Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[wasmisterfu]

I’m tempted to buy them just so the brotherhood has something to talk about. Yes, I’d consider sacrificing my reputation for the sake of your entertainment.

Do it. I dare you. I double-dog-dare you.

(Note: I strongly recommend a heavy dose of 10-second cancer-in-a-can when the arrive.)

 

[wasmisterfu]

It’s probably the growing collection of funky shoes which could mean “young hipster” … or in my case “midlife crisis”.

I tell my wife it’s cheaper than air-cooled Porsches. That works. ??

My father was a carpenter so we had no need for dress shoes or classic menswear. I was probably the first person in my extended family to get an actual office job, so I rushed out and bought a pair of cemented black shoes because that’s what I thought one did. All those shoes are in a landfill somewhere.

It was my wife who suggested I look into getting some decent shoes. She might regret that idea now ?

Your wife is welcome on this thread anytime. It’s rare that people make such sound and worthy suggestions.

 

[wasmisterfu]

Thank you very much! You’re probably right about that, in our benchmark year of 1994, I celebrated my 2nd birthday.

You were born in 92?! To that, all I can say is...

 

[Raimar]

Graduated college 1995 in Charlottesville, VA. There was a J. Crew outlet store nearby that had some decent shoes back then. I remember my roommate and I saving for some black PTB's. I wore them for a decade and had them resoled at least once. They would be vintage now if I could find them. I just got into the vintage game recently, maybe 4-5 years ago, after learning about what makes a quality shoe.

 

[Nealjpage]

IMHO, Vintage is anything over 25 years. Antique is anything over 100. I’m going with non-violation / exemption.

Plus I get bonus points for rebuilding my own watch, right?

 

[Smooth Operator]

Crazy what hair-dryer and shoe cream can do!

 

[dddggjj]

There are pictures of all of them on VCleat: https://vcleat.com/florsheim-long-wing-models/

Thank you @mormonopoly

 

[happypebble]

You were born in 92?! To that, all I can say is...

Gen Xers! Millenials! Young punks calling me "OK Boomer.". As a member of the high school class of MCMLXXXII, I can't keep up with these young whippersnappers, so "get off my lawn" indeed. As for 1994, I was wearing tennis shoes exclusively...well, maybe had one pair of Birkenstocks by then, but no dress shoes. Not on my radar at all. When I got married in 1999 I actually had to buy a pair of dress shoes as I had none...no idea what they were.

 

[Nobleprofessor]

The thread is on fire lately! Very funny! I’m way behind again and need to catch up.

Someone posted a pair of Hanover pebble grain shoes that were advertised as shell Cordovan. They were NOT and it was obvious. But, it did start a discussion about pebble grain Shell. I know it does exist but is quite rare.

I THINK I remember somebody posting a pair on here years ago. Someone on Facebook mentioned that it is getting more popular. I would love to see a pair or find a pair.

I do wonder what the point is in making pebble grain Shell. Is it just for something different? Is it to cover up flawed Shell? I’m guessing the texture would add interest to it but it would also sort of eliminate the depth of Shell.

Anyone seen any pebble grain Shell lately?

Edit: just found this:

Derby Boot Black Scotch Grain Shell Cordovan

This month's Shell Cordovan preorder has us revisiting a special version of the leather for the first time in nearly two years. After sourcing a small batch of Black Scotch Grain Shell Cordovan from Horween we originally debuted the material on a Derby Shoe back in 2016. As an evolution of...

viberg.com

 

[eTrojan]

My first pair of “real” dress shoes was a pair of AE (shell) Cambridge’s, circa 92-93. My father insisted I needed a pair of proper shoes (which meant black cap toes), so of course I picked out the burgundy wingtips sitting atop the display stand... that also happened to be shell (I just liked how they looked). I guess he accepted that they were close enough to his idea of a shoe, that I wouldn’t embarrass him at whichever of his clubs I’d be instructed to meet him for lunch.

They were discounted as they’d been a special order, tried on and were rejected by the customer. So my dad negotiated them down further, until they were at or below a regular pair. The store owner was not happy, but he wanted them gone, and I thought they looked really neat.

Long story short, for nearly a decade I abused the living hell out of those shoes. My (really my father’s) cobbler kept fixing them (patching linings, resolings), trying his best to keep them presentable. As I’d been wearing them daily for many years on-endthe late 90’s, my complete disregard for even the most basic care (like bothering to put the shoe trees in), meant they’d self-destruct.

And that’s exactly what happened: being shell, a crack formed, I kept right on wearing them, it got bigger, and then, while walking, the whole seam let go. Today, to my shame, they sit buried in a Rubbermaid, either in my basement or storage unit. Buying my next pair or AE’s, with my own money, made me realize what a turd I’d been. I still have that pair, and I’ve taken very good care of them.

Moral of this story: I was an asshat.

Gen Xers! Millenials! Young punks calling me "OK Boomer.". As a member of the high school class of MCMLXXXII, I can't keep up with these young whippersnappers, so "get off my lawn" indeed. As for 1994, I was wearing tennis shoes exclusively...well, maybe had one pair of Birkenstocks by then, but no dress shoes. Not on my radar at all. When I got married in 1999 I actually had to buy a pair of dress shoes as I had none...no idea what they were.

