The Official Alden Thread for 2025 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

[JTMD]

Where can one buy Alden shoes in Europe? I'm looking for Indy boots in size 12.

There appears to be shops with stockists in 11 European countries. You can go to the Alden website and choose which one is best for you. I can't speak for the entirety of the European market but the shops I've been to have a rather dismal selection. As an Alden collector on Europe I've often questioned my sanity getting Alden's re-shipped out of the US versus just enjoying many of the European manufacturers.

Below is the link (stores).

Stores

 

[lurker33]

Frans Boone has an ok selection, but the new prices are insane. 950 Euros for non-shell Alden? So either i find the rare good deal or barely used / NIB now, or get lucky on something in my size with the old pricing (can see some of that on frans boone, shell boots cheaper than the new pricing on suede boots)

 

[sazon]

Loden suede to start 2025

 

[WineAndShoes]

Gentlemen,

I am thinking about buying a Alden 9071 - Black Shell Straight Tip Balmoral at retail. The stores that seem to have my size (9.5D) in stock are Alden Madison, Sherman Brothers, and The Shoe Mart. Since I seem to have a choice, I'd appreciate advice on which of these would be most useful to buy from in terms of building a relationship with a retailer and working toward access to rare shell offerings. For what it is worth, I have bought from The Shoe Mart before and believe that I am already on their "rare shell list."

 

[Keyser_Söze]

..

Gentlemen,

I am thinking about buying a Alden 9071 - Black Shell Straight Tip Balmoral at retail. The stores that seem to have my size (9.5D) in stock are Alden Madison, Sherman Brothers, and The Shoe Mart. Since I seem to have a choice, I'd appreciate advice on which of these would be most useful to buy from in terms of building a relationship with a retailer and working toward access to rare shell offerings. For what it is worth, I have bought from The Shoe Mart before and believe that I am already on their "rare shell list."

TSM doesn't really have a list like the others. TSM you just ask and get put on it. Alden Madison definitely has a list but probably has a lot of traffic so not sure how likely you are to get anything. I don't know enough about how Sherman Brothers does it but I imagine that'd be your best bet. I'd email them first and ask.

 

[coolarrow]

Went with the Cigar Grant boots on the first workday of the year:

 

[Vincent George]

Gentlemen,

I am thinking about buying a Alden 9071 - Black Shell Straight Tip Balmoral at retail. The stores that seem to have my size (9.5D) in stock are Alden Madison, Sherman Brothers, and The Shoe Mart. Since I seem to have a choice, I'd appreciate advice on which of these would be most useful to buy from in terms of building a relationship with a retailer and working toward access to rare shell offerings. For what it is worth, I have bought from The Shoe Mart before and believe that I am already on their "rare shell list."

Unless the rules have changed, buying one non-rare shell from Alden Madison allows you to request placement on their rare list. However, they don’t have a “general list”— you have to choose a particular model that you’d like to be in line for (when you reach out to them, they share the potential choices). You can be transparent and direct with them when you ask, too.

You could also consider Alden DC, as they try to spread the rare wealth. I like Brian there.

Also also, Matt (Ealdwine) and Yenni (Brick + Mortar) are among the best in the business; they take care of their loyal customers.

 

[WineAndShoes]

You could also consider Alden DC, as they try to spread the rare wealth. I like Brian there.

Also also, Matt (Ealdwine) and Yenni (Brick + Mortar) are among the best in the business; they take care of their loyal customers.

Alden DC doesn't seem to have a Straight Tip Balmoral, although they have a Perf Tip. Alden SF has the Straight Tip, but doesn't have my size in stock. I bought my first Aldens (Color 8 Plain Toe Bluchers) from Alden SF, but I am not on their rare shell list and don't know their rules or whether buying another shell pair would help.

Matt / Ealdwine is amazingly awesome, and I have heard only great things about Yenni / Brick + Mortar, but neither seems to carry the 9071.

 

[CLH03]

Alden DC doesn't seem to have a Straight Tip Balmoral, although they have a Perf Tip. Alden SF has the Straight Tip, but doesn't have my size in stock. I bought my first Aldens (Color 8 Plain Toe Bluchers) from Alden SF, but I am not on their rare shell list and don't know their rules or whether buying another shell pair would help.

Matt / Ealdwine is amazingly awesome and have heard only great things about Yenni / Brick + Mortar, but neither seems to carry the 9071.

The 9071 is available to all retailers. There is a minimum order quantity, though, so not every retailer necessarily has it. Alden DC definitely have access to this shoe, as does SF. Other retailers may have it as well and just don’t advertise it.

 

[Markintosh]

Mr. Mayor Mike (or anyone),

Where would you put burnished calf (in LWB) in the picture you posted below? AofM has a pre-order that I'm thinking about. It looks very orange to me, I would put it between the Ravello (2nd from right) and the whiskey (far right)...

 

[Vincent George]

The 9071 is available to all retailers. There is a minimum order quantity, though, so not every retailer necessarily has it. Alden DC definitely have access to this shoe, as does SF. Other retailers may have it as well and just don’t advertise it.

Came here to say this. Yes. ⬆️

 

[WineAndShoes]

The 9071 is available to all retailers. There is a minimum order quantity, though, so not every retailer necessarily has it. Alden DC definitely have access to this shoe, as does SF. Other retailers may have it as well and just don’t advertise it.

I think I've heard that a custom make-up like the 9071 requires ordering 12 pairs. If some retailer wants to order a dozen pairs so I can get one, I'd prefer to pick something that I cannot get anywhere else, e.g., a six-eye tobacco reverse chamois chukka on Vibram. However, I can see that someone like Alden DC might be confident enough that the 9071 will sell quickly that they might be willing to order a dozen on request, while something like my six-eye chukka could be more of a gamble. I sent an email to Alden DC asking whether they have or would be willing to get the 9071.

 

[humble dresser]

Newbie question here, so please forgive my naivete. But apart from finding a used pair on ebay or elsewhere, how might I go about facilitating the purchase of a new pair with the following features?

• plain toe blucher
• 379x last
• black shell cordovan
• metal eyelets
• fewer than six eyelets
• leather sole

Thanks for any help, advice, etc.

 

[ppk]

Alden DC doesn't seem to have a Straight Tip Balmoral, although they have a Perf Tip. Alden SF has the Straight Tip, but doesn't have my size in stock. I bought my first Aldens (Color 8 Plain Toe Bluchers) from Alden SF, but I am not on their rare shell list and don't know their rules or whether buying another shell pair would help.

Matt / Ealdwine is amazingly awesome, and I have heard only great things about Yenni / Brick + Mortar, but neither seems to carry the 9071.

I would email Matt to confirm.

 

[WineAndShoes]

Mr. Mayor Mike (or anyone),

Where would you put burnished calf (in LWB) in the picture you posted below? AofM has a pre-order that I'm thinking about. It looks very orange to me, I would put it between the Ravello (2nd from right) and the whiskey (far right)...

View attachment 2307181

View attachment 2307183

I'm not sure whether Alden's "New Dark Tan" calfskin is the same as their "Burnished Tan" calfskin, but from pictures, they look fairly similar to me. I also think you need to compare to Color 4 in order to parameterize the orange/red component. Here is an artificial light picture of my "New Dark Tan" calfskin bluchers between my (relatively dark) Ravello and Color 4 boots. Clearly, the tan is lighter, but unfortunately, my only Whiskey pair is getting resoled by Aram so I cannot add a light/dark dimension. I think you also know that Alden's colors vary a lot both from batch to batch and depending on lighting, so trying to fine tune the color of a purchase too much is likely to be frustrating.