Just ordered first three pairs of Allen Edmonds - Park, Strand, and Mcneil. Questions on shoes/belts

[Cystryda]

Hello all!

I'm going to be starting my professional career in Big 4 Accounting and wanted to revamp my wardrobe prior to starting so I have ordered the following from Allen Edmonds:

Black Park Avenues
Walnut Strands
Dark Chili Mcneils

I live in Vancouver, BC, so the weather here for the next many months will consist of some snow days and lots of rainy days.

These are my first pairs of high quality shoes and leather soles.

I know that I should be wearing the shoes in rotation one day at a time if possible and storing them with the appropriate AE shoe trees at the end of the day.

The first question is:

Is there anything that I need to be doing to protect the shoes from the elements?

This includes both the shoe itself, and the soles.

I did not get anything added to the soles of the shoes but I see that AE has the Strands on sale with Dainite soles.

When I tried the Park Avenues on in the store, they were very slippery on the carpeting, which I understand is normal. I don't want to slip in the office and seem like an idiot though.

I know these are likely "dumb" questions but I would love if anybody can provide me with some pointers here to get me started in taking care of my shoes properly.

The second question is:

When I tried the shoes on in Nordstroms, they only had a 10D available. The shoe seemed to fit well with good toe room and the sales rep said that he wouldn't go any wider (they also did not have an E available and it was Black Friday so they were busy).

My issue is that I felt a slight raised bump on the right side of my right foot and left side of my left foot which felt slightly uncomfortable. Is this normal and will it break in after usage or dose this indicate I need a wider size? They did not feel tight around the foot.

The third question is:

Am I best purchasing my belts from AE directly so that I can order one in each of the colors of the shoes I have purchased? How do the AE belts stand in quality and could anybody point me to some recommendations on which belts? Some have good reviews and others not.


Thank you in advance!

 

[Milksteakboiledhard]

There is a thread with 30,000 replies and 1.5 million views titled A"LLEN EDMONDS APPRECIATION THREAD 2017- NEWS, PICTURES, CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, ETC." - you'll be able to get a better answer there.

 

[breakaway01]

Hello all!

The first question is:

Is there anything that I need to be doing to protect the shoes from the elements?

The second question is:

My issue is that I felt a slight raised bump on the right side of my right foot and left side of my left foot which felt slightly uncomfortable. Is this normal and will it break in after usage or dose this indicate I need a wider size? They did not feel tight around the foot.

The third question is:

Am I best purchasing my belts from AE directly so that I can order one in each of the colors of the shoes I have purchased? How do the AE belts stand in quality and could anybody point me to some recommendations on which belts? Some have good reviews and others not.

Welcome and congrats on the new job. I grew up in Vancouver so I know the weather well. The leather soles will become less slippery as they get abraded with wear. For your first question, if you'll be walking outside for a prolonged amount of time in rain then recognize that leather soles will wear faster when wet. Keep the uppers clean and conditioned and allow the shoes enough time to dry (with shoe trees in) before wearing again. Do not heat the shoes to dry them. The problem with snow/slush is not so much the moisture but rather salt, which I remember correctly is used liberally around Vancouver in the winter. For short trips, be sure to rinse off the salt as soon as you get home. For longer walks consider getting a pair of overshoes (e.g. Swims) to protect your shoes and for better traction.

As for your second question, if the pressure points are slight then they should stretch out with break in. It's really hard to judge as this is so subjective.

Lastly I can't comment on AE belt quality. I am personally not a big believer in having one's belts match one's shoes exactly.

 

[brokencycle]

Hello all!

I'm going to be starting my professional career in Big 4 Accounting and wanted to revamp my wardrobe prior to starting so I have ordered the following from Allen Edmonds:

Black Park Avenues
Walnut Strands
Dark Chili Mcneils

I live in Vancouver, BC, so the weather here for the next many months will consist of some snow days and lots of rainy days.

These are my first pairs of high quality shoes and leather soles.

I know that I should be wearing the shoes in rotation one day at a time if possible and storing them with the appropriate AE shoe trees at the end of the day.

The first question is:

Is there anything that I need to be doing to protect the shoes from the elements?

This includes both the shoe itself, and the soles.

I did not get anything added to the soles of the shoes but I see that AE has the Strands on sale with Dainite soles.

When I tried the Park Avenues on in the store, they were very slippery on the carpeting, which I understand is normal. I don't want to slip in the office and seem like an idiot though.

I know these are likely "dumb" questions but I would love if anybody can provide me with some pointers here to get me started in taking care of my shoes properly.

The second question is:

When I tried the shoes on in Nordstroms, they only had a 10D available. The shoe seemed to fit well with good toe room and the sales rep said that he wouldn't go any wider (they also did not have an E available and it was Black Friday so they were busy).

My issue is that I felt a slight raised bump on the right side of my right foot and left side of my left foot which felt slightly uncomfortable. Is this normal and will it break in after usage or dose this indicate I need a wider size? They did not feel tight around the foot.

The third question is:

Am I best purchasing my belts from AE directly so that I can order one in each of the colors of the shoes I have purchased? How do the AE belts stand in quality and could anybody point me to some recommendations on which belts? Some have good reviews and others not.


Thank you in advance!

First, I like your first choices (although I would have gone dark brown over walnut to start).

To answer your questions:

1. They'll become less slippery quickly. Walking on concrete or other hard services will quickly scuff the leather soles, and you'll be fine after one or two wears.

I would highly recommend getting overshoes for snow and rain as it will protect the shoes from the elements and the salt. You should also regularly polish your shoes which protects your shoes from scuffs and other surface damage.

You can also consider toe and heel taps on your shoes if you want. They cost $5-10/pair of shoes, and they'll extend the life your soles.

2. I would post pictures/comments in some of the shoe threads such as the AE appreciation thread. Those are the best places to get fit help.

3. I'm a huge AE fan, but I'd say their belts are a mixed bag in quality. Some of them are great, but I have sometimes found the belts to be overly stiff and they never really soften. You are best getting at least one belt in each color. They don't have to exactly match, but wear a black belt with black shoes, a brown belt with brown shoes, etc. I would just start with the "basic wide" belts from AE if you want to go that route.