Shoe Damage Report & Appreciation Central - Part I

[yachtie]

Nothing too exotic, just some whiskey shell Aldens that arrived today

 

[william]

Originally Posted by yachtie

Nothing too exotic, just some whiskey shell Aldens that arrived today

I usually don't like Aldens but I like these quite a bit. Where did you purchase these from?

 

[zjpj83]

The Aldens are beauties!

 

[yachtie]

Originally Posted by Chris Rimby

I usually don't like Aldens but I like these quite a bit. Where did you purchase these from?

Alden shoe shop NYC.

Thanks zjpj!

 

[zjpj83]

Originally Posted by yachtie

Alden shoe shop NYC.

Thanks zjpj!
Did you get $50 off? They had a shell cordovan $50 off sale recently? It seems like if you ask if there's anything they can do with the price, they tend to give you that 10% discount in my (limited) experience.

 

[yachtie]

Originally Posted by zjpj83

Did you get $50 off? They had a shell cordovan $50 off sale recently? It seems like if you ask if there's anything they can do with the price, they tend to give you that 10% discount in my (limited) experience.

Sure did- and I didn't even ask. Threw in a can of polish too- very nice folks.

 

[Christofuh]

Wonder what oxfords would look like in whiskey

 

[Charley]

Originally Posted by P3R3

I know these are no comparison to the masterpieces in this thread, but how did I do? I did'nt really expect to win these, and these are my first pair of Oxfords (believe it or not).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...3173&rd=1&rd=1

P3R3,
Good job on buying those.
No matter what you read here, those are not "junk." And for the price, you really got a bargin. The balmoral style is a little dressier than the blucher wing tip - good for you. And the burgandy color will give them a bit of style, too.
Keep working the "bay" to get a pair of black AE Park Avenues at a good deal. Then get some light brown / tan bluchers with some brouging. You'll have a competent beginning for dress shoes without going broke. If you find the others as well priced as the linked pair, you'll hardly miss the bucks.

Congrats on starting down the road to a shoe sickness.

 

[P3R3]

Originally Posted by Charley

P3R3,
Good job on buying those.
No matter what you read here, those are not "junk." And for the price, you really got a bargin. The balmoral style is a little dressier than the blucher wing tip - good for you. And the burgandy color will give them a bit of style, too.
Keep working the "bay" to get a pair of black AE Park Avenues at a good deal. Then get some light brown / tan bluchers with some brouging. You'll have a competent beginning for dress shoes without going broke. If you find the others as well priced as the linked pair, you'll hardly miss the bucks.

Congrats on starting down the road to a shoe sickness.
Thanks a bunch! I just really liked these shoes from the second I saw them and had to have them. Can't wait to try them on in a few days!

 

[Earthmover]

Originally Posted by von Rothbart

The store manager at the Vass store told me shoe trees came in full sizes only. The pair of F Theresainder boots are 43.5 and come with size 43 trees. May be Vass does things differently with BG or export markets?

Perhaps it's a difference between the hinged and 3-piece trees? I have the 3-piece (which I'm actually not sure gets used for Vass sold to other retailers), which I can't imagine being a good fit if it was a 43; the middle piece would just kind of sit there. As it is, it's a perfect fit, so I'm not sure how much of a benefit it would be to have a tree that's half size smaller if it fits too loosely to bring the shape back. And second theory may be that the U is popular (and perhaps distinctly-shaped) enough that they can make 43.5 trees, while the F doesn't have them.

 

[von Rothbart]

Originally Posted by Earthmover

Perhaps it's a difference between the hinged and 3-piece trees? I have the 3-piece (which I'm actually not sure gets used for Vass sold to other retailers), which I can't imagine being a good fit if it was a 43; the middle piece would just kind of sit there. As it is, it's a perfect fit, so I'm not sure how much of a benefit it would be to have a tree that's half size smaller if it fits too loosely to bring the shape back. And second theory may be that the U is popular (and perhaps distinctly-shaped) enough that they can make 43.5 trees, while the F doesn't have them.

I assume you meant spring-loaded, not hinged. I've never seen hinged trees from Vass. But I think you may be right that the size range has something to do with the type of trees. I guess without the tension provided by the spring, the 3-piece trees need to be more precise.

The 43 trees fills up the 43.5 F last boots quite nicely, I can feel there's tension all over the boots, enough to retain shape but not too much to stretch. So the fit issue you speculated doesn't apply to spring-loaded ones. The store manager preferred the spring-loaded ones as she didn't think the 3-piece provided enough tension and it's a pain to put them into the shoes, like a 6-piece puzzle. However, she said the 3-piece did look better than spring-loaded ones.

Of all the shoes in the store, there's only one with 3-piece tree, and it's a F last. It seems to me that Vass prefers spring-loaded trees but will produce 3-piece ones for any retailers who request them. May be the 3-piece trees make the shoes look more expensive and "artisanal."

________________________________________________________________

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Maybe VR will post some new toys for his 1K post.

OMG, I didn't realize until you pointed out. I would have crossed 1K if not for the Great Crash MMVI. I guess LARon could use some toys on his European conquest.

I remember RJman got spooked by the 3K post and didn't post for months so that his post counts could remain 2,999.

I think from now on I'll respond to all other posts by editing this post so my count will remain 999 forever.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Maybe VR will post some new toys for his 1K post.

 

[foto010101]

Oh my god, I really love this one (EG Asquith Shell Cordovan):

 

[zjpj83]

Originally Posted by foto010101

Oh my god, I really love this one (EG Asquith Shell Cordovan):

Nice - did you special order them?

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by foto010101

Oh my god, I really love this one (EG Asquith Shell Cordovan):

EG famously for many years refused to work with shell. Have they changed their policy?

If so, good news!