(Old) Ask a Question, Get an Answer - please ask all quick questions here

[yamazs]

Originally Posted by butchhuskey

I've just started entering the workplace and I need a pair of shoes, probably black as it's the most versatile. What's a good starter shoe? I'm completely new to this and I'd appreciate any help. I kinda like Bostonian Freemonts and Provos as the wingtip style appeals to me. Also, it seems as if some shoes such as oxfords seem to form upwards on the top of the foot. What style of shoes seem to stay relatively flat on top with little grade as it moves towards the leg? Thanks.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[yeayea]

quick question: i remember finding a link on this site somewhere to a page that showed the proper method of measuring jeans (waist, rise, knee, etc.) - i think there was a name for the method and it seems to be the one preferred around here

anyway - i lost the link - any help?

 

[yamazs]

Originally Posted by JOA

Total Noob here, but...I"m ready to buy my first pair of "good" denim. I only own two pair of jeans and both are Levis STF, size 35x36 (to accomodate shrinking). My true waist is a 34.

I've pretty much settled on buying either the APC NS or the Rescue. Should I buy them in a 34 or go down to a 33 (this seems to be what I read on most APC posts)? Or, does it depend based on which style I decide on? The NS is the closest comparison to the 501, correct? If so, this is what I'm looking for.

Thanks, guys.

It all depends on the type of fit you want for your jeans. When people say you should size down 2 or 3 sizes for APCNS they are looking for a very slim fit most of the time. If you want a fitted but not TIGHT look size down 1 (size 33)... If you want a fairly loose pair of jeans then I would go true to size (size 34) but beware that they will stretch and you will probably need a belt or just wear them around your butt cheeks. I havent owned/tried on Rescues so I won't try to give any advice on those although they are a looser cut than the NS...

 

[landho]

Originally Posted by butchhuskey

I've just started entering the workplace and I need a pair of shoes, probably black as it's the most versatile. What's a good starter shoe? I'm completely new to this and I'd appreciate any help. I kinda like Bostonian Freemonts and Provos as the wingtip style appeals to me. Also, it seems as if some shoes such as oxfords seem to form upwards on the top of the foot. What style of shoes seem to stay relatively flat on top with little grade as it moves towards the leg? Thanks.

If you want a versatile shoe that you can wear both in the workplace and outside the office, then you probably want a pair of burgundy-color bluchers. The four most common colors for business attire are gray, navy, black, and brown, and burgundy goes well with all of them. (I think you will find that black shoes looks staid with navy and gray, whereas burgundy and brown look sharp with both of them. Burgundy also has the added versatility of looking good with black.) A perforated captoe such as the Fremont or a wingtip such as the Provo will look good, although you should keep in mind that more decoration means less formality. That said, the business environment is not nearly as formal these days (unless, I've read, you live and work in London). Also, you should keep in mind that bluchers are considered less formal than bals and take that into consideration as to what shoes you get.

I don't know much about the quality of shoe that Bostonian makes, but I assume that they are on the Stacy Adams's level, which is to say, not great for the price. You should keep an eye out for Allen Edmonds shoes on eBay (among other places), where factory seconds routinely appear at about half their retail price (AE shoes normally retail for about $300). AE makes a good quality shoe with good leather and will last for quite a while with proper care. Also, AE (along with Alden, the other premier American dress-shoe maker) offers a recrafting service for about $100, where the company resoles and reheels your shoe and refinishes the uppers, ensuring that your shoe has a long life indeed.

I will also say that you will want to have at least two pairs of dress shoes, as you want more than one pair of shoes in rotation; common wisdom states that you don't want to wear the same pair of leather shoes on consecutive days. With that in mind, I would suggest that you look for a pair of brown shoes as your second pair, unless you plan on attending a funeral or some other very formal event sooner than later. I have several pairs of black shoes and they are the ones I wear the least, and if I could exchange them all in for brown or burgundy shoes, I would do so (although I would probably keep one pair for said formal occasions).

I hope this helps rahhh!

 

[landho]

Originally Posted by yeayea

quick question: i remember finding a link on this site somewhere to a page that showed the proper method of measuring jeans (waist, rise, knee, etc.) - i think there was a name for the method and it seems to be the one preferred around here

anyway - i lost the link - any help?

