Spectators

[rdawson808]

Okay, I'm a bit at a loss to find a pair of spectators. I love them and am just dying to find a pair. Any help with brands? Hopefully less than $300.

cheers,
bob

 

[zjpj83]

Brooks Brothers, but the sale just ended...

 

[NoVaguy]

Check www.brooksbrothers.com - the 25% sale should take the specs below $300. If the 25% sale is over and you don't want to wait until the next inevitable sale, you can try www.pediwear.co.uk and go to the Alfred Sargent Classic collection - they should have specs coming below that price range.

 

[JLibourel]

There is the Allen-Edmonds "Broadstreet." This is a black & white spectator, which I find less attractive than tan & white, brown & white or brown & tan combinations. Another drawback to the Broadstreet is that the white leather is not suede. A personal reason for not liking it is that it is made on the #3 last, which does not fit me well. Nonetheless, it is there, it is a quality product, and it falls within your price range. The best looking spectators I ever saw were some Ralph Lauren Purple Label (Edward Green) tan & white numbers that I saw at the Beverly Hills Polo shop a few months back. Gorgeous things...as well they should be at $850 a pair. It is rare for me to wish that I made or had substantially more money than I do, but that was one of those times.

 

[arkirshner]

The Allen Edmonds Broadstreet lists at $295  and you'll have it in days.  If you can wait they have semi annual sales. You might consider seconds ( I have 8 pair and can't tell the difference from my firsts and others have had the same experience) from one of the outlets. If no outlet is nearby you can call the Cabazon outlet 951-922-2977. They may also have a discontinued color firsts which will be less.

JLIBOUREL beat me to it. He has even more AEs than I

 

[AlanC]

This time of year ought to be a good time to find a pair of specs floating around on sale.

 

[rdawson808]

Thanks everyone.

Re the BB Peal & Co black and tan spec. Is it made by Peal? Is that a good shoe, does anyone know? I'm clueless here.

I have no experience with either these or the Alfred Sargent but both have nice looking shoes (not in black&white thankfully).

cheers all,
bob

 

[NoVaguy]

Thanks everyone.

Re the BB Peal & Co black and tan spec. Is it made by Peal? Is that a good shoe, does anyone know? I'm clueless here.

I have no experience with either these or the Alfred Sargent but both have nice looking shoes (not in black&white thankfully).

cheers all,
bob

Fairly certain (but not positive) that the BB Peal spec is made by Alfred Sargent as well. Many of the Peal's are by Alfred Sargent. The BB version should be a fairly decent shoe (I've seen other models but have never seen the spec in person), but I'll recommend checking it out in person. It might be exactly the same shoe as the on in the Sargent catalog.

 

[arenn1]

Search the archives - there's at least one 7 page thread on this topic complete with lots of pics. I had it bookmarked, but it appears all the old links have changed in a not easily reparable manner.

 

[ROT]

try www.francos.com They had a Gravati, I think, in brown with tan linen. Very good looking.

 

[Duveen]

For a little more than $300 (but only a little - Ron can tell you the right price) you can get Martegani specs made to your specs (heh heh) from Franco's. That is, you can choose exactly the toe (wingtip, cap toe), medallion pattern, color of leather and other material (linen, suede, leather) and get a great-looking and unique shoe. As you might have guessed, I am the proud owner of a pair of specs from Ron/Martegani. They are very nice shoes - haven't had them long enough to comment on durability, but for style, price and that elusive 'they are exactly what I want' quality, they can't be beat. This link takes you to a pair that look exactly like the ones I commissioned. Ron tends to keep the 'special orders' on file.

 

[Duveen]

Also, for around $400 you can get a beautiful pair of brown and white Gravatis from Wilkes Bashford in SF. If I hadn't had my pair on order with Ron, I'd have bought them on the spot. They have a brown wingtip toe and white leather tops (no brown at all above the toe, all white and very summery). And finally, to be of some help while staying within your price range, here's a link to the Sargent Melly, their brown and white spectator (or should I say ebony and ivory), which will cost about $160+$30 S&H. Having seen them in the store, I am fairly certain that the BB shoes are Sargents, but the BB buyer may have chosen slightly different styling details from the Melly. Good luck finding a pair that suits you.

 

[rdawson808]

So what do I do about finding my size? I can't find a Martegani site that will show me who sells them in my area. The Alfred Sargent website is rather useless. I live in Annapolis, Md near DC, Balto, and Philly so if there is someone nearby that carries these and I can try them on that would be great.

Well, I just found a place in Philly that carries Marteganis but that is it. Am I just terribly naive about how everyone goes about buying their shoes on-line? I simply must try them on. In that particular style too.

Thanks for all of your help guys.

bob

 

[Duveen]

Bob, I am in DC and had the same concerns, so I took the scenic two-hour drive to Richmond, VA where Franco's is located. Ron is a real pro and a pleasure to work with - he spent more than an hour fitting me. If you prefer to take the train, he offered to have someone pick me up at the train station. And if you are in Richmond, be sure to stay for dinner at the Lemaire Restaurant in the Jefferson Hotel - great food that will make the drive seem even more worthwhile. Don't know if that feels worth it to you or not, but that's my best suggestion. Failing that, try on the Sargents at BB and order through Pediwear to get a discount on even their sale price. I, for one, am not fond of specs that have two leathers as opposed to leather/buc or leather/linen, but that's just me.

 

[rdawson808]

Duveen,

Thanks so much, this is great. My gf has an old friend who we just saw this weekend just move back East to Richmond. This will give us twice the reason to go. And actually I spent the summer of 97 in Richmond down in the Fan. Even drove down there a few summers back to see Michael Feinstein with the symphony.

That's nice that Franco's has a bricks 'n' morter place. I'll have to float the idea by my gf.

cheers,
bob