Spending $1200 on shoes

[Richard Pryor]

I have a small dilemma. I have a friend who lives in San Francisco. I live overseas and it's impossible to get Alden shoes locally. We will meet in 2 weeks for a friends wedding.

I have no shoes in my closet. Recently graduated from law school and I'm in need of some shoes. I thought this would be a perfect time to buy Alden shoes. I need to buy a pair anyway (for the wedding) so what the heck.

I have a couple of questions and hopefully you guys can advice me.

(1) Is it ok for me to take measurements of my feet, take some pictures and you guys tell me my size? I've never really paid attention to these facts before. I've only worn Clarks, Crocs and tennis shoes before. Sometimes I'm a 12 and other times a 13.

(2) I'm assuming my friend will get a better deal in the store than if bought online?

(3) Are there any 'must get' Alden shoes? Like the Park Avenue is to Allen Edmonds.

I was inclined to get the Black Oxford and a Wing Tip. But I also wanted a pair of penny loafers to wear with khakis and other not so formal attire.

Please give me some advice. I come with respect and humility. Very grateful for your time.

 

[Ideefixee]

... You're going to post pics of your feet? OK, a bit odd, but go ahead, lol. Why not just measure them yourself?

Anyways, if you're a beginner, I'd go with the Blucher Oxford in black (straight tip):

http://www.aldenshop.com/DrawOneShoe.asp?CategoryID=133

 

[Lord-Barrington]

If you just graduated law school, you're going to need all the extra cash just to pay your utilities why you look for a job. It's a tough market out there. A tough market filled with lawyers wearing Jos A. Banks suits and pleather slip ons.

 

[medtech_expat]

Brace yourself for the tsunami of snark!

I'm not familiar with Alden myself, but a good rule of thumb is to always try on a particular last if at all possible. Buying remotely without this hands-on experience is a crapshoot at best, even across lasts within a brand with which you're already familiar. I've allowed my enthusiasm to get the better of me in the past, and all in all it just isn't worth it.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Perhaps in the USA it's the way you describe. Not here thankfully. You also don't know my financial situation.

The previous post (*edit... LB's post) is one of the reason I refrain from asking stuff in this board. Why not just keep it to fashion? Who cares what you think about how I spend my money?

That's why I said I came humbly, with respect and I was grateful.

Please, forget about my life, money, income, economy. Just try to answer my question with respect and I will be very grateful.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by Richard Pryor

Perhaps in the USA it's the way you describe. Not here thankfully. You also don't know my financial situation.

The previous post (*edit... LB's post) is one of the reason I refrain from asking stuff in this board. Why not just keep it to fashion? Who cares what you think about how I spend my money?

That's why I said I came humbly, with respect and I was grateful.

Please, forget about my life, money, income, economy. Just try to answer my question with respect and I will be very grateful.

Jeez, lighten up. If I'd just told you "The economy sucks! There are no jobs!" then I'd see your point. But my post was mostly a way for me to take a not so subtle jab at the terrible fashion sense of most American lawyers.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Idefexee: thanks, that's one of the pairs I planned on getting.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Sorry then. Thing is, last time I was here people started bashing me immediately and I had my guard up this time.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by Richard Pryor

Sorry then. Thing is, last time I was here people started bashing me immediately and I had my guard up this time.

Yeah, I think that can happen on here. I'm not the type though, so don't worry.

As for your shoe, buying long distance is always a roll of the dice unless you can find a way to try on the shoe beforehand. A lot of people who are comfortable ordering online or through EBay already know their size in different brands and it makes it easier for them to make remote purchases. But as an above poster said, blind purchases are always risky.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Worst case scenario, they don't fit and he returns them when he gets back home.

That's why I wanted to take my measurements here. Maybe some Alden experts would chime in. Am I in the right place?

Second thing that concerns me is the price difference between buying in their shop or ordering online. Anyone with any info on that?

Thanks. I'm humble and graceful and come with respect.

 

[Ideefixee]

Originally Posted by Richard Pryor

Worst case scenario, they don't fit and he returns them when he gets back home.

That's why I wanted to take my measurements here. Maybe some Alden experts would chime in. Am I in the right place?

Second thing that concerns me is the price difference between buying in their shop or ordering online. Anyone with any info on that?

Thanks. I'm humble and graceful and come with respect.

No price difference between in-store and online. Sometimes there are discounts, but very rarely.

 

[edmorel]

Originally Posted by Richard Pryor

Sorry then. Thing is, last time I was here people started bashing me immediately and I had my guard up this time.

you've also bashed but anyway....

why Alden and what do you mean by spending $1200 on shoes? Are you buying multiple pairs?

If I was starting a law job, I'd probably get two pairs of these AE;s (on sale now for 25% off) and then, as I got a feel for the environment and for what my tastes were, I'd venture into more adventurous stuff.

http://www.landsend.com/pp/WingTipSh...7&origin=index

 

[Ideefixee]

He specifically wants Aldens, since his friend from SF is visiting him.

Like I said, I'd suggest black oxfords (blucher) and then brown oxfords.

 

[Lord-Barrington]

Originally Posted by edmorel

you've also bashed but anyway....

why Alden and what do you mean by spending $1200 on shoes? Are you buying multiple pairs?

If I was starting a law job, I'd probably get two pairs of these AE;s (on sale now for 25% off) and then, as I got a feel for the environment and for what my tastes were, I'd venture into more adventurous stuff.

http://www.landsend.com/pp/WingTipSh...7&origin=index

I would tend to go for AEs too, just because you can't go wrong and you have almost no chance of alienating anyone with your footwear as long as you stick to one of the main models. They're also cheap, so once you get a feel of the office environment, you can just check'em and buy a sweet pair of something else.

 

[emptym]

Originally Posted by Richard Pryor

Idefexee: thanks, that's one of the pairs I planned on getting.
I wouldn't buy that shoe. Black, captoed bluchers should not be made imo. A black captoed oxford is a standard though. That's what AE's Park Avenue is. Alden's equivalent is this. I have a pair, and it fits terrifically. But some of their other lasts don't fit me well. For example, I'm a 10 D in Alden's hampton last and a 9.5 C in other lasts (Barrie, Van). Their lasts are all very different. If I were you and I couldn't try on the shoes, I'd experiment through eBay. Or you might email Alden directly if you don't want to waste time. Just be prepared to for the increased chance of wasting money. I think a wingtip is a great second choice and loafers a great third choice. Just make sure you know your size on their various lasts.