***The official Alden thread *** Share enthusiasm, reviews, sizing, advice, and photos.

[imolazhp_ci]



i had to exchange a sweater at j. press. i used USPS priority and it took 2 days to go from Seattle to NY. meanwhile the return package from j press to Seattle is taking 7 days using ups.
why am i sticking up for the usps, i have no idea.

ups is the worst mail service of the big 3. hands down.

 

[unclesam099]



they're definitely not ruined. have you tried a suede cleaner? worse comes to worse you can send them to b. nelson.

No, I didn't try a suede cleaner. The wax seems to be set into the suede, so I'm not sure how much a cleaner would help. I'm considering sending them to B. Nelson.

 

[SuitedDx]



Are you serious, or being facetious?  If the only concrete your shoes see is from your car to your office and back, then I get it.  I'm just wondering if (and how) you really only wear your shoes on carpet. 

I think what Mac is referring to is within the context of trying new shoes to determine if they fit well. Although some distributors will not accept returns on shell shoes with creases, keeping the soles like-new will definitely get a higher asking resale price on auctions, B&S, etc.

 

[bucksfan]



Are you serious, or being facetious?  If the only concrete your shoes see is from your car to your office and back, then I get it.  I'm just wondering if (and how) you really only wear your shoes on carpet. 

I'm in a similar situation - from to the house to the garage to the car, from my spot in the parking garage 10 feet to the elevator, and from then on it's all carpeted. The only real wear is if I have a long walk to a restaurant from the parking lot or something. But, Mac also has a very large rotation, while I end up repeating shoes 2-3 times per month.

 

[SuitedDx]



I'm in a similar situation - from to the house to the garage to the car, from my spot in the parking garage 10 feet to the elevator, and from then on it's all carpeted. The only real wear is if I have a long walk to a restaurant from the parking lot or something. But, Mac also has a very large rotation, while I end up repeating shoes 2-3 times per month.

Bucksfan, good to see you on this other Americana thread! I am so totally on the other range of the spectrum. Living in NYC and one who would rather walk 10 blocks then hop on a subway for 1 stop, I think I must range anywhere from 4 to 5 miles during a workday and more on weekends (which is a reason why I wear my double leather soled Aldens then). I don't know if it's just me but I do find some satisfaction getting wear out of my shoes.

 

[bucksfan]

^ good to be seen, thanks. I am beginning to increase my Alden collection, so I figured I'd start adding to the conversation over here

How long does a double sole last you, out of curiosity? I have them on my Alden for j. Crew captoes and Chukkas.

 

[SuitedDx]



How long does a double sole last you, out of curiosity? I have them on my Alden for j. Crew captoes and Chukkas.

I rotate shoes a fair amount so they last quite a while, at least a little over a couple of years? I don't however, wait until I get to the cork, I get resoled when it gets to past the first leather layer and starts to show the middle leather layer. Most of my walking is also on concrete so the wear is pretty rough.

If you transition out, all the guys in the AE threat will lose their 'insider' Definitely prefer Alden to AE for more casual footwear!

 

[rikod]



Stunning! I'm surprised the whiskey cordovan is so dark in color.

yeah this pair looks almost as dark as some Ravello shoes that have been posted here.

congrats! thats a beautiful shade of whiskey!

A great shade indeed.
Mine were set to arrive via USPS priority on 12/6 per the tracking number.
It is 12/8 and they are not here. The beauty of the government-run postal system during the holidays .....

Thanks everyone, maybe the photos are a little dark, here is a comparison with my Ravello PTB

 

[jkater1]

Anyone thinking of having the Tamara that is posting on Leathef Souls website as a courier for the Cigar Jumpers?

 

[Don L]

Have you tried a suede brush on those suede's with the wax?

 

[Alcibiades]

I love whiskey

 

[Burton]

Gentlemen,

Last night I got a great deal on a pair of color 8 shell tassel loafers. I already have a pair of color 8 tassels -- the BB model. I am on the fence about keeping them only because they will be a dupilicate. I have thought about possibly trading them. Of course they are on the Aberdeen last and they are size 9D. If anyone is interested in the trade PM me. I may just keep them under the theory you can't ever have too many pairs of tassel loafers. Not sure what I would trade them for, but I am generally a 9 or 9.5 in Alden shoes.

 

[Burton]



Well, I tried and I'm not sure what else to do. I think that the one shoe is ruined. I almost wish it would've gone onto my shell chukkas above where the suede were stored, it would be so much easier to clean!

I would first try warm water and dish soap. Not the kind you put in the diswasher but the kind you use in the sink--that and a scrub brush.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[MoneyWellSpent]

I think what Mac is referring to is within the context of trying new shoes to determine if they fit well. Although some distributors will not accept returns on shell shoes with creases, keeping the soles like-new will definitely get a higher asking resale price on auctions, B&S, etc.

I am still hoping he can clarify further. The whole break-in technique and the logic behind it is not a mystery to me. As I said, I follow the same techniques. The fact remains that the toes of leather soled shoes, almost without fail, show the upward curvature wear pattern (to different degrees amongst different people depending upon walking styles). The reason I posed the original question to McArthur is because he has pointed out the some of the shoes in these photos of his are decades old. They may well have been resoled recently enough (which he can easily clarify if that is the case), otherwise, it remains a mystery to me how the sole edges are essentially square (to use a carpenter's term). When I posed my original question, he simply replied that they are never worn on concrete. While possible, it would be unusual for decades old shoes to avoid concrete. People have lives, they have commutes, they run errands, they go out to eat during lunch hours, etc. I suspect Bucksfan is correct that McArthur's shoe collection is large enough to allow pairs of shoes to only be worn on rare occasions at best, which more than likely accounts for the almost new appearance.

 

[IRONHORSE]

Here is my modified last Plain toe boot snuff suede supper comfortable