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

[MrDV]



Heck yeah! Me too!

Nerdy alden dream...
Take the delorian back to 1989, bet it all on the pistons, take the winnings into alden of Carmel and MTO one of each.
Then, make clever investments if there's any money left.

 

[hiattbecker]

Hello everyone,
So I'm looking for a bit of advice. I currently own two pairs of Alden's, both chukkas; Shell color 8, and unlined suede in tan. I'm looking into my next purchase but I'm torn. Part of me wants a classic blucher, perhaps color 8 longwing. Part of me wants a good boot, ideally the cigar indy with commando sole (however intangible they may be at the moment).

My question is- which pair do you find yourself wearing most? In this stage of my collection, I'm looking for practicality over prestige. I'd like to get a versatile pair of shoes that I can wear semi-daily, and may add an extra dimension to my humble collection.

Thanks!

 

[totalair1]



Nerdy alden dream...
Take the delorian back to 1989, bet it all on the pistons, take the winnings into alden of Carmel and MTO one of each.
Then, make clever investments if there's any money left.

I call shotgun!!!!!

See Ya,
Steve

 

[budapest12]

I call shotgun!!!!!

See Ya,
Steve

docalden's got the plutonium?

 

[ghdvfddzgzdzg]

You know, regarding delays, there's something going on outside of just the rare shell colors. I put in for LSH's snuff suede longwing preorder back in Jan 2012 because I could get a narrow size that way. That preorder just today was announced as done and ready. Now, I've heard lots of talk about preorders being slow because of a horse leather shortage, but if there was really a horse shortage, wouldn't the factory be putting out non-horse preorders faster? This is 22 months in preorder for suede. I don't know what's going on, but the simplest answer I see is that they are just so, so backed up with everything.

 

[smoothie1]

Nerdy alden dream...
Take the delorian back to 1989, bet it all on the pistons, take the winnings into alden of Carmel and MTO one of each.
Then, make clever investments if there's any money left.

I will drive; I could not help myself. Cheers!

 

[aldenwear]

Oh crap...you went and opened the wrong door now! You have no idea how long some of the members of this forum have been waiting for Pre-paid orders in rare colors! I can assure you there's a shortage of even color #8 models. No doubt many stores have a few models, but not much. I was at the DC store a few weeks ago and asked for them to bring me All shoes in cigar, whiskey, and Ravello in my size 13D. They had 1 pair which I bought. I would have bought 10 pairs that day if they had anything. But they had nothing else!

Thus week I've contacted every major Alden retailer asking for anything in rare colors and they have nothing. What's out there is scare!

See Ya,
Steve

PS...you find me some Alden size 13D or 13E in Whiskey, Ravello, or Cigar new or used in decent shape and I will pay you a 10% commission above retail or eBay asking price!

You ought to be ashamed of yourself. With dogs that big, one pair of shoes for you is, almost literally, equivalent to two pair of shoes in "normal" sizes. With shell so hard to come by, particularly in the exotic colors, it must be rationed for use in making the most pairs of shoes -- that is, in sizes 7-9, maybe an odd 10 in there occasionally! Just elegant black and color 8 for you!

 

[aldenwear]

Hello everyone,
So I'm looking for a bit of advice. I currently own two pairs of Alden's, both chukkas; Shell color 8, and unlined suede in tan. I'm looking into my next purchase but I'm torn. Part of me wants a classic blucher, perhaps color 8 longwing. Part of me wants a good boot, ideally the cigar indy with commando sole (however intangible they may be at the moment).

My question is- which pair do you find yourself wearing most? In this stage of my collection, I'm looking for practicality over prestige. I'd like to get a versatile pair of shoes that I can wear semi-daily, and may add an extra dimension to my humble collection.

Thanks!

The longwing is a classic that is versatile and, if you like the look, great-looking. It is also available now, or sort of now, in a number of different configurations. Moreover, it will likely be so long before you can get the cigar Indy, you could get the longwings now, get on a list for the Indys now, and perhaps have both within 12-24 months.

