Edward Green Appreciation: Pictures, Info, and Where to Buy

[mdubs]

I guess I have to pose this question to all of you. Most of you own a gazillion pairs of shoes, and when we say shoes we are saying really the best of the absolute best. Now this is what I'm wondering: are any of you willing to join me in saying that the EG Chelsea on the 82 last in doak is your absolute favorite? It's something about its simplicity and its understated elegance. Whenever I wear my pair and come back home at night to take it off, I look at the other 30 pairs I own and go like 'I really could live without all of you'. The next morning I have another 30 choices (a very beautiful shoe collection after I got rid of many pairs I was not 100% happy with) but I still want to go back to the one I wore the day before.
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Amazing to hear how much you appreciate your Doak Chelsea’s. It is always great to hear when people love their shoes. That is a beautiful model. My pair was gorgeous and if I could go back int time, I probably wouldn’t have sold them.

I find the 202 Chelsea in D and C widths even more beautiful than the Chelsea 82 E. I’ve done side by side comps. The shape of the 202 in narrowed widths is simply sublime

C202 11.5/12
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D202 11.5/12 View attachment 1075152

Very nice Alan. I really like how the 82 fits me personally.

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Those are just gorgeous looking Galways. That color is lovely.

The original.

Very cool Roger those classic Galways look great!

Happy Thanksgiving.
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Getting ready for Christmas and shopping day.
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Looking superb on both fronts Woofa! Both are hard to top!

-Mike

 

[aristoi bcn]

Need some good advice because I'm freaking out with my shoe size (not only with EG)

I was measured and fitted in the Paris store and discovered that my shoe size is not 6E UK as I've always believed but 7.5C UK! I've a dozen pairs of Carmina, Yanko, C&J, Vass and Bally all in 6E UK or 6.5E UK (Carmina).

Nonetheless, I finally found out that maybe I should purchase 7C, because even with half size down my heel was extremely loose, something it doesn't happen when I'm trying 6E UK or even 6.5E UK. The sales assistant told me that this is because the sole is still new but after a few wears it won't happen anymore.

With 7C the instep felt much better than my other shoes in 6E UK but I'm really worried about the huge heel slippage.

What do you think I should do?

 

[Alan Bee]

Need some good advice because I'm freaking out with my shoe size (not only with EG)

I was measured and fitted in the Paris store and discovered that my shoe size is not 6E UK as I've always believed but 7.5C UK! I've a dozen pairs of Carmina, Yanko, C&J, Vass and Bally all in 6E UK or 6.5E UK (Carmina).

Nonetheless, I finally found out that maybe I should purchase 7C, because even with half size down my heel was extremely loose, something it doesn't happen when I'm trying 6E UK or even 6.5E UK. The sales assistant told me that this is because the sole is still new but after a few wears it won't happen anymore.

With 7C the instep felt much better than my other shoes in 6E UK but I'm really worried about the huge heel slippage.

What do you think I should do?

Welcome to my pain @aristoi bcn

My first Edward Green shoes were purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue where the salesmen put me in a 10/10.5 Beauleau on the E82 Last.

I ran-off based on that fitting and purchased a full wardrobe of almost 20 pair of EG’s over the years without knowing how shoes should fit and based on some salesman’s recommendation.

Only to find out later I was really a 11.5/12 C/D depending on last. Strangely, I can manage an 888E but slightly loose. But I now know that my true length is 11.5/12.

I had to give away all my shoes and start over.

Regarding your particular heel slip, I have exact same problems on anything not C width. I have an D/E forefoot and a C heel. Something very common with folks with flat feet. You should check to see you don’t have a similar foot structure.

If you have flat feet, this could also result in heel slip even if you have the right shoe size. Because your foot and arch are pronating and collapsing inward, it creates a gap in the heel causing slippage.

In short, it could be any number of issues and yours might be foot specific. One thing for sure, buying shoes is not a boring exercise if you have odd feet (like mine). It is extremely frustrating and expensive unless you double down and go bespoke.

Alan Bee

 

[aristoi bcn]

Welcome to my pain @aristoi bcn

My first Edward Green shoes were purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue where the salesmen put me in a 10/10.5 Beauleau on the E82 Last.

I ran-off based on that fitting and purchased a full wardrobe of almost 20 pair of EG’s over the years without knowing how shoes should fit and based on some salesman’s recommendation.

Only to find out later I was really a 11.5/12 C/D depending on last. Strangely, I can manage an 888E but slightly loose. But I now know that my true length is 11.5/12.

I had to give away all my shoes and start over.

Regarding your particular heel slip, I have exact same problems on anything not C width. I have an D/E forefoot and a C heel. Something very common with folks with flat feet. You should check to see you don’t have a similar foot structure.

If you have flat feet, this could also result in heel slip even if you have the right shoe size. Because your foot and arch are pronating and collapsing inward, it creates a gap in the heel causing slippage.

In short, it could be any number of issues and yours might be foot specific. One thing for sure, buying shoes is not a boring exercise if you have odd feet (like mine). It is extremely frustrating and expensive unless you double down and go bespoke.

Alan Bee

Thanks a lot for you comment Alan.

When I was a kid I had indeed flat feet, but they were corrected by using orthopaedic insoles during all my childhood, nowadays I only suffer from heavy pronation, causing painful rubbing in the inner part of the heel of almost all my shoes.

Would you recommend to go the MTO route with EG (7C UK) or this wouldn't be a good fit after breaking in?