The BiG (from Blue in Green, a store in SoHo) method, found at http://blueingreensoho.com/site/inde...d=30&Itemid=41

 

[headtotoe]

Originally Posted by yeayea

quick question: i remember finding a link on this site somewhere to a page that showed the proper method of measuring jeans (waist, rise, knee, etc.) - i think there was a name for the method and it seems to be the one preferred around here
anyway - i lost the link - any help?

Too new to know the consensus but, check this out:
blueingreensoho

 

[dcg]

JOA - for the Rescue at least, I think you'd want to go down to a 32, maybe a 31. I'm a 30 true waist, and a 29 was too big for me. They're big to start and stretch like mad.

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by butchhuskey

I've just started entering the workplace and I need a pair of shoes, probably black as it's the most versatile. What's a good starter shoe? I'm completely new to this and I'd appreciate any help. I kinda like Bostonian Freemonts and Provos as the wingtip style appeals to me. Also, it seems as if some shoes such as oxfords seem to form upwards on the top of the foot. What style of shoes seem to stay relatively flat on top with little grade as it moves towards the leg? Thanks.

Originally Posted by yamazs

So I am thinking of buying a pair of shoes for when I want to dress up a pair of jeans when going out to the bars. When people ask what premium denim they should start with the unanimous response are APCs, STFs or whatever... what would be the equivelant "STARTER" dress shoe. One that is versatile enough to be casual yet classy (leaning towards classy). Im looking for something not too dark and not a loafer. Im in college so my budget is limited. Thanks!

Black, Dark Brown, or Burgundy bluchers, color is in my order of preference for a first shoe (but I prefer dark brown for wearing). In terms of styles, either plain toe, moc-toe or split-toe.

Using Allen Edmonds as the brand, one example of each model would be the Leeds, Burton, or Bradley. Alden and most other makers all have something in these colors and styles.

Landho is right about getting 2 pairs so you can rotate. But I assume you have something right now, so you can just get one pair and rotate that with what you have.

 

[butchhuskey]

Thanks so much for the extensive reply, there was a ton of information in there including coordinating shoes with workwear. Do you have any recommendations of which model of allen edmonds would be a good work shoe and maybe a good blucher?

 

[BYucko]

I bought a pair of Morrisons for the father, who had absolutely refused to wear them (something about the colour transferrance). He is two inches in the waist larger than me.

Not letting a pair of jeans go to waste, I'd have to shrink the 30s, which fit like a 32. My dad had them hemmed (he's about the same height as me).

I tried soaking them in hot water (being hang-dried as I type this). I'm scared that the inseam doesn't fit anymore . I tried tugging on them as they were wet. I don't know what else to do.

Anyone with any experience with the Morrisons that can help me?

 

[landho]

Originally Posted by butchhuskey

Thanks so much for the extensive reply, there was a ton of information in there including coordinating shoes with workwear. Do you have any recommendations of which model of allen edmonds would be a good work shoe and maybe a good blucher?

The MacNeil is probably my favorite AE shoe that's currently being produced; it's a longwing blucher, but unfortunately it comes in only black and cordovan shell (which is about $150 more expensive than calf). The Clifton also looks nice.

I have a pair of burgundy-color Sanfords and honestly they're probably my most versatile dress shoe; I bought them on a lark but I wear them more often than my Aldens and my Santonis, which are all a bit more formal. (My AE Sanfords are among the few pairs of dress shoes that I own that I wear with jeans.) The Sanford is a medallion-toe blucher, but unfortunately it has been discontinued.

But if you're looking to spend under $200 on a pair of AEs, your best best is to simply keep an eye out on eBay and to keep an open mind. Because you're looking for a bargain, you won't be able to be as picky as you would like. The trade-off, of course, is that you get a quality shoe at a fraction of its retail cost.

 

[ataru]

Popped collar on classically styled denim jacket- ridiculous? I've seen some pics of Elvis where it looked good.

 

[onion]

Do Jil Sander and Bottega Veneta shoes fit true to size?

 

[butchhuskey]

Thanks for all of the info man, you've really cleared up a lot of stuff. Now to scour ebay for shoes.

 

[mrbojangles928]

Quick question about my apc ns.

I went the store in mercer st. and bought new standards in a 29 at the recommendation of the saleswoman (i usually wear between a 31-32). The problem is, while they have stretched enough to fit comfortably, they have stretched a lot more at the button points on the fly, which is causing a visible pulling on them and some folding on the waistband. i have been wearing them every day for about 5 weeks. Is there any way to remedy this funny looking pulling, or should i just consider it lesson learnt and go with a 30 next time? thanks in advance for any help!