meister
Stylish Dinosaur
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2007
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Okay Australian members - here is a 'what price style dilemma?' for you...
I bought some vintage Florsheim Royal Imperial longwings at Rozelle markets on Saturday. They are beautiful, heavy old school brogues and the shell cordovan (yes, I'm sure) has a great patina too it. With a condition and polish up they are now a rich deep mahogany colour. Just really nice shoes - and at $5, a bargain as well.
Only problem is they are a bit too big for me. Width is fine, but they would be, maybe, a size and half too long. I am wearing them today and they feel, as you would expect, a bit odd. I don't slide around, but I have them laced tight.
What to do? Keep and just make do or pass them on - or can a cobbler pad out the heal cup or something?
At AUD5 that beats my Aldens shells at AUD8! Seeing as you paid so little you next step is a trip to the cobbler and for a further payment of AUD15-17 dollars for a leather TACCO insert to take up the volume. If the width is good the length should not be too much of a problem as they are longwings ie no toecap. Thicker socks also helps but if you get the Goofy feeling still then sell for a nice profit. The other thing is to check for "beef roll" type undulations in the leather vamp and, if so, they will likely be shell.