Shoes that look better with age...

[cocostella]

Does anybody know who makes the boots and shoes for Burberry Prorsum shows? This falls looked real sharp, but fall 2007's laced boots are what I'm more interested in. Thanks

http://men.style.com/fashion/collections/F2007MEN/review/BPMEN

[fre-co]

I've never handled Alfred Sargent shoes. I get the impression they are on par with Cheany, Loake or Barker though, correct me if I'm wrong.

[theetruscan]

Alright, I see why the forum special is nice now, I need one. If Martegani would EVER fucking get on with my MTO boots, I'd have the patience for another 4 month wait.

I have the worst luck with shoes:

Martegani wingtip boots: fit shoe delayed 3 months and counting, real shoe . . . god knows.

LeatherSoul Alden SF special: There is no more Shell Cordovan . . . who knows.

CCP I couldn't afford: Ordered out from under me as I filled out shipping.

OC Boots: Brand new, glued to soles, falling apart.

[amlai]

Martegani wingtip boots: fit shoe delayed 3 months and counting, real shoe . . . god knows.

LeatherSoul Alden SF special: There is no more Shell Cordovan . . . who knows.

Wow... fit shoe is already delayed 3 months? I've only been waiting 1 month... and I was under the impression that I was supposed to have a fit shoe soon.

Yeah... LeatherSoul Alden SF special... waiting on that one as well... I was sort of hoping to get an update on those soon, but looking almost guaranteed that we're going to miss the original April / May delivery projection.

I've just gotten used to waiting. I spent over 4 months waiting for my EG Shannons, which I unfortunately now need to send back for various reasons. I spent 9 months waiting for my bespoke shoe... originally promised for 6 months. I'm having some fit issues with them... I hope I don't have to ship the shoe back for adjustments just to wait a lot longer again, but it is looking very likely.

[GregNYC]

Amlai, what was wrong with the Shannons??

[skalogre]

Amlai, what was wrong with the Shannons??

I am also curious about that. Did they make an error during manufacture or did they mess up the measurements?

[datasupa]

the whites are really nice shoes

datasupa how much did you get yours for? and where? and whats the leather and sole? thank you much appreciated!

about $380 from white's online, with the made-to-measure option

standard issue semi-dress brown leather, vibram composition sole

the whites and i have grown into each other perfectly, like an old married couple.

[amlai]

I am also curious about that. Did they make an error during manufacture or did they mess up the measurements?

Not sure it was anything they did specifically. I was pulling on the boot with the loop in the back and the loop tore off. I don't think that I was putting excessive force on the loop, but looking at how many stitches per inch they put in, perhaps it weakens the leather... it seems to be essentially a perforated edge. See here:

In any case, I also want to send them back to have the first 4 eyelets or so converted to hooks. Because it will make it easier to get the boot on, I believe I can avoid further mishaps with the loop tearing. Also, if I am sending the boots back, I would like to have the recessed toe taps installed. I figure this will help keep the boots from having to be shipped back across the pond again for a while.

I assume these repairs / changes will be on my dime and not theirs.

[skalogre]

Not sure it was anything they did specifically. I was pulling on the boot with the loop in the back and the loop tore off. I don't think that I was putting excessive force on the loop, but looking at how many stitches per inch they put in, perhaps it weakens the leather... it seems to be essentially a perforated edge. See here:

In any case, I also want to send them back to have the first 4 eyelets or so converted to hooks. Because it will make it easier to get the boot on, I believe I can avoid further mishaps with the loop tearing. Also, if I am sending the boots back, I would like to have the recessed toe taps installed. I figure this will help keep the boots from having to be shipped back across the pond again for a while.

I assume these repairs / changes will be on my dime and not theirs.

Well, I would hazard a guess that the loop should lasty longer than a few pulls. Good grief. That is probably a workmanship issue. The rest you're right, you'll probably have to pay for those.

Sorry to hear that these have become a pain. They're nice boots.

[datasupa]

i recall reading somewhere (probably here) that someone else also had issues with the loop pull. ever since then i've always pulled on the top of the boot as well as the loop to be on the safe side.

[GregNYC]

i recall reading somewhere (probably here) that someone else also had issues with the loop pull. ever since then i've always pulled on the top of the boot as well as the loop to be on the safe side.

I saw a ripped loop on the display pair of Lobb Chelsea boots at their boutique here in NYC. A narrow, tre' elega'nt loop of thin leather. And they had put only one on - at the back only. What were they thinking? Compare that to the two sturdy high tensile strength nylon loops that R.M Williams puts on their boots! RMW told me "If your arm can take it, the loops can take it."

Lobb must have got the message because now they have two fabric loops:

Here's an older photo from Style Forum of the Lobb Cheslands. Looks like the loops at the back were removed....

[napoleon]

Alright, I see why the forum special is nice now, I need one. If Martegani would EVER fucking get on with my MTO boots, I'd have the patience for another 4 month wait.

Interesting, I have the forum specials in chestnut too, and I love the screwed soles. There is one thing that is annoying about them though and you can see it in grilled cheese's first pic. The toes are really high so it doesn't look as sleek (looking from the side) as most of the top down pics imply. From the side GregNYCs Lobbs look nicer than the forum specials just because the toebox is flatter.

[amlai]

Compare that to the two sturdy high tensile strength nylon loops that R.M Williams puts on their boots! RMW told me "If your arm can take it, the loops can take it."

Interesting that you mention this. I was about to say that I definitely yank much harder on the loops on my RMW Craftsman than I did on my Shannons. There is definitely something about the RMW loops. On the other hand, I guess with a pair of EGs, they assume that you're going to baby them like they're really delicate. And I would imagine that most people do.

