Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread 2016 - News, Pictures, Sizing, Accessories, Clothing, etc

[M635Guy]



I store mine in these boxes from the Container Store but I also keep the boxes. LOL. Good thinking storing them in the attic!

Here's my (admittedly crazy) storage setup

 

[Neo1]

@M635Guy I always thought there was something fishy about you....but you're the bay harbor butcher?!

 

[ProfilaBinding]

Which AE's use the brown bags? I have one pair that has the older merlot-ish color shoe bags.

I refuse to part with my walnut Carlyle box, even though it was partially run over by my car tire by accident.

 

[cc808314]



@mingus2112
  @cc808314
   NJ REPRESENT!

I am in NYC, but will most likely move to NJ in 1-2 years as the kid will be getting close to school age and I'd like to have a little more space. I have been going to the Paramus store since it opened. I find Kirsten to be a great SM to work with.

 

[mingus2112]



I am in NYC, but will most likely move to NJ in 1-2 years as the kid will be getting close to school age and I'd like to have a little more space. I have been going to the Paramus store since it opened. I find Kirsten to be a great SM to work with.

I've only dealt with Danny or James (Jimmy?). Never Kirsten. I don't know if there's a different commission or pay structure at these outlet stores, but there's always a much more relaxed vibe than the regular retail stores. I've never felt the pressure to walk out of the store with something like I do at the retail stores. When I said "Thanks - I'll think about it!" I get "OK, Great! Anything else I can help you with?" instead of trying to convince me to walk out of the store with them.

I'm less than 10 minutes from this store, so I try to stop by a lot. I normally buy from Adam or Aaron at the main shoebank store in Port Washington, but I ALWAYS order through the Paramus store associate if I go in there to try something on or look. I'll even call the store to have them order it for me if I took a day to mill it over and make sure the associate who helped me gets the sale credit. It's important to make sure someone who spends their time helping you out to get taken care of. I'd say that traveling from NYC to NJ is a long haul to shop for shoes, but my tailor is on 5th ave, my Jeweler is on 47th and I used to shop at the AE stores in Manhattan before they opened the Paramus store. You've got to do what you've got to do!

-James

 

[mingus2112]



Because so many of their colors these days are burnished.  And not just colors that are "created" by burnishing like Bourbon.  Even staples like Walnut and Dark Brown are now burnished.  Burnished means that the color of the shoe is modified by applying a different color shoe polish by a burnishing wheel.  And if there's one thing the AE conditioner/cleaner did very well, it's stripping off old shoe polish.  I'm guessing they got tired of people returning shoes that were "ruined" by using it and so just dropped the product.

This is disheartening - I've always used Saphir Renevateur on all my shoes (including walnut strands) and never had an issue. I assumed this was pretty close to the AE stuff. Is the new walnut (my strands are maybe 2 or 3 years old?) different? It's never changed colors on me!

-James

 

[Sunstealer73]



This is disheartening - I've always used Saphir Renevateur on all my shoes (including walnut strands) and never had an issue. I assumed this was pretty close to the AE stuff. Is the new walnut (my strands are maybe 2 or 3 years old?) different? It's never changed colors on me!

-James

The Walnut Strands I just bought are burnished on the toe and heel in a darker color. They look great, but I think the older ones were the same color everywhere.

 

[ace13x]



This is disheartening - I've always used Saphir Renevateur on all my shoes (including walnut strands) and never had an issue. I assumed this was pretty close to the AE stuff. Is the new walnut (my strands are maybe 2 or 3 years old?) different? It's never changed colors on me!

-James

I've never used Saphir Renovatuer, but I suspect AE's Premium Conditioner is similar, based on descriptions of the smell and consistency of the Saphir. I can say it works great on waxy leathers like on the McT's and would guess the same on CXL.

 

[ProfilaBinding]

Small question for you all, do I really need shoe trees for my boat shoes? They seem to hold shape well without them.

 

[ace13x]



I am in NYC, but will most likely move to NJ in 1-2 years as the kid will be getting close to school age and I'd like to have a little more space. I have been going to the Paramus store since it opened. I find Kirsten to be a great SM to work with.

Kristen is great, and I've had good experiences with the others. Paramus is now my go to. Its about the same travel distance for me as Short Hills, but I'd rather go to Paramus even if the traffic is less consistent. Plus they can order firsts, and the retail stores can't order seconds.

 

[smfdoc]

Storage Question: Do you guys keep your boxes for the shoes? I have started stacking the smaller ones inside the bigger ones but I'm still running out of room!

Should you decide to resell any of your shoes, there are those on Ebay who value purchasing the shoes with the original box and it will kick the value up a an extra $20, a little more if it is bags and boxes.

 

[ace13x]



Small question for you all, do I really need shoe trees for my boat shoes?   They seem to hold shape well without them.  

I don't. I just use some tissue paper a the little plastic brace that came with them.

 

[naspratt]

@Lobster33, depends how wet they are. I'll usually shove some paper towels or tissue paper (like they come wrapped in) inside to hold their shape while they dry out. Otherwise, meh. They form to your foot and are disposable (in the sense that you wear them until they fall apart and can't recraft them).

 

[mingus2112]



Small question for you all, do I really need shoe trees for my boat shoes?   They seem to hold shape well without them.  

I usually do, although I don't if I just run out real quick in them. If I wear them all day, though, I just feel like I should. Having had cheaper boat shoes in the past, I just want to make sure that the insides don't turn out like that --Even though I wear loafer socks these days.

Kristen is great, and I've had good experiences with the others. Paramus is now my go to. Its about the same travel distance for me as Short Hills, but I'd rather go to Paramus even if the traffic is less consistent. Plus they can order firsts, and the retail stores can't order seconds.

We should have a NJ area AE gathering. Plenty of bars to grab a few beers and talk about shoes!

 

[Echoes14]

Just one more thing - if you've ever had trouble with the vamp pressing down on you, ever at all, definitely go with the suede - trust me on that. Otherwise you're good to go.

I have a rather high instep, so I was surprised when I tried on the Cavanaugh and they fit so well. The suede was the only one the store had in my size (9.5 3E), so I'm not sure how the regular calf leather would work.