Shoes that look better with age...

[ThinFinn]

fresco - loving your new russel's...great purchase there mate!!!

[beeetus]

Everywhere: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=&bih=&q=chippewa+bomber&btnG=Google+Search

Looking for something more like these: http://en.item.rakuten.com/threewoodjapan/chippewa-91096/

Not the brown bomber ones.

[glimmertwins]

Not sure what you're saying. The Fender Srat cost $189.50 new in 1954. Fender Custom Shop Strats cost $2.5K; and they're decent guitars that are a decent enough version that I wouldn't feel bad about playing one of those rather than, say, my 1950s or 60s Fenders. The point that's been made is that the price of workwear has gone up out of proportion to other items like guitars.

Oh I see - your comparing the original Fenders to the custom shop stuff - I thought you were comparing $189.50USD to roughly $2.5k for UK prices of AVRI stuff which I thought was an unfiar comparison given the markup of Fender guitars overseas after import fees, etc. I was comparing them to the American Vintage Reissue Series(roughly $2k in USD) which I think is probably a more apt comparison considering there was also a custom shop price point for Fenders back in the day for non-standard production type stuff(different colors, fingerboard choice, etc).

However, I absolutely think the prices of guitars are just as overblown as the prices on engineer boots discussed. Close vintage relatives from Gibson cost $5k and up and I can tell you having hand built both a Fender and a Gibson vintage style guitar that the average Gibson guitar isn't made with materials that much more expensive to justify such a huge price inflation....and as for Fender - they sell the roadworn series with 90% vintage accuracy to vintage fenders for $1500 less than the 98% accurate Custom Shop stuff despite the fact they are made with the exact same raw materials so the perceived value there compared to boots is just not there.

[glimmertwins]

Despite my mouthful in the previous post - guitars probably aren't a good comparison anyway. People buy the Fender/Gibson guitars that famous/celebrity musicians played..that's part of how they are priced. On the other hand the shoe loving crowd here spends lots of money on shoes poor/working class people wore who couldn't afford/didn't need fancy shoes.

[morse9443]

fresco, you love those things right?

Glad the sizing worked out for you!

[marineabilly]

Engineer boots from Japan are NOT work boots. They just look like work boots. They are NOT made with the intention of selling them to the working class. These are made for clothing fetishists. More or less, this explains the price difference in equivalent dollars.

Agreed - but I own two pairs of Horsehide Japanese Engineer Boots and put them through the ringer...they are built like tanks and can take a beating. They will definitely outlive me.

[SLAB]

Fre$co, those Russels look great!

[erk]

paging white's boots gurus:

I ordered a 10.5 C semi-dress based on what they fit me in at their factory/store in spokane.

I just received my pair and I'm a little concerned about the fit on my right foot.

My right foot is a tad bigger than my left and I was wondering about how your boots fit around the ball of the foot, and what I should think about there being some pressure on my pinky toe on the right foot. You can kinda slightly see my toe pushing out a little over the welt...

I'm kinda thinking I need to send them back to Baker's but the guy on the phone seems to think this is all a "break in " issue. any advice would be helpful.

[riff]

^erk, personally, I always expect boots to fit properly out of the box. All my White's were fine, and fit well. If it's too tight, you can't assume they'll stretch. And compressing the ball of your foot is not a good thing...

Sounds like you should go up a width. A pain to ship back & wait all over again, but your feet will thank you.

[denimjunky]

^My WB SD size D were quite too tight also for my right foot actually.

Now they are very comfy. I dont know if water buffalo stretches more but as a rule leather stretches.

[fre-co]

wear them for a couple of hours indoors on carpet. If they hurt, send them back I say. Tight White's are no fun (from personal experience)

[HoustonChris]

I'm with riff on this one- boots should fit right out of the box. With a proper fit, your foot shouldn't push out past the welt stitching- that's a classic sign that they're too tight. Yes, leather will stretch and mold to the shape of your foot, but pressure on the ball of your foot and the pinky toe is just begging for problems down the road, like bunions, corns and other painful stuff.

[TallyHo]

the gf took a few photos of some of my shoes for some school project (silly art school...) so i figured i'd post them here. i keep forgetting how much better film is than digital - even cheap film, digitized...

vintage work boots i posted not long ago:

alden saddle shoes i posted long long ago (but worn very sparingly):

if anyone knows where i can get some nice flat waxed laces for the saddle shoes, let me know. i remember someone mentioning the madison ave alden store (which is where i bought these, incidentally) but i think that was only boot laces... maybe i'll call and see for myself.

[erk]

Thanks for the help everyone. I'm thinking I'm going to send them back. Brandon from Baker's shoe said he would send me a return label and to send them back with a foot tracing and they'd figure out what to do. I've already got a white's catalog with the foot tracing deal, so I'll be putting that in the box with the boots.

