The Bespoke Shoes Thread

[marlinspike]

That looks like a charcoal to me? I might go with a dark blue, is that too much?

 

[dieworkwear]

That looks like a charcoal to me? I might go with a dark blue, is that too much?

Looks dark brown to me. But I don't know. I would just go with whatever looks like the laces that come stock on shoes. Personally not into colorful or unusual laces.

I have a friend who is really into tailoring and has been making MTM clothes with a local company for years. When I started my company he was very supportive and said he'd start making things with me. I told him theres plenty of work out there and he should stay loyal to the guys that had been making his stuff for years.

The real reason I didnt want to make him clothes is that he's neurotic and I've seen him have the same sleeve on a suit jacket adjusted an 1/8 inch repeatedly, as well as other ridiculous alterations and changes. They can keep that business...

Supposedly, Antonio Panico has put his hands on prospective clients' shoulders and turned them away, suspecting they might be too much of a hassle, by telling them that they're too elegant and he can't do anything for them.

 

[Psyko]

I haven't had any problems fitting into RTW and tbh I don't find that my bespoke shoes fit significantly better than RTW. But I buy the stuff anyway because I like clothes.

Interesting. I guess this comes down to what you mean by significantly better.

Say EG Dovers on 606 last, which I would describe as kinda chunky with little shape in the waist. On my feet they fit okay in the heel and instep, but with a lot of excess room in the arch. So little to no arch support. I would imagine good bespoke offering much more shaped waists and offering better arch support.

I assume your Templemans give way better arch support than your Dovers? This, of course, may not be described as a significantly better fit.

 

[ntempleman]

I just stick my sock in whatever AC rtw I have laying around ?

 

[dieworkwear]

Interesting. I guess this comes down to what you mean by significantly better.

Say EG Dovers on 606 last, which I would describe as kinda chunky with little shape in the waist. On my feet they fit okay in the heel and instep, but with a lot of excess room in the arch. So little to no arch support. I would imagine good bespoke offering much more shaped waists and offering better arch support.

I assume your Templemans give way better arch support than your Dovers? This, of course, may not be described as a significantly better fit.

I just put both pairs of shoes on for jawnz science. Put on: my Dovers on the 606 last and then my first pair of Templemans, which I figured would be closer to whatever can be described as a "house style."

My Templemans hold my arch a little better, but to be honest, they both feel comfortable to me. I can't say I've noticed a huge difference when walking, and I walk a moderate amount. @RJman gives me grief because I sometimes walk four miles for lunch (two miles one way, two miles back). Before the lockdown, I also walked two miles to work, and then two miles back. I've never found dress shoes to be as comfortable as sneakers, but they're comfortable enough for those walks.

The only time I've had problems with ready-to-wear shoes was when I bought super sculpted shoes from Saint Crispins. I still like the shoes I bought, but generally speaking, don't like super sculpted shapes. So for Crockett & Jones, Edward Green, Alden, etc, I find that I'm usually a pretty standard 9D on the US sizing system, or the UK equivalents. Maybe it's a matter of me being a somewhat standard size and me preferring rounder, more comfortable shapes.

I suppose if someone had problems fitting into RTW, they can and prob should expect to see an improvement in bespoke. I went into this process knowing that I feel comfortable with RTW shoes and just wanted to try bespoke for fun.

 

[Sutefan]

The only time I've had problems with ready-to-wear shoes was when I bought super sculpted shoes from Saint Crispins. I still like the shoes I bought, but generally speaking, don't like super sculpted shapes. So for Crockett & Jones, Edward Green, Alden, etc, I find that I'm usually a pretty standard 9D on the US sizing system, or the UK equivalents. Maybe it's a matter of me being a somewhat standard size and me preferring rounder, more comfortable shapes.

I suppose if someone had problems fitting into RTW, they can and prob should expect to see an improvement in bespoke. I went into this process knowing that I feel comfortable with RTW shoes and just wanted to try bespoke for fun.

I'm in the same boat.
Don't need bespoke, but enjoy the process, the product, and working with my guy. The bespoke definitely is better in terms of fit and look. Probably not that different from a bespoke suit vs a decent mtm or well fitting RTW suit.

Now, I'm not a fan of very sharp and narrow shoes. EG, Alden, and Paraboot are my go-to makers. That makes it a little easier.

 

[clee1982]

sculpture waist oddly never affect me even though I have flat ish feet and walks just as much if not more

 

[Psyko]

Paraboot are my go-to makers. That makes it a little easier.

Those Paraboot are so damn hard to fit, though. A pair of bespoke Tyroleans, that would be something.

 

[dieworkwear]

Customer sues NYC shoe store Santoni North America over $7,000 shoes

Justin Mills wanted a pair of handmade, $4,400 Italian shoes in the fall of 2019, before the pandemic struck.

nypost.com

 

[marlinspike]

The amount of money is so small he will get his way from Santoni in the end and not learn anything from this.

 

[dieworkwear]

The tan double monks with a navy suit got me. (sorry to that dude for his sorrows if he's reading this)

 

[bjhofkin]

The tan double monks with a navy suit got me. (sorry to that dude for his sorrows if he's reading this)

Not the untucked purple shirt?

 

[corpseposeur]

The Santoni case reminds me of what has become a personal rule for me.

My spending limit on any custom purchase is the limit I would be willing to write of as a total loss.

One of the reasons I went to a Savile Row tailor is that I had 4 "custom tailored" suits from three different makers in New York that have all been chucked into the donation bin. The issues ranged from the button placement being too high, crap fabric that wrinkles immediately or pilled after 1 wear, and garbage styling.

All of the places were run by salespeople who weren't knowledgeable outside of GQ or Esquire articles and made a good business of gaslighting younger customers like I was at the time.Of course at the time I didn't know any better but if I were to think about it financially, I probably flushed a good $8-9K down the drain in total which is roughly two bespoke suits worth of cash.

I sympathize with this guy and I hope he gets some of his money back.

 

[The Chai]

Just collected. Crocodile loafers with a cuban heel for dancing

 

[Patrick1053]

Just collected. Crocodile loafers with a cuban heel for dancing View attachment 1756294 View attachment 1756295 View attachment 1756296 View attachment 1756297 View attachment 1756298 View attachment 1756312 View attachment 1756313 View attachment 1756314

You are a braver man than me if you can dance in that.