Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[Joe Wohkittel]

Thanks, but in most of Canada it’s Canada Day. It’s something else in Quebec and something else again in PEI and Newfoundland, I think.
Suit will probably chime in and let us know exactly what and where.
kilowatts

Eh, they changed Armistice Day to "Veteran's Day" before I was born, but I call it Armistice Day anyways. Likewise, my state relabeled Columbus Day, but it's still Columbus Day. To my America ears, Dominion Day just sounds fantastic. Put up the bunting and God save the Queen!

 

[Nealjpage]

The other day, I came across these and thought "another black wingtip, poor resole, here's a pair to get rid of". I went to clean them up and saw the elo gates shortwing and notch in the broguing and thought (hmm, this is unique and definitely why I bought them). Then I searched catalogs for the style (Baltic) which I failed to locate and eventually learned was a special makeup of some sort (style number starts with 0). Now I don't want to sell them even though I have no use for them and will never wear them. I am a hoarder ?.

Meaning that they were only produced for a few years?

 

[CWOyaji]

Hanover for Bostonian PTBs that a bro from the thrift thread tipped me off to.

First time ever using Poshmark, on my birthday no less.

Spoiler: Happy Birthday to me.

All the size markings were rubbed off, but they turned out to be a glorious 13 D just like the listing promised. And no cracks, just some chipping along the topline that I smoothed out with nail polish.

 

[jpm1]

The other day, I came across these and thought "another black wingtip, poor resole, here's a pair to get rid of". I went to clean them up and saw the elo gates shortwing and notch in the broguing and thought (hmm, this is unique and definitely why I bought them). Then I searched catalogs for the style (Baltic) which I failed to locate and eventually learned was a special makeup of some sort (style number starts with 0). Now I don't want to sell them even though I have no use for them and will never wear them. I am a hoarder ?.

Great pattern! Probably a one off for a tent sale or Black Friday sale.

 

[wasmisterfu]

What's happening to me? Half the shoes I have don't even fit me. I think ya'll are a bad influence. Have a good 4th!

So that’s one rule I don’t violate, or things would come completely unglued in my household: every pair I own can be worn (even if I never actually wear them).

If I started buying shoes that weren’t my size... oh man, I shudder to think what would happen.

 

[suitforcourt]

So that’s one rule I don’t violate, or things would come completely unglued in my household: every pair I own can be worn (even if I never actually wear them).

If I started buying shoes that weren’t my size... oh man, I shudder to think what would happen.

Good rule. I have same one.

But unlike you, I do cull the herd to make way for new pairs. A cull is coming up, so the shoes will be posted on Etsy and Ebay. Consigned through @mariusscott

 

[sam67]

So that’s one rule I don’t violate, or things would come completely unglued in my household: every pair I own can be worn (even if I never actually wear them).

If I started buying shoes that weren’t my size... oh man, I shudder to think what would happen.

Ah, but a good deal is a good deal, imo. I get them back out the door and it gives me my 'shoe fund' for the ones that will fit me Because if I were buying for me out of the house funds, then things would come unglued here. Started a pool and just turning it over.....

 

[wasmisterfu]

I haven't worn a pair but I think the sole is cemented on.

The heel has been replaced. The original was a rubber and leather toplift.

Yeah, I have a pair (featured last week as part of the whole Congo-dandy discussion) of patent Florsheim’s that are the same cemented style construction. From what I can tell, the upper pattern is still assembled the same way, but instead of stitching it to the gemming to form up a completed rib, it’s just glued to the insole, and then the outsole is glued on top of that. So you have a pretty nicely constructed upper, that’s just cemented to the insole and to the outsole. No welt, no gemming (certainly no hand-welting holdfast or the like), just a bunch of cement.

I base this off of disassembling a similarly constructed pair of “expensive” Italian shoes, that a friend brought me for evaluation (to see if it they were worth fixing, which they weren’t). Just like the Florsheim’s, these things had a super thin sole, though these attempted to look more substantial (as is the trend nowadays) by having a fake vinyl welt. Basically, though, it’s the same construction.

