Vintage Dress shoe appreciation, tips, maintenance and advice

[friendlygoz]

Happy wingtip Wednesday. My contribution: Late 1980s 93602 with newly refurbished edged by yours truly.

 

[smfdoc]

Happy wingtip Wednesday. My contribution: Late 1980s 93602 with newly refurbished edged by yours truly. View attachment 1744065 View attachment 1744066 View attachment 1744068

Did you have the4 contrast stitching added? I am trying to decide if mine are just dirty or if they used a darker thread in some years. I have seen some stitches cleaned up and looking great and others, not so much.

 

[eTrojan]

Wingtip Wednesday: Freeman Bootmaker Guild CORFAM LWB.

After the recent chatter about corfam, I decided to bust these bad boys out.

 

[CWOyaji]

Wingtip Wednesday with some thrifted AE Mcadam boots from yesterday and a guilt-free organic cotton Patagonia shirt for me.

Not vintage but they clean up pretty good.

10 1/2 D BTW.

 

[JFWR]

Happy wingtip Wednesday. Sorry my friend, but you are going to have a LOT of dropped pass days. As a wearer of the same size, I can sympathize. BUT, some days you will catch the pass. Today is such a day as this the maiden wearing of these 12EEE Florsheims I picked up. I have decided to strip them and dye them as Chestnut Florsheims thanks to @Quantum17 who is mailing me some genuine Chestnut Florsheims for color comparisons since I have never seen a pair in real life.

View attachment 1743721

I know. I am glad that Hanover and AE used to make a goodly amount of big footed wear, and of course, Florsheim later in the vintage game.

It's just a pity I can't get those amazing sort of shoes @mormonopoly gets from the 40s. I doubt there's a single pair out there in my size at this point.

 

[Oshare]

Anyone 10C? There is a pair of AE Nassau shark skins on eBay. FR stamped factory rejects, but I can't see anything wrong with them on the surface. Price is pretty good too. Not my listing.

If they were a D width, I'd have snapped them up... but C is pushing it a bit too far for my feet.

Vintage ALLEN EDMONDS 'Nassau' Brown Sharkskin Leather Wingtips Sz. 10C | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage ALLEN EDMONDS 'Nassau' Brown Sharkskin Leather Wingtips Sz. 10C at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Thomas Crown]

Happy wingtip Wednesday. Sorry my friend, but you are going to have a LOT of dropped pass days. As a wearer of the same size, I can sympathize. BUT, some days you will catch the pass. Today is such a day as this the maiden wearing of these 12EEE Florsheims I picked up. I have decided to strip them and dye them as Chestnut Florsheims thanks to @Quantum17 who is mailing me some genuine Chestnut Florsheims for color comparisons since I have never seen a pair in real life.

View attachment 1743721

Good choice-Chestnut is a great rich color that I’m surprised Florsheim didn’t make for more years than they did.

 

[smfdoc]

Good choice-Chestnut is a great rich color that I’m surprised Florsheim didn’t make for more years than they did.

This is the pair he is sending. Versatile color for sure. I will be able to wear them more often than the Forest green. I think they are mostly a deep, rich brown, with maybe a touch of red/burgundy tone. I will have to see them in person.

 

[Jiqea]

I had a lovely pair of Hy-Spot U-wings come in today, built in 1954 or 1955. They were a JC Penny house brand and sold for $10.95. The advert is from 1954.

 

[stook1]

This is the pair he is sending. Versatile color for sure. I will be able to wear them more often than the Forest green. I think they are mostly a deep, rich brown, with maybe a touch of red/burgundy tone. I will have to see them in person.

View attachment 1744173

I'd be very glad to provide return shipping on that pair once you are all done. Really appreciate the period correct shoe trees @Quantum17

 

[kilowatts]

Wingtip Wednesday with some thrifted AE Mcadam boots from yesterday and a guilt-free organic cotton Patagonia shirt for me. View attachment 1744139
Not vintage but they clean up pretty good.
View attachment 1744140
10 1/2 D BTW.
View attachment 1744141

You constantly produce incredible finds week after week. Quite amazing and a little depressing too, as I try hard to do the same with less than stellar results.
kilowatts

 

[CWOyaji]

Well if it makes you feel better, I had to pay up for the AEs ($30). Seriously it's all in fun though, and just a numbers game. If you can find thrifts near where wealthy donors live and go regularly, you'll find things.

 

[Thomas Crown]

This is the pair he is sending. Versatile color for sure. I will be able to wear them more often than the Forest green. I think they are mostly a deep, rich brown, with maybe a touch of red/burgundy tone. I will have to see them in person.

View attachment 1744173

They will look great with the 93602 contrasting welt stitching

 

[Thomas Crown]

Well if it makes you feel better, I had to pay up for the AEs ($30). Seriously it's all in fun though, and just a numbers game. If you can find thrifts near where wealthy donors live and go regularly, you'll find things.

I once had a guy on another thread try to refute my assertion that thrifting is largely influenced by the region and economics of the location. I had observed that I could find a lot of AE shoes in good condition because I was in Milwaukee. Not only is AE a local company here,but the population is loyal to local businesses and as a mainly (historically) blue collar city,most of the dress shoe purchases were for occasions rather than work. Therefore they aren’t worn out and the thrifty midwesterners kept them in the boxes with shoe trees as they were an expensive purchase

 

[friendlygoz]

Did you have the4 contrast stitching added? I am trying to decide if mine are just dirty or if they used a darker thread in some years. I have seen some stitches cleaned up and looking great and others, not so much.

View attachment 1744093

I cleaned the stitching on these. They were near NOS, so it was pretty easy. I've had good success on other pairs too, but I also have a pair where the welt stitching just didn't want to be cleaned no matter how much I tried.