The 2023 Allen Edmonds (AE) Appreciation Thread

[manowar]

Possibly the last TS purchase
View attachment 2039023

You went through with what the rest of us were thinking. I almost sniped a Drake in natural or denim last minute (because shoes are easier to hide than boots) but sad to say I've more than reached my quota for new footwear this year. The Thunderdome should keep me busy with last year's TS Freeports anyway.

I'm looking forward to see how these denim shell pieces turn out.


I'm surprised they're getting rid of the Landon. Less surprised about the Freeport, although it's a better looking boot but doesn't seem to sell that well.

 

[melcahoon]

While on the phone with the store, I asked about TS sales. They told me the sales have actually been single digit this year, much to their (and my) surprise. This is the San Francisco location.

My hope is that they will realize that even the most exotic and rare shell without a good selection of different shoe styles will not yield what they hope. This was a fun year for shell colors, but the worst that I can remember for actual shoe models offered.
Are you listening, AE? I know, I know - not Styleforum because we are small, insignificant and don't represent the masses in general, whereas Shell cordovan and the associated price is for the masses. My mistake.

 

[EZB]

Possibly the last TS purchase
View attachment 2039023

Did you order online? If you buy through a store, you don’t have to pay the $40 charge for changing soles.

Love the blue and split welt! You inspired me to pull out the former best shell Daltons in the world. I miss the MTO days... View attachment 2039123
View attachment 2039125

These are great boots! The secret to an amazing Dalton is reverse welt…


Today I wore a suede TS Hamilton

 

[Moeck14]

My hope is that they will realize that even the most exotic and rare shell without a good selection of different shoe styles will not yield what they hope. This was a fun year for shell colors, but the worst that I can remember for actual shoe models offered.
Are you listening, AE? I know, I know - not Styleforum because we are small, insignificant and don't represent the masses in general, whereas Shell cordovan and the associated price is for the masses. My mistake.

You are making assumptions off the input from one person who heard second hand from someone at the store

 

[donkeyhoatie]

Love the blue and split welt! You inspired me to pull out the former best shell Daltons in the world. I miss the MTO days... View attachment 2039123
View attachment 2039125

With all due respect to @EZB's pair of blue shell Daltons, these are my favorite pair of shell Daltons. Just so many good choices were made with this makeup (I'll even forgive the assumed JR soles over my preferred v-tread). I don't think you went with brass eyelets on this one, but I think adding them would take this pair all the way to 11.

The Dalton is one of those AE models that works so much better in shell than in calf. Great to see versions by all of you over the past few days, including @armedferret and @dpgaloot . Hoping to join the list some day.

While I'm a little sad to see the Freeport disappearing, I'm not terribly surprised. It was a much better boot than it appeared to be on the surface. I think AE made a couple of choices that made them difficult to embrace. The first is the sole. This is an instance of AE trying to chase that "chonk" trend as opposed to making a classic (a phrase they're trying to tout now in a lot of their promo pieces). If they'd put this on a lower-profile sole, like Dainite, or mini-lug, it would have taken the visual focus off the weird sole style and color and put it back on the upper, which was a pretty nice design. I gotta say, the inclusion of different material tongue tag was a dumb choice, given that it didn't do anything for branding purposes. All it did was add costs. I wish AE had looked at what they were spending to produce the boot and taken the tag off and used that savings to bump up what I'm sure is a very cost-effective sole for them to use. Could have made it a home run pair of footwear, instead of the solid double that it was. In the end, the only combo of the four they made that really worked for me was the dark brown snuff suede. Natty CXL should have been great, but that sole was really distracting on it. Put the black CXL on a black sole, and I think it would have been better liked. I took a chance on my pair because I was able to get them dirt cheap from the Charleston outlet as they liquidated stock. I'm so glad I did, because I would have bought another pair at closer to retail price if it was a more attractive makeup. Wish more people had as well, so we could see it in more future shows. There are a few of you out there with shell versions that are amazing. Kind of bummed I won't get a chance to follow suit.

I'll shed no tears for the Landon. I can't get that boot to fit as there's excess volume in all the places I don't want, especially the heel. I know it was a big winner for many of you, so hopefully another cap toe boot model comes along that fills this void.

The less said by me about the Carter, the better. I do not like it one bit in photos and spec sheets and imagine I'll like it even less in person.

Hoping to use the Thursday night NFL game to do a little bit of suede maintenance on some footwear. Got a new-to-me pair of HMs in waxed suede that need a re-waxing. The Freeport, Massdrop chukka, and a pair of gray suede MacNeils could all use a quick cleaning and waterproofing spray. I'm assuming all the varying footwear material smells and chemicals will make me hurl as much as my beloved Bears have this season.