I’m sure a Steve from Bedo’s could resole these, but they’re just so “disposable” in nature, why bother.

 

[HalfHuskyBite]

I bought this stuff five years ago and never used it because the warnings were so dire. First warning: "Causes substantial but temporary eye injury". It also says to wash "contaminated" clothing if you get it on yourself. But apparently it's okay for your shoes.

I believe this is the same stuff they use in bowling alleys on the rental shoes.

Thanks to you I bought the UV shoe sanitizer tool.
I still use Lysol and then UV treatment on my shoes.

 

[wasmisterfu]

The other day, I came across these and thought "another black wingtip, poor resole, here's a pair to get rid of". I went to clean them up and saw the elo gates shortwing and notch in the broguing and thought (hmm, this is unique and definitely why I bought them). Then I searched catalogs for the style (Baltic) which I failed to locate and eventually learned was a special makeup of some sort (style number starts with 0). Now I don't want to sell them even though I have no use for them and will never wear them. I am a hoarder ?.

0 prefix style numbers generally indicate a store special, non-catalog shoe (which the Baltic was, like the Lloyd and oxford Clifton) AE store specials were pretty prolific during the 80’s and 90’s, as AE was doing store specials for places like Nordstrom’s.

MTO’s, however, tend to have very strange style codes - more often than not, they’d carry a catalog number that doesn’t match the shoe (but might be close) with an additional prefix, or they have a partially random code.

Here’s another nice example of the Baltic:

This is my personal favorite store special, the oxford, 7 (97) last Clifton in black custom calf:

This is the nicer of the two pair that I have; I’ve been trying to find the Antique Burgundy version, in my size, for years. It might look like a Strand without a medallion, but on my feet, it’s a sleeker, more interesting shape (while similar, it’s actually a different pattern, not just the Strand pulled over a different last).

Anyway, chasing store specials can become quite a weird obsession. I spend a fairly unreasonable amount of time trying to find this Clifton, sorting through all the later 108 last derby Clifton’s on the Bay.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Good rule. I have same one.

But unlike you, I do cull the herd to make way for new pairs. A cull is coming up, so the shoes will be posted on Etsy and Ebay. Consigned through @mariusscott

 

[wasmisterfu]

Great pattern! Probably a one off for a tent sale or Black Friday sale.

They were a store special. There are three examples for sale on the Bay right now.

They had consistent numbering (e.g. both listed black cashmere calf examples are 0214). They were all built on the 4 (674) last, best known for it’s use on the Polo through 1990.

 

[stook1]

They were a store special. There are three examples for sale on the Bay right now.

They had consistent numbering (e.g. both listed black cashmere calf examples are 0214). They were all built on the 4 (674) last, best known for it’s use on the Polo through 1990.

Would you mind sharing some thoughts on how the 4 last fits? Eyeing that 10D pair although the soles look a bit worn.

 

[Joe Wohkittel]

0 prefix style numbers generally indicate a store special, non-catalog shoe (which the Baltic was, like the Lloyd and oxford Clifton) AE store specials were pretty prolific during the 80’s and 90’s, as AE was doing store specials for places like Nordstrom’s.

MTO’s, however, tend to have very strange style codes - more often than not, they’d carry a catalog number that doesn’t match the shoe (but might be close) with an additional prefix, or they have a partially random code.

Here’s another nice example of the Baltic:

This is my personal favorite store special, the oxford, 7 (97) last Clifton in black custom calf:

This is the nicer of the two pair that I have; I’ve been trying to find the Antique Burgundy version, in my size, for years. It might look like a Strand without a medallion, but on my feet, it’s a sleeker, more interesting shape (while similar, it’s actually a different pattern, not just the Strand pulled over a different last).

Anyway, chasing store specials can become quite a weird obsession. I spend a fairly unreasonable amount of time trying to find this Clifton, sorting through all the later 108 last derby Clifton’s on the Bay.

This is all very interesting, thank you!

 

[CWOyaji]

Househunting today with Mrs. Oyaji, we stumbled on one with an attic playroom that had near-infinite shoe collection display potential. It didn't make the cut due to minor issues like being near a noisy freeway. #SAD!