THE OFFICIAL ALDEN THREAD FOR 2020 - SHARE REVIEWS, SIZING, ADVICE, AND PHOTOS.

[audog]

What's the consensus between the traditional Indy (Trubalance) vs Barrie Indy (not sure if all are called U-tips), I was looking at pictures and they look pretty similar, maybe the shape of the front stitching a bit more round, and a bit sleeker on the Barrie one.

Do you guys prefer one over the other in certain situations?

Not situational, TB just work better with some boots.

 

[shahtirthak]

405s....and one pic is never enough....so...

 

[Old Red]

I'm another lurker on this thread and I'm really jonesing for a pair of Indys. Had hoped to make a trip to NYC this fall and get fitted but now I'm not sure when that or any travel is going to happen. Anyways I need some sizing advice. My brannock size is 10E and wear Viberg shoes size 9.5 on the 1035 last. I have three pair shoes and one pair boots on that last and fit almost perfectly. One pair of shoes I have a slight heel slip. The boot is maybe a bit tight across the ball of the foot. I had a boot size 10 and it was too long. I also have the Viberg/Himel Ammunition boot 9.5 and it is the best fit of all. I believe that is a 2040 last?

So trubalance I'm wondering do I go 10D or 9.5D or 9.5E? Thanks for any help.

 

[pedromvu]

I'm another lurker on this thread and I'm really jonesing for a pair of Indys. Had hoped to make a trip to NYC this fall and get fitted but now I'm not sure when that or any travel is going to happen. Anyways I need some sizing advice. My brannock size is 10E and wear Viberg shoes size 9.5 on the 1035 last. I have three pair shoes and one pair boots on that last and fit almost perfectly. One pair of shoes I have a slight heel slip. The boot is maybe a bit tight across the ball of the foot. I had a boot size 10 and it was too long. I also have the Viberg/Himel Ammunition boot 9.5 and it is the best fit of all. I believe that is a 2040 last?

So trubalance I'm wondering do I go 10E or 9.5D? Thanks for any help.

Most likely 9.5E, while people say the last is already wide, I don't think is enough to justify lowering the width, maybe more of a shape thing, I am 9.5D Brannock and 9D fits perfectly fine with medium thickness socks, I can also wear with very thick ones but feels slightly tight.

Edit: Correct wrong size I actually use, sorry for any confusion, basically half size down from Brannock like most.

 

[Shawnc]

When working, I used to wear beater shoes during the commute, after getting to the office I would change into one of the 4 pair I kept under the desk. All were AE at the time, but it was amazing, I would change into PA's or 5th Ave and everyone else had beat to sh*t footwear from the weather. I garnered a reputation as the guy who always had great shoes.....and all I had to do was change into footwear that wasn't worn in crappy winter weather. Amazing. If the other guys in the office had simply invested in ONE more pair of shoes, they wouldn't have had beaten up footwear. And we were in financial services, where impression is important.

Great story, even better avatar. Never noticed it before but it is super-cool!

 

[galileo]

The new Orlean

 

[smfdoc]

This was "our" trip down both 5th and Madison avenues on that day but surprisingly no purchases were made.
- Tiffany
- Ferragamo
- Dentist (semi-annual check-up)
- Carmina
- Alden

Her collection is easily over 60 pairs with mostly Ferragamo, a few Louboutin, and some Chloe for good measure. As I posted in the AE forum the other day:
- We have known each other for 29 years.
- Been a couple for 27.
- Married for 19.


She's awesome so I never worry about sharing the whole truth.

Well, complete honesty with one’s spouse is one way to go. I view select gaps in spousal information as my attempt to keep some mystery in the romance. A Hallmark movie I once watched under duress said that is a good thing.

 

[savvysartorial]

Long collars for promotion day. Feeling good today.

 

[wonsmithr8]

I too have always carried my "good shoes" on bad weather days and was hoping for the magic bullet idea since I loathe galoshes but it seems even in 2020 urban commuters don't have many options. It is true as you stated, we definitely go through soles and shoes more quickly and current pairs often have the scars of well worn shoes no matter how much care and love we give them. I'm not sure people understand that we may put miles on our shoes before and after we get to work via commuting which does not even include use while at work.

I have always had 1 brown pair and1 black pair of "dress" shoes for work and often a more casual pair for weekends and casual Fridays at the office. It's true, you really learn to economize (aka do more with less) when you live in an urban area, commute by walking/biking/public-transportation, and live in an apartment. This has been my whole life so I really do not know any other way but find it interesting when I see these large collections of shoes and how nicely they are kept when one has the space to store them and can drive to work.

Don't get me started about DMV office(s) in Manhattan.

The impetus for this original thread is that I am dressing more casually at work and hopefully headed to an early retirement with some consulting in the interim years so need/want to move my small shoe "collection" to a more casual style with PTBs, Chukkas, and such.

I've got 3 pairs of Aldens (Cigar LWB, Color 8 LWB, Color 8 PTB) with the PTB being my "beater pair" and wear them in all conditions while working in midtown. I also have a shoe brush at work to wipe down my shoes at my desk if necessary and do maintenance as needed. As you stated, the soles do wear quicker and all 3 pairs have been resoled at least once.

PTB -> leather soles to dainite
Cigar LWB -> leather soles to dainite. Sent to get resoled a 2nd time back to leather soles + metal toe taps a couple weeks ago
Color 8 LWB -> leather soles -> vibram commando soles

Since March, I switched to biking to work instead of taking the subway so I haven't worn my Aldens at all.

 

[smfdoc]

Happy Thursday forum pals.

 

[Erikdayo]

Indy day.

 

[Vincent George]

Casual 907s. Boy what a nice day here in Massachusetts.

 

[Don L]

 

[jpm1]

Tanker Thursday

 

[Sheepdog]

There are no, zero, none Alden dealers near me.

Same here. This has resulted in a costly trial and error process. Whoever said it would be cheaper to take a flight to an Alden store and get sized correctly the first time than to risk mail order was totally right.