It really sucks I have to send these back, they're totally awesome. the chromexcel leather is sooooo cool. I love it. Looks like its gonna be another 6 weeks til I can get another pair though.

[davichan]

Erk, very smart move...

in 6 weeks you will be so much happier down the many long years having proper fitting boots..

[Happy Hooligan]

erk what size in Alden's do you wear? I just sent tracing of my feet to White's to get a fitting size from them.

[morse9443]

I'm kinda thinking I need to send them back to Baker's but the guy on the phone seems to think this is all a "break in " issue. any advice would be helpful.

It's funny, I was also fitted at the White's factory, and then custom ordered in that size, and they came a little too big. Those were my smoke jumpers in 11E. A few months later I try on a few pairs of oxfords back and forth with baker's and end up with a 10E being the perfect fit.

The Russells I just ordered based on foot tracings fit me perfectly. Who knows, maybe foot tracing are always the way to go unless you're trying on the exact pair you'll be buying.

Anyway, send 'em back erk. You'll wait a little longer now and end up with a better fitting boot for many years.

[erk]

erk what size in Alden's do you wear? I just sent tracing of my feet to White's to get a fitting size from them.

I wear a 11.5 D in the 405. My foot measures 10.5 heel to toe on a brannock device and 11.5 - 12 heel to ball on a brannock. my width measures out to a B or C.

I did think it was a little strange that the size was so different from my alden size, but what I felt in the white's store was definitely a lot different from my experience today.

[Happy Hooligan]

I wear a 11.5 D in the 405. My foot measures 10.5 heel to toe on a brannock device and 11.5 - 12 heel to ball on a brannock. my width measures out to a B or C.

I did think it was a little strange that the size was so different from my alden size, but what I felt in the white's store was definitely a lot different from my experience today.

Well I'm an 11 C in Aldens so when I hear from White's what size I am in their boots I'll you know.

You got measured in the White's store but bought through Bakers? Was it cheaper?

[erk]

Baker's was cheaper and didn't require a deposit. Definitely let me know what your outcome is.

[klue]

I know we all like to rip on the common person that would rather buy 10 pairs of cheap boots than 1 pair of nice boots, but lets not kid ourselves. We all end up buying 10 pairs of nice boots. 9 of which will sit in the closet anyway, never to be used for their intended purpose.

Not pointing fingers as I am part of this problem as well.

but at least when we die the youths at the thriftshops will be living the dream and coping 60 year old deadsdtock repros of shoes from 150 years before for $2.99

[denimjunky]

White's are narrower than other brands normally.

It all depends on how much too tight they are. If it starts being annoying after 1h or 1min.

[rgray]

Just out of curiosity... When you guys buy boots and then send them back for a different pair, does the company charge you anything? Always wondered given the frequency that people talk about returning the shoes due to sizing issues.

[riff]

I wear a 11.5 D in the 405. My foot measures 10.5 heel to toe on a brannock device and 11.5 - 12 heel to ball on a brannock. my width measures out to a B or C.

I did think it was a little strange that the size was so different from my alden size, but what I felt in the white's store was definitely a lot different from my experience today.

That is odd... My White's and Trubalance Aldens are the same size... Happy Hooligan - curious what they'll measure you at..

Just out of curiosity... When you guys buy boots and then send them back for a different pair, does the company charge you anything? Always wondered given the frequency that people talk about returning the shoes due to sizing issues.

Many places will offer free returns in conus. Some of the popular online shop just automatically include a UPS return label.

[Rivet Head]

This store has some limited size for $342:

http://lotsofboots.com/shoestore/pc/2332-5-Inch-Semi-Dress-33p184.htm

I would have to agree that they are slightly narrower than some of the other boots I own.

[davichan]

My Aldens Turbulence are .5 size smaller then my White True to Size measuring.

[fre-co]

Yep I can wear trubalance half a size smaller than whites.

[riff]

And don't forget to account for what socks you prefer wearing with your boots. I generally like the mid-to-heavier weight smartwool ones. With a lighter sock, I could probably go down 1/2 a size in my Aldens as well...

[erk]

I sent the boots back today, along with a foot tracing. It seems they're gonna talk to white's about the sizing. Although the guy I talked to on the phone at bakers seems to think its possible to exchange them, Baker's actual policy online seems to state otherwise. I think I might be screwed. *fingers crossed*

[BrownMetallic]

here's how i sized mine:

Alden Black Indy= US 8.5 C/E

White's Smoke Jumper Plain Toe= US 9E

Dayton Driver= US 8.5EE

Sugarcane Lone Wolf "Hunter"= US 9.5

Tricker's Malton= UK 8 ffitting 6