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makewayhomer

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Why make a penny loafer with Chromexcel, may as well put a commando sole on it...

agree with this. I'm not really a chromexcel guy, it strikes me as something that should be restricted to rugged looking boots. an indy boot with commando sole in chromexcel, stuff like that

edit: I think this makes a lot of sense

BOOT #1
The Vanguard Boot by J. Rogulski
Cap Toe High Boot
Barrie Last
Horween Brown Chromexcel
Brass Eyelets w/Speed Hooks
Regular Welt, All Around
Antique Edgetrim
Double Waterlock Oiled Leather Sole
Vintage Rubber Heel

the waterlock sole works great with the speedhooks, leather choice, last, and simple design. it all works together well. put that chromexcel on boots you would actually do work in and be comfortable in all day, once broken in it's too rustic looking for anything dressy imo
 

context

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Originally Posted by phantomx48
Well here are the pictures of my new Alden Indy boots in Natural Chromexcel. As I posted before, after only a few days I scraped up the front of one boot by kneeling on some pavement =(. So this is the best cleanup job I could do on it without darkening that area and making it stand out more. If anyone has any ideas on a better "fix" please let me know.





And here are pictures of the rubber heel. They look nothing like the rubber heel on my other Indy boot (in black), and nothing like any of the other Indy boot heels I have seen online (has no nails, no writing, etc). Can someone identify this heel for me, or is this a new heel Alden is using?





Are these from Leffot? Mine came with the normal Foot Balance heel.
 

phantomx48

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Yup from Leffot. I was afraid there was something up with these heels. They look like shoddy aftermarket work. Gonna send Steve an email and see what he says.
 

kylelovesyou

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I'd just like to add that those Plaza Extra Perf wingtips on the site are amazing. If only I hadn't bought a pair of Alden's last week... sigh.
 

Magic1

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Tom, here are my ideas, 'hope you like them.

Medallion toe (I guess it's on everyone's mind...)
Boot; plaza or grant last (I haven't seen a medallion toe on a boot before, but I think it could look really good...)
Dark Blue suede
Blind eyelets
Antiqued or matched edgetrim. I really can't decide which would look better. I see a lot of blue paired with antique edge trim, and I think it looks great, but I think that dark dots created by they black edgetrim could look pretty cool and subtle.
Plaza Last

That's one idea.

Another is for either a boot or shoe, would look good either way IMO. Although I have never seen the idea appear on a boot before, so maybe that would be the better option, not sure.
V-tip, single leather sole, regulare welt. This would be in either cordovan with the upper part of the v-tip being color 8 and the sides being black, or it would be with burnished walnut for the upper and black calfskin for the sides. Again, blind eyelets and and matched edge trim.
Double leather sole, regular welt. Hampton last.


I rarely see Alden mix colors and when they do, it almost always looks great! LS has done it a number of times with great results, including their v-tip shoe in cigar and black shell from a while back (the style of which clearly influences the design above...).

I hope you like my designs Tom
 

jasonfoote303

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Originally Posted by context
Are these from Leffot? Mine came with the normal Foot Balance heel.


I was at the Alden factory two days ago looking at a pair of shoes I designed and found that they had this heel too. I asked Bob Clark (VP) what was the story with these heels and he said (2 days ago) that he'd never seen them before. He called it a slab heel. My order specified an Erco heel unit which is like the ones on the Pitt Boots but as I'm learning, you don't always get exactly what you were expecting. My guess is they ran out of those heels or are allocating them to specific customers. I hope the durability of those slab heels is on par with the Goodyear or Foot Balance ones.

I also learned that Alden is dealing with a pretty fragile supply chain. Companies that make decent parts for shoes are quickly slipping away and it can take a while to find new vendors.
 

jhcam8

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Originally Posted by LeatherSOUL
Probably wouldn't be a good idea...the oil and residue would get all over your pants.

Originally Posted by hexproof
Does Alden make a kudo leather belt? I'm trying to find a belt to match my Alden kudu leather boots.

Look for something like this BOB watch band - I'm sure I've seen similar belt examples - maybe BOB makes a belt?

IMG_0994.jpg
IMG_0991.jpg


(Shown with unlined flexwelt chocolate suede ptb's.)
 

Akeem

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I've always liked chukka boots. I like the look of Alden's suede chukkas, but I don't like that they are unlined. My entry was for a chukka.

2 eyelets
snuff suede
plaza last
double waterloc sole with natural edge
fudge welt

Nothing exciting, but something I've never seen from Alden.
 

