Carmina Shoes - Definitive Thread (reviews, advice, sizing, etc...) - official thread.

[Mothetgoo]

Color 4 u-tip boots from Fall 2019 GMTO. I plan on getting another pair of shell u-tip boots with all eyelets, flat welt and ridgeway (victoria) sole.

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Can I ask what what welt-edge color you specified for this order? Is it standard brown or did you ask them to color match the welt edge color?

 

[Mr.Chest]

Wore my bourbon jumpers today. I feel like I should really expand my carmina collection but my flat feet don’t seem to do great. Haven’t tried the llubi yet though

 

[Phoenician]

Being a doctor in NYC during the pandemic has presented many challenges to say the least. Having to go to bathroom every couple hours to take mask of and drink a bottle of water or two while wearing the hazmat style white jumpsuits when the pandemic peaked to avoid dehydration not the least among them. Still having to wear my mask everyday, but now that things have settled down a bit, finally able to start wearing some of my favorite shoes again. Handling with gloves on when I get home and putting each pair in semi-quarantine for a few days after each wear. Not at a point where I can wear my dress clothes yet, but decided to get back on my shoe game even if I’m wearing them with scrubs. Last nights shift I was sporting one of my favorite pair of Carminas.
Natural shell cordovan; Robert last.

superb! Thank you for all you’ve done for your fellow residents of NY and humanity in general. We owe you and your colleagues a huge debt of gratitude!

 

[flylikeneagle]

Can I ask what what welt-edge color you specified for this order? Is it standard brown or did you ask them to color match the welt edge color?

I requested chestnut edge. The folks at Carmina gave it a subtle reddish brown tinge. I always pick chestunut (with bourbon, amaretto, color 4), and in my experience Carmina does a good job of complementing color of the uppers. Either that, or chestnut blends well other colors in the brown family.

 

[CrashBurner]

Being a doctor in NYC during the pandemic has presented many challenges to say the least. Having to go to bathroom every couple hours to take mask of and drink a bottle of water or two while wearing the hazmat style white jumpsuits when the pandemic peaked to avoid dehydration not the least among them. Still having to wear my mask everyday, but now that things have settled down a bit, finally able to start wearing some of my favorite shoes again. Handling with gloves on when I get home and putting each pair in semi-quarantine for a few days after each wear. Not at a point where I can wear my dress clothes yet, but decided to get back on my shoe game even if I’m wearing them with scrubs. Last nights shift I was sporting one of my favorite pair of Carminas.
Natural shell cordovan; Robert last.

I always wondered what footwear you'd pair with a full face mask - you nailed it. ?
Thank you for looking after the good folk in NYC.

 

[MacGuffen]

Am thinking of doing an MTO of a burgundy Cordovan derby longwing, similar to the iconic Alden Longwing color 8. I'm having trouble finding similar RTW shoes with rubber outsoles and buying Alden from Europe is prohibitively expensive.

1. Do you think the Rain last would fit such a derby longwing? It's the only last I have personal experience with, so I'm hesitant to try another last and risk poor fit.
2. Single or double Dainite?
3. Or maybe even York? Pros and cons of York vs Dainite?
4. Blind eyelets seems like the best option?
5. Stormwelt? I'd rather do without since I don't really think it's needed for bad weather and reduces the sleekness.

Thanks.

Edit: I see that, for some reason, the Rain last isn't available when choosing the longwing template.

I see only Detroit, Detroit EEE, Soller, Llubi and Oscar are available for the Longwing template. Which of these lasts would be best for a cordovan longwing and how is the sizing of these compared to Rain, which I know fits me well? I have this figure, posted some time ago, but I'm not sure I understand it in terms of when to size up or down. And it doesn't include Detroit.

 

[Journeyman]

@MacGuffen - what style are your shoes on the Rain last? Open lacing (derbies/bluchers), or closed lacing (oxfords)?

I have shoes on the Detroit, Oscar, Robert and Rain lasts. The first two are bluchers, the last two are oxfords. I took my usual size, UK9, in all four pairs.

In my experience:
- Detroit is very spacious, and has plenty of room.
- Oscar was tight when I first wore them and took a while to wear in and be comfortable, but are now excellent.
- Robert is perhaps closest to a perfect fit out of the box for me - accommodates my high instep well and has space around the ball of the foot without being too roomy.
- Rain is a bit too tight for me, even though the general wisdom is that it's a generous last with a high instep. For me, it's just a touch too tight across the ball of the foot and around my little toe, and could also be higher over my instep, too. If I get another pair on the Rain last, I will go up half a size to a UK9.5.

