Allen Edmonds Appreciation Thread - reviews, pictures, sizing, etc...

[shoelover]

Picked these up really cheap. Thoughts?

 

[nbj08]

Picked these up really cheap. Thoughts?

I could only only think of wearing them once per year, but on that day I would wear them proud.

 

[drlivingston]

Picked these up really cheap. Thoughts?

Interesting. I am trying to remember if I have that pair. I have St. Louis Cardinals spectators, Cincinnati Bengals (Halloween) spectators, a couple of weird Neumok spectators... now I have to go digging. Sigh...

 

[nbj08]

Interesting. I am trying to remember if I have that pair. I have St. Louis Cardinals spectators, Cincinnati Bengals (Halloween) spectators, a couple of weird Neumok spectators... now I have to go digging. Sigh...

Any cool spectators (or shoes in general) in 10.5D?

 

[Nick V.]



Thank you Nick! Great to see you in this thread.

Would you say the same if the shoes were double-blake stitched as well? My impression is that such shoes might be more dangerous to resole, but perhaps I'm incorrect? (Some AE shoes such as the Kenwood are double-blake stitched)

The Kenwood is Blake-rapid stitched. I wasn't writing about construction. Any credible repair shop could resole a Blake-rapid shoe. I was addressing the quality of the leather sole. It's rare that you see a manufacturer using JR leather on a Blake-rapid constructed shoe.

My point was.....If you are paying a premium for the highest grade leather why not let it preform for you? Then, resole with a less expensive sole and a sole guard. This way you get optimum value and performance out of a shoe that will last many years if you maintain the uppers.

 

[shoenoobie]

Quick question veterans...

If I buy bourbon color Carlyle, would a good cobbler be able to make it completely black? Like as if it was color black to begin with... Got a good deal for a bourbon and want to see if I could make it into a black one, which is actual color I need.

 

[mreams99]



Quick question veterans...

If I buy bourbon color Carlyle, would a good cobbler be able to make it completely black? Like as if it was color black to begin with... Got a good deal for a bourbon and want to see if I could make it into a black one, which is actual color I need.

It's so easy, I'd do it myself.
But if you have no experience with this kind of thing, take it to a cobbler.

 

[Dd1101]

Quick question veterans...

If I buy bourbon color Carlyle, would a good cobbler be able to make it completely black? Like as if it was color black to begin with... Got a good deal for a bourbon and want to see if I could make it into a black one, which is actual color I need.

Very easy since the welt is black on the bourbon. Wipe down shoe with acetone, twice if needed, then use Fiebings leather dye.

But, since bourbon is suck a nice color why would you want to do this?

 

[flvinny521]

I hope it's not in bad taste to request information about other shoemakers in an Allen Edmonds thread, but I'm going to do it anyway.

I had struggled to find the correct sizing for AE shoes until I finally visited a newly opened retail location. It turns out that because of my flat arches, I need a 9E shoe (at least on the 65 last). In the past, I would order 10D or 10 1/2D, which resulted in a shoe that fit, but ended up being much too long. Can anybody else who wears an E width in that last comment on what other brands/sizes work for them as well?

I do like AE shoes, and may buy more in the future, but I would like to know my other options as well. I don't want to have to avoid all second-hand shoes because I'm unsure of how the size will translate to my foot.

 

[drlivingston]

I hope it's not in bad taste to request information about other shoemakers in an Allen Edmonds thread, but I'm going to do it anyway.

I had struggled to find the correct sizing for AE shoes until I finally visited a newly opened retail location. It turns out that because of my flat arches, I need a 9E shoe (at least on the 65 last). In the past, I would order 10D or 10 1/2D, which resulted in a shoe that fit, but ended up being much too long. Can anybody else who wears an E width in that last comment on what other brands/sizes work for them as well?

I do like AE shoes, and may buy more in the future, but I would like to know my other options as well. I don't want to have to avoid all second-hand shoes because I'm unsure of how the size will translate to my foot.

AE utilizes at least 17 lasts in their construction of various models of footwear. Each last fits a little different. You need to spend some time at a store (with a very patient sales associate) and determine how each last fits your foot. You will be surprised at the difference. Back in the day, a Brannock device was all that was necessary to gauge size. However, it did not take into account the unique contours of different people's feet. Armed with this information, you can easily purchase second-hand shoes confident of a consistent fit.

 

[tb43]

Did you get the 8.5e in buy and sell? Those looked immaculate.

Wherefrom?

I actually got a pair in 9e off ebay. Better fit for me and 150 bucks less!

 

[tb43]

 

[peppercorn78]

Alden makes a wide variety of shoes suitable for orthopedic needs.

 

[flvinny521]

AE utilizes at least 17 lasts in their construction of various models of footwear. Each last fits a little different. You need to spend some time at a store (with a very patient sales associate) and determine how each last fits your foot. You will be surprised at the difference. Back in the day, a Brannock device was all that was necessary to gauge size. However, it did not take into account the unique contours of different people's feet. Armed with this information, you can easily purchase second-hand shoes confident of a consistent fit.

My intention is really to be able to buy second-hand shoes in various brands, as opposed to looking at AEs exclusively. While this would certainly give me a grasp of all the possibilities that AE could offer, I imagine it would be a little annoying if I had to message a seller with my list of AE fits and ask if they thought their sizing would work based on that.

 

[redmusic1]

But if all you have is one good fit from AE, we can't really help all that much. The point is that every last fits a good bit differently, and only certain AE lasts can be translated to very particular lasts of other manufacturers. With only one last to go on, you're asking a good deal. And in the end, if you want to assure a good fit, you need to put it on, which may include several exchanges if you can't get to a store of the maker you're considering.