english shoes quality heirachy

[PairOfDerby's]

I think part of the problem, at least in my opinion, is that there are too many English brands and unless someone owns a range of shoes and boots from each brand, it’s a bit tough to give a critical and first person account and determine hierarchy.

all of my English shoes are Edward Green and C&J with a few G&G for Paul Stuart tossed in. Of course my bias Is going to be toward those brands.

I think another factor for preference of brand is the type of shoe. If you prefer a more elegant dress shoe, then you are going to favour, say G&G over Trickers, and in this respect, G&G are "better" and will therefor be higher up the list. Personally, I prefer chunky country shoes and boots and so G&G do not cater for my interests. Whilst I appreciate hidden channel soles and fiddleback waist, these characteristics have no benefit to me when I am stomping around the English countryside with my working Lab. I also have wide feet and Church's produce pretty much all of their styles in a G fit. This is partly why my shoe collection is mainly Church's and another reason why Church's would be higher up my list. As I write this, I can't help but think I really should try a pair of Trickers!

 

[Nickd]

I think another factor for preference of brand is the type of shoe. If you prefer a more elegant dress shoe, then you are going to favour, say G&G over Trickers, and in this respect, G&G are "better" and will therefor be higher up the list. Personally, I prefer chunky country shoes and boots and so G&G do not cater for my interests. Whilst I appreciate hidden channel soles and fiddleback waist, these characteristics have no benefit to me when I am stomping around the English countryside with my working Lab. I also have wide feet and Church's produce pretty much all of their styles in a G fit. This is partly why my shoe collection is mainly Church's and another reason why Church's would be higher up my list. As I write this, I can't help but think I really should try a pair of Trickers!

Very true. And probably why I’ve got way more pairs of EG than G&G even though I think they are just as well made as each other. I like the EG aesthetic.

 

[stephenaf2003]

I just want people to be honest for the good of the forum and not back their favourite brand out of some kind of fan boy brand loyalty.

While I don’t personally view it as necessarily a bad thing...with much love and respect, I have to say your posts kinda read like fan boy brand loyalty to Churchs.

 

[PairOfDerby's]

While I don’t personally view it as necessarily a bad thing...with much love and respect, I have to say your posts kinda read like fan boy brand loyalty to Churchs.

Because I said Prada retooled the factory? That one sentence makes my a fanboy or because I said a G width fits my wide feet?

 

[Boggis]

Because I said Prada retooled the factory? That one sentence makes my a fanboy or because I said a G width fits my wide feet?

Please dont take this as a go, as I believe you're genuinely trying to promote debate on the objective positives and negatives of the various brands but your original post insinuates that C&J and Cheaney are overrated by posters on this thread, but Church's of which you own many pairs are underrated.

Surely you can see how that post can come off a bit "fan boy", particularly when you then take aim at people on this thread for being fan boys for their favourite brands?

Re: Cheaney, of which I own several. I've always considered them further down the hierarchy than C&J, Churches and Trickers. However, they're significantly cheaper than that trio and regularly (3 times a year) can be had on sale for significant discounts. They're decent value at full price, but an absolute steal on sale. A read on the Cheaney thread here will show a few posters with recent QA issues, but my personal experience has been good.

 

[stephenaf2003]

Because I said Prada retooled the factory? That one sentence makes my a fanboy or because I said a G width fits my wide feet?

I’m sorry no disrespect meant and with much love, I also have Churchs which I dearly value. I was just going on the posts presented. I apologize if I offended, it was just the impression I got when reading your effusive praise of the brand; which I fully admit is most likely very much warranted.

 

[PairOfDerby's]

Please dont take this as a go, as I believe you're genuinely trying to promote debate on the objective positives and negatives of the various brands but your original post insinuates that C&J and Cheaney are overrated by posters on this thread, but Church's of which you own many pairs are underrated.

Surely you can see how that post can come off a bit "fan boy", particularly when you then take aim at people on this thread for being fan boys for their favourite brands?

Re: Cheaney, of which I own several. I've always considered them further down the hierarchy than C&J, Churches and Trickers. However, they're significantly cheaper than that trio and regularly (3 times a year) can be had on sale for significant discounts. They're decent value at full price, but an absolute steal on sale. A read on the Cheaney thread here will show a few posters with recent QA issues, but my personal experience has been good.

Oops. It looks like my fanboy comment has offended some people. It wasn't meant to.

 

[stephenaf2003]

Oops. It looks like my fanboy comment has offended some people. It was meant to.

 

[PairOfDerby's]

View attachment 1562454

Haha. I meant to say "It wasn't meant to". I have edited my post. I couldn't have made a worse error.

 

[Boggis]

Haha. I meant to say "It wasn't meant to". I have edited my post. I couldn't have made a worse error.

Well at least it added a bit of spice to the thread!

 

[PairOfDerby's]

Please dont take this as a go, as I believe you're genuinely trying to promote debate on the objective positives and negatives of the various brands but your original post insinuates that C&J and Cheaney are overrated by posters on this thread, but Church's of which you own many pairs are underrated.

Surely you can see how that post can come off a bit "fan boy", particularly when you then take aim at people on this thread for being fan boys for their favourite brands?

Re: Cheaney, of which I own several. I've always considered them further down the hierarchy than C&J, Churches and Trickers. However, they're significantly cheaper than that trio and regularly (3 times a year) can be had on sale for significant discounts. They're decent value at full price, but an absolute steal on sale. A read on the Cheaney thread here will show a few posters with recent QA issues, but my personal experience has been good.

Looking back at my posts - I can agree that they do read a bit like I'm a Church's fanboy. How can I find out about Cheaney sales?

 

[Boggis]

Looking back at my posts - I can agree that they do read a bit like I'm a Church's fanboy. How can I find out about Cheaney sales?

There's a field to enter you email address for updates on their website, appears at the bottom of the page on the mobile site. Unfortunately they do email for every week of the sale to keep reminding you about it.

Main sales are usually Summer & Xmas, smaller one at black friday and sometimes a spontaneous one in Spring (although that might have been a once off last year due to lockdown closing the stores).

 

[Panama]

I have a few Loakes 1880's and they are great value for money. I have a few Barker Handcrafted seconds and a few Cheaney's. I am happy with all of them. C&J are too narrow and Church's too clunky and often in corrected grain leather. There is no real benefit in moving up to the higher brands such as AS. I am not a fan of Grenson, so the only alternative is Sanders and Loakes Export grade. I would love a pair of Trickers boots.

 

[Panama]

Looking back at my posts - I can agree that they do read a bit like I'm a Church's fanboy. How can I find out about Cheaney sales?

In a normal world, I pop a long to the Cheaney store in the Victoria Quarter in Leeds. It's very rare for a size 9 to be in the sale, but I have been successful once or twice. I usually go along at the usual sales times.

 

[Northants bloke]

NPS might be worth a look?