Shoes that look better with age...

[mizanation]

they both look great. the indy's are awesome and so comfortable. and i love what chickster did to them.

bill's semi-dress's look great too. i love them with a little polish...

i would like to get both eventually but can only justify one to my wife.

[dunkin deeznuts]

join us MIZ!!!!!!!

[blake]

No tongue slippage on these as they have bellowed tongues...attached to the boot on either side to keep out dirt and gravel...

I'll take some more pics soon.....

side views please.

[old viking ring]

No tongue slippage on these as they have bellowed tongues...attached to the boot on either side to keep out dirt and gravel...

I'll take some more pics soon.....

The tongues are super soft too. Usually I have a problem breaking in this area of a boot but mine fit like a (soft) glove, literally.

[Curious_George]

I love the look of the alden indy's. Do yo guys think they wouldlook good good on skinny guys? or would they be too chunky?

They're really not that chunky at all. I even wear Es and they seem to look pretty good with slim jeans (and I'm quite skinny). They're no Chelsea boot, but they definitely appear slimmer than my pair of Red Wing 1909s.

[mizanation]

no tongue slippage? +1 for the semi-dress. here's the tally so far:

versatility: semi-dress

price: indy's

comfort: indy's??? chicken, can you comment on this?

looks: tough. both look great.

features: semi-dress's (bellowed tongues, no steel shank)

this is gonna be tough.

[mizanation]

oh boy, the plot thickens:

http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/2007/11/28/alden-shoes-indy-boot-pre-order/

[ang_kangkong]

Yup. I was gonna say get the Whites, 'cause

a) you got Aldens already, and

you know you're gonna get the other choice eventually anyway.

Now, though, I don't even know all the deets, but that pre-order's intriguing...

[datasupa]

the whites are also all leather (including lining), completely rebuildable, and made to your measurements and foot tracings. the arches are pretty big though, at least initially.

[mizanation]

man, i keep calling the semi-dress's, "semi-whites."

insert racial joke here.

[ccl127]

Any body know the difference b/t the "foot balance standard" and the "New England Standard" that is mentioned in the leathersoul preorder link for those Indy's?

[Chicken]

^^ Look for that big fatass Chickens pic with alden+slim jeans.

heh. here's how they looked like when my indys were pretty new (as well as my omnigods, before they stretched.)

comfort: indy's??? chicken, can you comment on this?

indys have been more comfortable to me than the two pairs of used white's i've been wearing. but that might be because 1. i have no arch, and 2. most people have more arch than me, so the boots used by them might feel even more awkward to me.

i really can't give you a good opinion on this until i break into my semi dress. from what i've heard from most people, it's hard to go back once you get used to white's arch supports. but those people have arches. but so do you.

oh boy, the plot thickens:

http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/2007/11/28/alden-shoes-indy-boot-pre-order/

man, you might want to wait for this one. could become the coolest pair of indys around here.

[fre-co]

Man miz thats a tough choice.

Personally I've been craving the 405s for a while now so the whites can't compare.

Something I don't like about the Whites is the cuban heel and the overly big welt. I find the big welt even on my trickers a bit annoying especially when driving as they get a bit caught up with things and each other. And that whites welt looks way bigger. Saying that maybe it's just me or just the look in the brand new photos because Bill's look pretty amazing.

If I don't manage to pick up the 405s when I visit NYC I will be mightily pissed off.

[coleslawyum]

oh boy, the plot thickens:

http://www.leathersoulhawaii.com/2007/11/28/alden-shoes-indy-boot-pre-order/

Sounds tempting. Need pics bad though. Whaddaya need another pair of Alden's for?

Besides this sienna color is sweet.

[mizanation]

hey fre$co,

one thing i noticed about welts is that over time, they get worn down. but yeah, the whites look like they got big ones. the welts on my first aldens have gotten worn down a lot.

the cuban heel is kinda sexy to me.

but the alden 405 is one of those boots that you should definitely have in your collection. i just feel like i will always be able to get a pair of those. so, it's either get it over with and cop them, or wait and get them later.

the thing is, i don't see what is so special about the pre-order indy's. they are made to a higher quality spec and use a different color? also, they have a commando sole (which i can have put on cheaply by my shoe guru). i don't know... seems like a big price jump for me. i asked them to give some examples of what the "Dark Brown Aniline Calf" looks like.

