Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[jpm1]

Nice! I was going to comment that curve as the balmoral line goes under the tab isn't there on modern Atoms, but I looked at my pair...sure is there!

I have asked Alden for the genesis of the naming of the “Atom Blucher” and nobody really has a definitive answer. The consensus is that the pattern was either created or popular during the Cold War era. Maybe someone thought that style was “the bomb”? Not sure if that was part of pop culture nomenclature back then. Great pattern nevertheless. Florsheim had a similar as well that I would love to find in my size.

 

[madhat]

Thank you! Alden actually has a balmoral atom-esq pattern that they call the campus bal.

I have been trying to get them to allow us to run them again but unfortunately this pattern is not likely to be seen again.

View attachment 1419210

I would be game for that pattern if you can ever get them to run it again.

I have asked Alden for the genesis of the naming of the “Atom Blucher” and nobody really has a definitive answer. The consensus is that the pattern was either created or popular during the Cold War era. Maybe someone thought that style was “the bomb”? Not sure if that was part of pop culture nomenclature back then. Great pattern nevertheless. Florsheim had a similar as well that I would love to find in my size.

Heh. Interesting. I have seen similar from some other makers, but I've never seen wide variants pop up. I can actually order my size from Alden!
I'm personally partial to the cap toe variant for the Atom, but the short wings are still nice. So many details to look at.

 

[jpm1]

I would be game for that pattern if you can ever get them to run it again.

Heh. Interesting. I have seen similar from some other makers, but I've never seen wide variants pop up. I can actually order my size from Alden!
I'm personally partial to the cap toe variant for the Atom, but the short wings are still nice. So many details to look at.

Cap front is nice too!

 

[madhat]

View attachment 1419217
Cap front is nice too!

Agreed! I've got the Plaza on leather that JSO did with Adam. I was a bit sad I missed your green suede one!

 

[jpm1]

Uhhhhhhhhhh... something bad happened to those 0667 Lloyd’s. I think they got hit with a bunch of brown shoe polish. I have a very low-wear example of the same shoes (same production year), and they should look like this (the color may look a little saturated, but that’s because I took the photo with a sunset coming through the window):

Anyhoo, they’re supposed to be a tan pin-grain, not brown.

Edit: AE was still doing drill linings on a lot of shoes up until they went all leather a few years later. Also, this version of the Lloyd was made using the MacGregor pattern pulled over the 97 last. Even though the MacGregor ceased production 6 years earlier, they reused the exact same pattern, stitch for stitch, brogue punch and medallion, including the 7 eyelets.

FU these are incredible. The MacGregor pattern might be my favorite bal pattern that they have.

What stands out to me on your pair is how well the medallion is positioned. That strand medallion could look a little crowded and pushed forward on the 65 last wings, particularly on narrower sizes. The proportions on the 97 are just perfect. What size are those?

edit: 14b. Just noticed.

 

[suitforcourt]

These are just abominations.

Used Men's Florsheim @Ease Black Leather Shoes 9.5m | ShopGoodwill.com

www.shopgoodwill.com

 

[jpm1]

These are just abominations.

Used Men's Florsheim @Ease Black Leather Shoes 9.5m | ShopGoodwill.com

www.shopgoodwill.com

No argument here lol

 

[wasmisterfu]

The seller claims that he cleaned all of the all the wax polish off with acetone, cleaned them with saddle soap, and hit them with various Saphir products. I wonder how if he did some sort of patina. Yours are amazing. I want a pair of these. My collection is shortwing deficient. That’s a thing you know.

Shortwing deficiency is a serious problem that impacts 9 out 10 men. I personally always feel as though I have a shortwing deficiency.

I highly recommend early (MacGregor pattern) Lloyd’s, the MacGregor itself, the venerable McAllister, the bitchin’ Broadstreet (in all its forms), and the Chester. You should strive to have at least a half dozen of each.

 

[wasmisterfu]

While searching for the pair of City Club shoes I vaguely recall owing, I stumbled across these and figured I'd add them to the recent discussion on AEs. From the 50s or 60s I suppose. I'll have to look through their old catalogs.

Followup: Looks like they are pre ~1962 font change and are in catalogs going back at least to the mid-1950s.

Those are mid to late 50’s and they are MacGregor’s, my favorite AE model. All hail the mighty MacGregor, on the badass MacGregor 0 last. The greatest shortwing of all time (according to me). I have two pairs of those; they made them essentially unmodified, except for trimming the welt closer and color/leather texture changes (scotch grain to cashmere, different colors) all the way to 1978. Also, if you look at the 1984 Lloyd’s I posted, you’ll notice they’re based on an identical upper pattern, so they kept the pattern around until at least 84.

If you ever see a MacGregor pair in your size, you should buy them.

 

[wasmisterfu]

I’ve decided that today is MacGregor Monday, and I will now spam the thread with MacGregor’s:

1940’s advert, labeling it the McGregor (I think it was a misprint - happened mire:

I like the MacGregor.

 

[wasmisterfu]

These are just abominations.

Used Men's Florsheim @Ease Black Leather Shoes 9.5m | ShopGoodwill.com

www.shopgoodwill.com

Counselor, I don’t know what I’m looking at here. I’m very confused; do those have laces? What’s all the flappy things going on? Why do they look they way they do? I just don’t understand.

 

[Nealjpage]

I’ve decided that today is MacGregor Monday, and I will now spam the thread with MacGregor’s:

1940’s advert, labeling it the McGregor (I think it was a misprint - happened mire:

I like the MacGregor.

"Higher west of the Rockies." No wonder I don't see them in rural Oregon. That and loggers didn't wear them.

 

[wasmisterfu]

An interesting pair of seal leather John McHale Custom shoes were listed on Etsy this week. The sock liner in one of the shoes indicates that they were part of the "Caravan Collection". Their styling is identical to a pair of elephant John McHales that I own, so I pulled them out for a closer look. Although the sock-liner is almost entirely worn, sure enough I could make out that they too were part of the caravan! I suspect that they date to the late 60's or 70's, taking advantage of the exotic leather craze and attempting to compete with Dacks, who had a long and successful run with exotics. Unfortunately I cant locate an advertisement for the Caravan Collection, but there must be one out there somewhere.

I wonder what other members there were in the McHale Caravan. One would think that camel would be a must, and if seals are allowed then Alligator and Shark cant be far behind. I had thought that my pair of Elephant McHales must have been a special order but it appears they were part of a production run.


View attachment 1419093 View attachment 1419094 View attachment 1419095

Those are crazy. I really like the shape of the lasts that McHale used. I hope to someday find a pair of McHale’s in my size. Maybe even in one of these crazy leathers.

 

[Jiqea]

Those are crazy. I really like the shape of the lasts that McHale used. I hope to someday find a pair of McHale’s in my size. Maybe even in one of these crazy leathers.

You should start with one of the "Bomber" last John McHales. Either the short wing brogue or the cap-toe Bluchers can be found. Here are a handful of mine.

 

[Hotel Cali]

You should start with one of the "Bomber" last John McHales. Either the short wing brogue or the cap-toe Bluchers can be found. Here are a handful of mine. View attachment 1419313

What would be the description of this color? Mohagany?