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How to tell the quality of a shoe?

Daneel

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I haven't spent over $200 on shoes before, so this hasn't concerned me. As long as they looked good and were comfortable, I didn't worry about much else. Obviously if they fell apart on me, I'd switch to a different brand / line next time.

Recently I've started looking at more expensive shoes like these and realise that I don't know what I'm looking for when it comes to quality or what I should be seeing at a given price level.

If anyone could link me to a good guide on the key things to examine, or be kind enough to explain briefly here, it would be much appreciated.
 

ManofKent

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Sorry I know very little about ladies shoes.
 

Sir Royston

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Firstly, look around.. if the shop you are in is Called PriMark or Matalan its a safe bet the quality will be somewhat on the lower side. However, if the shop happens to be called Trickers.. you might well have a more enjoyable experience, albeit leaving with a much MUCH lighter wallet!

RBH
 

Daneel

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Originally Posted by ManofKent
Sorry I know very little about ladies shoes.

frown.gif
 

Eccentric

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Look for two things: goodyear welted constuction and top grain leather. If a shoe has those two qualities, then you really only need to find a style and price to suit your taste.
 

ManofKent

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Originally Posted by Daneel
frown.gif


Sorry I thought the one you linked to was a ladies shoe...

In terms of quality you generally want to look for a stitched sole rather than a cemented sole - goodyear welted is probably the toughest, but blake stitching is popular on Italian shoes. Look for 'calf leather' in the description rather than just leather and avoid 'polished leather', 'hi-shine' or similar terms.

What style of shoe are you looking for?
 

lee_44106

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Screw all that talk about looking for Goodyear and judging leather quality.

Look for these names:

John Lobb
Edward Green
G&G (Galliano & Girling)
C&J (Crockett & Jones)
Alfred Sargeant
Alden
Allen Edmonds
Vass

These are all StyleForum approved and therefore good enough for you.
 

Ich_Dien

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correction

Originally Posted by lee_44106
Screw all that talk about looking for Goodyear and judging leather quality.

Look for these names:

John Lobb
Edward Green
G&G (Galliano & Girling) ********GAZIANO & GIRLING*********
C&J (Crockett & Jones)
Alfred Sargeant
Alden
Allen Edmonds
Vass

These are all StyleForum approved and therefore good enough for you.
 

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