The only solutions seems to be bespoke otherwise...

 

[Alan Bee]

Thanks a lot for you comment Alan.

When I was a kid I had indeed flat feet, but they were corrected by using orthopaedic insoles during all my childhood, nowadays I only suffer from heavy pronation, causing painful rubbing in the inner part of the heel of almost all my shoes.

Would you recommend to go the MTO route with EG (7C UK) or this wouldn't be a good fit after breaking in?

The only solutions seems to be bespoke otherwise...

@aristoi bcn

MTO will help you get closer to the right width, but will not “fix” the problem if you have structural issues with your foot. Even bespoke or MTM might not fix it completely but goes a long way from RTW fit.

I have invested thousands of hours in figuring this out myself and for me the solution is two fold:

1. Derby’s and Boots: Due to thier “open lacing” design, you can leverage the laces better to “grip” your instep and “lock” your heels in better.

2. Forget about Oxfords unless bespoke or MTM (not MTO). Oxfords (Balmoral) have a “closed lacing” and if you have a combination of flat feet and thin heels (often come in pairs), you’re truly screwed.

3. Go bespoke or MTO. I have researched both and arrived at the conclusion that MTO makes more sense for me given my remote location and cost.

I recently began a project with St. Crispin and they are modifying a standard last to suit my feet. They will make the heel and instep a smaller width (C) and the forefoot a wider width (D/E). In the final construction of the shoe, they will also provide extra reinforcement to the arch stiffener to keep my arch from collapsing.

This is the beauty of St. Crispin and I would do this with EG in a heartbeat but they don’t offer modified lasts. And so for EG, which I continue to buy, it’s really a case of Russian Roullete. But at least I’m not that wide off the mark like I was before. Now, it’s a gamble of choosing widths on different lasts knowing there’s still room for error (but marginal).

And yes, I have to go MTO with EG because very few stockists carry C or D width. I now have a strict policy of buying boots (and maybe derbies) from EG and Oxfords from St. C.

Alan Bee

 

[WilYa]

Thanks a lot for you comment Alan.

When I was a kid I had indeed flat feet, but they were corrected by using orthopaedic insoles during all my childhood, nowadays I only suffer from heavy pronation, causing painful rubbing in the inner part of the heel of almost all my shoes.

Would you recommend to go the MTO route with EG (7C UK) or this wouldn't be a good fit after breaking in?

The only solutions seems to be bespoke otherwise...

I feel heels of EG lasts are on the generous side and may never work for you.
EG MTO is as substantial as many bespokes in terms of cost/time. I would go bespoke or at least modified lasts, plenty of them out there in europe.

 

[Alan Bee]

I feel heels of EG lasts are on the generous side and may never work for you.
EG MTO is as substantial as many bespokes in terms of cost/time. I would go bespoke or at least modified lasts, plenty of them out there in europe.

@WilYa

Very good point on EG heels. I note that Gaziano & Girling heels are much closer fitted but I can’t get past thier last designs.

Even worse than EG are John Lobbs (RTW). The heels are ginormous! Forget about them completely in any last or incarnation if you have thin heels.

Alan Bee

 

[aristoi bcn]

Thank you both for the very useful pieces of advice.

I might try EG C width and G&G D width before going the bespoke route, though a couple of pairs will be almost the price of a bespoke pair. Another thing is that I am not sure if all bespoke shoemakers would be able to find a good fitting outside standard feet.

 

[Alan Bee]

Thank you both for the very useful pieces of advice.

I might try EG C width and G&G D width before going the bespoke route, though a couple of pairs will be almost the price of a bespoke pair. Another thing is that I am not sure if all bespoke shoemakers would be able to find a good fitting outside standard feet.

Like I said, from my research, even bespoke may not be a “silver bullet” but will get you closer. And that’s my worry. That’s why I’ve settled in between with MTM which is still not cheap but easily half bespoke or less.

G&G lasts are terrible pointy even in standard E width. Narrow widths (C/D) might look like you’re wearing pencil nose cowboy boots. Especially if you have long feet like mine. Unless of course you like the pointy toe look.

EG C/D widths don’t look as pointy due to the classic rounder shaped lasts.

Alan Bee

 

[Jarmush]

Amazing to hear how much you appreciate your Doak Chelsea’s. It is always great to hear when people love their shoes. That is a beautiful model. My pair was gorgeous and if I could go back int time, I probably wouldn’t have sold them.




Very nice Alan. I really like how the 82 fits me personally.




Those are just gorgeous looking Galways. That color is lovely.




Very cool Roger those classic Galways look great!






Looking superb on both fronts Woofa! Both are hard to top!

-Mike

That's a gorgeous patina.

 

[andreasky]

Does anyone have experience with Centurion by Antonio Meccariello? How do you compare it with Dover?
Thanks

 

[stephenaf2003]

The Kentmere is so nice, I had to do it twice. This version in the beautiful, Almond Country Calf.

 

[Woofa]

 

[lordsuperb]

@WilYa

Very good point on EG heels. I note that Gaziano & Girling heels are much closer fitted but I can’t get past thier last designs.

Even worse than EG are John Lobbs (RTW). The heels are ginormous! Forget about them completely in any last or incarnation if you have thin heels.

Alan Bee

My John Lobb's are a pretty snug fit. I would say my edward green's are the ones that have a generous heel.

 

[tim_horton]

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What color suede is this? Tobacco?