LeatherSOUL

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Originally Posted by Ahab
Too much Chromexcel. I was hoping to see suede, blue suede or something really interesting in the Tan Vegano Calf or one of the lesser used leathers.

bhptb1.jpg

Tan Vegano Calf PTB

I entered a cap toe boot in the vegano calf but understand that may not be the best use of the leather. I really wanted to see something different than Chromexcel. I am on Chromexcel overload. I was interested in shoe 3 but when I saw it was on the Van last I quickly became ambivalent and agree it could have a commando sole.

BOOT #3 is my favorite out of the lot and I am interested to see what it looks like.

I am in the market for a beefroll mocc in the next 2-3 months so I will see what shows up.

EDIT:

I would also like to add that the boat shoes Leather Soul has now look great. I would have liked to see brown but they look great and I was very tempted.


Yes, chromexcel overload. I was worried about that. I couldn't help it though, I'd say at least half of the entries were chromexcel.

Originally Posted by joz411no
Tom,

Has there ever been a navy suede or navy oiled newbuck longwing, with brass eyelets? I wanted that to be one of my votes but wasn't sure of them. I thought they'd go really nice with an antiqued edgetrim and double oiled waterlock sole.

Oh well


Never seen that before. I love navy suede myself. I don't know, a navy suede or navy chamois longwing seems a little McNairy to me...
smile.gif


Originally Posted by Magic1
Tom, here are my ideas, 'hope you like them.

Medallion toe (I guess it's on everyone's mind...)
Boot; plaza or grant last (I haven't seen a medallion toe on a boot before, but I think it could look really good...)
Dark Blue suede
Blind eyelets
Antiqued or matched edgetrim. I really can't decide which would look better. I see a lot of blue paired with antique edge trim, and I think it looks great, but I think that dark dots created by they black edgetrim could look pretty cool and subtle.
Plaza Last

That's one idea.

Another is for either a boot or shoe, would look good either way IMO. Although I have never seen the idea appear on a boot before, so maybe that would be the better option, not sure.
V-tip, single leather sole, regulare welt. This would be in either cordovan with the upper part of the v-tip being color 8 and the sides being black, or it would be with burnished walnut for the upper and black calfskin for the sides. Again, blind eyelets and and matched edge trim.
Double leather sole, regular welt. Hampton last.


I rarely see Alden mix colors and when they do, it almost always looks great! LS has done it a number of times with great results, including their v-tip shoe in cigar and black shell from a while back (the style of which clearly influences the design above...).

I hope you like my designs Tom


Thanks for replying to me.

I like the #8/black idea but the V-Tip never really appealed to the masses here in the States. The V-Tip continues to be in our top 3 selling shoes in-store, but we hardly sell any through mail order. So, although it was a great idea, probably not the best for this contest.

Originally Posted by Akeem
I've always liked chukka boots. I like the look of Alden's suede chukkas, but I don't like that they are unlined. My entry was for a chukka.

2 eyelets
snuff suede
plaza last
double waterloc sole with natural edge
fudge welt

Nothing exciting, but something I've never seen from Alden.


Love the idea. I think 3-4 people submitted that exact idea so there obviously is a demand for it. We do have a Plaza chukka coming though so we wanted to see how it turned out first.
 

LeatherSOUL

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Originally Posted by Magic1
Ah, I see, that's too bad.

And the blue suede medallion toe boot wasn't to your liking? What about a NST aberdeen or hampton last blue suede boot?


Blue suede NST sounds great!
 

Roguls

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Originally Posted by LeatherSOUL
Very interesting voting so far by the way, not what I expected at all.

Tom, do you usually get more votes than entries? I am not contacting my email box to have people I know vote for me, because, if I win, I want the votes to come from real connoisseurs, not my annoying aunt (my wife will be voting for me, though). I hope I didn't just give the other contestants any ideas.

Oh, and on the chromexcel: it is there for a reason: it is a fantastic leather.

Winn Perry has some fantastic Tan Vegano boots now, check them out.
 

LeatherSOUL

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Originally Posted by Roguls
Tom, do you usually get more votes than entries? I am not contacting my email box to have people I know vote for me, because, if I win, I want the votes to come from real connoisseurs, not my annoying aunt (my wife will be voting for me, though). I hope I didn't just give the other contestants any ideas.

Oh, and on the chromexcel: it is there for a reason: it is a fantastic leather.

Winn Perry has some fantastic Tan Vegano boots now, check them out.


So far, less votes than entries. I appreciate that you're keeping it to real shoe people. I have received a couple woman votes so I'm sure some wives are voting though!
 

Ahab

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Originally Posted by LeatherSOUL
So far, less votes than entries. I appreciate that you're keeping it to real shoe people. I have received a couple woman votes so I'm sure some wives are voting though!
To vote we send an email?
 

LynahFaithful

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Tom - Beautiful ravello chukka's up on your website. Gotta make sure you have at leat one narrow 11.5 next time!!
 
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