Shoes that look better with age...

[coleslawyum]

^^^I agree definitely get a single leather sole in black. I think you should go with a last with a longer toe, and not so rounded. It'll look sharper with a single button suit. Did you say this was for your wedding? Not wearing a tux?

[rodeo bill]

Ed-I agree with Fresco, the Dainite soles are nice but they're definitely not dressy, and double leather will feel very clumpy. I'd go with the Bedford- although the Connaught and the Hallam both look nice, you can't go wrong with black, and brown (even dark brown) could look really off with the wrong colour suit/shirt/tie.

you're definitely on the right track with Crockett & Jones though...

Fresco- you're bringing me round to EG with those chukkas, especially the grained-top ones. I think it's the burnishedness of them I'm not crazy about, but I can appreciate they're lovely shoes

finally, embarassing question- but I really can;t work out how to post pictures... I've spent the last hour trying. If I try to add a jpg as an attachment it just comes back with "upload of file failed" (the file's an ok size). I don;t have a photobucket or flickr account, but I can;'t believe this isn't possible without one...

sorry to be a nuisance, but I've got a few pictures I think might be appreciated here:rolleyes:. I'd be very grateful for any tips!

[coleslawyum]

Just upload to a server, and post the link between these tags "IMG, /IMG"

BTW, Edward Greens look great in pictures. They also have a great "old world" feel to them.

[rodeo bill]

thanks a lot Coleslaw

I'm hoping that was a picture of a Foster & Sons boot...

[rodeo bill]

oh no! sorry for being thick- I'll try again over the weekend

[emmitbrown]

Remember when Edmond got pissed at someone for posting pictures that were too large?

[fre-co]

Bill, you need to host them on flickr or something like that. then when you post in the thread... at the top of the message box is a little icon of a mountain.... click that and paste in the URL for your picture. hey presto

[emaze]

Alden's...

[emaze]

Redwing 1905's 100th edition...(& yes I know I have tiny feet)

[grouse_allergy]

I got confused when I read this. I don't think this town's big enough for two Bills.

Bill, you need to host them on flickr or something like that. then when you post in the thread... at the top of the message box is a little icon of a mountain.... click that and paste in the URL for your picture. hey presto

[Tarmac]

Lobb's are an interesting one...

From what I've seen/heard/read, the bespoke are absolutely up there (and their reputation can't be beat), but the ready-to-wear is a license to Hermes. I'm not that keen on the design- too slick without going all out like Berluti. I'm sure the make is excellent, but again, I prefer something slightly more robust. If you get the chance, 'From Last to First' by Brian Dobbs is a biography of John Lobb & the company and it's a good read. Out of print but you can get it on Amazon UK pretty cheap.

Lobb Prestige RTW is made to just about the highest RTW standard there is. They are basically flawless. They claim to use a single hide for one pair of shoes and discard the nasty bits. I dunno if this is true, but I can attest I have never seen a cosmetic flaw on Lobb leather.

Lobb bespoke is a different beast altogether, you are about 100000x more likely to see a Lobb RTW on the internet and in real life. When you hear people name drop Lobb Lobb Lobb they are 99.99% talking about RTW only.

To be honest I'm not wild about Edward Green either- they are very very well put-together shoes (although I'm not convinced they're any better than C&J handgrade, and they're quite a bit more expensive), but I don;t like the shaping they put into their panels- especially on the boots there are sort of baroquey flourishes around the ankle. Edward Green make Graziano & Girling too, and I've noticed these details on G&G as well.

I love CJ but Edward Green is muuuch better made than CJ Handgrade. This is most obvious in terms of visible manufacturing flaws (size discrepancy, stitching, symmetry etc) and antiquing. EG antiquing is the best around for RTW. I'm not sure what you mean by flourishes, I can't think of a single EG design which isn't traditional.