We’re in a similar time space. By 1994, I was starting my second job after college and witnessing the transition from suits to business casual in the tech industry. I don’t recall what shoes I was wearing at the time. Likely a pair of black Bass Weejuns. I’m not sure I had yet discovered J&M — I soon acquired a pair of Deerfield tassel loafers that I still have (after at least one re-sole).

 

[smfdoc]

The thread is emphasizing my age with all of these dates. I graduated HIGH SCHOOL in 1976. I was late to the good shoe game. Started exploring Allen Edmonds in 2015. Vintage shoes in 2016, which was the stimulus to start this thread. Having six sons (Yes, I am a very macho man in the eyes of some cultures) I found it difficult to justify anything more than 3 pairs. Sneakers, church and everyday shoes. Now that they are grown my shoe collection has expanded somewhat. To keep it shoe related, an old picture of Florsheims I had recrafted.

 

[stook1]

The thread is on fire lately! Very funny! I’m way behind again and need to catch up.

Someone posted a pair of Hanover pebble grain shoes that were advertised as shell Cordovan. They were NOT and it was obvious. But, it did start a discussion about pebble grain Shell. I know it does exist but is quite rare.

I THINK I remember somebody posting a pair on here years ago. Someone on Facebook mentioned that it is getting more popular. I would love to see a pair or find a pair.

I do wonder what the point is in making pebble grain Shell. Is it just for something different? Is it to cover up flawed Shell? I’m guessing the texture would add interest to it but it would also sort of eliminate the depth of Shell.

Anyone seen any pebble grain Shell lately?

Edit: just found this:

Derby Boot Black Scotch Grain Shell Cordovan

This month's Shell Cordovan preorder has us revisiting a special version of the leather for the first time in nearly two years. After sourcing a small batch of Black Scotch Grain Shell Cordovan from Horween we originally debuted the material on a Derby Shoe back in 2016. As an evolution of...

viberg.com

The most common source of printed shell is from Enzo Bonafe, although Carmina just wrapped up a GMTO for color 8 hatch grain. If you want to see more photos check out the Enzo Bonafe threads. There have also been a few pairs I've seen from Gaziano & Girling that are drool worthy.

To answer your question, I see it as a bit of a novelty and I don't think it's done to cover up flaws in shell. I'm not sure it really changes the depth of the shell but it does make it a little more difficult to differentiate from grained calf (not that the average person is likely to notice shell in the first place). I don't own any printed shell but I'd really like to get a pair in willow grain at some point.

Coincidentally, this just came up on the Alden thread as well, by the way.

Willow example: https://www.styleforum.net/threads/...hases-pictures.236162/page-1738#post-10499675

 

[suitforcourt]

The thread is emphasizing my age with all of these dates. I graduated HIGH SCHOOL in 1976. I was late to the good shoe game. Started exploring Allen Edmonds in 2015. Vintage shoes in 2016, which was the stimulus to start this thread. Having six sons (Yes, I am a very macho man in the eyes of some cultures) I found it difficult to justify anything more than 3 pairs. Sneakers, church and everyday shoes. Now that they are grown my shoe collection has expanded somewhat. To keep it shoe related, an old picture of Florsheims I had recrafted.

View attachment 1611625

Age is only a number. Thanks to this thread and vcleat.com, my vintage shoe interest has grown and aged gracefully.

For the record, my parents hadn't even met in 1976. My dad was halfway across the world and my mom was a nurse in a British colonial outpost.

 

[Quantum17]

In 1994, I was an 8yo kid in Vietnam. Back then, if someone came up to my sewing table and told me I’d one day collect old shoes passionately, I’d told them that’s crazy… I’m joking, of course. We didn’t have table. Just a sewing machine on the floor. The 10yo kid next to me moved on to open Alibaba. Joke on him too, his stock is dropping… (Only the first sentence is true).

Presenting 40s Nunn Bush brown on brown spec vent. For awhile I thought they are 50s. After some help from David’s catalog and Dr. Google, I’m confident they are 40s. Their successors are indeed presented in Nunn Bush summer 1954 catalog, available on David’s. I learned so much from that site.

 

[smfdoc]

In 1994, I was an 8yo kid in Vietnam. Back then, if someone came up to my sewing table and told me I’d one day collect old shoes passionately, I’d told them that’s crazy… I’m joking, of course. We didn’t have table. Just a sewing machine on the floor. The 10yo kid next to me moved on to open Alibaba. Joke on him too, his stock is dropping… (Only the first sentence is true).

Presenting 40s Nunn Bush brown on brown spec vent. For awhile I thought they are 50s. After some help from David’s catalog and Dr. Google, I’m confident they are 40s. Their successors are indeed presented in Nunn Bush summer 1954 catalog, available on David’s. I learned so much from that site.

View attachment 1611739 View attachment 1611740 View attachment 1611741

Those are beauties!!