Shoe idea, you think it would have good results?

[DGP]

I was thinking about another "jean shoe," and had an idea: go to Nordstrom Rack, pick up a basic captoe from some so-so brand (JM, Bostonian, Florsheim, etc) in brown or cognac, spend some time beating the crap out of them, and then have a shoemaker polish them up nicely so I have that nice scuffed-but-polished vintage-ish look that I think looks awesome with jeans. I would want a pair that is very plain in style, and costs under $100. How do you think this would turn out? And before anyone says it, I'm not interested in anything from eBay, or anything used as an alternative.

 

[VMan]

I don't think it will work, because most any shoe that you will find at the ~$100 point won't look that attractive. You'll just look like middle-management who cannot take care of his shoes.

 

[DGP]

Originally Posted by VMan

I don't think it will work, because most any shoe that you will find at the ~$100 point won't look that attractive. You'll just look like middle-management who cannot take care of his shoes.

I hear ya. Just to clarify, I'm not looking at shoes that retail for $100, but the ones I can find at the Rack for about that price, so in reality they'd probably be $200-250 at retail. And I agree, those shoes you posted are terrible, they'd have to be sleeker and with leather soles to get that nice vintage look I want. Picture something more like AE, but without their build quality.

 

[Gus]

I don't know that beating them up yourself will look right. Sometimes it just doesn't work and then you have a shoe that regardless of how much you spent doesn't look right. I think you are right to look for a great sale shoe, then just wear the heck out of them and never polish them.

 

[DGP]

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

I don't know that beating them up yourself will look right. Sometimes it just doesn't work and then you have a shoe that regardless of how much you spent doesn't look right. I think you are right to look for a great sale shoe, then just wear the heck out of them and never polish them.

When I said I'd impose a self-beating, I didn't mean I'd get stomp all over them or distress them with a knife, etc. I meant exactly what you said, though I'd then like a clear polish so that they have that scuffed shine look, which I think is awesome.

Oh, and for the record, this is the sort of shoe I had in mind (and should be able to find for about $100):

http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/catalo...ss&PLOID=49860

 

[alliswell]

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[robbie]

Originally Posted by letmebefell

I've a better solution: thrift or ebay. People think that their beaten up brand-name shoes will sell, and it sounds like you're in that market. Save the cash and the effort. For instance: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Florshei...QQcmdZViewItem
except, he doesn't want second hand shoes. i think you should follow the advice and treat your shoes like most of us treat our jeans... wear the hell out of them, and do everything that you 'shouldn't' do to a pair of shoes. Also, i've always wondered what would happen if you rarely pollished your shoes but used a different color polish each time you polished them. would it just **** them up, or ?

 

[Double D]

Originally Posted by VMan

I don't think it will work, because most any shoe that you will find at the ~$100 point won't look that attractive. You'll just look like middle-management who cannot take care of his shoes.

I'd say my shoes that cost $70 or so look a hell of a lot better than that... Anyhow, on the subject, there's no reason a pair of decent quality leather shoes should look bad with a lot of wear, provided you treat them well and use some kind of good oil/wax (actually, I use plain old hand and body cream on most of my leather trainers, belts etc).

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by VMan

I don't think it will work, because most any shoe that you will find at the ~$100 point won't look that attractive. You'll just look like middle-management who cannot take care of his shoes.

exactly.

the look you're going for still requires a good quality leather upper. You seem to want the worn quality shoe look. Grabbing a pair of corrected grain mall shoes and scuffing them is going to give you a pair of cheap, worned, corrected grain mall shoes.

The cheapest option is to probably grab a pair of round-toe full grain leather shoes and then only use conditioner and occasiaonal cream, but not polish. You'll eventually have something that is matte and worn.

 

[PG2G]

I'd probably just go ahead and buy something like these. Chances are, doing it yourself... you won't get what you're looking for. http://www.barneyscoop.com/b/c/brows...&categoryId=38

 

[jufros]

E cordovan shoes on ebay for like 50 bucks. Good quality shoes that look interesting when beat to ****. Can't beat it.

 

[DGP]

Originally Posted by PG2G

I'd probably just go ahead and buy something like these. Chances are, doing it yourself... you won't get what you're looking for.

http://www.barneyscoop.com/b/c/brows...&categoryId=38

I've actually thought about those. The only problem is that I want that vintage dress shoe look, whereas the shape and texture of those is much more of a casual shoe. Despite what may be poor quality, I happen to love COOP shoes, my two favorite boots, both of which I paid full price for, are from there, and I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.

 

[drizzt3117]

I don't think your idea will work. As others have mentioned, you could get AEs from ebay, get them disinfected or irradiated if you're really that worried about cleanliness, get them polished up by a shoe repair store, and you'd have a nice shoe for jeans...

 

[DGP]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

I don't think your idea will work. As others have mentioned, you could get AEs from ebay, get them disinfected or irradiated if you're really that worried about cleanliness, get them polished up by a shoe repair store, and you'd have a nice shoe for jeans...

In WAYWN, I've seen some of your shots that include some Zara shoes/boots (which I've seen at pretty low prices), how have those worn in? I think what I will look for is a pair of JM shoes, I've seen some my dad has had for 15yrs+, and the uppers have held up well (better than other crappy mall shoes). I see those at the Rack for $100 all the time.

 

[PG2G]

Out of curiosity, what do you mean when you say beat the crap out of them. Just wearing them for a while, or doing something more deliberate?