The Official Alden Thread for 2024 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[TheLawBeard]

Cloudy but dry day in Bavaria today. Perfect weather for these bad boys. Ideally, they would be even darker but well... that's how it is. Seemed to me, that after the third round of some paste wax they're already a bit darker than how they used to be when bought. I will see how they develop!
View attachment 2294705

Sigh. I really need to find a pair of captoes like that. Those are gorgeous.

 

[Alcibiades]

Spent the weekend cleaning up and prepping some shoes for sale. First tranche of shoes are on sale in B/S/T thread... These two models got cleaned up for the purpose of sale, but couldn't pull the trigger. Both are beautiful when freshly cleaned/polished. May both end up being keepers:

 

[Alcibiades]

Three cordovan plain toe boots - ravello on crepe, color 4 on oiled double leather, color 8 on commando. I know someone was asking for a plain toe boot on trublanace, the color 4s here are Trubalance (which is odd, as the ravellos look the "widest" to my eyes). Also note how the crepe sole gives the Ravello boots an overall "bigger" appearance than either the color 4 or color 8. These plain toe boots may all be different enough to justify keeping all of them. The color 8 boots clean up so well...

 

[sazon]

Three cordovan plain toe boots - ravello on crepe, color 4 on oiled double leather, color 8 on commando. I know someone was asking for a plain toe boot on trublanace, the color 4s here are Trubalance (which is odd, as the ravellos look the "widest" to my eyes). Also note how the crepe sole gives the Ravello boots an overall "bigger" appearance than either the color 4 or color 8. These plain toe boots may all be different enough to justify keeping all of them. The color 8 boots clean up so well...


View attachment 2294971

So hard to sell sometimes after the clean-up! Those all look great.

 

[Hisheirness23]

Maiden voyage for these Blue Suede "Cabarrus" NST boots! Went with the whiskey colored laced for some contrast and really like how they look. The brass hardware makes these boots "pop" and the light colored laced go well with the theme and contrast handsewn stitches.

 

[builder]

Is there any magic to the direction you brush snuff suede in?

 

[builder]

I love these laces but the waxed flat laces have made my 405's MUCH harder to get on and off. The laces do not move. I keep them on because my 405's are meant to go through anything so I want laces that can withstand it.

How often do you folks take your boots on and off during the course of a day? For me I put them on in the morning and take them off in the evening.

Will there be damage to the boot with wear like this Monday thru Friday? I use cedar shoe trees and brush after (and sometimes before) every wear.

 

[mdubs]

Cloudy but dry day in Bavaria today. Perfect weather for these bad boys. Ideally, they would be even darker but well... that's how it is. Seemed to me, that after the third round of some paste wax they're already a bit darker than how they used to be when bought. I will see how they develop!
View attachment 2294705

Just a great shade of #8 and a nice shine on them!

-Mike

 

[mdubs]

Three cordovan plain toe boots - ravello on crepe, color 4 on oiled double leather, color 8 on commando. I know someone was asking for a plain toe boot on trublanace, the color 4s here are Trubalance (which is odd, as the ravellos look the "widest" to my eyes). Also note how the crepe sole gives the Ravello boots an overall "bigger" appearance than either the color 4 or color 8. These plain toe boots may all be different enough to justify keeping all of them. The color 8 boots clean up so well...


View attachment 2294971

I would struggle to pick one myself!!!

 

[Hisheirness23]

Is there any magic to the direction you brush snuff suede in?

Suede has a direction or grain that you typically want to brush in the same direction/orientation.

 

[Markintosh]

Maiden voyage for these Blue Suede "Cabarrus" NST boots! Went with the whiskey colored laced for some contrast and really like how they look. The brass hardware makes these boots "pop" and the light colored laced go well with the theme and contrast handsewn stitches.
View attachment 2295109

Wow!!!!!! I love blue suede - I love how the laces match the brown in the heel stack - well done!!!!! The split toe - just an amazing make up!

 

[Markintosh]

Suede has a direction or grain that you typically want to brush in the same direction/orientation.

I have a lot of suede and I’ve never thought about this question but it’s true - I brush my suede shoes after each outing - i’ve noticed when I brush in one direction they get darker and lighter in the other direction.

 

[Shawnc]

Those suede splits are so good @Hisheirness23. Really nice eye @Markintosh, I didn’t make the connection with the laces to the edges but they do match/flow nicely.

 

[Shawnc]

Never would have imagined when I started down this expensive rabbit hole that I would one day be so enamored with a pair of non-sleek shoes with no perforations, exposed stitches, or other eye-catching design, but here I am. Plain toes on 379x from Leffot. Dang, these things are comfy………..

 

[dme2406]

Never would have imagined when I started down this expensive rabbit hole that I would one day be so enamored with a pair of non-sleek shoes with no perforations, exposed stitches, or other eye-catching design, but here I am. Plain toes on 379x from Leffot. Dang, these things are comfy………..

View attachment 2295207
View attachment 2295205

My favorite last, my favorite style. Terrific!