What were your most significant footwear purchases, in retrospect?

[Keith Taylor]

It's a slippery slope. One day you're telling yourself that six or seven pairs of shoes will cover every possible base, and the next you're trying to convince your wife that you always had four pairs of suede derbies in very slightly different shades of brown

 

[JohnMRobie]

How many pair do most guys on here have??

Way more than any sane person needs or should own if we’re being honest.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

AE “Woodstock”. An ugly shoe, yes. But my first well made shoe which then opened the doors, for better or worse, to the world of well made shoes.

The second pair was a pair of Tod’s loafers (not the drivers) which I still have today. They’re significant because up to that point I had drank the cool aid served up by the iGent community about that shoes like that were the shibboleth of the uninformed. Those same loafers are now 15 years old and have worn very well. Those Tod’s taught me to rely on my own judgement.

 

[jack webb]

The original Ecco shoe, the one with the funny stitching on the upper. As best I can remember it was my introduction to shoes that were genuinely comfortable. Over the years I had two or three pairs. The guy at the Ecco store must have recognized me because, on a visit to buy something different, he tipped me off that the old model was being discontinued.

 

[dieworkwear]

Like @FlyingMonkey, shoes don't really stick out in my mind. Some exceptions

Reebok Pumps, bought around 1990. I absolutely loved these things. I also remember Dee Brown inflating his pumps in the 1991 slam dunk contest and trying to replicate that with friends on the court. I sucked at basketball, but I enjoyed hyping up my friends by pumping up my shoes like Dee Brown.

Ralph Lauren Cookie boots, bought around 1995. I remember these being THE boots to have when I was young. Lots of memories of hanging out with friends and dancing in these boots.

Ralph Lauren penny loafers, bought around 2000. I actually can't find a photo of the exact shoes I bought. Grabbing a random photo of RL loafers online. I bought these when I first got into tailored clothing. Mine were suede.

Crockett & Jones Belgrave, bought around 2005. Wanted something "dressier." I would later learn that I rarely wear oxfords because I think they go best with suits. But these were my first pair of "real" dress shoes.

Edward Green Dover, bought around 2012. Started a love for split-toes and Edward Green. Am into both today.

Nicholas Templeman split-toes, started commission in 2015, and received in 2016. My first pair of bespoke shoes. I remember feeling like this was a big leap since I fit fine into ready-to-wear shoes. The process ended up being very enjoyable and I still commission shoes today.

 

[FlyingHorker]

>"Shoes don't really stick out in my mind"
>Posts 6 pairs.

 

[JFWR]

Like @FlyingMonkey, shoes don't really stick out in my mind. Some exceptions


View attachment 1718614



Reebok Pumps, bought around 1990. I absolutely loved these things. I also remember Dee Brown inflating his pumps in the 1991 slam dunk contest and trying to replicate that with friends on the court. I sucked at basketball, but I enjoyed hyping up my friends by pumping up my shoes like Dee Brown.



View attachment 1718615


Ralph Lauren Cookie boots, bought around 1995. I remember these being THE boots to have when I was young. Lots of memories of hanging out with friends and dancing in these boots.



View attachment 1718616


Ralph Lauren penny loafers, bought around 2000. I actually can't find a photo of the exact shoes I bought. Grabbing a random photo of RL loafers online. I bought these when I first got into tailored clothing. Mine were suede.



View attachment 1718617


Crockett & Jones Belgrave, bought around 2005. Wanted something "dressier." I would later learn that I rarely wear oxfords because I think they go best with suits. But these were my first pair of "real" dress shoes.



View attachment 1718618


Edward Green Dover, bought around 2012. Started a love for split-toes and Edward Green. Am into both today.



View attachment 1718619


Nicholas Templeman split-toes, started commission in 2015, and received in 2016. My first pair of bespoke shoes. I remember feeling like this was a big leap since I fit fine into ready-to-wear shoes. The process ended up being very enjoyable and I still commission shoes today.

What, no green shoes? I'm shocked! (I'm kidding, I'm kidding).

