Quality Shoe Brands

[5thave]

I'm looking around for nice pair of shoes (like a honey color). I know very, very little about shoes. So can anyone give a list of "acceptable" brands? Johnston and Murphy and cole haan are "unacceptable" from what I hear, so I guess the list starts above them.

 

[imageWIS]

How much do you want to spend?

(yes, Alden and AE are very nice American-made choices)

Jon.

 

[RIDER]

I can see this one getting out of hand quickly...

 

[zjpj83]

you definitely must give a price range

 

[norcaltransplant]

Search the archives please: http://66.170.193.77/cgi-bin....d9;st=0

 

[sashae]

Can't help it

 

[AlanC]

Lots in the archives as stated.

Allen Edmonds and Alden are very good baseline American choices. AE is widely available, and also available at discount via sources like their outlets, their online store, Sierra Trading and Nordstrom Racks.

Another widely available option would be the Peal English shoes at Brooks (their American made shoes are Aldens). If you're interested in the Italian route, Rider (above) has a nice selection at Franco's online and in Richmond, VA (he also has AE).

From there you can start getting into real money fast.

 

[norcaltransplant]

sashae-- I hope they give you blisters.

(I kid, I kid). Once again, everything tasteful in the size 8 section disappeared in the first 24 hours. I was only partially responsible for the carnage.

 

[Teacher]

Just remember that (as has been noted on these boards before), once you go above the Allen Edmonds/Alden mark, the law of diminishing returns kicks in rather quickly. That being said, the higher-priced shoes (Crockett&Jones Handgrades, Grenson Masterpieces, Edward Green, John Lobb rtw, Vass, etc) are damned fine products.

 

[guitone]

I wear both AE and Alden shoes and find that these are both very nice. The key to any shoe is finding a last that works for your foot, if you can do that you can always find a nice shoe. AE offers many lasts, more that work for me than Alden, so I tend to have many more pairs of the Allen Edmond shoes and know more about them. These have worked well for me, been very durable, have nice dress and casual shoes. AE will have many shoes in chestnut and chili, what you may be referring to as a honey color. I have not had the need to buy more expensive shoes and I fear if I start I would not stop......so I stay with AE for the most part.

 

[Teacher]

"The key to any shoe is finding a last that works for your foot"

Truer words have never been typed, guitone. Regardless of price, fit stands above all else. As a fellow salesperson I used to know said, "If your feet hurt, your whole body hurts." And I'm sure she wasn't the first to utter this, either.

 

[DandySF]

Allen-Edmonds has a staggering array of widths. I've had great success finding the sorts of things I need at the AE store on Post St in San Francisco, all in the right size. An added bonus is the fact that the staff is intelligent, knowledgeable about the product and its construction, and friendly. As an added bonus, after the 10th purchase they give you a free pair.

A person would do better to go barefoot than wear a shoe that doesn't fit perfectly. I find it perplexing that Paul Stuart sells handsome, nay gorgeous, $600 shoes but does not offer an extensive range of widths. At that price level I would expect a fit without compromise. I think they only offer a standard width--this based on a recent visit to their store where they only had one width for a particular shoe. Also, their website does not offer variable widths.

 

[5thave]

Sorry about not including a price range. But I'm pretty flexible with price. I guess anything under $1,000

 

[Teacher]

Sorry about not including a price range.  But I'm pretty flexible with price.  I guess anything under $1,000

Well, I hate to be of so little immediate help, but considering your price range, pretty much anything goes. The best thing to do is to educate yourself by reading about different brands and then get out there and start trying some on. If you have narrow feet, the high-end options are going to be limited. Ditto if your feet are very wide. Edward Green is the only one that I know of that offers a broad selection of widths. Allen Edmonds and Alden, as mentioned, have MANY width options.

Of course, styles vary considerably. View their online catalogs and find out what strikes you as attractive. Also consider what you need: do you always wear business formal shoes, or are you in need of business casual as well?

Perhaps some more specific questions from you would allow others to supply more specific answers, thus giving you a head start. Now, get out there and try on some footwear.

 

[AlanC]

Sorry about not including a price range.  But I'm pretty flexible with price.  I guess anything under $1,000

Well, with that budget I'd go to one of the Edward Green trunk shows and get a custom order (not bespoke, but more MTM). I think they run in the $850 neighborhood and you get pretty much exactly what you want.