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

[Keyser_Söze]

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These are great but I can't think of anything I'd wear them with.

 

[ctmike]

I have been on the waiting list with B&M for the restock of their makeup of these navy suede LWBs on leather soles for like 5 years now, since before covid. It's a shame no one makes these shoes in navy suede anymore; they're really special!

Wow - I'm surprised nobody has these right now. I got this pair a while ago, I think they were from J Crew or Leffot. I don't think it was an unusual offering at the time.

I'm annoyed I didn't buy the Hunting Green LWBs. I have an eBay alert out for them, but Alden Model Project shows that exactly one pair in my size have been listed - for an hour and a half in 2017.

So I'm not holding my breath.

 

[WineAndShoes]

Two pairs of longwings that I’ve been considering for a while, and have added to my cart over and over… does anybody have either of these? I’d love to see some real-life photos!

I love the vibrant colors, brass eyelets, antique edges and commando soles. Honestly my work environment is so casual these days that I could wear these anytime. And as I mentioned in a previous post, soles that hold up to the slushy, salty sidewalks in a Chicago winter are really appealing to me.

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The Ealdwine Long Wings are beautiful and great shoes from a great retailer but maybe not what I would pick for snow. I think you could apply a principle that I have been developing: If you cannot find an Alden that fits a given nitch, then split the use case and buy two Aldens! In my case, I could not find a reverse chamois 6-eyelet chukka, so I bought a reverse chamois boot AND a Ravello shell chukka. In your case, you could buy a tough reverse chamois boot AND a beautiful Long Wing!

 

[eric_61]

The Ealdwine Long Wings are beautiful and great shoes from a great retailer but maybe not what I would pick for snow. I think you could apply a principle that I have been developing: If you cannot find an Alden that fits a given nitch, then split the use case and buy two Aldens! In my case, I could not find a reverse chamois 6-eyelet chukka, so I bought a reverse chamois boot AND a Ravello shell chukka. In your case, you could buy a tough reverse chamois boot AND a beautiful Long Wing!

I love it. I found a very lightly used pair of six-eyelet Indy chukkas in earth reverse chamois in my size for a good price — I’ve been on the fence between those, tobacco reverse chamois Indy boots at full price, and a plain toe brown chromexcel boot on the Barrie last, which works a little better for me than TruBalance (though I don’t own anything in it at the moment and I’ve really wanted to give TruBalance another try).

When I mention snow and salt, what I really mean is walking on slushy, nasty city sidewalks … not trudging through serious stuff. That’s why I’d thought perhaps those longwings with commando soles might be a good idea. But I definitely hear you and know I could be very wrong!

 

[Keyser_Söze]

I love it. I found a very lightly used pair of six-eyelet Indy chukkas in earth reverse chamois in my size for a good price — I’ve been on the fence between those, tobacco reverse chamois Indy boots at full price, and a plain toe brown chromexcel boot on the Barrie last, which works a little better for me than TruBalance (though I don’t own anything in it at the moment and I’ve really wanted to give TruBalance another try).

When I mention snow and salt, what I really mean is walking on slushy, nasty city sidewalks … not trudging through serious stuff. That’s why I’d thought perhaps those longwings with commando soles might be a good idea. But I definitely hear you and know I could be very wrong!

When I see salt out on the sidewalks I stop wearing any footwear I care about.

 

[eric_61]

When I see salt out on the sidewalks I stop wearing any footwear I care about.

I hear you on that, but that would mean 4 months of not wearing footwear I care about!

 

[zippyh]

Ocho Indys.

 

[Sheepdog]

Two recent pick-ups from last week(end). First up are these Humus Suede "Manchester" NST Bluchers with 270-flat welt on Hampton last from Brogue. Add another Handsewn make-up to the collection! Love the blind eyelets and single Waterloc sole! I think these will be heavy in the rotation this Spring!

Dang it, just now catching up on this thread and had to see these. I had been considering them while available in my size and talked myself out of it, but might have to buy after all. I appreciate the real world pics - I was thinking they might be darker, but looks like the medium-ish brown I'd like.

 

[Hisheirness23]

Two pairs of longwings that I’ve been considering for a while, and have added to my cart over and over… does anybody have either of these? I’d love to see some real-life photos!

