Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Chawk806]

Question? When buying vintage dress shoes do you usually need to have them re-soled?

 

[smfdoc]

Question? When buying vintage dress shoes do you usually need to have them re-soled?

Not me. I always insist on seeing pictures of the soles if possible. You cannot tell if there is a soft spot, but I always look for the amount of wear and the amount of thread stitching still present. For example, this pair has very little wear, especially since this is a double thick sole. Also beware of Italian shoes are made with thin soles. These will wear through in much less time.



I found a bigger issue is the amount of wear on the heels of a shoe. It is more likely they will wear out first and need new heels. Look for pictures like this to show the amount of wear. These have almost nothing and are in great condition. If the shoe has the original heels and they are in great condition, you can also bet the sole is in good condition.

 

[Chawk806]

Sweet. Thanks! If you see 11.5 or 12's when you are looking let me know. Sounds fun restoring

 

[Chawk806]

would you wear a nice pair of vintage wingtips with jeans?

 

[smfdoc]

would you wear a nice pair of vintage wingtips with jeans?

I was surprised to learn that wingtips are considered a "casual-ish" shoe. I thought the layers and fancy holes meant that it was the dressiest shoe out there. Turns out I was wrong. That title goes to whole cuts and cap toe balmorals. So, yes, I will wear wingtips with jeans and khaki without a thought. But that's me. I would prefer to wear them with slacks, but jeans will also work for me.

 

[VRaivio]

Smfdoc, there are several variables that go into the whole smart vs. casual shoe debate, but to boil it all down: the less seams, the less decorations, the thinner sole, the more contoured toe, the darker colour and the more petite-looking last make a formal pair. Gunboat models are usually the very opposite. Most of what Gaziano&Girling make are very formal.

 

[smfdoc]



Smfdoc, there are several variables that go into the whole smart vs. casual shoe debate, but to boil it all down: the less seams, the less decorations, the thinner sole, the more contoured toe, the darker colour and the more petite-looking last make a formal pair. Gunboat models are usually the very opposite. Most of what Gaziano&Girling make are very formal.

I totally agree. I was trying to narrow it down to the one question about jeans. Your explanation is far more succinct.

 

[MattRiv]

@JohnAAG are those all vintage? What style number are those brown Florsheims? Also, those AE PAs are the old style PAs and not Fifth Avenues right? If so, those are a KILLER find and would love to see more pictures.

 

[JohnAAG]



Thanks! All the Forsheims are vintage. The brown longwings are all 93602s. The black ones are 93604s. I also have a pair of Royal Imperials (97625) and some double v-cleat split toes (OF 3395; probably customs). The chukkas are 93058s, probably circa 1974 (or 84).

The AE PAs are actual PAs and probably the oldest of the AEs, by my guess. I wrote AE today with the codes of the different models I've found to see if they could help with dates, but I haven't heard back yet.

The Aldens seem pretty old, but I need help with those codes to get an approximate date. All the Euro shoes are likely more recent models.

I'll post more pics once I get them cleaned up!

 

[Chawk806]



I totally agree. I was trying to narrow it down to the one question about jeans. Your explanation is far more succinct.

Thanks y'all. I don't know all the rules.

 

[MattRiv]

Thanks! All the Forsheims are vintage. The brown longwings are all 93602s. The black ones are 93604s. I also have a pair of Royal Imperials (97625) and some double v-cleat split toes (OF 3395; probably customs). The chukkas are 93058s, probably circa 1974 (or 84).

The AE PAs are actual PAs and probably the oldest of the AEs, by my guess. I wrote AE today with the codes of the different models I've found to see if they could help with dates, but I haven't heard back yet.

The Aldens seem pretty old, but I need help with those codes to get an approximate date. All the Euro shoes are likely more recent models.

I'll post more pics once I get them cleaned up!

Your 93602s are both darker than mine (middle).



The Park Avenue has been a shoe with many different looks over the years... based on Issuu's database of old AE catalogs...

in 1957, it was a stitch cap derby.



1968 it showed up again as a plain toe derby.



the forgettable 1972 square toe single monk.



and finally the stitch cap oxford that we know it as today, although this is a 7 eyelet version in 1980.



I didn't see anything other than the Fifth Avenue that looked like your shoe but it's possible that shoe pre-dates 1957. Would love to see pictures of the insole and outsole, as well as more detailed pics once you clean them up.

 

[M635Guy]

would you wear a nice pair of vintage wingtips with jeans?

Oh hell yes.

Those boots are cool...

 

[smfdoc]



I started this thread 5 months ago and today it passed a very small milestone of 10,000 views. Thanks to those who have shared information and pictures of their vintage shoes and related products. Please continue posting your own shoes, related items and any great find you may have seen that were not your size. Others may be interested.

@smfdoc

Welcome to all of the new guys posting on the thread and sharing their great shoes. More posts make it great for the thread readers. The interest here in all things vintage is accelerating. It took 5 months to get the first 10,000 views as of 12/16/16. Just one month later the thread passed 15,000 views today. I, for one, know I am having fun and still learning. Thanks for sharing your passion.

@smfdoc

 

[Chawk806]



Oh hell yes.

Those boots are cool...

Thanks bud

 

[ace13x]

Your 93602s are both darker than mine (middle).




The Park Avenue has been a shoe with many different looks over the years... based on Issuu's database of old AE catalogs...

in 1957, it was a stitch cap derby.



1968 it showed up again as a plain toe derby.



the forgettable 1972 square toe single monk.



and finally the stitch cap oxford that we know it as today, although this is a 7 eyelet version in 1980.



I didn't see anything other than the Fifth Avenue that looked like your shoe but it's possible that shoe pre-dates 1957. Would love to see pictures of the insole and outsole, as well as more detailed pics once you clean them up.

I have a feeling, AE interchanged the name of the Fifth Avenue and Park Ave in certain foreign markets. I saw a more recent pair of PA's from a seller in Italy, where the insole was clearly stamped Fifth Ave.