What is the best "bang-for-buck" dress shoe under $500?

[Jerry52]

Ideally a leather blucher-tongue or "derby" dress shoe. I'm talking the best possible combination of understated style, foot support and quality of construction. Obviously it won't be bench-made for $500 or less. In American shoes, I suppose the consensus will be Alden or Allen Edmonds. But I'm also very interested in the Italian and English shoes. There are MANY brands. What do you nominate for the finest, in a cost-effective sense?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[kronik]

Crockett and Jones Handgrades
Santoni Classics or FAMs (from Yoox)
A number of choices on eBay .. Lobbs, Greens, C&J are all at or around the 500 dollar price point.

 

[Jerry52]

Sure nearly anybody would like a Lobb or Edward Green, but from what I've heard around here, there are many "fakes" on EBAY. How can one figure out a reliable source on EBAY?

 

[drizzt3117]

I don't think you're going to find a lot of EG/Lobb fakes on ebay, the market just isn't that big and its usually patently obvious from the photos. I personally haven't heard of many fakes reported on here, and I think most people are going to fake something like Prada, Gucci, etc... which will net nearly as much money from less discerining custoners and would be significantly easier to fake. Grapevinehill has a lot of EG/polo shoes for very attractive prices at times (including now)

 

[thinman]

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

I don't think you're going to find a lot of EG/Lobb fakes on ebay, the market just isn't that big and its usually patently obvious from the photos. I personally haven't heard of many fakes reported on here, and I think most people are going to fake something like Prada, Gucci, etc... which will net nearly as much money from less discerining custoners and would be significantly easier to fake. Grapevinehill has a lot of EG/polo shoes for very attractive prices at times (including now)
I agree that EG/Lobb shoes are rarely faked because of the small market and/or low brand recognition. EG/Lobb shoes from ebay are indeed probably the best shoes in your price range. I also like Ferragamo's Tramezza line, available on ebay for slightly less (~$300) and at the outlet store for $450. At full retail pricing, I would opt for C&J Handgrades. sausages234 is also a very good ebay seller of EG, Lobb, and C&J subs. I've bought from them twice, service is excellent, and I can't detect the flaws in the shoes I've bought.

 

[EL72]

My picks for best bang for buck are:

SF Tramezza (around $300 on eBay)

Grenson Masterpiece ($250 at Bennies or $350+ PS on sale, if you can find them)

 

[pkincy]

For a first dress shoe, it would have to be the RLPL MacKays at $599 with a 15% off coupon!

Unfortunately that was over the summer. You could have gotten a Pierson in the last 2 weeks easily from GVH.

Watch GVH daily like the rest of us. Do your search for Purple Label and for Polo in your size.

Perry

 

[mr monty]

Originally Posted by thinman

I agree that EG/Lobb shoes are rarely faked because of the small market and/or low brand recognition. EG/Lobb shoes from ebay are indeed probably the best shoes in your price range. I also like Ferragamo's Tramezza line, available on ebay for slightly less (~$300) and at the outlet store for $450. At full retail pricing, I would opt for C&J Handgrades.

sausages234 is also a very good ebay seller of EG, Lobb, and C&J subs. I've bought from them twice, service is excellent, and I can't detect the flaws in the shoes I've bought.

Did you have to pay customs for the shoes from sausages234?
Thanks,

 

[thinman]

Originally Posted by mr monty

Did you have to pay customs for the shoes from sausages234?
Thanks,

No, she labels them a "gift".

 

[demeis]

if your not talking sales, for the money i think martegani makes a great shoe between $400-$500. A good buy if you don't want to mess around with ebay and the like.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by mr monty

Did you have to pay customs for the shoes from sausages234?
Thanks,
But do note that shipping is 25 EU, which is not insignificant.

 

[sho'nuff]

a good bang shoe for some night out on the town looks is gucci shoes. you can get most of them at the end of the year sales at 40% off so most of them usually end up around 300 dollars.

 

[edmorel]

I'll give a vote to Tramezzas at $300 or so at sales and ebay. I'll go further and draw the wrath of the forum

and say that the only shoe that I would pay retail for, from those that I have experience with, are the Ferragamo Tramezzas. I have been very disappointed with the C&J/Polo shoes. I found the materials to be lacking and the shapes uninspiring. I just sold my RLPL Mackays, so that tells you how I felt about those. For my tastes, there is no shoe currently under $900 that I would pick over the Tramezzas. The Mantellassi's come a very, very close second. In terms of boots, the RMW Craftsman are an incredible buy at $250.

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by edmorel

In terms of boots, the RMW Craftsman are an incredible buy at $250.

I second this. In terms of what you get for your dollar, these and discount AE are probably the two best bargains.

 

[chobochobo]

+1 for Tramezzas

for 340, RLPLs are good value too

If you hunt around ebay or the sales, you can get pretty decent new shoes for 500 or less - I've seen a couple of prestige line JLs go for that sort of price in the past week. If you don't mind used shoes then the choice is even wider.

You are far more likely to have fakes in the 'designer' names eg Gucci, Ferragamo, Boss etc