Carmina usually do their longwing style on the Detroit last, but it has a slightly squared-off toe. I think that the Oscar last, with its softly-rounded toe, is probably closest to a "classic" longwing style - although I'm not sure if it's possible to get Llubi or Oscar as shoes, as I thought that they only came as boots. However, perhaps you can get Oscar or Llubi shoes via the MTO program.

 

[MacGuffen]

@MacGuffen - what style are your shoes on the Rain last? Open lacing (derbies/bluchers), or closed lacing (oxfords)?

I have shoes on the Detroit, Oscar, Robert and Rain lasts. The first two are bluchers, the last two are oxfords. I took my usual size, UK9, in all four pairs.

In my experience:
- Detroit is very spacious, and has plenty of room.
- Oscar was tight when I first wore them and took a while to wear in and be comfortable, but are now excellent.
- Robert is perhaps closest to a perfect fit out of the box for me - accommodates my high instep well and has space around the ball of the foot without being too roomy.
- Rain is a bit too tight for me, even though the general wisdom is that it's a generous last with a high instep. For me, it's just a touch too tight across the ball of the foot and around my little toe, and could also be higher over my instep, too. If I get another pair on the Rain last, I will go up half a size to a UK9.5.

Carmina usually do their longwing style on the Detroit last, but it has a slightly squared-off toe. I think that the Oscar last, with its softly-rounded toe, is probably closest to a "classic" longwing style - although I'm not sure if it's possible to get Llubi or Oscar as shoes, as I thought that they only came as boots. However, perhaps you can get Oscar or Llubi shoes via the MTO program.

@Journeyman Thanks for the reply! This was just what I was looking for. I have the captoe Oxford in UK8 and it's a perfect fit - feels snug without being tight or painful. I think it will loosen up nicely (not broken in yet). Given that is has laces, I would probably be fine even with 8.5, but that's just speculation on my end.

Bluchers would normally be slightly looser in the same size versus oxfords, yes? Seems like I should size down in Detroit and stay at the same size in Oscar.

 

[Patrick1053]

Nope

Awesome so just to be sure, even if there is no special sale when it is my turn I can order whatever style I want with no mark up?

 

[Vocans]

Awesome so just to be sure, even if there is no special sale when it is my turn I can order whatever style I want with no mark up?

Yes, provided what you order doesn't require a pattern change or something

 

[Patrick1053]

Yes, provided what you order doesn't require a pattern change or something

Great, thank you! Now I just need it to be my turn

 

[officine]

@MacGuffen - what style are your shoes on the Rain last? Open lacing (derbies/bluchers), or closed lacing (oxfords)?

I have shoes on the Detroit, Oscar, Robert and Rain lasts. The first two are bluchers, the last two are oxfords. I took my usual size, UK9, in all four pairs.

In my experience:
- Detroit is very spacious, and has plenty of room.
- Oscar was tight when I first wore them and took a while to wear in and be comfortable, but are now excellent.
- Robert is perhaps closest to a perfect fit out of the box for me - accommodates my high instep well and has space around the ball of the foot without being too roomy.
- Rain is a bit too tight for me, even though the general wisdom is that it's a generous last with a high instep. For me, it's just a touch too tight across the ball of the foot and around my little toe, and could also be higher over my instep, too. If I get another pair on the Rain last, I will go up half a size to a UK9.5.

Carmina usually do their longwing style on the Detroit last, but it has a slightly squared-off toe. I think that the Oscar last, with its softly-rounded toe, is probably closest to a "classic" longwing style - although I'm not sure if it's possible to get Llubi or Oscar as shoes, as I thought that they only came as boots. However, perhaps you can get Oscar or Llubi shoes via the MTO program.

You can definitely get the Oscar in shoes and is the alternative RTW last for PTB/LWBs (along with Detroit). I think based on @MacGuffen 's post Oscar would likely be my recommendation for most accurate replication of that rounded style of the Alden. Oscar RTW LWB

 

[officine]

@Journeyman .... Seems like I should size down in Detroit and stay at the same size in Oscar.

Seems so, especially for the Oscar.

You said you are looking to go without storm welt. Is this the look you are seeking to achieve?

 

[Neville Southall]

Got a shipment notification for two out of my three MTO orders. That’s not bad, in terms of turn-around time. For example, I ordered a MTO pair of EG Galway boots last October. Still waiting on them. ?

 

[miamidoc]

Got a shipment notification for two out of my three MTO orders. That’s not bad, in terms of turn-around time. For example, I ordered a MTO pair of EG Galway boots last October. Still waiting on them. ?

Got a notice on two of mine as well. Somewhat strangely they are the two I made changes to after I placed the order. We shall see! Fingers crossed.