from they might offer free returns. Oh! I should also mention that these are the hand patina line, so the original pair and the resized pair both took about a month and a half to ship out.

 

[skeptastic]

Honestly, the first photos resembled more of they actually look like, but they look more red. I have absolutely no complaint, I think they are beautiful. Another thing about this last is that it doesn’t feel like a standard width. It almost feels like its a little wide and that’s helping it feel large even after sizing down a full size. Sometimes I wish that I had gotten AE strands or other captoes (not park aves, I think the actual captoe is too short). After reading other blogs, I think the problem is more with the shoe shape rather than the sizing. I guess my foot isn’t too compatible. Maybe you would have better luck? Depending on who you buy them from they might offer free returns. Oh! I should also mention that these are the hand patina line, so the original pair and the resized pair both took about a month and a half to ship out.

It took a lot of digging, but after finding numerous photos comparing the wine shadow patina to other CS patinas, I would definitely agree that the color is like the first set of photos you've shared in this thread. I am trying to find the best brown color, and it is so difficult to do so, as the color of a shoe/boot looks so different with different lighting. I finally found a photo with a bunch of the different colors displayed using different shoes, and am thinking that either Algarve, Guimaraes, or Braga is my best bet. The issue is that, depending not he photo, Guimaraes looks way too dark, and Braga look way too light. Algarve seems like the happy medium, but also isn't readily available for this particular model (8922 Wingtip Boot).

I gotta figure out the color first and then the sizing. I got an email that recommended sizing down one whole size from one's US size. Then, I read your post and wonder if the shoe will shoe be a bit too big. What width are you in your standard US shoes? How do you fit the Park Avenue and/or Dalton, assuming you've tried or owned those models from Allen Edmonds?

 

[patina.pal]

It took a lot of digging, but after finding numerous photos comparing the wine shadow patina to other CS patinas, I would definitely agree that the color is like the first set of photos you've shared in this thread. I am trying to find the best brown color, and it is so difficult to do so, as the color of a shoe/boot looks so different with different lighting. I finally found a photo with a bunch of the different colors displayed using different shoes, and am thinking that either Algarve, Guimaraes, or Braga is my best bet. The issue is that, depending not he photo, Guimaraes looks way too dark, and Braga look way too light. Algarve seems like the happy medium, but also isn't readily available for this particular model (8922 Wingtip Boot).

I gotta figure out the color first and then the sizing. I got an email that recommended sizing down one whole size from one's US size. Then, I read your post and wonder if the shoe will shoe be a bit too big. What width are you in your standard US shoes? How do you fit the Park Avenue and/or Dalton, assuming you've tried or owned those models from Allen Edmonds?

Here is a picture of how they look right now in my office setting with fluorescent lights. I wanted the wine shadow because they were going to be my go-to cap toes and I don’t like the color black. Figured that the red tint was a nice touch. As for the sizing, I am a Brannock 9 almost a 9.5, standard D width. I originally got the UK 8 and it was way too big. I returned it and got the UK 7.5, and it was perfect at first but within a week they had stretched and were no longer able to be tightened because I was able to close the V. At that point I couldn’t return them again, so I got some insoles and while they are better, they won’t ever be perfect. In the Park Ave, I’m a comfortable 9D. I haven’t tried on the Daltons, but if it helps, I have some AE black Dundee chukka boots in 9 D and the toes are a little snug but they fit well. Also, I have 9D Alden 1493 chukkas. Those are perfect.