***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[Beatlegeuse]



I try to look for the silver lining.... Having to wait for pre-orders actually helped me space out the cash flow requirements

Very true! Although I think I have 3 pairs that are scheduled to arrive within the next 2-3 months. I need to try and restrain myself from getting on too many more pre-orders.

 

[mdubs]



Hard to imagine few, if any, of those who purchase whiskey shell boots doing manual labor in them. There are some dudes who are afraid to subject certain shell shoes to rain. Cheers.

Smooth, I completely agree. Personally I am NOT going to do my muddy yard work in $800 that took me 2 years of inquiring and waiting to get. That logic for me applied genetically to the Cordovan Indy Boot. Thus I prefer to "class" it up a notch by Plaza-fying it...

 

[Burzan]



Sh$t. I better wear mine for the first time before the next batch hits...

How you guys go so long with unworn stuff is beyond me lol (well besides the Mdubs level collections maybe). I had to break out the Tanker on carpet for a bit tonight because I was so excited to wear them. It's also going to be really hot tomorrow but that won't stop me

 

[kwhitelaw]

Sh$t. I better wear mine for the first time before the next batch hits...

you and me both, haven't even slipped them on

 

[mdubs]

How you guys go so long with unworn stuff is beyond me lol (well besides the Mdubs level collections maybe). I had to break out the Tanker on carpet for a bit tonight because I was so excited to wear them. It's also going to be really hot tomorrow but that won't stop me

Hah, part of my problem is the volume in which I have ingested, but part of my problem is that I have created a clearly defined process of receiving and then photographing (logging) my new purchases for my sake and to try and help the community. I do not always necessarily "intentionally" hold onto unworn shoes for prolonged periods of time. The photography of my shoes tends to be the long pole in the tent.

 

[CEE88]



Maybe people were just properly fitted back in the day.

Interesting thought. I do find it strange that most stores offer wide and even sometimes extra-wide fittings in a lot of different styles, but narrow and extra-narrow shoes are much much harder to come by. Are there more wide-footed people out there, or are there just more of them buying higher quality footwear?

Agree with both your sentiments. Not sure about the question whether wide footed guys are getting classier than their EEEE-footed ancestors (lol!) - maybe somebody else has an opinion on that one.

It wasn't THAT long ago that you could walk into a local shoe store and pick up wide OR narrow widths for shoes like Allen Edmonds or (Made in Maine) Bass. I still remember trying and buying C width Weejuns (kids size), at a local shop. Alden seems to carry a pretty decent range of widths for stock shell & non-shell models. Shouldn't fit, width in particular, be even MORE important for a $700+ shoe? I feel like I've compromised on ideal fit with special make up shells at least 3 or 4 times. Strange, because they're truly custom shoes, right?

 

[Burzan]

Hah, part of my problem is the volume in which I have ingested, but part of my problem is that I have created a clearly defined process of receiving and then photographing (logging) my new purchases for my sake and to try and help the community. I do not always necessarily "intentionally" hold onto unworn shoes for prolonged periods of time. The photography of my shoes tends to be the long pole in the tent.

I am sure many members, such as myself, are very thankful and appreciate your photos. I have more than a few sets of your pics saved in my shoe want folder. The latest being the Whiskey PTB you posted not long ago.

 

[CEE88]



nephew,
thank you
one of there best models, introduced in 1947 by alden, and standard stock with no wait time

When you see it in the context of all the other beautiful Aldens pictured here, it really does look fresh & timeless. I have never worn a tassel shoe in my life, but seeing your photos makes me want to give it (model 563?) a try.

 

[thebeebs]

nephew,
thank you
one of there best models, introduced in 1947 by alden, and standard stock with no wait time

For those new to Aldens, it's worth noting that some of the best make-ups are the regular offerings in black and color 8. This thread is heavily skewed towards exotic shell colors and boots, but the more I buy, the more I appreciate models like the 563/664, 684/6845, 2210/2211, 9015/9016, 975/9751, 990/9901, etc. My opinion only, but one shared by many of my fellow collectors.

 

[mdubs]

Speaking of 9571's, I just got mine in the mail today!

-Mike

 

[thebeebs]

^ 9751 is a workhorse, and built like a freaking tank! I wear mine with everything from jeans to suits. Enjoy!

 

[AldenKappa]



Speaking of 9571's, I just got mine in the mail today!

-Mike

Please post some pics of the 9751. On another business trip this week with the 975 and natty CXL LWB and looking at adding the 9751 to the rotation.

 

[ReppTiePrepster]

^ 9751 is a workhorse, and built like a freaking tank! I wear mine with everything from jeans to suits. Enjoy!

Indeed...

Worn frequently, but highly underrated!

@mdubs enjoy them in great health Mike!

 

[chipshot]



^ gorgeous. god damnit why cant alden make c width barrie shoes?

I love you candor NAMOR! Makes me laugh and joyfull.. Ha Ha

 

[mdubs]

^ gorgeous. god damnit why cant alden make c width barrie shoes?

NAMOR, I guess that I do not completely understand this comment. Alden can indeed make B through EEE width shoes on the Barrie Last. However, I have been told that Alden has depricated several of their A-width lasts on the Barrie without the intent of replacing them. I can speak for that explicitly on the 10.5A and 11A front. But, I have held and tried on a C width last, specially a LWB on the Barrie in 10C (with that said, I have also tried on an 11A and 10.5A, which fortunately did not work for me, as it is no longer available). It is possible, that Alden does not make a C width last in your length (I believe that you are 12 or 12.5) due to the lack of market or some other consideration (amount of wood required to make a last that large!).

With that said, getting narrow shoes kind of sucks as Alden will typically only allow 3 different widths to be made on any particular run. Pre-ordering is the only way for me to get B widths on my Aldens and that requires some patience and perseverance and sometimes I get cut out by the EE or EEEs...

Finally, for any Alden "standard shoe model" (ones available on aldenshoe.com), they can be ordered at any time in any size of which they have a last for and they will make them as soon as possible (presumably when they do another run of that model).

-Mike