Made in Spain Footwear, including TLB Mallorca, Cobbler Union, Yanko, Norman Vilalta, etc

[Patrick1053]

I have two belts from TLB, now I'm obviously biased, but I really think they are great, don't think anyone getting them would be disappointed. I've worn my two belts literally every day the passed year, still look like new. They are made by Toni's father in his small workshop in the same leathers as the shoes, his father has worked as leather craftsman his whole life and is retired since several years, only thing he still do is to make the belts for his sons brand. When your boy asks, you gotta say yes ?

That's a really cool detail to know about the belts. Thank you for that. Really adds a generation family element to an already great brand.

 

[John8867]

I have a TLB belt too and it is one of the best I have. Not just the quality of the leather which is first class, but the workmanship is excellent, totally faultless. And once you factor in the great price, it's hard to beat. Before lockdown I went on holiday to Florence and my girlfriend bought me a belt from a very famous leather goods maker there (Sculolo del Cuois, bags primarily, no shoes) and it cost over twice the cost of a TLB belt and isn't as good imho.

 

[apd90700]

My main concern is my waist hovers between a 29-30" on most pants. Getting the 32"/80 may be a bit loose, but thinking it's a better option than going with a custom 30".

 

[apd90700]

Happy Memorial Day to anyone who wears a size 8.5 UK in loafers, and also needs a black penny for their collection.

Dali 137 Black Calf Penny Loafer -- $201-221 USD with special promo 15% off [not sure if it's a code or auto applied].

 

[apd90700]

Really a fan of the Oliver 654 w/o Medallion. This one has a special place in my heart being my first nice pair of shoes, along with my favorite color Vegano Burgundy.

 

[apd90700]

So... Trying to figure this thing out, since the Medium Brown Museum Calf looks to be closer to Vegano Brown than Old England Medium Brown.

Found this on Google -- https://gramho.com/explore-hashtag/lastedshoetrees
"The Gilstead in Chelmer or also known by some as the Walnut Museum, a medium brown [museum]..."

Looking at Yeossal's page to get an idea, since they use that naming convention of "Chelmer Museum" calf, and cross referencing it with Vlad Riche's channel, we get an idea of what the style of the Goya 111's color, brogue pattern and medallion would look like on a shoe in many different angles -- even if the last and make is different gives some better likeness for what this could look like.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

So... Trying to figure this thing out, since the Medium Brown Museum Calf looks to be closer to Vegano Brown than Old England Medium Brown.

Found this on Google -- https://gramho.com/explore-hashtag/lastedshoetrees
"The Gilstead in Chelmer or also known by some as the Walnut Museum, a medium brown [museum]..."

Looking at Yeossal's page to get an idea, since they use that naming convention of "Chelmer Museum" calf, and cross referencing it with Vlad Riche's channel, we get an idea of what the style of the Goya 111's color, brogue pattern and medallion would look like on a shoe in many different angles -- even if the last and make is different gives some better likeness for what this could look like.

Yeossal use Ilcea museum calf, TLB use Zonta. You can't compare the shades really. The medium brown Zonta museum has more red/orange tones in it, it's more similar to what is often called gold museum calf from Ilcea, not the walnut/chelmer.

Old England medium brown is more similar to Zonta medium brown museum than Vegano brown. Still a difference though.

 

[apd90700]

As Emil says, no problems at all, achieved this rather quick, and could easily have gone on to get a more proper mirror shine if I'd wished to. The grain isn't as pronounced over the toe where it's been pulled harder during lasting, and the pores have been more compressed, compared to a regular smooth calf leather.

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Have any more pictures of the Velazquez? Close up of the grain maybe. Also, do you have any other brands with grain to compare to? Thinking the SoH Utah Calf looks really deep compared to the Hatch on the TLB, but that's possibly just the images I've seen of the two.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Have any more pictures of the Velazquez? Close up of the grain maybe. Also, do you have any other brands with grain to compare to? Thinking the SoH Utah Calf looks really deep compared to the Hatch on the TLB, but that's possibly just the images I've seen of the two.

I don't have more pictures than what I shared in this post below, with the link to the article. Most would find that sufficient

Bought this pair this week, some pics below, even more here on the blog. Artista Reverse stitch toe derby in dark brown Horween hatch grain, Velazquez last, single city rubber sole.

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The SoH Utah grain is deeper, partly due to the grain being even more pronounced from the beginning and partly due to how the patterns are made, but mainly since SoH's factory last them looser than what TLB does. Pros and cons with both ways to do it.

 

[apd90700]

I don't have more pictures than what I shared in this post below, with the link to the article. Most would find that sufficient



The SoH Utah grain is deeper, partly due to the grain being even more pronounced from the beginning and partly due to how the patterns are made, but mainly since SoH's factory last them looser than what TLB does. Pros and cons with both ways to do it.