Mr. Gaziano is a former employee of EG but they do not make their shoes there, anymore. They make them in some sort of temporary shack at Sargent (totally autonomous from Sargent). I believe Gaziano bespoke is made at yet another location. Gaziano RTW has a lot of flourishes.

It's hard to rank bespoke, most makers can do something flawless for you, with the exact hide you want, and there are dozens of uknown bespoke makers, especially in Japan. There is a ridiculously wide range in pricing as well.

[knucks]

I'm looking for a pair of brown boots. I'm in love with my Clarks Desert Boot in Beeswax, but I need something higher/more eyelets for winter and shit.

I'm thinking just some brown Doc Martens..anything else to look into? I want to stay around $100, the less the better

[moykky]

^^ Stay away from doc martens unless you find older than 10 yrs... They are very different these days.

Edmond, congratulations! Beware, your missus might ban the denim hobby after marriage...

[amlai]

bedford C&j

black calf

oxford

This is by far the most appropriate one. For a wedding, I would pick a black oxford in calf. I love shell, (I'm rather fanatical about it) but I don't consider it formal. And for a suit, the most appropriate is an oxford.

To be honest I'm not wild about Edward Green either- they are very very well put-together shoes (although I'm not convinced they're any better than C&J handgrade, and they're quite a bit more expensive), but I don;t like the shaping they put into their panels- especially on the boots there are sort of baroquey flourishes around the ankle. Edward Green make Graziano & Girling too, and I've noticed these details on G&G as well.

I seem to be in agreement with Tarmac. I have not had CJ, but I do have a pair of EG. To my eye, EG is pretty damn close to flawless. I also have a pair of bespoke shoes that are made pretty much flawless as well. I didn't see a difference in the accuracy of the stitching between EG & bespoke. The major difference was the closeness of the waist (and fit of course).

I too am not sure what "flourishes" you're talking about with EG either. Certainly G&G has quite a few flourishes, but they have more of a "fashion" style than EG.

[slt]

hi guys need you guys to decide for me

c&j hallam

with dainite sole ( whats dainite ??)

c&j bedford

black shell corodvan

double leather sole

or

bedford C&j

black calf

oxford

help!!!!!!!!!

Don't know if you have noticed, but the Bedford is only available in C and G fittings, i.e. very narrow or very wide.

The Hallam is also available in black with a single leather sole, and if you like the somewhat elongated and sleek 348 last, then that one is definitely what I would recommend for a wedding.

[Bill2]

I got confused when I read this. I don't think this town's big enough for two Bills.

Or maybe Rodeo Bill is my alter-ego...... When I strap on my assless chaps and 10 gallon Stetson I become....... Come on people..... Who's got photoshop?.......

[Bill2]

New to the store, and to my feet!!

Russell's PH-2 boot.... From the Safari boot line, and very close to the NDG-Russell boot from a few seasons back.

Here's the description, lifted from Russell's site:

"Several Conversations with professional hunters at recent Safari Conventions have resulted in PH-II. This boot features all the qualities and comfort of our original PH, plus Plantation Crepe Wedge Soles for quieter stalking and green Cotton Duck Canvas with blending Chamois Leather. The green Cotton Duck does possess better water resitatance than the brown. The PH-II can be furnished with the same soles as the PH, or visa versa. Choice of other soles if desired."

My initial impressions are very positive. Leather is soft and uniformly dyed. The Green is really nice. The canvas uppers are alittle coarse right now, but I'm sure they will soften pretty quickly as I break them in. The wedge crepe sole is super comfy on concrete.... They feel like slippers or wallaby's underfoot.

[fattybfat]

Or maybe Rodeo Bill is my alter-ego...... When I strap on my assless chaps and 10 gallon Stetson I become....... Come on people..... Who's got photoshop?.......

i have one more, only if you want me to post it...

[Bill2]

i have one more, only if you want me to post it...

Doooo it!

And funny thing is, I'm wearing tight jeans and cowboy boots today too.... channeling my inner Chuck Norris

[Ichiran]

The green canvas kind of reminds me of Vietnam-era jungle boots:

[Guest Selvage Seb.]

