Cheapest men's dress shoe for the best quality?

[Wild Strawberry Rabbit]

Man, don't buy cheap wholecuts! It's not worth it. While in other types of shoes you can "conceal" imperfections in leather or in last shape... for wholecuts it is impossible. There are really pretty cheaper shoes in other styles. A lot of pretty shoes with brogueing and even some captoe oxfords (e.g. Loake Aldwych)... but in case of wholecuts it is last and the leather that matters. Both must be of the top quality or the shoes won't look good. And you can't get the top quality for a low price. Well, at least I think so.

 

[Kingstonian]

Bexley wholecuts used to be fine for the price. You need to try them on though to ensure you have the correct size. This was in the day when they were Goodyear welted.

Bexley seem to have a lot of Blake welted nowadays unfortunately.

 

[Kushcoma9000]

Man, don't buy cheap wholecuts! It's not worth it. While in other types of shoes you can "conceal" imperfections in leather or in last shape... for wholecuts it is impossible. There are really pretty cheaper shoes in other styles. A lot of pretty shoes with brogueing and even some captoe oxfords (e.g. Loake Aldwych)... but in case of wholecuts it is last and the leather that matters. Both must be of the top quality or the shoes won't look good. And you can't get the top quality for a low price. Well, at least I think so.

Actually, the leather that Orban's uses comes from well known French tanneries Du Puy and Annonay and they have a very sleek last. Someone has already talked about this company on this website at https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...e-european-made-goodyear-welted-shoes.529716/

The person from that link provided nicer photos than what's portrayed in Orban's website to give you a better feel for how they look, and they look nice in my opinion

 

[Solari]

John Lobb is a good price for their quality

Really? lol... they're well overpriced

 

[MTLinStyle]

Agree 100% with this. I love Meermin (for beater shoes) and probably have over 10 pairs, but I would not get their wholecuts. Carmina is another story. The fact that the leather comes from same tannery does not mean it is the same leather (same animal, cut from the best part of the hide), that is like saying we eat the same food because we buy from from the same grocery store. I think with wholecuts more than with other shoes you need to consider how comfortable the last is, some are just plain old torture on your feet when combined with the stiffness of the leather.

Man, don't buy cheap wholecuts! It's not worth it. While in other types of shoes you can "conceal" imperfections in leather or in last shape... for wholecuts it is impossible. There are really pretty cheaper shoes in other styles. A lot of pretty shoes with brogueing and even some captoe oxfords (e.g. Loake Aldwych)... but in case of wholecuts it is last and the leather that matters. Both must be of the top quality or the shoes won't look good. And you can't get the top quality for a low price. Well, at least I think so.

 

[Kushcoma9000]

Agree 100% with this. I love Meermin (for beater shoes) and probably have over 10 pairs, but I would not get their wholecuts. Carmina is another story. The fact that the leather comes from same tannery does not mean it is the same leather (same animal, cut from the best part of the hide), that is like saying we eat the same food because we buy from from the same grocery store. I think with wholecuts more than with other shoes you need to consider how comfortable the last is, some are just plain old torture on your feet when combined with the stiffness of the leather.

Wow good analogy with the grocery store. I see what you're saying now. Yes so I agree, wholecuts are all about the last (is it sleek? is it comfortable?) and the leather quality b/c that's all it's showing since there's no extra ornamentation. Carmina wholecuts are made from the more expensive Cordovan leather (as opposed to calf skin) so of course they're gonna be more expensive ($750 link: https://www.carminashoemaker.us/cordovan-shoes/wholecut-cordovan-bourbon-910). They look good, but I'm looking for "beater" wholecut shoes (nice term lol) that I don't care too much about but have and look decent for the price, which I think Orban's accomplishes to some extent.