Which of these G&G?

[designprofessor]

I meet with G&G tomorrow. I have three that seem to stand out to my eye. Here's my question. At the stated prices, would you go for the more distinctive Astaire?
Or the more conservative Wiltshire and Hughes.

Note, 1.)I work in art /design and academia so I don't have to be conservative. 2.) Can I pair those Astaire (suede / leather combo) with a suit? Or just odd jacket?

I'd be interested to see what others say. I have my sentimental favorite, but I'm waiting to see them in the flesh.

#1 Astaire (dk brown sued /leather combo)
#2 Hughes captoe with nice detailing on throat and toe.
#3 Wiltshire, nice toe design and shape around laces.

Thanks.
designprofessor

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by designprofessor

I meet with G&G tomorrow. I have three that seem to stand out to my eye. Here's my question. At the stated prices, would you go for the more distinctive Astaire? Or the more conservative Wiltshire and Hughes. Note, 1.)I work in art /design and academia so I don't have to be conservative. 2.) Can I pair those Astaire (suede / leather combo) with a suit? Or just odd jacket? I'd be interested to see what others say. I have my sentimental favorite, but I'm waiting to see them in the flesh. #1 Astaire (dk brown sued /leather combo) #2 Hughes captoe with nice detailing on throat and toe. #3 Wiltshire, nice toe design and shape around laces. Thanks. designprofessor
The Astaire would be nice with a suit. I ordered the same combo (suede and leather) in a saddle shoe from a different maker and plan to wear it with whatever I feel like. I can't really get too excited over the second shoe. Unlike a lot of people on this board, another English captoe does not really get me going. The third on is nice. I have a similar pair but with two eyelets instead of three. I wear it relatively often. Edit: On second thought, the detailing on the third one looks out of proportion to my eye. The broguing on the cap looks wimpy and pinprick like. It may be better in person. Overall, I would go with the Astaire by a large margin.

 

[zjpj83]

Astaire. That shoe is hot.

 

[philosophe]

The Astaire is great looking. What's the rest of your shoe collection like? Maybe it is time for something really distinctive.

Shoe #2 is very nice, but do you need another beautiful but conservative shoe?

I don't like #3 at all. Something about the proportions strikes me as off.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by zjpj83

Astaire. That shoe is hot.
I agree with Zach. To me, there are only two shoes I would even consider in that catalog. I would buy the astaire without any hesitation, and I would think about the Fairmont. The rest really do not strike a chord with me.

 

[grimslade]

I love the Wiltshire, actually. I think the shape is quite distinctive without being overly flashy.

 

[sammy]

Hughes

 

[lawyerdad]

The Astaire, for the reasons others have stated - and mostly because I get the impression it's the one that calls out to you the most, which is the most important factor. And I do think they'd pair well with a suit.
My second choice would be the Wiltshire, which is also elegant and distinctive looking. The Hughes looks like a very nice shoe, but to me lacks enough "oomph" or distinctive personality I'd want from a special purpose.
Whatever you choose, enjoy them.

 

[drizzt3117]

I'm quite fond of the Wiltshire.

 

[Manton]

Not sure why Tony chose to make the corners come to a point on the throat of that Adelaide. His bespoke samples show a (to my eye) much more elegant roundness.

 

[Artisan Fan]

#1 or #2, it's a real toss-up.

 

[pejsek]

The only shoe I really love is the combination brogue. I've long admired Koji Suzuki's similar shoe over on centipede's site. Honestly, I think I'd get two of the Astaire--the other one in a lighter leather and/or with greater contrast. Make it part of your signature look. I now have several of the split-toe Mantellassis and I've realized it's sometimes nice to have that thematic continuity. I agree with Manton that the corners on that Adelaide are somewhat bizarre--the sharpness is too much at odds with the overall fluidity of the design.

 

[grimslade]

See, I like the shape of the throat; it's what makes it look distinctive. But then, I guess that distinctive, by definition, is not for everybody.

 

[Connemara]

Get all three.

Seriously...go for the Astaire. A lovely shoe.

 

[zjpj83]

Originally Posted by Manton

Not sure why Tony chose to make the corners come to a point on the throat of that Adelaide. His bespoke samples show a (to my eye) much more elegant roundness.
I agree. That sharp line is less pleasant