familyman

Is he offering the indy in #8 too? The only color option I see is black.

Black is the color but one can always ask nicely and see what happens. I'm a returning customer so that may be helping me out. It never hurts to ask.

It's worth it to have something like that to share between a dad and his daughter. The fact that she's independent enough to wear something completely different than her peers is very cool. I just spent way more than that on a motorcycle for my 3 year old because he really wants to ride with me. Shared interests and time spent together is worth so much. Let her rock the sammies.

If anybody is interested in the next Leathersoul order the info is posted on AskAndy in the deals and steals section. He asked that people actually visit AskAndy to get the info so that Andy gets more exposure. Spectacular deals on the wingtip boots continue.

I'm ordering a pair of #8 indys. :)

They have a double sole from Tom. Someone on a different board apprently asked Alden about switching soles and their answer was they they could put just about any sole on any shoe when it was resoled, you just needed to specify. If Alden does the sole, they'll put it on. If nothing else there are some really good cobblers out there that could certainly do it. A vibram sole is just glued into place after all. The boot could be resoled as a single with no heel and have a big proper hiking sole glued on. Lots of room to change the boot over it's life, and with cordovan lasting so long.......

Personally, I would think the ideal would be a cross between the Cordo-Indy and the heavy Fan-Indy. For me, that would be a Cordo-Indy upper (I can’t decide whether Cigar or #8) with the full-on major commando sole that AoC uses on his heavy Fan-Indy. Elegance and long-life, but something you can wear for serious hiking - urban or back country, wet or dry. Clean 'em up and you can dress in fine (Buzz Rickson, eh?) chinos and a tweed jacket.

The great thing is that the Indy's are only a re-sole away from a commando sole. Wear them for a few years and then when it's time to re-sole go commando? Might be nice. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable subjecting brand new cordo indy's to the trail but after a few years I might feel different.

I need some advice here. I've got what I believe to be the endpoints for my boot collection.

My Russells:

And my Alden Wingtips:

I want to fill things in so I'm not just switching between a work boot and a dress boot every other day. I can get in on the next Leathersoul order and get a pair of cordovan Indy's for a good price. I just haven't convinced myself to pull the trigger yet though the more I think about it the closer I get. I'm torn.

familyman, that boot sounds nice but I'm hesitant to buy something on the plaza last. I have a pronated stride and the orthopedic heel on the trubalance corrects it perfectly.

I've been drooling over the AF60 with a steadily increasing frequency lately, but I may end up going with the 86 model because they are on the trubalance (and I like the perforations on the cap).

To anyone who has tried both the plaza and trubalance; how big is the difference?

Also, I took a photo of the creases starting to form on my shoes and how the color is starting to lighten up in the folds. I'm interested to see how the #8 will look after a few tomb raids

One of the guys over at Ask Andy got both the cordo indy's and the wingtips the other day, he'd probalby be the guy to ask. Goes by Phil over there. I'm teetering on the edge of getting a pair of cordo indy's with the next order, I can't decide. No dice with the medalion cap toes. I'm bummed.

Those #8 indys look great with jeans (to me) just great. The pictures in the sun are beautiful. If the sun would ever shine here I'd copy you and take pictures of mine outdoors. It's just not right for Texas to be quite this gloomy.

I've been bugging Tom about the next special order and if I'm understading him right there's a good chance that a medalion cap toe plaza last boot might be possible. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping. I'll certainly make sure you guys know what's available when he does another order. Might be a couple of months but he's sure to have some more beauties. The long wait time on his orders is perfect for me, lets me squirrel the money away.

I think the cigar (at least mine, there's a lot of variation I'm told) is too brown to work with straight black. I think it would work fine with charcoal though. Well, after holding some black up aginast it maybe black would work, I just wouldn't do it with balck dress pants, texture helps a lot. I still think #8 is more versatile even though I'm loving cigar to death.

Those shell Indy's do look nice. I'd love to see a picture of them worn with a pair of jeans.

That is a great looking pair of shoes. The leather sole really changes the look. I like them.

I'm wearing my wingtips out of the house for the first time today. My driveway turns into a mud pit after it rains and today is the first day I can walk out the door without stepping into standing water. I've go to take the kids to school and run to the bank and I have class tonight. I'm very excited to be wearing them.

I also mentioned to my wife that I would probably be getting another pair and it only resulted in an eye roll. She really loves me.

shit u got big feet familyman

Nope, I have small ankles, optical illusion. Those are 8C. I have tiny feet for someone that stands 6 feet tall.

hey familyman, i got the exact same shoe, but in boot form--in black. i have been very pleased with it!

Really! Is it stock somewhere?

Good to know that Alden has made it before. It makes the oreder process much easier from what I've heard.

I know I've only had my boots for a couple of hours but I just can't stop myself from trying to decide what to get next. I know I will get another pair. Special orders are good. They slow me down.

I keep thinking about a Perforated Cap Toe on the plaza last in #8. A bit like this shoe but it's on the wrong last. So sexy.

