Question on Allen Edmonds Firenze

[Seleur]

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with the Allen Edmonds Firenze loafer - I went into Nordstroms and bought a pair last weekend. I had the salesperson measure my feet, and apparently I am a 12 in the right, 12.5 in the left, both normal width (D). I tried on both the 12 and the 13D in the Firenze, and found myself slipping out of the 13. So, I bought the 12D and have been wearing it around the house.

I love the look, but wanted to see if anyone who owns them can comment on the fit. Right now, they feel a bit snug width-wise. Not painful by any means, but definitely snug at the largest part of my feet. Do these slip-on type shoes, or the Firenze loafers in particular, tend to stretch out? I have never purchased wide shoes before, and apparently these come in EEE only. Should I have tried the EEE or would I be slipping out of those (the fit on the heel is perfect right now)? I haven't bought dress shoes in awhile so I think I have forgotten how "stiff" they should feel in the beginning.

Thanks so much

 

[Harold falcon]

That's on the "Italian" last, which I admit I have no familiarity with, but I would not count on them stretching out significantly, especially with a rubber sole.

 

[Seleur]

Thanks for the input. I have never purchased wide shoes before. Are EEE dramatically different from D? I suppose I could take these back and try on the EEE, but I'd say these are marginal and very close to fitting, so a little bit of give would make them great. Would I slip out of an EEE?

 

[southbound35]

I'm not familiar with that particular model. But, in general, I think one is better served buying a shoe that is slightly too large and adding pads where appropriate to get a better fit than buying a shoe that is slightly too small and hoping it will stretch to fit. When a shoe stretches, it tends to ruin the line/smooth contour of the shoe to make room for the foot stuffed inside it.

 

[pgd3]

Originally Posted by southbound35

I'm not familiar with that particular model. But, in general, I think one is better served buying a shoe that is slightly too large and adding pads where appropriate to get a better fit than buying a shoe that is slightly too small and hoping it will stretch to fit. When a shoe stretches, it tends to ruin the line/smooth contour of the shoe to make room for the foot stuffed inside it.

To me, padding is a tricky option.

If I want a shoe to fit intimately to a foot, I want the shoe to fit appropriately in certain key areas, the heel must fit, and not slide forwards in the shoe when laced.

The ball must be in the wide part of the shoe,

And the toes must not hit the end of the toe box, or be smashed under too flat of a toe box.

I agree with you, a shoe that is so tight and stretched out that it looks like someone put a moose hoof in there is horrible.

But to me, I would much rather have a shoe not slip, then slightly stretch the areas that are tight, than a shoe that slips.

And do not forget, if you are loose in the shoe, and the shoe is padded, it still will wear funny, it will crease in the wrong places, and the shoe will sort of collapse around the foot. So cosmetically between a slightly tight shoe and stretching the whole upper slightly around the ball, and a loose shoe and cramming some stuff in there and not having it fit and therefore flexing strangely, I'll take stretching.

For reference, there is ~3/16" between widths as measured by a Brannock, but shoe width should really be compared by measuring circumference around the ball, realistically some shoe companies will make several widths of shoes off one width of sock liner/foot bed/sole, in these companies the lasts get larger in girth and the base of the shoe stays the same.

Other companies all bits are cut to the specific last and this is not the case, but something to be aware of.

Between D and EEE is huge. About 9/16", and possibly as much as 3/4" circumference around the ball.

 

[Seleur]

Thanks for all of your responses everyone. I guess it doesn't make sense to try the EEE then. I wore it for the full day today and while it is a bit tight, it's not so tight that it is painful, and if it gives just a little bit I think it will be a very good fit. To that end, maybe I should take it in to get it stretched around the ball a bit. I think the EEE would definitely slip off.

 

[Lord Asquith]

Originally Posted by Seleur

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with the Allen Edmonds Firenze loafer - I went into Nordstroms and bought a pair last weekend. I had the salesperson measure my feet, and apparently I am a 12 in the right, 12.5 in the left, both normal width (D). I tried on both the 12 and the 13D in the Firenze, and found myself slipping out of the 13. So, I bought the 12D and have been wearing it around the house.

