RoyalKooparillo

@emeterioy I prefer the cowhide, myself. Bet it'll look fantastic with some patina.

Did you measure your ankle? Just curious as to whether or not they used those measurements to determine the right size for you in ankle area as well as the the toebox, instep, etc

In a sense, yes, I measured my ankle. In addition to tracings, you measure the circumference of your heel, instep and ball of your foot as well as the circumference of your leg at 6" up, 8", etc. (depending how tall your boot is). So you measure the very bottom circumference of your heel/ankle.

However, because there's no measurement at, say 3", the volume of your ankle isn't really measured. One of the faults, I think, in their measuring criteria.

I'm sure if you have an average ankle or a slightly large ankle you'll be just fine. No worries at all. But if you have a low volume ankle or an unusually high volume ankle, I would suggest letting them know.

Hope that helps.

Wow great pics, I'd love the chance to stop in at Whites.

Thanks guys! Boots on the bottom left are my White's SD and the bottom right are some old italian-made Scarpas. Better pictures a few pages back.

Here's one:

Top row left are Ermenegildo Zegna (made by Ferragamo I believe), the double monks in the middle are Ferragamos and the pair on the right are some old Johnston & Murphy. I'm happy to post better pictures of these if you like.

I found the monks on fleaBay for a song...I couldn't believe it. They are quite old, may need a resole soon, but the leather is in beautiful condition!

And just for fun, here's my little "shoes that look better with age" nook...

Speaking of Aldens...I recently picked up some snuff suede chukkas and I'm really loving them.

Oh man, just checked out White's website and I noticed their Horween Chrome Excel boots with the straight heel...givin' me the vapors. :eek:

Brown:

Black:

A 1930s era work boot was my inspiration as well when I had my SD made. I chose a toe cap because I thought it added a bit of reinforcement that a lot of older work boots seem to have.

Occasionally I second guess getting my boots in black...sometimes I feel like I'm wearing combat boots, and that's not the look I was going for. For that reason I've allowed them to get a little beat up and not as shiny. I'm sure I'll get over it, though. I'm already thinking about how it would be nice to have some in the distressed leather, in red dog, or in natural roughout.

Oh, and I believe they carry a burgundy color in water buffalo hide as well.

As to the billing, Mark didn't seem too concerned about charging my card right away, although I asked him to do so.

I'm looking forward to seeing how yours come out!

I'm getting ready to start the process of ordering my Whites Semi-Dress with Cap Toes just like these, but maybe with different leather (still deciding on the leather) and was wondering if anyone has any tips/advice with regard to ordering through Whites or Bakers, sizing with the tracing, etc.

Thanks so much!!

Sorry, just now saw this post...

I called the number for phone ordering indicated on White's website and a gentleman named Mark handled all of my questions and ordering. He seemed to know exactly what he was talking about for the most part and if there was something he wasn't sure about, he put me on hold and went to talk to the guys actually making the boots. Great experience, great customer service.

As far as I know there isn't any cost savings going directly through White's...just the guarantee that if something goes wrong along the way they'll take care of it for you. And being able to describe what your vision is directly to the factory is comforting IMO.

Mine took about 4-5 weeks and they fit great. The only thing I'll stipulate in future orders is to make the ankle slightly lower volume. Foot tracings and measurements allowed my boots to fit great in terms of the footbed and throughout the toebox/midsole area, but if you have a low-volume ankle (read: skinny) I'd let them know that as well.

Good luck!

Gorgeous boots!! Bet those will look amazing once they've been worn in.

baker shoes has 2 new pairs of whites now. retro semi dress. looks slicker and less chunky then the classic semi dress now.

http://www.bakershoe.com/shop-by-brand.cfm/brand/whites-boots/product/38-retro-semi-dress---leather-lined-americana-series/

http://www.bakershoe.com/shop-by-brand.cfm/brand/whites-boots/product/38-retro-semi-dress-americana-by-whites-boots/

Hmm I think it may be an illusion because of the non-cuban heel and the eyelets to the top. Otherwise they look like pretty standard SD to me, with different leather.

I know I mentioned it before, but when you see these in person and put them on they really are the opposite of clunky IMO. I was concerned about that before I got them and it turned out to be not a big deal at all.

Also, if anything the straight-down heel might actually make it feel more clunky...FWIW it's my understanding that the underslung heel aids with smooth, comfortable gait, helping them roll through the stride rather than clomping down. Just my 0.02.

Thanks for the kind words. My SDs are made from the standard dress black leather with antique brass eyelets/hooks. They have a leather double sole with a brown stain, and they are lined in brown leather.

I'm really happy that I went with the dress leather...it's very comfortable, durable, and it's breaking in very well.

As far as the cap toe goes, I indicated that I wanted one a little shorter than the standard length one. There was a bit of confusion as to exactly how large I wanted it, but I emailed them a couple of pictures to illustrate what I was talking about and they pretty much nailed it.

As far as sizing goes, I sent foot measurements and tracings to White's via fax, and they matched my foot with a 9.5D last. Normally I wear 10.5 in running shoes, 10 in casual shoes, and 9.5 in dress shoes. So I was a bit surprised to be provided a 9.5, but they fit perfectly, with plenty of room for the piggly wigglies. Hope that helps!

Here is another pair of mine that I really love, some old italian-made hiking boots by Scarpa.

These have been on countless adventures in the backcountry, and they've held up remarkably well over the years with minimal maintenance.

Thanks much! Yeah, I was concerned that the caps would come out too short, but I think sending in a picture really helped them understand what I was looking for.

Hey fellas, new here but I've been lurking for a few months now...what an epic thread this is! Really a gold mine of great information and pics of leather boots/shoes.

Thought I'd share a few pics of my custom Semi-Dress.

For those that haven't had the pleasure of owning a pair of White's, a few observations:

-even though they may look a bit "clunky," it's just an illusion. Once they're on your feet they feel light and trim.

-once broken in, they fit like an old leather glove. Really some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

-don't let the "Arch-ease" scare you off...although it's very prominent and might feel a bit weird at first, it conforms to your arch within a few days of wearing. Truly outstanding support.

Over all, I couldn't be happier with these boots. The custom ordering process was a smooth experience, handled by phone and fax with Mark at White's. Excellent customer service, very easy. I made a special request to have a shorter cap-toe than they normally make, provided a picture of what I meant, and it turned out exactly as I envisioned. I'm also very pleased with the leather lining...buttery smooth and adds a bit of structure to the boot.

As far as care, I treated them with Obenauf's LP when I first received them, and have since hit them up with Saphir cream polish once or twice. They have broken in beautifully.