Does the apron sag on the Velazquez when wearing? Would you recommend sizing down half a size from your standard TLB oxford sizing? Do you prefer the hand stitched toe, or reverse stitched toe more on the TLB blucher/derby?

 

[JohnMRobie]

Does the apron sag on the Velazquez when wearing? Would you recommend sizing down half a size from your standard TLB oxford sizing? Do you prefer the hand stitched toe, or reverse stitched toe more on the TLB blucher/derby?

You'd be the exception not the rule if you sized down on derbys/monks.

 

[JohnMRobie]

Does the apron sag on the Velazquez when wearing? Would you recommend sizing down half a size from your standard TLB oxford sizing? Do you prefer the hand stitched toe, or reverse stitched toe more on the TLB blucher/derby?

I've seen you ask about sizing down and taking size guidance in general on a few threads. Hopefully this helps you figure out how to get fit advice in general and on here specifically that is actually helpful and not generalities.

Step 1: Get measured in some way to get a baseline - Whether it's someone who actually knows how to use a brannock device, getting fit into a shoe that fits or actually getting measured. If you live near an Allen Edmonds store in the US go there and try on a bunch of shoes and get measured. Get an idea of how all their different lasts fit your feet.

If you can't get measured or fit by someone, take your measurements and do some tracings as a last resort. There are a bunch of guides on how to do this. Ideally, have a friend or significant other help you here. Make a note of how tightly the measuring tape was pulled so you can share that with the maker. Was it pulled very tight? Was it just comfortably snug around your foot? Did you leave a little space? Make sure you get all the measurements you might need and don't neglect the long heel measurement.

Step 2: Talk to the maker or one of their retailers. Share with them your measurements or fit notes and take their guidance. If that isn't possible then come somewhere like SF. Plenty of people on here have a lot of experience in a lot of various brands/lasts/sizes but we need more information to be able to be helpful. Arbitrarily changing your sizes between loafers or derbys or oxfords is a good way to end up with shoes that don't fit.

Step 3: Once you have a shoe that is a good fit (know what a good fit is - I can't tell you how many people post pictures of their shoes on here that don't fit with their feet trying to explode out of them because they bought a pair that is too small). Don't assume there is anything that actually is "True to Size" - Unless you have easy to fit feet you could end up buying a lot of shoes that don't fit if you just ask if something runs true to size. Be prepared to share your fit notes if you want accurate feedback without throwing out your own suggestions.

For example: I'd be curious what size you'd recommend on this last. I typically take a US 10.5D/UK9.5E but am actually closer to a US 10.25D if there was a maker who made such a thing. I have a low instep, normal arch and lower volume foot on the edge of narrow/medium width. I also have a longer heel toe than heel ball size and bony feet which makes my toes sensitive to sizing down. My best RTW fits are Carmina Simpson in 9.5, Crockett Jones 348 in 9.5, Meccariello Soft Square in 9.5 (the instep is maybe 2mm high for me but a very good fit elsewhere), Edward Green 9.5/10 in 82. TLB Artista the instep is right on the edge of too high for me but a tongue pad solves this - I haven't tried an MTO in E width instead of their standard F. Any idea how this last compares to any of those if you have experience in them?

Step 4: You can check through other peoples fit notes and last comparisons. Meccariello has a page with some, Skoak has one. There are some others out there as well. Take the information you gathered about other people's experience, their feedback and you can look to add more data points. Take their guidance or don't. But most importantly, sometimes a shoe brand or their lasts just aren't going to fit your feet. Be ok with moving on and not getting something from a maker that isn't going to work unless they also offer modified lasts.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Does the apron sag on the Velazquez when wearing? Would you recommend sizing down half a size from your standard TLB oxford sizing? Do you prefer the hand stitched toe, or reverse stitched toe more on the TLB blucher/derby?

If an apron vamp piece "sag" on a split toe is all down to how the shoe fits the wearer. Very few size down, use a tongue pad if you need instead for derbys. What I prefer is irrelevant, it's what you prefer that matters. Both are hand stitched though, just different types of seams.

 

[apd90700]

What I prefer is irrelevant, it's what you prefer that matters.

Fair enough. I just ask because I'm new to dress shoes, and have my own opinions on apron and toe stitching for the split toe, but figure it's better to hear out any other opinions to develop my depth of taste.

 

[apd90700]

Anyone had a calf leather shoe get a drop of water on it, let the drop stand for five minutes and have a water spot that required polish to remove? Didn't occur on a TLB Mallorca, but wanting to see if that's a normal thing.