I love the look, but wanted to see if anyone who owns them can comment on the fit. Right now, they feel a bit snug width-wise. Not painful by any means, but definitely snug at the largest part of my feet. Do these slip-on type shoes, or the Firenze loafers in particular, tend to stretch out? I have never purchased wide shoes before, and apparently these come in EEE only. Should I have tried the EEE or would I be slipping out of those (the fit on the heel is perfect right now)? I haven't bought dress shoes in awhile so I think I have forgotten how "stiff" they should feel in the beginning.

Thanks so much

You needed the 12.5 not a wider width. And the Italian models come in B-D-EEE
btw, since they don't come in a 12.5 then you should have got the 13. When you get into the large sizes they are whole sizes and don't change as much from size to size so a 13 is not all that big really.
If you actually measure a 12.5 and of course you measure the instep too to determine your size then I'd get the 13 in either a D or even perhaps the B.
Never buy shoes at a dept. store because they usually only carry a medium width -D so you can't try a few size/ width combinations to get a perfect fit unless you just happen to hit on it by chance.

 

[Lord Asquith]

Originally Posted by Lord Asquith

You needed the 12.5 not a wider width. And the Italian models come in B-D-EEE
btw, since they don't come in a 12.5 then you should have got the 13. When you get into the large sizes they are whole sizes and don't change as much from size to size so a 13 is not all that big really.
If you actually measure a 12.5 and of course you measure the instep too to determine your size then I'd get the 13 in either a D or even perhaps the B.
Never buy shoes at a dept. store because they usually only carry a medium width -D so you can't try a few size/ width combinations to get a perfect fit unless you just happen to hit on it by chance.

OK I just looked and it appears that Nordstroms does carry various widths and from what I've heard they seem to take anything back.Get the 13B

 

[Seleur]

Thanks for the response - I tried the 13D and that was definitely too large, but did not consider trying the 13B. That's a good thought. i may give it a day or two to see because these are actually starting to get more comfortable as I wear them around the apartment, so they might be OK after all.

 

[Lord Asquith]

Originally Posted by Seleur

Thanks for the response - I tried the 13D and that was definitely too large, but did not consider trying the 13B. That's a good thought. i may give it a day or two to see because these are actually starting to get more comfortable as I wear them around the apartment, so they might be OK after all.

You NEVER want to go down in size just because the shoe feels loose. You just get a slimmer width. A shoe must fit from the heel to the ball of the foot first. And in this model there should be a thumb's space in the front. If you can't get your correct width then don't even buy the shoe. I like AE and a few other brands because they supply many widths while even $1k Lobbs come in only a med width. Why pay that sort of money and not even be able to get a correct fit.

 

[pgd3]

Originally Posted by Lord Asquith

You NEVER want to go down in size just because the shoe feels loose. You just get a slimmer width. A shoe must fit from the heel to the ball of the foot first. And in this model there should be a thumb's space in the front. If you can't get your correct width then don't even buy the shoe. I like AE and a few other brands because they supply many widths while even $1k Lobbs come in only a med width. Why pay that sort of money and not even be able to get a correct fit.

Exception, You can go down in size to get that heel to ball fit.

For instance Alden Trubalance if I don't go down in the length the shoe is too long to the ball. And then I must search out an 11A/B, which Alden does make various widths, but most stores stock only D width shoes.

 

[Lord Asquith]

Originally Posted by pgd3

Exception, You can go down in size to get that heel to ball fit.

For instance Alden Trubalance if I don't go down in the length the shoe is too long to the ball. And then I must search out an 11A/B, which Alden does make various widths, but most stores stock only D width shoes.

Then you're not measuring yourself correctly.Is your instep the same as your length? It's not just the overall length that determines your size. When was the last time you had a professional at the Alden or AE store measure you? And I don't mean a dept. store or some outlet where they sell AE and they have min wage kids working.
And if they don't have your width you don't buy the shoe. If you were a size 40r jacket would you buy a 46l because that was the only thing they had in stock?