The Official Alden Thread for 2016 - Share reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[chipshot]

^ love these Zippyh

 

[mdubs]



Alden doesn't really need C/S the fact remains people will always buy them. As angry as one may get if they got a phone call tomorrow for Ravello Chukkas they would jump on them. As stated above when Alden gets it right it the knock it out of the park. I fail to understand why Alden wouldn't remake the defective pair seems a bit absurd to me. The shell shortage has to be strictly a choice by Alden as other manufactures seem to have no problems acquiring as many skins as they'd like, MTO thread for CJ confirms this.

I agree with you regards to their customer service. I will say their shops do do their best to provide the best costumer service provided the circumstances that they are provided. Although I understand with your point with regards to C&J, they do their Whiskey Shell Cordovan very differently than Alden and frankly do them in much smaller quantities. C&J goes by the slow and steady concept, limiting the Whiskey GMTO runs to 12 pairs and only 2, maybe 3 per year. They will also do an additional 2-3 runs of 12ish for their various stores and vendors. So they are frankly only asking about 60 pairs of Whiskey shoes per year. Alden tends to just confirm a slew of orders once they get material. From all that I saw this year from Alden in Whiskey, AoC Whiskey NST Saddles, DC LWBs, SF LWBs, TSM LHSes, TSM LWBs, Leffot NST Boots, Madison Monks + NST Boots (6 each), Madison U-Tips, to name the ones coming off the top of my head, Alden actually does more Whiskey than C&J does, seeing how that is 8x12 = 96 pairs and I don't know if they have any additional Whiskeys or sold pairs to other vendors or non-US vendors. Frankly, this makes sense, as Alden is the biggest user of Horween Shell Cordovan by far. Just had to chime in here with more facts.

Happy wingtip Wednesday forum pals.

Spoiler

Fantastic looking LWBs sir! They look great in Black!

Whiskey LWB from TSM

Spoiler

Happy Whiskey Wednesday Gents Smoke em if you got em Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great looking LWBs Don! Those are looking amazing!

haven't posted in a while. happy that fall is officially here so i feel less sheepish about wearing boots. going with alden x need supply church hill indy boots today:

Spoiler

also, a brief anecdote that some of you might appreciate: i went to a college football game (florida vs. tennessee) with some friends last weekend, and i decided to wear my unlined suede dovers. three of the four friends have kids, and one in particular was very proud of his "dad look" (i.e., new balance sneakers, cargo shorts, and a university of tennessee polo). prior to the game, we were talking to some college students at a tailgate when one of my friends asked them who looked more like a dad--my "dad look" friend or me. the college students looked down at our shoes and said, "those shoes [the aldens] are stylish. those [the new balances] are not. so i'm guessing the new balance guy is the dad." nice to know that alden > new balance in terms of style even to a younger, seemingly more sneaker-obsessed generation.

Great looking Indy Boots and nice story. Totally agree with the college kids.

Wet Whiskey Wednesday, Worn Well

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Those are some nice looking NSTs! Is that a Tanker or Barrie Blucher?

PTBs again for WW

Spoiler

Your WW contribution is great Zippy. Your PTBs are looking great! -Mike

 

[mdubs]

Crazy Hot Tuesday in SoCal. Alden Snuff Suede Tassel Loafers. Brooks Bros Navy Houndstooth Trousers.
















-Mike

 

[mdubs]

Whiskey Wednesday. Alden Whiskey Shell Cordovan LWB. Marcoliani Brown Argyles OTC. Epaulet Lightweight Khaki Twill Walt Trousers.
















-Mike

 

[stevefok]

I agree with you regards to their customer service. I will say their shops do do their best to provide the best costumer service provided the circumstances that they are provided.

Although I understand with your point with regards to C&J, they do their Whiskey Shell Cordovan very differently than Alden and frankly do them in much smaller quantities. C&J goes by the slow and steady concept, limiting the Whiskey GMTO runs to 12 pairs and only 2, maybe 3 per year. They will also do an additional 2-3 runs of 12ish for their various stores and vendors. So they are frankly only asking about 60 pairs of Whiskey shoes per year. Alden tends to just confirm a slew of orders once they get material. From all that I saw this year from Alden in Whiskey, AoC Whiskey NST Saddles, DC LWBs, SF LWBs, TSM LHSes, TSM LWBs, Leffot NST Boots, Madison Monks + NST Boots (6 each), Madison U-Tips, to name the ones coming off the top of my head, Alden actually does more Whiskey than C&J does, seeing how that is 8x12 = 96 pairs and I don't know if they have any additional Whiskeys or sold pairs to other vendors or non-US vendors. Frankly, this makes sense, as Alden is the biggest user of Horween Shell Cordovan by far. Just had to chime in here with more facts.

-Mike

Well said Mike. I tend not to believe in the conspiracy that Alden try control the number of rare shell shoes to create a bigger demand. On the contrary, I think the lack of rare shell makes Alden shoes less popular than 2-3 years ago, various Alden retailers mentioned it much harder to sell Alden this year and the traffic of Alden thread is also much lower than 2-3 years ago.

 

[mdubs]



Well said Mike. I tend not to believe in the conspiracy that Alden try control the number of rare shell shoes to create a bigger demand. On the contrary, I think the lack of rare shell makes Alden shoes less popular than 2-3 years ago, various Alden retailers mentioned it much harder to sell Alden this year and the traffic of Alden thread is also much lower than 2-3 years ago.

Steve, yes I agree and was aware of the slow down here and on the retail end from my chats with many retailers and I agree that the exotic absence has impacted that heavily.

-M

 

[cyc wid it]

CS and QC still hot garbage. "Charming"

 

[chipshot]

Black Shell Lined LHS's.. sometimes the non exotics are what is called for.. l

 

[mdubs]

Sometimes indeed Chippy. Looking good! Is it as hot out there as it was here the past few days?

-Mike

 

[jjschube]

Purple Shell? Hi guys, I am looking to buy "the king" , also known as the color 8 LWB. I am trying to find one that isn't so...black. Has anybody recently seen a color 8 shell that has that more purple tint as oppose to the super dark eggplant color. Thanks!

 

[jjschube]

Like this beauty.

 

[bespoken pa]

I appreciate your insight @mdubs

I thoroughly enjoy alden, I also agree the couple of retailers I deal with are incredible. I cannot sing the praises of GF and BM enough. Alden's fan base is rabid beyond the other major manufactures and the number of posts in this thread speak to that.

I still look at my cigar indys in awe. I feel bad when people get (exotics in particular) in a defective state. Really what can you do if you pass you will likely wait 2+ years for a remake. Tough call but again it's a sellers market for sure.

It just seems CJ in particular has multiple mto s going for cigar and whiskey and these have runs of at least 12 shows each. Perhaps shell isn't as popular across the pond and they are so kind to leave it for us chaps in the states.

 

[Promilone]

Thanks, I will. I am surprised at the price difference though. The BB branded shoe is €540 (547 incl shipping), whilst the Alden branded ones are almost € 800. As long as it's the same shoe, I'm not too bothered about the BB brand instead of the Alden brand...

 

[Promilone]

Sorry, I was replying to Prez' post

 

[RevisIsland]



Thanks, I will. I am surprised at the price difference though. The BB branded shoe is €540 (547 incl shipping), whilst the Alden branded ones are almost € 800. As long as it's the same shoe, I'm not too bothered about the BB brand instead of the Alden brand...

Technically not the same- Alden stock model is Hampton last and I believe BBxAlden perf toe is Snap last