For anybody that's interested, The Shoe Mart has a GREAT deal on black calf Alden ankle boots on the Plaza last. Closeout at only $250. If I was in the mood for a black boot I'd strike. I have no financial interest in this, only thought it was a great deal.

http://www.theshoemart.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?&vendor=ALD&template=men&browse_vendor=1&item=ALD_m_6_Eyelet_Ankle_Boot_Calfskin_co&ps=3&start=11&rpro=

The pre-order discount got the price down to a reasonable $515 shipping included.

Ok, maybe that's not exactly reasonable for a pair of boots. My wife is still rolling her eyes as me. I think it's reasonable though.

More pictures. I'll take some in natural light when it's not such a gloomy day. I know the pictures suck. I was in a hurry. I wanted them on my feet.

Ayn - these are different than the ones availabe in July. These are on the plaza last with a double leather sole. The ones in July are on the Barrie last with the Commando sole. They are different batches made for different sellers. All very cool.

Thanks, these are amazing. They really were worth the 6 month wait. A few more pics, I have to go pick my kids up from preschool in 5 minutes so more after lunch.

My boots have arrived. I'm loading up more pictures.

These are incredible. I have very happy. Feet.

Alden wingtip boot, cigar shell cordovan.

Just started wearing these today 'cause it's finally "cold enough".

Am curious how these are going to look as they're a bit too new for my liking at the moment.

And, yes, they are green!

Hmmm.... Not the best picture, it makes the shaft look huge and the nose tiny. The nose is quite slim though.

What the hell are those Duck? They're sort of cool looking.

So now that I am addicted to my indys, and my countless dunks and other over priced sneakers sit unworne (unless skate boarding), I am thinkign about the black cordvan ones.

here is the real question:

as you all have informed me the black indys come with leather soles, would it be possable to have the regular indy soles put on them, or other rubber ones?

thanks much

You can have topy or very thin vibram glued to the leather. It will increase the life of the leather and make them less slippery. It won't make it an 'off road' boot though. I'm almost certain Alden can put the standard Indy sole on it or a commando sole through their recrafting program. You should be able to call or e-mail them to confirm. If you're really set on it your best bet would be to buy them and wear them until the leather sole wore out and then have them recrafted with the sole of your choice. Recrafting is about $125 the last I heard and the results are nothing short of amazing.

I loved the act of rolling almost as much as I loved smoking. Life moves way too fast usually and there's nothing quite like sitting down and rolling up a smoke and enjoying it. I could roll one in about 60 seconds if I hurried but it was so much better to just take a smoke break as a smoke break and relax and enjoy it.

Before I drove any long distance I'd roll up a couple and stick them under the visor so I had them. If I was going to a bar I'd roll up a couple and throw them in the pouch because rolling in a crowd is a pain in the ass. When I got busy at work and started smoking regualar packs I smoked a LOT more. I still loved it. Even though I quit before my daughter was born 4 years ago I still love it. If I didn't have to be a good example to my kids I'd go buy a pouch right now and roll one up. God I love rolling and smoking cigarettes.

I already got a pair of Buzz Ricksons khakis from him and if he stays there long enough I'm bound to break down and order some Loopwheeler. It can't be helped, it's just a matter of time really. I'm so weak.

How do Allen-Edmonds fit? I'm thinking of buying a pair online. Should I purchase my "true" size? (ie. size I wear usually) Thanks.

I only have one pair of AE's and mine fit true to size.

If you really really want an answer that goes to individual lasts and how they work there's a guy on Ask Andy who has something like 50 pairs of AE's and is a veritable fountain of knowledge on them. JLibourel is his name, cool guy.

I still have family on working farms in middle America. I can assure you that no one in those families romanticize that dress style. Not even the older generation who may still wear exactly that style of clothes into the fields today would see it as a style to emulate. Earn, perhaps. Emulate? No. Attitude adopted is obviously not earned. And it really looks stupid on poseurs.

What's interesting is that I also have family and friends on working farms in middle America and they really do romanticize their style. In those small towns where you've got farmers and everybody else you can pick the farmers and the farm kids out by their boots. It's a mark of pride that they wear 'working boots' that have the living hell beat out of them. You can wear the same type of boots but that degree of wear is hard to achieve off the farm and it's obvious. Hats, coats, same thing. They own that particular style and are very defensive of it. They've 'earned' it. it has a very strong romance for them. This is also true of loggers and welders and field geologists and any of a dozen other professions that have signature looks. There's a certain pride in being recognized as a welder or a construction worker by the subtle differences in the clothes you wear.

There's a lot of romance and a lot of pride in these looks and I don't think there's anything wrong with an 'outsider' appreciating them and taking bits and pieces that they like.

As for the boots, I just love well made boots.

I have no doubt that two monts of archaeology in a dry rocky climate will do that to a pair of indy's. The guys job was probably more like those laborers you see carrying baskets of rocks in the IJ movies than of Indy himself.

Maybe I need a regular pair of Indy's? If I just pick up one pair of boots per year I think I have the next decade filled with ideas.