Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[davidVC]

This conversation about Brannocks piqued my curiosity. Went to eBay and found this rather unique Brannock device with Hanover branding. NML.

BTW, I bought the vintage Brannock with the Weyenberg branding.

Hanover Shoe metal "Measure Master" scale 13" x 6" brannock device | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hanover Shoe metal "Measure Master" scale 13" x 6" brannock device at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I bought a brannock device too a few years back. You can get one for around $30 on ebay. There is usually a number for sale.

 

[friendlygoz]

Fresh out of the USPS box... 93605s that look to have been worn maybe twice. At $199 plus shipping this is a pretty, pretty, pretty good score. My initial inspection reveals no cracking or dryness. The stitching is fantastic even compared to other vintage Florsheims. The right shoe is a lot darker than the right and that’s because these do not come from the same pair! Check out the difference in date and pair codes. The sole wear looks the same, suggesting that they were worn together. Hmm... is this cause for concern? I may be able to fix the color difference with acetone. I’m mostly fired up about these.

 

[smfdoc]

Not that I need to push this issue further, I was once at a Louis Vuitton store with an old flame. She didn't become Mrs. SFC.

As she shopped for bags, I was checking out their shoes. They were all north of $900. I asked a SA if any of them were GYW. He had a blank stare. He dutifully spoke to his colleagues. Finally a manager intervened and indicated they sell high end well made shoes. I showed them price points of John Lobb, Edward Greens, and Alden.

None of them had ever heard of those brands, let alone know what GYW was.

My dad used to tell me that at the Florsheim store in Hong Kong, the SA were dedicated professionals who knew their products inside and out. They even once called a US store to locate a specific size and style not available in Asia. They had it shipped to HK at costs. The store also had a complimentary shining service and repair shop.

The stockist that sold Dacks was likely the most impressive. He would discuss the latest NHL scores and his favourite Canadian beer brands. In the days without the internet. He actually had to research and experience the things he had knowledge about.

The days of those types of SA are swept into the crevices of history along with our favourite brands.

The lack of expertise is widespread. I was with some family at a steak house in Texas and my brother in law asked the waitress what wines they offered. She happily said, “Oh, we carry all three kinds of wine: Red, white and paink.” (Paink, not pink.)

 

[stook1]

Fresh out of the USPS box... 93605s that look to have been worn maybe twice. At $199 plus shipping this is a pretty, pretty, pretty good score. My initial inspection reveals no cracking or dryness. The stitching is fantastic even compared to other vintage Florsheims. The right shoe is a lot darker than the right and that’s because these do not come from the same pair! Check out the difference in date and pair codes. The sole wear looks the same, suggesting that they were worn together. Hmm... is this cause for concern? I may be able to fix the color difference with acetone. I’m mostly fired up about these. View attachment 1397632 View attachment 1397633 View attachment 1397634 View attachment 1397635 View attachment 1397636

They look great! Glad you are happy with them.

 

[CWOyaji]

Tassel loafer is best loafer

 

[Nealjpage]

Does anyone recognize the type of hide on these Olathe boots? Lizard, perhaps?

 

[nikolau]

Tassel loafer is best loafer View attachment 1397640

Man I was looking for tassel loafers on eBay literally today- do you have an alert set up? Great score.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Yep yep.

For the record, I rather like Suitsupply. They fit me well off the rack. I’ve had a good find or two on eBay to boot. But, yes, The people who work in those stores are super pompous. Usually when people act like that, they are compensating for their own lack of the qualities they they try so hard to project.

(Note, excuse silly pictures with background toys and such, my 5 year old went through a “daddy morning fashion-shoot“ phase last year, each day before I’d leave for the office; its the closest that I’ll get to pulling off WAYWRN shots.)

I own bespoke wonders:

And Suit Supply:

Obviously, the bespoke stuff, which costs many times more than the Suit Supply suit, fits better (and feels better), but for what it costs, the Suit Supply stuff is pretty good. Better than Men’s Whorehouse and such. Though you do have to make sure you’re okay with a slightly more fashion-forward profile.

 

[hamercha]

I hate to say this (because I’m not trying to sound mean spirited or anything), but folks working at AE retail stores aren’t highly-trained professionals. They’re retail sales employees, who are given very basic sales training, and are essentially no different than the retail sales associates selling handbags in the store next door.

