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

[TO Tie Guy]



Got the jcrew 975 for sale if anyone is interested... New got them today .. They just don't do anything for me..

Spoiler

PM me the damage on these, or link me to a classified post. I looked but didn't see one.

 

[Alcibiades]

The one hard metric, eBay resale value, seems to indicate new cordovan Alden shoes and boots are probably worth their retail price

 

[halfnhalfnhalf]

Quote:
This.

Personally, it's important to me to buy American, and for dress and nice casual shoes that pretty much means either Alden or AE. And, I don't mind paying more for American-made goods if it helps the people who make them to be able to live better lives (buying houses, sending their children to college, etc.).

 

[cyc wid it]

The importance of buying American is a largely sentimental/emotional notion isn't it? If products are of equal quality, I'll support American, but I won't compromise on quality just to support American.

If e-bay resale value is what you're going by, Nike Jordans might be some of the best "value" shoes. Are we saying that the construction and materials etc. are worth hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars? This particular market is driven largely by the emotional attachment to the brand IMO. There's nothing wrong with that: people should just be more honest with themselves about it.

 

[anrobit]

The importance of buying American is a largely sentimental/emotional notion isn't it?

Well, I suppose Alden might be worth more (read: be valued higher) to those who value American-made products. Personally, I don't care as much, but again, others do.

 

[NYDRH]

The one hard metric, eBay resale value, seems to indicate new cordovan Alden shoes and boots are probably worth their retail price

If you can show me DCFs or other valuation methodologies that come up with objective values for shoes, please go ahead

I've gotten full value out of my most expensive Alden shoes (probably my two tanker boots) so far this year. My Edward Greens? Not so much, even though they are beautiful...

I run the analysis............whats the scrap value for shell on the open market?

 

[ironclad]



I run the analysis............whats the scrap value for shell on the open market?

Color 8 or Ravello?

Because I'm pretty damn sure I'd be willing to pay a bundle to turn one of MrDV's Ravello wingtip boots into a sweet wallet...

 

[anrobit]

Color 8 or Ravello?

Because I'm pretty damn sure I'd be willing to pay a bundle to turn one of MrDV's Ravello wingtip boots into a sweet wallet...

http://www.ashlandleather.com/product-p/jtfshelllimited.htm

Knock yourself out.

 

[coinopcollector]

Some random thoughts on Alden Shell, quality and OCD.

First, it seems that many of us here love Shell Cordovan and are also mildly to severely OCD.
Second, Shell Cordovan is used to make shoes by a relatively very small percentage of the world's shoemakers.
Third, the second point is true because shell is rare in all colors (relatively speaking) and allegedly much harder to work with than calf or other leathers.
Fourth, Shell Cordovan shoes are expensive and a lot of us go crazy if the shoes are not perfect. Real blemeshes are not acceptable, but sometimes we obsess over really insignificant glitches.
Fifth, if you have purchased shell shoes from other manufacturers you will know that their shoes are not perfect either (I own Hanover, C&J, Alden and AE shell so I speak from experience).

With these thoughts I would like to point out something that I was told that has greatly helped me with my OCD over the past few years. When I complained to a craftsman about a job he was doing, and in hindsight he was doing it very well, he told me: "if you expect perfection you will always be unhappy, it does not exist. Expect excellence and I will strive to give it to you."

Aldens, AE's, C&J's, Carminas etc. will not be perfect, they are going to have glitches which we can call character. They are hand made. Stitching and finishes are applied by hand and not by a computer controlled machine dolling out exactly the same amount of finish in exactly the same spot on every single pair of size 10D Color 8 LWB's that pass down the line.

If I received a pair of shoes like the messed up CXL LWB's that popped up a few days ago they would go back, but seriously, many of the recent complaints fall into the not perfect but still pretty damned excellent category.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Shawnc]



Any thoughts on the color imperfections in the tongue of this boot? The rest of the shoe seems pretty close to perfect for Alden standards.

I had exactly the same issue on my jcrew longwings (crepe). Spent hours staring at them and trying to figure out whether to keep or return. I ultimately decided to keep them and the first few times I cleaned them, I added Alden Color 8 paste wax only to the lighter area on the tongue. I let the wax sit for 15-20 minutes and brushed. I can no longer see a difference. And mine was more pronounced than yours.

 

[NYDRH]

Color 8 or Ravello?

Because I'm pretty damn sure I'd be willing to pay a bundle to turn one of MrDV's Ravello wingtip boots into a sweet wallet...

ha I didnt think of that

 

[fitchottie]



Some random thoughts on Alden Shell, quality and OCD.  


First, it seems that many of us here love Shell Cordovan and are also mildly to severely OCD.  
Second, Shell Cordovan is used to make shoes by a relatively very small percentage of the world's shoemakers.
Third, the second point is true because shell is rare  in all colors (relatively speaking) and  allegedly much harder to work with than calf or other leathers.
Fourth, Shell Cordovan shoes are expensive and a lot of us go crazy if the shoes are not perfect.  Real blemeshes are not acceptable, but sometimes we obsess over really insignificant glitches. 
Fifth, if you have purchased shell shoes from other manufacturers you will know that their shoes are not perfect either (I own Hanover, C&J, Alden and AE shell so I speak from experience).

With these thoughts I would like to point out something that I was told that has greatly helped me with my OCD over the past few years.   When I complained to a craftsman about a job he was doing, and in hindsight he was doing it very well,  he told me:  "if you expect perfection you will always be unhappy, it does not exist.  Expect excellence and I will strive to give it to you."

Aldens, AE's, C&J's, Carminas etc. will not be perfect, they are going to have glitches which we can call character.  They are hand made.  Stitching and finishes are applied by hand and not by a computer controlled machine dolling out exactly the same amount of finish in exactly the same spot on every single pair of size 10D Color 8 LWB's that pass down the line.  

If I received a pair of shoes like the messed up CXL LWB's that popped up a few days ago they would go back, but seriously, many of the recent complaints fall into the not perfect but still pretty damned excellent category. 

Just my 2 cents.

I agree completely and if the prices weren't so high I don't think people would be as picky. Also I would like to add it really comes down to caring about the job and product you put out. It would appear in some cases Alden is lacking in that and there is a trickle down effect with retailers. While the finishes may appear different from pair to pair, they should not from shoe to shoe. Two seconds with any sort of light and you can see. Stitching mess ups and welt being wrong or crooked can all be caught before they leave the factory. I agree that nothing in life may be perfect, it damn well better be close, unless I am getting it for free.

 

[bkotsko]

Any thoughts on the color imperfections in the tongue of this boot? The rest of the shoe seems pretty close to perfect for Alden standards.

IMO, wear and enjoy them. It is definitely not something I would have an issue with.

 

[fitchottie]



I had exactly the same issue on my jcrew longwings (crepe). Spent hours staring at them and trying to figure out whether to keep or return. I ultimately decided to keep them and the first few times I cleaned them, I added Alden Color paste wax only to the lighter area on the tongue. I let the wax sit for 15-20 minutes and brush. I can no longer see a difference. And mine was more pronounced than yours.

The laces cover the tongue, I would not worry at all about that. Besides once you send them in for refinishing all will be good.

 

[ironclad]



http://www.ashlandleather.com/product-p/jtfshelllimited.htm 

Knock yourself out. 

It was a joke. Just suggesting that a piece of shell with known provenience, DV's pedigree, and broguing would make a wallet worth ten times a Ravello Ashland.