The straight tip black calf Oxford is a classic style offered by nearly every men's dress shoe shoe manufacturer. A cap toe oxford is a closed lacing shoe with a straight stitch cap, with the quarters sewn under the vamp and fastens together by laces over the tongue, which is sewn onto the vamp. This means they have a very similar look, but a wide variation on price. The nearly identical appearance will cause some to simply purchase the cheapest version and this may be the proper course for those who will only wear them once a year to a wedding or a funeral. But read on if you are building a shoe wardrobe and desire durability and quality. While there are MANY versions of the cap toe from many countries, I will list a few points of comparison with the Park Avenue (PA) from Allen Edmonds as both are made in the US.
The retail of the PA is currently $395, versus $522 for the 907. Both are calf and Goodyear welted with a cork layer for comfort and fit. The PA has a 360 degree welt and the 907 uses a 270 degree welt which helps give the 907 a more formal and sleek appearance at the rear of the shoe. The 907 is shown first.
Both shoes have a single oak leather sole. The PA has the standard leather sole and rubber heel but the 907 has a dovetail heel and a black finish to the sole for a more formal appearance. This black sole can also be touched up with black edge dressing to maintain the appearance even after it has been worn.
The top of the sole normally shows stitches on AE shoes, but their Independence line uses wheeling to improve the appearance. This added touch is one of the upgrades on the Independence line. The 907 has wheeling as a standard feature. This image shows the difference between wheeling and standard stitching on other shoes.
The PA is made on AE's 65 last and this causes fit issues for people with high insteps. My personal high instep resulted in an excessively wide V gap when lacing the PA that destroyed the formality of the shoe. My personal attempts to increase the size of the shoe for a better closure caused bowing at the ankle and unacceptable gaps. This is a fault with my feet as opposed to the PA, but my personal issues were addressed with the 907. The 907 is made on the Hampton last that has higher side walls in the vamp and was a better for my high instep. The V gap closure was now acceptable and this is a shot of my pair.
The 907, in my opinion, is a high quality made in USA shoe that is stylish, comfortable, recraftable and the previously mentioned fit and finish differences more than compensate for the price. The shoe is a stock model from Alden and relatively available in widths up to EEE. There are very few Alden retailers and you will likely have to order a pair online. Feel free to PM me with any specific question.
The retail of the PA is currently $395, versus $522 for the 907. Both are calf and Goodyear welted with a cork layer for comfort and fit. The PA has a 360 degree welt and the 907 uses a 270 degree welt which helps give the 907 a more formal and sleek appearance at the rear of the shoe. The 907 is shown first.
Both shoes have a single oak leather sole. The PA has the standard leather sole and rubber heel but the 907 has a dovetail heel and a black finish to the sole for a more formal appearance. This black sole can also be touched up with black edge dressing to maintain the appearance even after it has been worn.
The top of the sole normally shows stitches on AE shoes, but their Independence line uses wheeling to improve the appearance. This added touch is one of the upgrades on the Independence line. The 907 has wheeling as a standard feature. This image shows the difference between wheeling and standard stitching on other shoes.
The PA is made on AE's 65 last and this causes fit issues for people with high insteps. My personal high instep resulted in an excessively wide V gap when lacing the PA that destroyed the formality of the shoe. My personal attempts to increase the size of the shoe for a better closure caused bowing at the ankle and unacceptable gaps. This is a fault with my feet as opposed to the PA, but my personal issues were addressed with the 907. The 907 is made on the Hampton last that has higher side walls in the vamp and was a better for my high instep. The V gap closure was now acceptable and this is a shot of my pair.
The 907, in my opinion, is a high quality made in USA shoe that is stylish, comfortable, recraftable and the previously mentioned fit and finish differences more than compensate for the price. The shoe is a stock model from Alden and relatively available in widths up to EEE. There are very few Alden retailers and you will likely have to order a pair online. Feel free to PM me with any specific question.