Anyone got expierence with these boots?

I really want those! the perfect look

you can buy these beauties here;

http://www.coggles.com/store/item/Timberland%20Boot%20Co/50252

[fattybfat]

Doooo it!

And funny thing is, I'm wearing tight jeans and cowboy boots today too.... channeling my inner Chuck Norris

Bill expands his charisma from LA to NY

[Ichiran]

Anyone got expierence with these boots?

I really want those! the perfect look

I think you left out the most interesting angle:

Interesting that their use of Horween leather is specifically mentioned, and interesting to see both blind and metal eyelets used. I think they'd have done better to leave those toes/heels un-distressed. And, before I paid £180.00 for a pair of Timberlands, I feel like I'd certainly have to find out how well they're constructed.

[fattybfat]

^ £180.00 is equaivalent to like what...340? 360 u.s.? Most expensive timberland i have seen for a while..It look decent but I doubt they were made in the u.s/ u.k

but what is wrong with the toe? the left toe doesnt look constructed very well.

[rodeo bill]

thanks a lot fre$co. another day, a flickr account, and I've finally worked it out...

foster & son's oxford ankle boot. sorry I don't actually have the boots here with me, and these are the only pics i have. I can take more in a few weeks when I'm back home if anyone's interested...

[rodeo bill]

here's a pic of the C&J Avebury, which looks to be the identical boot... I've seen a derby version in the handgrade collection, and it was basically the same, but different colour linings and a lined tongue (the fosters is unlined, which I like). Fosters was a tiny bit cheaper, adn they gave me an unasked-for 10%discount because the size I needed had been in the window (and I guess I look poorer than most of their customers

[rodeo bill]

some pics of my poulsne&skone at dunhill chelsea boots. I have a friend who works for New & Lingwood, who own Poulsen Skone, and he told me that these are also C&J made, to handgrade spec. I got them for 165pounds in the Dunhill sale, down from around 400, and I think they'd been around for a bit. The elastic's very slightly stretched at the tops, but I can certainly live with it until I get them resoled, when I'll probably get the elastic changed over as well. Again, I don't have these with me at the moment, so these are older photos. More in a couple of weeks if anyone wants.

[rodeo bill]

Here's something I don't think I've seen on here yet. Leather flipflops from Eder Shoes in Italy http://www.edershoes.it/ (italian website only). I got them in the sale at the Denime store in Tokyo (daikanyama I think)a couple of years ago. They're getting a bit past it- the toe piece on the right one is about to go, but I might try and get another pair direct form eder when they do fall apart. They're really nicely put together- it seems like pretty good leather (for flipflops!) and they're very comfy. They lasted very well too- 2 years of pretty much everyday wear through summer in the tropics

[rodeo bill]

Alden AF53 in #8 cordovan form Adam at Alden of Carmel. I had to wait a couple of months for the size to come in, and I finally got them 2 weeks ago- I love them!

They're a completely different animal (literally as well as figuratively) from English/Italian calf boots- much tougher and simpler. Like the difference between jeans and tailored trousers- you can understand how they were made much more easily, and you can kind of imagine making them yourself (not that I'd have a hope).

It's been said before, but Adam at Alden of Carmel is fantastically helpful. I've just ordered a pair of black cordovan wingtip boots http://www.alden-of-carmel.com/index.cfm/Shoes-Black_Wing_Tip_Boot_223.htm which I'm very excited about.

this is almost my favourite part- you can see the Horween stamp on the inside of the tongue. I've seen this before on unlined cordovan shoes, and I really like how it makes the whole clicking process sort of visible to the owner

[rodeo bill]

ps sorry Bill for half-borrowing your name. I joined ages ago and then didn;t really do anything about it for a long time. At that point I don;t think I'd read any of your (excellent) posts. I don;t look quite like that (yet, but give it time!)