[GregNYC]

Alden factoids from my visit there today:

-- I think I found a pair of Indies that fits (yay!) for my leather sole project. I'm gonna take them home and wear them for a while before doing the switch. Anyone want to see a photo before I get the soles dirty?? My size is 9.5EE, not 8.5EEE that my first pair is. I just lucked out that my current Cat's Paw Indies (sz 8.5) pair fits so well.

-- Harrison Ford was there about 3 weeks ago and bought a pair of Indies. The sales guy who told me this was surprised at how short Ford is compared to how he's portrayed in his movies. Like 5'7" or something.

-- Ralph told me - the TrueBalance on the Indies is essentially the Barrie last, but with a different shape to the sole outside the upper. It looks more ortho, but is the same last.

-- The Barrie last is the one Alden made the WWII Army boots with when they had the U.S. Govt. contract. That explains its kind of generic blobbish quality - one shape fits all sizes, was the thinking.

[Chicken]

-- Harrison Ford was there about 3 weeks ago and bought a pair of Indies. The sales guy who told me this was surprised at how short Ford is compared to how he's portrayed in his movies. Like 5'7" or something.

really? maybe i could fit into the "real" indys then.

[amlai]

The sales guy who told me this was surprised at how short Ford is compared to how he's portrayed in his movies. Like 5'7" or something.

-- Ralph told me - the TrueBalance on the Indies is essentially the Barrie last, but with a different shape to the sole outside the upper. It looks more ortho, but is the same last.

That's surprising... IMDB claims Harrison Ford is 6'1".

I guess that explains why no matter how many times I've compared pictures between the Trubalance and Barrie lasts, I couldn't figure out what was different. What I can't figure out however is why I can't find a Barrie last shoe that fits. (Then again, I've only tried on chukkas and a couple other shoes.) So does that mean that the all of the Indy shell boots (both LeatherSoul and Alden of Carmel variations) are actually Barrie and not Trubalance?

Edit: Just realized I'm not making any kind of sense. What I mean is what is the difference between say AF43 (Trubalance) and AF72 (Barrie) if the uppers are the same and the soles look basically the same.

[Tarmac]

I'm pretty sure Harrison Ford is not that short. He looks 6 footish. I've seen him on talk shows and he doesn't look like a midget next to Letterman, Leno, Conan, etc. I doubt he is wearing 5 inch heel lifts. Sounds like Alden ducktales to me. wtf

Anyway, I have given up on the Forum Specials. the more I look at them, the more I like the plain composite soled RMs with the wide lip. The specials look too precious and delicate. I'm gonna get the plain ones, but I can't decide which toe I want...:confused:

[amlai]

Anyway, I have given up on the Forum Specials. the more I look at them, the more I like the plain composite soled RMs with the wide lip. The specials look too precious and delicate. I'm gonna get the plain ones, but I can't decide which toe I want...:confused:

Personally, I like (and own) the Craftsman:

I've seriously gotten more compliments when wearing these than any other shoe I own. (Funny as I don't really wear them that often and usually end up wearing an Indy boot. I should probably start wearing them again.) I think their chisel toe is by far their most elegant last.

[Bill2]

HorseButtxCatsPaw! (trademarked! don't even try it)

[coleslawyum]

^^^^Awww shneezels…

[LeatherSOUL]

So does that mean that the all of the Indy shell boots (both LeatherSoul and Alden of Carmel variations) are actually Barrie and not Trubalance?

I don't know about Mr. Knott, but mine are on the Tru-Balance. You'll find differences in the shape of the last, but as far as fitting goes, they fit the same.

[Happy Hooligan]

Alden factoids from my visit there today:

-- Harrison Ford was there about 3 weeks ago and bought a pair of Indies. The sales guy who told me this was surprised at how short Ford is compared to how he's portrayed in his movies. Like 5'7" or something..

I find it hard to believe that Harrison Ford would have to buy his own pair of Indies.

That's like Tom Cruise having to buy his own pair of rayban wayfarers.

I think that salesman was trying to make a sale...

[amlai]

I don't know about Mr. Knott, but mine are on the Tru-Balance. You'll find differences in the shape of the last, but as far as fitting goes, they fit the same.

I think Mr. Knott says Tru-Balance as well. Can you say what the differences in last shape are or are they so subtle that you just have to see them side by side to see the difference?

[LeatherSOUL]

To me the TB is slightly wider in the forefoot area and the toe box isn't as full and tall as the Barrie.

I think Mr. Knott says Tru-Balance as well. Can you say what the differences in last shape are or are they so subtle that you just have to see them side by side to see the difference?

[LeatherSOUL]

I think that salesman was trying to make a sale...

That's a weak selling point!

[napoleon]

I think their chisel toe is by far their most elegant last.

There are a couple of reasons I didn't buy the craftsmen even though it is a nice boot. The main one is that I love the look of the screws along the sole and the standard RM williams boot using that comes with a big heel (might have even been a cuban heel). The other is that in Sydney at least, the pointed sharp chisel toe dress shoe has been done to death over the last few years and I'm sick of seeing it, so I'm jaded. I'm guessing they discovered the multi strip chisel toe shoes are dirt cheap to make from small pieces of leather so they are everywhere. This is comming from someone that doesn't mind wearing a big chunky square toed boot once in a while.

[percy]

in case anyone was interested, i scanned a couple of sections from the edward green style sheet to give you an idea of which models were available in their more casual lines:

[dunkin deeznuts]

I like the shape of that Galway boot

[Opie]

I'd be all over those Olney.. monkstraps ftw!

[coleslawyum]

Hot damn… those EG's look great in pictures. Really feelin' those Falkirk Brogues.

EDIT: Look at this top drawer pair on Tom's Site