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http://www.flickr.com/photos/ayn/3208979378 Older stitching though. Mine arrive on friday, i'll let my cat rub all over them until they're properly aged. I have now spent $2000 on 3 pairs of shoes. I must stop buying Aldens for a while.

Originally Posted by sockpuppets

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/ayn/3208979378

Older stitching though. Mine arrive on friday, i'll let my cat rub all over them until they're properly aged.

I have now spent $2000 on 3 pairs of shoes. I must stop buying Aldens for a while.

I hear you... got the same problem myself!

I'm thinking about getting a pair of the cigar indys. I'm just not quite sure about the new stitching. I might be in the minority but I think I prefer the machine stitching for indys.

Originally Posted by REguy

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Few questions for anyone who might have an answer:

1) If a shoe initially came with a crepe sole, will Alden resole it with leather?
2) Can they resole a shoe with black edge stain with tan? I was thinking of this but hate the black sole.

Attachment 48416

3) Alden never answers the phone so how does one go about sending shoes in for a resole?

hey, you can remove the black edge stain with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol, it takes a bit of time and effort (but easily better than spending $135 for restoration). I would be very careful not to get any alcohol on the leather as it may stain it. Afterwards I just used brown kiwi wax polish on the edges and it gives it a "natural" look.

Hey everyone,


I have a pair of #8 Shell PT Boots in size 9.5D on the Barrie last. Purchased from Leather Sole HI. They are just a touch big for me. I have worn them for 3 days. Looking to sell them for $550. Please see pics. Contact me if interested!



Cheers
Vincent

Originally Posted by MiniW

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hey, you can remove the black edge stain with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol, it takes a bit of time and effort (but easily better than spending $135 for restoration). I would be very careful not to get any alcohol on the leather as it may stain it. Afterwards I just used brown kiwi wax polish on the edges and it gives it a "natural" look.

Any pics? This is definitely a better option than sending the boots back to Alden.

Originally Posted by jasonfoote303

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I hear you... got the same problem myself!

I'm thinking about getting a pair of the cigar indys. I'm just not quite sure about the new stitching. I might be in the minority but I think I prefer the machine stitching for indys.

The stitching definitely creates a different looking shoe from the photos I've seen. I like them both.

Just to weigh in, I greatly prefer the original machine stitching on the cigars. In fact, I ended up selling my cigar indys when they came with the hand-stitching. Seems drastic, but it's an entirely different boot / aesthetic. It draws a lot more attention to the vamp (or whatever you call that area) and it ends up squaring off the toe, throwing off the balance of the original design.

I can see why some like the handstitching because it makes them a meaner boot. But in that case I'd rather just have the tanker--that extra line along the toe balances the look better.

FWIW, I thought Alden did a terrible job in general with the cigars I received. The left and right boot were so assymetrical it was hard to look at the two boots together as a pair. Reminded me of the slightly upset feeling I get when looking at a flounder.

Originally Posted by Trapp

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Just to weigh in, I greatly prefer the original machine stitching on the cigars. In fact, I ended up selling my cigar indys when they came with the hand-stitching. Seems drastic, but it's an entirely different boot / aesthetic. It draws a lot more attention to the vamp (or whatever you call that area) and it ends up squaring off the toe, throwing off the balance of the original design.

I can see why some like the handstitching because it makes them a meaner boot. But in that case I'd rather just have the tanker--that extra line along the toe balances the look better.

FWIW, I thought Alden did a terrible job in general with the cigars I received. The left and right boot were so assymetrical it was hard to look at the two boots together as a pair. Reminded me of the slightly upset feeling I get when looking at a flounder.


Did you get the Leffot or the Madison Ave ones? (or another retailer?)

You just said what I've been thinking! I'm just not sold on them. I mean,

There's a pair out there in my non-stock size and part of me feels obligated to grab them because they (in theory anyway) are the best boot make-up ever, but I'm not loving the toe stitching. It might be a deal breaker... we'll see, I have a couple more days to think about it.

I got the madison avenue ones. The guys were fine to work with, I just had no idea the indys i was getting had the hand-stitching. I'm not sure whether they did either...they never once mentioned it in my dealings over the phone.

I've always been curious as to whether it was a detail they spec'd or whether Alden has just recently taken to handstitching the toes as a surprise 'bonus'. I'm sure I wouldn't have cancelled my order even if i'd known--the handstitching looks impressive in pics (even my own pics when i look back at them). But I couldn't stand how they looked in person, esp. when they creased up, and especially when I compared them beside the relative elegance and understatement of the original indy boot design.

If you're having doubts, I would stick w/the original machine stitching.

I think the hand-stitching is nice but I prefer the machine stitch. I'm also a big fan of contrast stitching. Alden is an addiction. I went on a little #8 binge... perf. toe-cap from JCrew, LHS mocc from Alden San Francisco. Laces are out for an initial waxing. Does anybody else do this? Or even, who of us does their own polishing? And a pic of the collection so far. Clock-wise from upper left: LHS moccasin in #8, JCrew toe-cap boots in #8, JCrew chromexcel Indy boot, LWB in cigar. I gotta get something in whiskey in there...

How do those loafers fit? True to size or bigger? Are they on Van last?

They're on the Van last, yes. Kind of narrow but I still got them in 11E (my actual size).

Originally Posted by GreatHighway

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They're on the Van last, yes. Kind of narrow but I still got them in 11E (my actual size).

Are you D or E? You are my size,I want those loafers

Nice, glad you like my Aldens.

Originally Posted by sockpuppets

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/ayn/3208979378

Older stitching though. Mine arrive on friday, i'll let my cat rub all over them until they're properly aged.

I have now spent $2000 on 3 pairs of shoes. I must stop buying Aldens for a while.

first time SF poster here, i come to you via Alden search for Indy Boot. i believe i am set to get a pair of 405s, i am good with size and the color. until i read in one of the fashion blogs that the JCrew version was better quality? is that so, price is only slightly gigher and i usually attribute that to specailty store markup requirements being higher than most. any info would be helpful,

separate question when did Alden become so trendy with special/exclusives for the hip market? i personally love them, but am fan from the 80s suit clan.

nice to be here, thanks.....