I love the vibrant colors, brass eyelets, antique edges and commando soles. Honestly my work environment is so casual these days that I could wear these anytime. And as I mentioned in a previous post, soles that hold up to the slushy, salty sidewalks in a Chicago winter are really appealing to me.

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Feel free to contact either retailer and ask for photos! Both shops would gladly assist!

 

[Hisheirness23]

Dang it, just now catching up on this thread and had to see these. I had been considering them while available in my size and talked myself out of it, but might have to buy after all. I appreciate the real world pics - I was thinking they might be darker, but looks like the medium-ish brown I'd like.

They're very much a medium brown. Not nearly as dark as chocolate and almost on par with tobacco. Couple that with the Alden price increase and handsewn production lead-times, I would absolutely suggest grabbing a pair now.

 

[MuskieFan]

First and second pair of Alden boots. Cigar and Revello, respectively.

 

[Sheepdog]

They're very much a medium brown. Not nearly as dark as chocolate and almost on par with tobacco. Couple that with the Alden price increase and handsewn production lead-times, I would absolutely suggest grabbing a pair now.

You're not helping!

I know sizing questions can get tedious, but with both a 9D and 9.5D available I was hoping to get some thoughts since you've got the actual shoes. Now for the anectodal info:

-Just bought shell tassels (563) in 9D - length good, but left shoe a shade narrow at the ball (fingers crossed this resolve with wear?)
-I've got suede wingtip bals (904) on the Hampton in 9D that are a pretty good fit, but only ever worn thinner dress socks with these
-My B&M suede wingtip bluchers on the Plaza in 9.5 are a shade long but work ok with tight lacing
-9D calf or suede LHS are a decent fit (but same size in shell is too big - still working on that)

Sounds like ideally I need a 9 1/4!

 

[TheLawBeard]

When I see salt out on the sidewalks I stop wearing any footwear I care about.

It's funny you mention that. Where I live they don't use a whole lot of "salt" anymore. They've switched over to ice melt (the blue crystals). I've got a pair of natty shell boots with sole/heel protectors that I wear on such occasions. I do semi-regular maintenance on it but it's seen rain, snow, ice- pretty much anything I go through myself.

 

[Hisheirness23]

You're not helping!

I know sizing questions can get tedious, but with both a 9D and 9.5D available I was hoping to get some thoughts since you've got the actual shoes. Now for the anectodal info:

-Just bought shell tassels (563) in 9D - length good, but left shoe a shade narrow at the ball (fingers crossed this resolve with wear?)
-I've got suede wingtip bals (904) on the Hampton in 9D that are a pretty good fit, but only ever worn thinner dress socks with these
-My B&M suede wingtip bluchers on the Plaza in 9.5 are a shade long but work ok with tight lacing
-9D calf or suede LHS are a decent fit (but same size in shell is too big - still working on that)

Sounds like ideally I need a 9 1/4!

How's your instep? I have low volume, flat feet that are slightly narrow. I took these in 8.5D and noticed the facings of these Bluchers are narrow like I experience with Plaza Bluchers. I need to tighten these to keep my heel in place.

Your best comparison will be against your suede 904s. I always wear thin dress socks with shoes and they fit good, just need to lace them a little tighter. Good news is that if the facings close cause you need to tighten your laces that much, you can always add a set of tongue pads to eat up some volume in the instep. From what you shared, sounds like 9D in Hampton would work for you!

 

[Markintosh]

C&J makes incredible shoes and a couple models are on my list...but they don't make the Alden LWB. The Alden longwing pattern on barrie is the industry best, IMO, so Im happy to wait for a retailer to run navy suede again. What does surprise me is how rarely they're made up anymore, about 10 years ago a few retailers made them, and at one point it was a standard makeup offered by Alden SF.

I 100% agree on the LWB - I primarily collect wingtips and the two Alden pairs that I have are my favorite. I don’t like the C&J long wing pattern as much but I love their sole options (i’m not a fan of leather soles) but it’s their scotch grain that pulled me in. My shoe collection by large measure is complete. All that’s missing is a LWB in C2 and Ravello. Since you’re interested in Navy I’ll post a pic of my Navy C&J.