HERE AND NOW

[cerneabbas]

You are very right my friend.
But we mentioned before the influence of military garments on menswear, so why not discuss it ?
I reckon we have been digressing quite a lot since yesterday, but at the same time the scope of this thread is quite broad...
I also understand the military uniform discussion can be boring for certain... i am thinking for example of @smittycl who after more (i think) than 20 years in the US Army is a bit bored with uniforms and much prefer Classical menswear !

To be honest I find the military uniform and history topic very interesting,I think that a thread on the subject would be fascinating because there would be posters from different countries.

Of course there will always be discussions on any thread that go off at a tangent but as I have participated on a thread that's origins and subject are now completely obscured I felt that I should mention our recent thread drift (even though the discussion interested me).

 

[Swampster]

Not wishing to continue talking about such things, but when I looked at my Inbox, Academia had sent me a link to a paper entitled "From the Hungarian Conquerors to the Hussars".
Tin foil hat time.

 

[smittycl]

Just finished up a week-long training course over Zoom. Hot and rainy here. Paul Stuart linen shorts and shirt with Hamilton Pan Europ, my fav summer watch.

 

[Clouseau]

I am considering for a while a new pair of brown (calf or grain) Penny Loafers with Dainite soles, and i am reviewing the different options...

My preference goes (i mentioned them before) to the French Bowen "Oake" (they are made in England by Alfred Sargent)

They are my favorites so far because they are a copy of the JM Weston 180. I had a pair of 180 in the time, and i like their style, shape, calf leather, and last. I tried the Bowen and they are quality, and familiar and comfy.
The negative point is that they are never in the sales.
Too bad BTW that JM Weston don't do a version of the 180 with Dainite soles.

Then we have :

The Cheaney "Howard"

The Carmina "Genova" (not Dainite but equivalent)

The Barker "Jevington"

And I just saw on the C&J website that the "Harvard 2" (appreciated by @smittycl and @Botolph among others) seem to be discontinued !

C&J have another option, the "Boston"

What is your opinion ?
Do you know other options of Penny loafers with Dainite soles ?

 

[Kingstonian]

Berwick offer inexpensive loafers with a Dainite sole.

https://discount-shoe-sales.com/berwick

 

[Luigi_M]

I'd vote for Bowen or Cheaney: I've experience of both brands (the first sub specie of Alfred Sargent) and find them very good value for money.
For a few hours Cheaney's site still has sales too!

 

[smittycl]

I am considering for a while a new pair of brown (calf or grain) Penny Loafers with Dainite soles, and i am reviewing the different options...

My preference goes (i mentioned them before) to the French Bowen "Oake" (they are made in England by Alfred Sargent)
View attachment 1434188
View attachment 1434189
They are my favorites so far because they are a copy of the JM Weston 180. I had a pair of 180 in the time, and i like their style, shape, calf leather, and last. I tried the Bowen and they are quality, and familiar and comfy.
The negative point is that they are never in the sales.
Too bad BTW that JM Weston don't do a version of the 180 with Dainite soles.

Then we have :

The Cheaney "Howard"
View attachment 1434190


The Carmina "Genova" (not Dainite but equivalent)
View attachment 1434191

The Barker "Jevington"
View attachment 1434192

And I just saw on the C&J website that the "Harvard 2" (appreciated by @smittycl and @Botolph among others) seem to be discontinued !

C&J have another option, the "Boston"
View attachment 1434187

What is your opinion ?
Do you know other options of Penny loafers with Dainite soles ?

So many choices! I got my Harvard II at Sky Valet here in DC and they still seem to be in stock. Probably easy to order if you were confident in your size and fit.

Crockett & Jones Harvard 2 Dark brown suede -Sky Valet Shoes - Crockett and Jones — Sky Valet Shoes

Crockett and Jones Crockett and Jones shoes Crockett and Jones Washington DC Crockett and jones sky valet shoe sky valet shoes Crockett and Jones, Crockett and Jones USA Crockett and Jones main collection Crockett and Jones sale, Crockett and Jones Harvard dark brown suede city sole Crockett a

www.skyvaletshoes.com

Ben Silver, a classic menswear store in Charleston, South Carolina, carries a full line of Harvards that not even C&J stocks themselves.They have the dark brown country grain in the city sole!

Search results for harvard - The Ben Silver Collection

Search Results - The Ben Silver Collection

www.bensilver.com

 

[Clouseau]

So many choices! I got my Harvard II at Sky Valet here in DC and they still seem to be in stock. Probably easy to order if you were confident in your size and fit.

Crockett & Jones Harvard 2 Dark brown suede -Sky Valet Shoes - Crockett and Jones — Sky Valet Shoes

Crockett and Jones Crockett and Jones shoes Crockett and Jones Washington DC Crockett and jones sky valet shoe sky valet shoes Crockett and Jones, Crockett and Jones USA Crockett and Jones main collection Crockett and Jones sale, Crockett and Jones Harvard dark brown suede city sole Crockett a

www.skyvaletshoes.com

Ben Silver, a classic menswear store in Charleston, South Carolina, carries a full line of Harvards that not even C&J stocks themselves.They have the dark brown country grain in the city sole!

Search results for harvard - The Ben Silver Collection

Search Results - The Ben Silver Collection

www.bensilver.com

View attachment 1434210

They are really nice in dark brown country grain!
They seem to be more popular in the USA than here where they don't stock them anymore...

Never saw them in such a variety of leather and colors in France.

 

[smittycl]

They are really nice in dark brown country grain!
They seem to be more popular in the USA than here where they don't stock them anymore...

Never saw them in such a variety of leather and colors in France.

Ben Silver seems to order them exclusively from C&J. I haven’t seen them anywhere else in those configurations.

Also, sizes are US.

 

[Swampster]

I’m not keen on the split toe on the Carmina. I like the grain more than the smooth, so for me it would be between the Barker and the C&J.

 

[Clouseau]

So far i've seen "in the flesh' the Bowen, the Barker (but in black grain), the Carmina, and the C&J.
My preference is still by far the Bowen in calf, don't think you can call that a split toe, but they also have a seam like the Carmina, or rather like the Weston 180. I much prefer their rounder toe shape.
My second choice would be the C&J in grain.
I also like Rancourt loafers but apparently they don't do models with Dainite sole. Probably because Dainite is English made.

 

[Swampster]

My preference is still by far the Bowen in calf, don't think you can call that a split toe, but they also have a seam like the Carmina, or rather like the Weston 180. I much prefer their rounder toe shape.

Agreed - it isn't a full on split toe where the apron sits further back and the central seam is longer. I have seen, for instance, Pediwear using split toe even for a shorter seam like this, such as on another Carmina loafer on the same last.

I've never worn loafers but I currently have my eye on a pair on ebay. I'm currently on a shoe embargo as my collection is supposedly taking up too much room, so I have to weigh up incurring displeasure against the possibility that I like the loafers. Hmm.

 

[cerneabbas]

The Cheaney Howard is (or was) available in grain,a reddish tan colour.

 

[Clouseau]

I'd vote for Bowen or Cheaney: I've experience of both brands (the first sub specie of Alfred Sargent) and find them very good value for money.
For a few hours Cheaney's site still has sales too!

Luigi, Bowen is not Alfred Sargent sub specie.
Bowen owns Alfred Sargent, and has some of its shoes made by them.

 

[Byrone]

I also like Rancourt loafers but apparently they don't do models with Dainite sole. Probably because Dainite is English made.

They do have some with rubber, Vibram, or crepe soles.

Shop Rancourt & Co. Handmade Leather Shoes | Loafers

www.rancourtandcompany.com