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The Official Alden Thread for 2019 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

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audog

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If you think that's a lot of shoes, wait until you hear what some people on this thread have in their closets.
well said, but we wouldn't be here if we didn't have a "thing" for shoes/boots, would we. Wife thinks its a kind of sickness, but I remind her of her 40+ pair of Birkenstock type sandals by a variety of companies and she is silent. Although, truth be told, I own more footwear than she does :)
 

ironclad

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I love the enthusiasm of this thread. I’m going to purchase a pair of Alden shoes (not boots) this fall and would appreciate anyone’s input on their favorite and/or first pair of Alden shoes and why. I recognize that’s a loaded question but suspect the gentlemen on this thread would be eager to share their thoughts. TIA.
Welcome DapperDan! You won’t find a better group of guys than the ones who make this forum the resource that it is today.

My first pair, like many here, was the classic 405 Indy boot. It’s the first Alden that caught my eye and I simply had to have a pair. I was not disappointed and still own and regularly wear them 13 years later.

My first shoe was a PTB (plain toe blucher) in Chromexcel followed shortly after by a pair in Whiskey shell cordovan.

Along the way the collection grew and shrank and grew as I was exposed to the great variety of Aldens available, nailed down my sizing through fittings and trial/error, and was able to score the occasional rare shell.

I think the primary questions for you are these:
How/when do you plan to wear your Aldens? Formal dress/work setting? Casual or hard-wearing? All weather? Your answers should point you in a certain direction.

Personally, I do not work in a traditional business environment and therefore have a generally casual dress code. As a result, I don’t own balmorals nor do they make sense for me. If I was looking for a first Alden shoe, I would go with the 990 Color 8 PTB on black soles or Color 8 LWB (long wing blucher) on antique soles. The 986 LHS (leisure hand sewn) is a popular casual loafer.

I’m not knowledgeable enough to speak to the fine points of Alden’s more formal shoes, but others on here will no doubt chime in.

Another important consideration is the size and shape of your feet. Alden has many different lasts and each fit somewhat differently. Just because you measure a 9D on a Brannock device does not necessarily mean a 9D will fit you across all different Alden lasts.

Get fit at an Alden dealer IF AT ALL POSSIBLE because it is cheaper in the long run than buying shoes online, finding they don’t fit, then trying to return them (generally retailers will not accept returns if there is visible sign of try-on) or sell them at a discount on E-bay.

Lots to digest, but the Alden game is fun, exciting, frustrating, and ever-evolving. Keep a weather eye on this forum and you’ll get more useful info than you can imagine. Keep us posted on your decision and don’t be a stranger.
 

sterlingindigo

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I love the enthusiasm of this thread. I’m going to purchase a pair of Alden shoes (not boots) this fall and would appreciate anyone’s input on their favorite and/or first pair of Alden shoes and why. I recognize that’s a loaded question but suspect the gentlemen on this thread would be eager to share their thoughts. TIA.

I think for a lot of guys, their entry was the Indy boot. Mine was the 9071 black shell cap toe oxford because hey, everybody needs a good black cap toe.
 

bespoken pa

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I love the enthusiasm of this thread. I’m going to purchase a pair of Alden shoes (not boots) this fall and would appreciate anyone’s input on their favorite and/or first pair of Alden shoes and why. I recognize that’s a loaded question but suspect the gentlemen on this thread would be eager to share their thoughts. TIA.


Great post! My first pair of Aldens is also my most worn a pair of tan calf plain toe bluchers. The establishment is no longer in business but they gave me great service and introduced me into the world of Alden. That was a long time and many pairs ago.
 

chipshot

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Does anyone know of a retailer who does Unlined Dover with a normal single sole or even a waterlock single. Not a flex welt fan so I passed on the AoM version.. probably should have ordered them as someone here is also ever popular 9D and would have loved them.. next time they call..
 

woofmang

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I love the enthusiasm of this thread. I’m going to purchase a pair of Alden shoes (not boots) this fall and would appreciate anyone’s input on their favorite and/or first pair of Alden shoes and why. I recognize that’s a loaded question but suspect the gentlemen on this thread would be eager to share their thoughts. TIA.
My first pair of Aldens was the 994 (Traditional Saddle Oxford in Color 8 Cordovan); I just loved the look of that shoe, and they're still going strong 15 years later. Current favorite is probably my B+M Unlined Dover in Color 8; it's so comfortable, and I love the look of a plain toe blucher, especially in shell - all that unspoiled Color 8 goodness.
 

woofmang

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SLCRich

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Speaking of Indys, this makes pair #8 (or #10 if we're counting the two Indy chukkas I own too)

20190816_154613.jpg
 

madhat

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I love the enthusiasm of this thread. I’m going to purchase a pair of Alden shoes (not boots) this fall and would appreciate anyone’s input on their favorite and/or first pair of Alden shoes and why. I recognize that’s a loaded question but suspect the gentlemen on this thread would be eager to share their thoughts. TIA.
I've gushed about these things before, but here's my first pair:
20190405_090957.jpg


I tend to buy the less stereotypical Alden styles, but for my collection the quintessential styles are the LHS and Indy boots.

But, to make a recommendation i'd want to know your use as well as what you've got covered already
 

darkclassic

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I love the enthusiasm of this thread. I’m going to purchase a pair of Alden shoes (not boots) this fall and would appreciate anyone’s input on their favorite and/or first pair of Alden shoes and why. I recognize that’s a loaded question but suspect the gentlemen on this thread would be eager to share their thoughts. TIA.

My first Aldens were a pair of Chukkas in natural chromexcel and my first Alden shoe was the 98373 longwing in natural chromexcel. I'm a big fan of CXL (still am) and about a year and a half ago wanted to see what the fuss was about with Alden. Those first couple pair made an impression... I currently have 28 Aldens in my collection. The most frequently worn pair are the J Crew 405 Indy in kudu but the most frequently worn Alden shoe I have is the natural CXL longwing from Wynn Perry.
 

honestpanda

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Indy 403 $299 in size 10, 11, and 13 at Franco’s Fine Clothier.
 
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