I like the Belgraves a lot.

 

[dieworkwear]

What, no green shoes? I'm shocked! (I'm kidding, I'm kidding).

I have green shoes. Edward Green.

 

[clee1982]

@JFWR
I thought you only like round toe?

 

[JFWR]

@JFWR
I thought you only like round toe?

I enjoyed the detailing and colour. I wasn't even focused on the toe to be honest.

Unless the perception would be different looking straight down, I don't think those would be too square for my tastes - though yeah, I prefer rounded and almond toed in general.

Looked at the Crockett and Jones site, and yeah, I don't think this soft square is so aggressively square as to be outside the realm of my aesthetic tastes. I probably would prefer a more round/almond, but this is cool by my reckoning.

 

[Gus]

I was in Paris for the first time in 1984 during Christmas for a business associates wedding (at the Palace of Versailles, where they were also preparing for the Paris-Dakar Rally) . The shops were busy and so wonderfully decorated. I went to Hermes to buy my sister a scarf. While there, I walked upstairs to John Lobb and saw a beautiful pair of double monks on display. I instantly wanted a pair. (I don't recall ever seeing a pair in the US at that time) It took me a while, but in 2000 I bought a pair in black. It felt like a personal reward. Sometimes you appreciate things a bit more when you have to wait. Best of all, they were so comfortable and classic looking that I wore them everywhere. I still have them. The leather of that era of Lobb shoes is remarkable.

 

[Zapasman]

Nice to remember those old times personally engaged and obssesed since I was a teen with my first dress shoes purchases.

1.-16 years old: Sebago loafers and Kevin Kegan football boots in kangaroo leather, the envy of my high school (just boys). The whole craziness started here.

2.-26 years old. Went to Deauville in France and my ex wife, who is french, took me to visit a JMW shop to buy me a pair of Demis. I was like wow, what a lovely shop and what a beauty to wear for my feet!. The salesman insisted me to buy the trees for an extra 100€ but I was like that was too much money and not worthy enough (what the hell is that piece of wood for?). I ended up with a pair of Demis and a pair of 180 loafers (I paid mysel for the latter) with shoetrees for both. Never regreted about the trees.

3.-32 years old or so. Firts shells; two pairs of Carmina (rubi and cognac) and a pair of Alden NST (old colour 8) came in. I was really happy with the expectations of the leather and were like my grailed shoes at the time due to the cost and the ¨scarcity/rarety´ of the leather. Still with me all.

3.-35 years old or so. Bought the Vass book and was drooling about the HW making. Ordered 2 MTOs at the same time but it was a mess as they mixed the models so had to returned them. Patience with Vass was my motto, so more shoes came afterwards and a haul of three pieces shoe trees which I dislike now.

4.-Early in my forties. Bought my first pairs of JL (double monk), EG (Dover oak) and GG (Thorpe in vintage kudu). I sold the JLs and still keep the Dovers (probably the pair I like the most but do not wear them much) and the Thorpes which model and leather were the perfect match for a boot of my liking. Fortunately, I never paid retail prices for those pairs.

I am in my fifties now and already convinced I could survive with those exciting 10-12 pairs but shoenuts like me have a real problem so my collection has expanded too much for my needs. Currently I regret after each new buy cause I do not feel the same excitement anymore but at least I still enjoy staring at my shoes at the shelves like many others here.

 

[basu13]

For me, that would be my very first pair of goodyear welted boots, the Trickers Stows purchased in July of this year. Absolutely galaxies apart from the cheaper stuff that I had worn hitherto. Their construction quality and tank like build really took my breath away when I unboxed them. For a few minutes, I was wondering how I could possibly walk around with these on my feet. Of course, all those apprehensions faded away once I started breaking them in and could feel them magically contouring to my feet. Trickers are really something!

The first quality purchase is probably always the most special.

 

[RogerP]

Probably my first pair of Allen Edmonds.

 

[oscarthewild]

Can everyone please post pictures of there shoes if they still have them. Would be great to see natural patina.

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