 

[kippy]



[/SPOILER]

nephew,
looking good

Thanks kindly, Uncle Mac

 

[MrDV]



I will drive; I could not help myself. Cheers!

Just Awesome. You have one, I'm not even a little surprised.

 

[coinopcollector]



A few years ago, it seems some retailers took preorders for rare cordovan that they couldn't fill in a reasonable time frame. Other retailers have ordered, sold, reordered, and sold rare models since. If you want rare cordovan, it's best to check retailers like the Alden branded stores, The Shoe Mart, and Citishoes for various models. The rare shell supply seems to have dried up for retailers like Leather Soul, Leffot, Epaulet, etc. This is why Leffot has moved to various black and color 8 preorders (which they seem to fill on a consistent basis)

Edit - it also seems that "stock models" (PTB, LHS, LWB, NST, chukkas) get restocked the quickest.

I recently asked Kathy at DC and Joe at TSM about the possibility of a Ravello Brixton boot and both told me it would not happen. Kathy said she wouldn't even consider it because the factory wouldn't fulfill the order because the supply of Ravello is limited.

 

[MrDV]



Hello everyone,
          So I'm looking for a bit of advice. I currently own two pairs of Alden's, both chukkas; Shell color 8, and unlined suede in tan. I'm looking into my next purchase but I'm torn. Part of me wants a classic blucher, perhaps color 8 longwing. Part of me wants a good boot, ideally the cigar indy with commando sole (however intangible they may be at the moment). 

My question is- which pair do you find yourself wearing most? In this stage of my collection, I'm looking for practicality over prestige. I'd like to get a versatile pair of shoes that I can wear semi-daily, and may add an extra dimension to my humble collection. 

Thanks! 

Color 8 long wings. Easy to wear just about everyday.

 

[brp2]



You know, regarding delays, there's something going on outside of just the rare shell colors. I put in for LSH's snuff suede longwing preorder back in Jan 2012 because I could get a narrow size that way. That preorder just today was announced as done and ready. Now, I've heard lots of talk about preorders being slow because of a horse leather shortage, but if there was really a horse shortage, wouldn't the factory be putting out non-horse preorders faster? This is 22 months in preorder for suede. I don't know what's going on, but the simplest answer I see is that they are just so, so backed up with everything.

I'd guess that you're right in part. I think there is a relative scarcity of the unusual shell colors when compared to the increased demand; and I think that demand in general for Alden has increased incredibly over the last few years. My guess is that Alden realizes all of this, but notes two other factors at the same time: (1) that Alden was doing OK prior to this spike; and (2) that, in the grand scheme, this spike will be relatively short-lived, as trends generally are. The response then is not to attempt to capture all of the new business but, instead, to stick to a long-term sustainable business model that ignores this present blip and backlog. And really, what else would we expect from such an old-line company? Further, that's why we'd all love to be stuffed in a Delorean blazing back to the good ol' days of plentiful lightly colored horsehide.

 

[totalair1]



You ought to be ashamed of yourself.  With dogs that big, one pair of shoes for you is, almost literally, equivalent to two pair of shoes in "normal" sizes.  With shell so hard to come by, particularly in the exotic colors, it must be rationed for use in making the most pairs of shoes -- that is, in sizes 7-9, maybe an odd 10 in there occasionally!  Just elegant black and color 8 for you!

It's all in the perspective. Bigger shoes effectively use more of the hide per pair and have less waste. In addition when wearing larger versions, those big foot version get noticed a lot more then those dainty girlie size feet do. Besides that size 13 is pretty normal. We supply the most NFL players...they all got big feet too!l
See Ya,
Stevie "The Foot".

 

[smoothie1]

Just Awesome. You have one, I'm not even a little surprised.

Lol. I thought this would provide a laugh or two. For the record, it's not mine. Someone in a nearby neighborhood owns this, and I could not resist the quick snap after dinner a month ago. Regards,

Smoothie.