In the meanwhile, I'm looking forward to everyone's Trunk Show purchases coming in. Sounds like there are some pretty amazing makeups in the works for a lot of you.

 

[SpallaPerfetta]

Does anyone know what kind of leather is this upper? For some reason I thought these were burgundy Chromexcel but the website does not specify.

Style #EC4021716
SKU #3899

*

Handcrafted Since 1922. Shop the Men's Higgins Mill Weatherproof Boot with Lug Sole by Allen Edmonds. Luxury footwear, apparel & leather goods. Free shipping on orders $100+

www.allenedmonds.com

 

[suuteebird]

more Daltons

 

[manowar]

Some good deals going on right now with the RDA sale. Also with a certain 10% off coupon floating around.

The Plymouth is cheaper than advertised. Great deal for a single monk-strap. Some of the boots listed at sub-$200 are tempting, along with the core basics like Strand and PA.

 

[MajorDash]

Natural shell on the stock shoes/boots were on sale for RDA prices with double points this morning. I didn’t get any, but I hope some people did. It looks like you can still get some of the belts for RDA price and double points though. I ordered the chili belt (which is a limited color for some reason) for $212 and (hopefully) double points.

 

[melcahoon]

You are making assumptions off the input from one person who heard second hand from someone at the store

Yep, and you are pretty much describing the nature of chat groups. Take it for what it's worth.
BTW, I still bought something despite my complaints. I support the TS.

 

[ProfilaBinding]

Normally I always go in person, but couldn't make it work so I placed my TS orders today by phone. Ended up going with the Drake after all. Have to take some chances in life, and in UV as well. Green Dundee also on the way.

While on the phone with the store, I asked about TS sales. They told me the sales have actually been single digit this year, much to their (and my) surprise. This is the San Francisco location. I actually phrased it by asking how many dozen sales they made since someone here mentioned their location earlier in the thread getting a few dozen.

Looks like all the belts and the fancy shell colors weren't enough for folks in my area this year. Wish we could see the sales figured for the show as a whole. My SA did "hear a story" about another location where someone called in and decided they wanted each model in every color. Of course I immediately went to check the spreadsheet, but supposedly this was not one of us weasels here on SF, but some college student who just heard about these trunk shows. What a world.

They also confirmed that the Freeport was on its way out, as well as the Landon (Couldn't remember if this is old news here). These two boots were pretty legendary, IMO, and I hope they get good replacements beyond the silly Carter.

That makes me sad. I know San Fran has a lot of problems right now, but I would have not expected this. I hope the Walnut Creek store did better. But you know what -- the tech capital of the world may not be the best market for trunk show dress shoes.

I'm not a fan of the Carter. I know Grant Stone are offering similar styles, but I'm just not a fan of that kind of look. Give me the Freeport with the obnoxious tongue any day. Speaking of, I may have to consider getting one of those in natural before they are gone. I actually like the look of the contrast sole, although I know some don't (@donkeyhoatie). Each their own.

Wore my watermelon shell today to celebrate me missing out on the denim.

 

[aeshoes]

Natural shell on the stock shoes/boots were on sale for RDA prices with double points this morning. I didn’t get any, but I hope some people did. It looks like you can still get some of the belts for RDA price and double points though. I ordered the chili belt (which is a limited color for some reason) for $212 and (hopefully) double points.

I see the cordovan belts still up (trunk show colors) and I even have a denim strand in my cart, almost tempted to checkout to see if it works....but seriously maybe i'll pick up some additional belts with the 10% off.

edit:now they are not showing up

 

[manowar]

I see the cordovan belts still up (trunk show colors) and I even have a denim strand in my cart, almost tempted to checkout to see if it works....but seriously maybe i'll pick up some additional belts with the 10% off.

Checkout while you can. Everything from the TS is finally getting taken down (404 error). I was able to use the 10% off. Picked up some boot trees.... and possibly some other "stuff".

 

[dpgaloot]

Love seeing all the Daltons on here, it is my favorite AE boot. I've been on a green thing recently, more today with Randolphs.

 

[Rithrin]

Yep, and you are pretty much describing the nature of chat groups. Take it for what it's worth.
BTW, I still bought something despite my complaints. I support the TS.

It's not my intention to sell FUD here, which is why I qualified the statement with "in my area". I expect this location just had poor TS turnout compared to the rest.

There's also the AE trend of now making the TS offerings have a convenient online ordering interface, completely bypassing the local SA, and I'm guessing that affects in-store sales significantly.