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

[tdes81]

Natural Shell Cordovan Patriots

Very nice pickup! They look great!

 

[22busy]



You are right and I stand corrected. Now, back to the issue at hand. Does anyone have any information on the 1943 last?

My take on the 1943 last is that it's a chisel toe version of the 65 last. I tried on the Cornwalis at the RDA sale and it fit me the same as the strand. Great fit for me on the foot except for the instep. I have a high instep and favor the 108 and 333 over the 65 and 1943.

 

[ace13x]

Quick newbie question, Is it possible for a streched out pair of shoes to get back to their original form? If so, how?

?

 

[redmusic1]

The confusing thing to me is that the Boca Raton and Larchmont are clearly being replaced by the Leiden, yet they are both still full price on shoebank except for bourbon.

 

[Newberry]



?

Lol sorry. I should have been more specific. Well first is it possible for a shoe tree to strech out a pair of shoes by like half a size? If so, is it also possible to get them back to the way they were when I first bought them. It's because I have a pair of shoes that seem half a size bigger and I'm starting to think it's because of the shoe trees..

 

[mosy]

Can anyone let me know what last the AE Clifton's are on? And how does that last compare to the 65?

Also, being that these seem to only be available at Nordstrom, are these exclusive to them? Or are these simply a discontinued style, with Nordstrom being the last to have inventory?

 

[redmusic1]

Lol sorry. I should have been more specific. Well first is it possible for a shoe tree to strech out a pair of shoes by like half a size? If so, is it also possible to get them back to the way they were when I first bought them. It's because I have a pair of shoes that seem half a size bigger and I'm starting to think it's because of the shoe trees..

A while back, I remember someone saying how their shoes always felt tighter after using shoe trees and asked if anyone else had the same experience. I do. Drawing the moisture out helps them keep from getting stretched. My shoes always seem to fit tighter than they did when I last took them off. Not saying it isn't possible for shoe trees to stretch a shoe, but I think it is unlikely, unless you are using the wrong size shoe tree. As much force as that spring in a shoe tree may appear to have, it isn't anything compared to the weight of a full grown man coming down and pushing every which direction over and over.

 

[Newberry]



A while back, I remember someone saying how their shoes always felt tighter after using shoe trees and asked if anyone else had the same experience. I do. Drawing the moisture out helps them keep from getting stretched. My shoes always seem to fit tighter than they did when I last took them off. Not saying it isn't possible for shoe trees to stretch a shoe, but I think it is unlikely, unless you are using the wrong size shoe tree. As much force as that spring in a shoe tree may appear to have, it isn't anything compared to the weight of a full grown man coming down and pushing every which direction over and over. 

Thanks. Im a size 8D in almost any shoe and I use Nordstrom shoe trees. The Nordstrom staff always tells me that medium size trees is what I should be using.

 

[Newberry]



Can anyone let me know what last the AE Clifton's are on?  And how does that last compare to the 65?

Also, being that these seem to only be available at Nordstrom, are these exclusive to them?  Or are these simply a discontinued style, with Nordstrom being the last to have inventory?

Not sure what last they are but a size 8D in the Clifton fits me good and I'm a size 8D in the 65 last (got the Park Avenues and Strands).

 

[redmusic1]

PSA

Thanks. Im a size 8D in almost any shoe and I use Nordstrom shoe trees. The Nordstrom staff always tells me that medium size trees is what I should be using.

It depends on the brand shoe tree I'm sure, but medium AE and JAB shoe trees fit my 9.5D's pretty tight. 7.5D should definitely be small, not so sure about 8D. Even then, I still think its normal wear and break in of calf that generally result in a larger shoe. Even if your feat are not in direct contact with the leather, pressure and force is being exerted over the whole shoe with every step (e.g. the toe receives forward pressure every time the vamp bends and the ball area expands and contracts with every step). It isn't just tight fitting shoes that expand with break in time, it is actually every leather shoe that will loosen to some degree or other.

 

[22busy]



Can anyone let me know what last the AE Clifton's are on?  And how does that last compare to the 65?

Also, being that these seem to only be available at Nordstrom, are these exclusive to them?  Or are these simply a discontinued style, with Nordstrom being the last to have inventory?

The Clifton is on the 108 last. I don't play around too much with different sizes. I'm a 10E in everything I've ordered. The strand is a bit tight on me in the instep, but great everywhere else. The Clifton and the Carlye fit me perfect.

I do believe this is a Nordstrom exclusive, but when Nordstrom was having a sale I went into an AE store and ordered through them and they price matched it.

 

[jet-stream]



 Thanks, that does help a great deal. The 65 last is too small for me for 11EEE, so if the 1943 is smaller, I am totally screwed. Perhaps it would work at 12EE or some other size configuration since it is dramatically smaller.

Assuming the 65 in 11EEE is not wide enough, yeah, it's possible you are SOL. My guess is that the 1943 is maybe a half-width narrower than the 65, so you would probably have to go up to at least 12 EEE.

Sorry man - I feel your pain. Really like the Corneallis, but haven't been able to make it work thus far.

 

[jet-stream]



I thought I remembered reading somewhere that the 1943 was suppose to be wider in the ball of the foot, than the 65, and narrower/more tapered and sculpted toward the toe box.

Wider at the ball has not my been my experience, but in fairness, the limiting factor in both lasts for me is the pinky toe. It's a bit off the footbed on the 65 (without sizing up) and is basically strangled on the 1943.

 

[jet-stream]



My take on the 1943 last is that it's a chisel toe version of the 65 last. I tried on the Cornwalis at the RDA sale and it fit me the same as the strand. Great fit for me on the foot except for the instep. I have a high instep and favor the 108 and 333 over the 65 and 1943.

That's a reasonable take, and I'm envious that the 1943 worked. Agree that the instep is different between the two - I have a long instep and the 65 doesn't accommodate that well.

Amen on the 333 and 108 - I'm bummed the 333 is going away.

 

[ace13x]

?

Lol sorry. I should have been more specific. Well first is it possible for a shoe tree to strech out a pair of shoes by like half a size? If so, is it also possible to get them back to the way they were when I first bought them. It's because I have a pair of shoes that seem half a size bigger and I'm starting to think it's because of the shoe trees..

Sorry, I couldn't resist George Constanza.

I don't think it would be possible unless maybe during a complete resole, if they put the upper on a half smaller last???? I really have no idea how they could make it smaller. I agree, with the others, the tension put on by the trees is nothing (if I had to guesstimate less than 3%) compared to your foot, while walking and standing. That being said, do yo have to jam the tree into the shoe to the point beyond where the spring is fully compressed?

Also, I find I really don't like the Nordstrom trees as much as the Allen Edmond ones. The spring action on the Nordstrom doesn't seem as smooth, but maybe I just got a bad example, I haven't tried the J.A. Bank ones, but I have a feeling they're all made by the same company, maybe to different specs.