The era of the shoe (or other type of) salesman, with some degree of learned expertise, spending his “career” selling shoes in an independent store, is long gone. The person selling you a shoe at an AE Store, will be over at Macy’s selling housewares, two months later if it means an extra 3 bucks an hour.

There might be exceptions, but I wouldn’t trust most of these AE sales associates to measure my feet correctly or understand last shapes, any more than I’d trust the drones at BestBuy to understand the technology they’re told to push. They’re just their to facilitate a transaction, not much else.

"but folks working at AE retail stores aren’t highly-trained professionals. They’re retail sales employees, who are given very basic sales training, and are essentially no different than the retail sales associates selling handbags in the store next door.

The era of the shoe (or other type of) salesman, with some degree of learned expertise, spending his “career” selling shoes in an independent store, is long gone. The person selling you a shoe at an AE Store, will be over at Macy’s selling housewares, two months later if it means an extra 3 bucks an hour."

You took word out of my mouth. Even 20 years ago, it was rare to find a sales people who can fit you. Most of what I see even back then in the store can only tell whether it match with your outfit or not. Department stores sales people are worse.

Also, most of the store only stock shoes in fewer width and sizes. On top of that if the sales person's salary is tied mostly to the sales, they have incentive to sale what they have in stock which pushes them not be honest and fit the shoes what is right for their customer. My two cents working in an independant store that stock most of the styles in wide varieties of size and paid not tied to the sales.

 

[madhat]

(Note, excuse silly pictures with background toys and such, my 5 year old went through a “daddy morning fashion-shoot“ phase last year, each day before I’d leave for the office; its the closest that I’ll get to pulling off WAYWRN shots.)

I own bespoke wonders:

And Suit Supply:

Obviously, the bespoke stuff, which costs many times more than the Suit Supply suit, fits better (and feels better), but for what it costs, the Suit Supply stuff is pretty good. Better than Men’s Whorehouse and such. Though you do have to make sure you’re okay with a slightly more fashion-forward profile.

Funny, I always pictured you as having a bag on your head, rather than no head.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Fresh out of the USPS box... 93605s that look to have been worn maybe twice. At $199 plus shipping this is a pretty, pretty, pretty good score. My initial inspection reveals no cracking or dryness. The stitching is fantastic even compared to other vintage Florsheims. The right shoe is a lot darker than the right and that’s because these do not come from the same pair! Check out the difference in date and pair codes. The sole wear looks the same, suggesting that they were worn together. Hmm... is this cause for concern? I may be able to fix the color difference with acetone. I’m mostly fired up about these. View attachment 1397632 View attachment 1397633 View attachment 1397634 View attachment 1397635 View attachment 1397636

Interesting... I wonder what the history of this “pair(?)” is? They sure are pretty, though.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Funny, I always pictured you as having a bag on your head, rather than no head.

The bag is so I don’t frighten people... kind of like wearing a pumpkin for a head. Wait, that didn’t make sense...

 

[happypebble]

Tassel loafer is best loafer View attachment 1397640

Tassel loafer is classy as F!

 

[CWOyaji]

Man I was looking for tassel loafers on eBay literally today- do you have an alert set up? Great score.

I do have an alert set up, but I turned off the email notifications because they were too distracting. These just popped up and were my size, so why not. I've been selling some backlog on Ebay and cash was piling up in my PayPal account, so time to indulge a little bit.

Spoiler: Can't wait till the thrifts open back up again

 

[meister]

"but folks working at AE retail stores aren’t highly-trained professionals. They’re retail sales employees, who are given very basic sales training, and are essentially no different than the retail sales associates selling handbags in the store next door.

The era of the shoe (or other type of) salesman, with some degree of learned expertise, spending his “career” selling shoes in an independent store, is long gone. The person selling you a shoe at an AE Store, will be over at Macy’s selling housewares, two months later if it means an extra 3 bucks an hour."

You took word out of my mouth. Even 20 years ago, it was rare to find a sales people who can fit you. Most of what I see even back then in the store can only tell whether it match with your outfit or not. Department stores sales people are worse.

Also, most of the store only stock shoes in fewer width and sizes. On top of that if the sales person's salary is tied mostly to the sales, they have incentive to sale what they have in stock which pushes them not be honest and fit the shoes what is right for their customer. My two cents working in an independant store that stock most of the styles in wide varieties of size and paid not tied to the sales.

Like Al Bundy right?...