Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[CWOyaji]

@suitforcourt I live uphill from SFO, in a town with 59 chinese restaurants in it. (No exaggeration, and I really do mean no exaggeration). So finding Lo Mai Gai, Char Xiu Bao, Xiao Long Bao, Har Gow etc. etc. is exceedingly easy here. If come to the Bay Area someday to take a deposition or something, please let me know. Be happy to show you around.

 

[HalfHuskyBite]

Hey guys,

I want to know of your opinion of Vintage Clark's shoes. I found these on the bay but I am hesitant to buy them. I don't know if the quality is any good or if the sizing is any different than the Clark's desert boots that are now Made in Vietnam.
Thanks for any input!

 

[kilowatts]

Hi Guys:

I picked up a pair of Alden 990 shell PTBs size 10.5D today at my local VV. Cleaned them up a bit and they join the next shipment to Marius.

kilowatts

 

[suitforcourt]

@suitforcourt I live uphill from SFO, in a town with 59 chinese restaurants in it. (No exaggeration, and I really do mean no exaggeration). So finding Lo Mai Gai, Char Xiu Bao, Xiao Long Bao, Har Gow etc. etc. is exceedingly easy here. If come to the Bay Area someday to take a deposition or something, please let me know. Be happy to show you around.

I will certainly take you up on that generous offer.

My area is pretty flush with great food choices. The recent surge of immigrants from mainland China has increased my exposure to cuisines from northern China.

Also Japanese ramen is the new fad in Canada. You know it's first world problems when one has to decide which pair of vintage shoes to wear and whether to eat Jamaican jerk or Afghan kabob for lunch.

 

[suitforcourt]

View attachment 1123885 View attachment 1123886 View attachment 1123887 View attachment 1123888

Hey guys,

I want to know of your opinion of Vintage Clark's shoes. I found these on the bay but I am hesitant to buy them. I don't know if the quality is any good or if the sizing is any different than the Clark's desert boots that are now Made in Vietnam.
Thanks for any input!

I have never inspected a pair myself. But my mom exclusively wore K Shoes of England and Clarks when they were still made in the jolly end of the Empire.

My mom says Clarks was comfortable and well made. She used them as her nursing shoes back when nurses had to wear white shoes. She said running, walking, and standing, were never an issue.

She can't find any modern day equivalent at the same price point.

If they are right price, consider buying and having a good cobbler recraft them.

 

[suitforcourt]

Hi Guys:

I picked up a pair of Alden 990 shell PTBs size 10.5D today at my local VV. Cleaned them up a bit and they join the next shipment to Marius.

kilowatts

And afterwards you slurped down a bowl of ramen at Kintaro?

 

[friendlygoz]

Thank you, you're far too kind. But verily I say unto thee that on the Thrift Brag Thread, I am only a bit player. The full-time thrifters there put me to shame. Though I do have a route that pays off well for the time I have to spend on it, which is between 9 and 12 on Saturday mornings.
In this case, after finding the pair of 92604s with one shoe tree in them, it took me about ten solid minutes of pawing through the flotsam and jetsam of what american footwear has become to find the other tree. It was hiding beneath a pair of boots with what looked like an exit wound in the achilles tendon area.
Shoes are $2 a pair at the bins, but to be sporting I took the trees out and paid for them by the pound.
As good luck would have it, these shoes and the trees are Florsheim size 12 C, which fits my older son. He got some ethrift $15 shell 93605s for Christmas and loved them. I cleaned this pair up and will polish them and post tomorrow; they are 1981 vintage and look great.
@Thomas Crown if you are in the Bay Area let me know. Also, @friendlygoz, if you can get up early on Saturday I'll show you around some of the stores that have been productive and we can get some dim sum for lunch after if you're up for it. LMK.

That would be amazing. I figure it’s like Luke going to Degobah to train with an extremely well dressed Yoda. The trick is to find a Saturday. I’ll text you to figure something out.

 

[friendlygoz]

Roger that!—that dude on the FB page should go back to his flip flops n’ tube socks! Just so happens I rocked the Candy Cane/Barber poll laces with my ‘67 Flor-shell PTB’s on Christmas Day,and don’t plan on changing them anytime soon! View attachment 1123875

Stay strong, my brother.

 

[CWOyaji]

That would be amazing. I figure it’s like Luke going to Degobah to train with an extremely well dressed Yoda. The trick is to find a Saturday. I’ll text you to figure something out.

Am thinking hitting the bins with a first-timer will be like Obe Wan taking Luke to the Cantina on Mos Eisley

This place can get a little rough

 

[DapperAndy]

Alden 907s for a day of meetings.

Interesting info about Alden: Apparently, Alden knows their shoes are conservative in style, and they want it that way. Or it started that way, and they want it to be maintained.

From an interview of their lead man:

"From my point of view, we are selling a practical shoe with orthopaedic origins, designed to fit and to be comfortable. The toe shape of our shoe is not a fashion shape. The lasts were originally designed for people with specific foot, leg and back problems.

Some of the lasts are more extreme, and sometimes those lasts get picked up by fashion people, but we have to explain to them that that’s not what we do."

https://www.permanentstyle.com/2016/10/interview-john-happ-of-alden-and-the-danger-of-fashion.html

I only have 2 pairs (907 and 645). Both are extremely conservative and not forward fashion in terms of style or look. The 907 is very generous in the toe box and vamp area. The 645 is more of a snug fit. But both pairs are comfortable even after a day of walking and running around.

They clearly aren't aware of the marketing asset they have with the "Alden Army". Building a tribe of people who follow you is one of the biggest challenges as a brand. It's what we do for "Go Natural" / "Go Pure". Silly Alden, it's already built for you.

 

[JohnAAG]

They clearly aren't aware of the marketing asset they have with the "Alden Army". Building a tribe of people who follow you is one of the biggest challenges as a brand. It's what we do for "Go Natural" / "Go Pure". Silly Alden, it's already built for you.

This is jumping back to the conversation from a couple of weeks ago, but it would be interesting to see Florsheim try something similar with its "Force" of vintage shoe lovers. Maybe another shot at a limited edition model, made to 1980s specs? Or some kind of collaboration with the right designer?

We've all seen how other "traditional" footwear brands have surged in popularity after showing up on the ""right" pair of feet, without the core product itself having to change. I'm thinking of Hunter boots, Birkenstock, New Balance, Red Wings, Bean Boots. Could Florsheim do the same?

 

[Paul902]

Am thinking hitting the bins with a first-timer will be like Obe Wan taking Luke to the Cantina on Mos Eisley
View attachment 1123930
This place can get a little rough
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But you just might find the "droids" you are looking for. Good luck and have fun when you do it!

 

[Jiqea]

I have done it!!!! I have unlocked the secret to be allowed to have an unlimited supply of vintage shoes. This morning my wife, unsolicited, sent me a photo of her wearing a pair of vintage Dacks Oxfords at work. I think I shall cruise the @davidVC list and pick something out for myself!!!

 

[Paul902]

^ Nice job!

 

[Oshare]

Not my listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/202593948858

Pair of Hanover LB Sheppard black PTBs on the bay. They look like shell to me, appear to be in good shape (seller notes a scuff mark, but I'm guessing it could possibly be buffed out), and at a fair price. I was ready to pounce on them until I saw the width was 10 C/A... too narrow for my feet.