Cost of Quality Men's Shoes through the Decades?

[JFWR]

Dear everyone,

Would any of you remember how much quality men's shoes used to cost in previous decades? I had checked an Allen Edmonds catalogue that was available online from 1950 and from 2000, and neither of them had any prices.

Given that many quality men's dress shoe brands have degenerated over the years into low-level or have just disappeared, my thought is that if quality was once high and universal, that capitalist competition ought to have made them cheaper in real terms than today.

On the other hand, men wear fewer good quality shoes today than ever before, so perhaps the costs have come down to invite more people to purchase them.

Any old timers remember what they used to pay for shoes back in the day? What about what your fathers may have worn? Sadly, my father is dead, so I can't ask him.

Of course, I am talking about prices adjusted for inflation. That a pair of Park Avenues may have cost 75 dollars in 1950 doesn't mean they'd have cost that money now.

 

[JJ Katz]

The shoe industry has long been competitive, not just now.
Price is strongly influenced by input costs, in this case leather and a fair amount of labour.
As far as I know, the process of shoe manufacturing has not changed massively in recent decades but I could easily be wrong about some important detail in that regard.
If you’re talking about a shoe made in the US, say. I would expect inflation-adjusted price to rise significantly between 1950 and 1980 and much more slowly after that, in line with developments in real wages.

 

[heelguy]

I remember buying Edward Green shoes at Paul Stuart in the early 90s on sale for mid-300 range when their regular price was around 450-475.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

^ I was thinking that exactly regarding Paul Stuart. If you look at some of the old catalogues, English made shoes were in the $200-300 range.

Not just shoes, but tailored clothing and just about anything else. Scottish cashmere sweaters for ~$150.

 

[JFWR]

Interesting responses gentlemen.

I just looked up Edward Green contemporary prices. Shoes on their website go for 1000 pounds or so. That's 1,250 USD. Contrariwise, Paul Stuart seems to go for about 700 dollars.

I'm going to have to do two inflation calculators. One for the UK, one for the US.

Edward Green UK: 447 pounds.

Paul Stuart US: 350 dollars.

About a 50% rise in inflation for both countries over the last 30 years.

Looks like prices on these two pair of shoes didn't change much from inflation.

 

[bantone]

I know Alden for example has been steadily increasing in cost due to inflation over the past few years and they are fairly priced overall.

 

[Panama]

Use Google Books for vintage newspaper and magazine advertising.

 

[JFWR]

Use Google Books for vintage newspaper and magazine advertising.

Prices are excluded on almost all the ads I've seen and in all the catalogues I've seen.

Like, ads seem to be absolutely allergic to showing prices.

 

[comrade]

My Dad wore Church Custom Grade in the 70s.
They probably cost $50

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

Shoe prices seem to have risen dramatically over the past ten years or so. I remember buying Loake 1880s for around the £120 mark in 2010, now they're around £240-250. I was sorely tempted by a pair of Edwin Green Shanklins in clove suede in the summer of 2018 - a snip at £600. Now they're £760.

 

[comrade]

Dear everyone,

Would any of you remember how much quality men's shoes used to cost in previous decades? I had checked an Allen Edmonds catalogue that was available online from 1950 and from 2000, and neither of them had any prices.

Given that many quality men's dress shoe brands have degenerated over the years into low-level or have just disappeared, my thought is that if quality was once high and universal, that capitalist competition ought to have made them cheaper in real terms than today.

On the other hand, men wear fewer good quality shoes today than ever before, so perhaps the costs have come down to invite more people to purchase them.

Any old timers remember what they used to pay for shoes back in the day? What about what your fathers may have worn? Sadly, my father is dead, so I can't ask him.

Of course, I am talking about prices adjusted for inflation. That a pair of Park Avenues may have cost 75 dollars in 1950 doesn't mean they'd have cost that money now.

Park Avenues probably cost around $ 25 in 1950

 

[Steepleman]

RM Williams have increased around four-fold since the start of the 2000s I am guessing. Maybe threefold.

 

[JFWR]

It seems like there has been a general trend towards a price increase in shoes in real terms. Even accounting for inflation, some of the numbers you guys are giving me is leading me to believe there is at least some degree of increase.

Tomorrow? I'm going to call up Allen Edmonds and ask them if they can give me historical data, as I know their customer service has at least some people online.

 

[JFWR]

Cool news: Allen Edmonds is going to send me the info within a few days.

Thanks for all the info you guys have shared, too.

 

[JFWR]

Allen Edmonds got back to me.

In 1967, a pair of Park Avenues cost 36 dollars. Had the price went up solely because of inflation, the new price would be 278.21.Currently, full price Park Avenues are 395.00.

So it seems, alongside other comments in this thread, the price of quality men's shoes have gone up over the years even after inflation is considered.

This seems to be true of a broad variety of American and European brands.