[Bill2]

Miz:

A few more considerations in your Alden v. Whites campaign: Fit is the biggest difference between the two. The Indy's will feel like a nice, properly made shoe. Solid and comfy, but flat on the bottom. The White's arch is like nothing I had felt before trying on their boots, and now I prefer it over all of my other shoes. Chicken is right, after a solid week in a pair of White's, you don't even notice the arches anymore, just that your feet feel better after a long day.

The Alden and Whites' standards of construction are also very different. Alden's are very refined: Smaller stitches, closer welting. The White's are still made in a real work boot factory, and they look it. There are natural inconsistencies in the welting, stitching, and heel staining. Not defects mind you, just the ability to really see that things have been hand done. The White's are a rugged shoe, not built to dress shoe standards out of the box.

If you're looking for a departure from the Alden asthetic, the whites will be great. If you will find yourself nitpicking every stitch thats 1/16" off, then the whites aren't for you.

Here's another quick pic, better profile view. Shown with my new 17oz. Strongholds.

[mizanation]

god, they look great.

[fre-co]

It's funny about the whites. I would love to see some in person. I have a problem with them because the picture above of the sienna browns look great, even the heel, as do Bill's. But other pictures I see, they look kinda odd and clumsy.

I agree about the big price increase on those leathersoul aldens. Normal retail is what? $300?

edit: Bill is seriously selling those whites to me. Whats the price on the standard semi-dress?

[coleslawyum]

White's Semi-Dress according to the web site is $350 and up. I imagine customizing would bring that up around mid $400. I think it depends on the size of the foot. At certain angles all I can think about are dancing leprechauns. But then when you view them from the top and side (which is how most people will see them) it looks terrific.

[dunkin deeznuts]

now i want a pair of whites too!!

ahhhhh!

j/k...kind of

[mizanation]

bill, can you order a pair of semi-dress with a pointy toe? like this?:

[old viking ring]

Whites will own you.

I don't like any other boots now.

[moykky]

They look like mine but with a double leather sole instead of commando.

I think that makes them a Trickers Burford, but the bellows tongue could make them a Weatherby

Yeah, can you tell where I can get a pair of weatherby? Trickers factory shop in Jermyn street is asking too much. I'd like them black, or even better, dark brown.

trickers x new republic

Thanks for the info, you lucky bastard!

Personally I've been craving the 405s for a while now so the whites can't compare.

Something I don't like about the Whites is the cuban heel and the overly big welt. I find the big welt even on my trickers a bit annoying especially when driving as they get a bit caught up with things and each other. And that whites welt looks way bigger. Saying that maybe it's just me or just the look in the brand new photos because Bill's look pretty amazing.

If I don't manage to pick up the 405s when I visit NYC I will be mightily pissed off.

Same here. There's something about that cuban heel... The boots are really nice but I know it would be really hard for me to wear them without feeling uneasy.

I drive bare feet when I'm wearing boots (and if I need to drive for long time).

[superBobo]

^^the cuban heel makes them akward and probably unwearable for me aswell. Im too tall to have high heels like that anyway, makes my leg look crazy long. I have a pair of red wings ive hardly used for that reason..

if the semi dress had a lower and less slanting heel they would be great.

[fre-co]

keep checking the trickers factory shop ebay store. He does list wetherbys pretty regularly and they don't attract the same number of bids as stowes. It's a shame you didn't want them a few months ago because I remember seeing several pairs go for less than £90 in black.

Unfortunately the trickers factory shop have put their prices up to £150 now because apparently they were getting stick from the retailers.

Failing that try www.pediwear.co.uk. they have the burford I think.

I'm driving to northampton tomorrow for for some boots.

[Chicken]

i need every inch i can get. you guys are making me feel better about my semi dress.

[datasupa]

i need every inch i can get.

we are talking about height, right....?

[mizanation]

these boots would make shitty condoms. so yeah, height.

[benz5521]

Got these in the mail right now. I'll post some pics of me wearing them when they get in.

[/img]

[Chicken]

i guess i set myself up for that one.