Shoe Damage Report & Appreciation Central - Part I

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Yes, they appear to be from the '60s. I wonder who the Italian manufacturer for Saks was at that time?
A great find... Enjoy!

 

[Sartorially Challenged]

Originally Posted by superbikepics

You know who notices shined shoes the most, at least so far as my experience is concerned? Older men, women of all ages, and foreigners. Foreigners the most, and I'd suspect it's because shining ones shoes is still a lesson passed on from father to son in places beyond the US border.

Regards,

Ryan
You know, it just so happens I was a "foreigner" (I immigrated to the U.S.). My father never taught me to shine shoes.

Once when I shined his shoes and expected to be praised for it, he frowned instead.

He told me it would be silly to spend my time shining (even my own) shoes when I should be earning 50-100 times what shoe shiners make per hour. He said "Make $100 and hour, then pay someone $1 per hour to shine your shoes" (keep in mind the inflation, this was decades ago in another country).

Funny thing is, the last time I had a real day job, I made far more than what my father taught, but I still ended up shining my own shoes because I didn't like what the "pro's" did to my shoes. Crazy, eh?

But ever since then, I've been looking for easier, better ways to get superior shine.

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

They actually look quite discreet under natural lighting. Far more quiet, I think, than button boots.

Zing!

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Sartorially Challenged

You know, it just so happens I was a "foreigner" (I immigrated to the U.S.). My father never taught me to shine shoes. Once when I shined his shoes and expected to be praised for it, he frowned instead. He told me it would be silly to spend my time shining (even my own) shoes when I should be earning 50-100 times what shoe shiners make per hour. He said "Make $100 and hour, then pay someone $1 per hour to shine your shoes" (keep in mind the inflation, this was decades ago in another country). Funny thing is, the last time I had a real day job, I made far more than what my father taught, but I still ended up shining my own shoes because I didn't like what the "pro's" did to my shoes. Crazy, eh?

But ever since then, I've been looking for easier, better ways to get superior shine.
A good shine takes 30 minutes to an hour, and no "pro" does that unless they were some kind of personal valet. In fact, I suspect those shoe-shine places use silicone-tinged products to achieve a quicker shine.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Yes, they appear to be from the '60s. I wonder who the Italian manufacturer for Saks was at that time?

LK, I think you need to go to the heart of the matter and get some shoes made out of Charles Darwin's skin...

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by RJman

LK, I think you need to go to the heart of the matter and get some shoes made out of Charles Darwin's skin...

Some Bentham shoes might be easier to acquire.

 

[scarphe]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Some Bentham shoes might be easier to acquire.

One could actually acqire if one wanted sufficientelyone could get shoes made of tanned baby afican skin.

 

[RJman]

I think this is going down a very bad path.

 

[bigbris1]

NOS Allen Edmonds born in 1980, discontinued in 1985

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by bigbris1

NOS Allen Edmonds born in 1980, discontinued in 1985

Born in the USA? Or is that meant to be Appreciation in the USA?

Note the wheeling around the welt. It's a pity that AEs no longer have this. Their construction quality has gone down.

 

[bigbris1]

My Strands have wheeling around the welt--but then again they are discontinued. These are really nice. I wish I could keep 'em.

 

[RJman]

Final fitting on my last, erm, shoot, next-to-last pair of shoes from the irrepressible Anthony Delos. Crappy cellphone pics. They need to get treed and patinated (we used the old Berluti book as a reference, from back when Berluti was offering real individual patinas rather than two e-commerce-friendly choices

):






RJ socks -- seafoam green and sky blue cotton.

Suit trousers by Savile Row Master Tailor Darren Beaman.

 

[Thracozaag]

What a fascinating shoe! Is the colour as dark in person, is it the camera/lighting?

 

[Sator]

Very nice shoes RJman.

I like them.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by Thracozaag

What a fascinating shoe! Is the colour as dark in person, is it the camera/lighting?
It's a light-to-mid-brown, so it may be teh lighting.

Originally Posted by Sator

Very nice shoes RJman.

I like them.
Thank you.
No buttons unfortunately.

But I did order a souvenir pair of boots...

Take that, shoe fairy!!!!!!!!!!!!