Shoes that look better with age...

[CrashTestBrummie]

The AS and C&J are in a separate league to the Loake, though, so why not either get the AS, or save for the C&J?

[Maynard Friedman]

The AS and C&J are in a separate league to the Loake, though, so why not either get the AS, or save for the C&J?

I probably will get the AS. Just sayin'...

[CrashTestBrummie]

Also, the Skye isn't in general production at the moment...

[rkusmant]

get the AS while it lasts..... and before the price skyrockets

[crownzip]

Dubbed with beeswax they brought me through a NYC winter and are now my go to boot this summer.

[nattomoto]

Blue suede Semi Dress, as shown on White's facebook page. Apparently coming soon.

[Paul T]

mmm, GIbson Melody Maker single cut, very nice.. shame it has the later volume knobs..

[Maynard Friedman]

Just ordered the AS Dumfries for £180.

Fingers crossed...

[fre-co]

Here are my Skye for comparison:

[Maynard Friedman]

Very nice fresco and they've aged well too. They look slightly higher than the AS (8 eyelets/hooks v 7). Hope the AS will be a similar colour. How old are they?

[Paul T]

thanks for posting those Skye again, fresco, they are looking great.

Can I ask what shoe trees people here favour? My tricker's are probably suffering without some, and I'd like to keep my Lotus and Kelso as uncreased as possible. I know there's debate about whether to use them only after wear, or keep them in continuously, what do people here do?

[mikecch]

^ I keep them in continuously.

Highly recommend Rochester Shoe Tree Company, they make trees for Alden, Polo, etc... the red cedar is great, and the surface is uncoated; pricing is quite good too.

More here...

http://indigoshrimp.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/tree-in-a-shoe/

More locally though, you might like Cathcart Elliot's trees - really good stuff, just a tad expensive.

[killer b]

i have some of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Harrods-Metal-Shoe-Lasts-Trees-/350476065419?pt=UK_Clothing_ShoeCare_Shoe_Care_LE&hash=item519a005a8b

[Maynard Friedman]

^ I keep them in continuously.

But doesn't that hurt your feet when you wear them?

[entertainment!]

I like these Woodlore Epic Twin Tube ones, but they are somewhat trickier to fit than the single tube trees.

http://woodlore.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=woodlore&Product_Code=M-Epic-Shoe-Tree&Category_Code=Shoe-Trees

[mikecch]

But doesn't that hurt your feet when you wear them?

Not as long as I take them out before my feet go in

What's the argument for and against using them continuously btw?

[mikedbt5]

I dont use trees , I stuff my boots/shoes with shoe cleaning rags or shoe bags . Just enough so there is no streching of the leather . Has worked fine for me so far . Though I do like a mildy creased boot , asthetically it looks the part to me .

[fre-co]

Very nice fresco and they've aged well too. They look slightly higher than the AS (8 eyelets/hooks v 7). Hope the AS will be a similar colour. How old are they?

About 3 years old, I don't wear them as often as my Aldens or White's.

Alden trees are good, Trickers or C&J are expensive. There is an ebay seller who does seconds for pretty cheap. My trickers, white's and alden indys have never had trees but my C&Js, cordovan Aldens and Roys always have them in.

[CrashTestBrummie]

thanks for posting those Skye again, fresco, they are looking great.

Can I ask what shoe trees people here favour? My tricker's are probably suffering without some, and I'd like to keep my Lotus and Kelso as uncreased as possible. I know there's debate about whether to use them only after wear, or keep them in continuously, what do people here do?

I use the basic Clarks wooden ones, which are just over a tenner a pair. I only really use them after wearing a pair, and rotate them between shoes and boots as they get worn (I've four or dive pairs of trees). I'd only think about leaving them in boots that were only worn very occasionally, which doesn't happen at the moment. My boots are prone to heavy creasing on the vamp, so the trees help hold the shape of the boot after wearing whilst the leather is still warm.

And I use them when polishing, as it gives you a better surface to lean on...

[Tarmac]

thanks for posting those Skye again, fresco, they are looking great.

Can I ask what shoe trees people here favour? My tricker's are probably suffering without some, and I'd like to keep my Lotus and Kelso as uncreased as possible. I know there's debate about whether to use them only after wear, or keep them in continuously, what do people here do?

The woodlore Epics fit my Stows perfectly.

I leave them in as much as possible, although I have fewer pair of trees than shoes total, so when shoes go into long term storage (more than a month) I don't think they are necessary.

[patrick_b]

...Can I ask what shoe trees people here favour?

...Highly recommend Rochester Shoe Tree Company, they make trees for Alden, Polo, etc... the red cedar is great, and the surface is uncoated; pricing is quite good too.

Couldn't agree more. Not sure if the OP is in the US but if so, try your local Nordstrom Rack. The Rack carries Rochester Shoe trees (same as pictured above in mikecch's post) usually at $12/pair or every so often, they'll run a 2 for 1 sale. They only come in S-M-L-XL and I find for my size 11 shoes/feet that the XL fits most of my shoes better than the recommended size large.

I've found that the XL is a much better fit for boots. The large wouldn't fill out most of my boots (RMW Craftsman, Wolverine 1K, Blundstone and even hiking boots). At $12/pair, I even use them in my hiking boots, not so much for aesthetics but just to keep the moisture out, hoping to prolong the life of the boot.

I keep them in continuously as well. I even travel with a pair of shoe trees. Most of my trips are 2-3 days so I only bring one pair of dress shoes. Blasphemy...I know but I have to travel light and shoes take up way too much room in a 22" carry-on.

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[devilish]

^That's good to know, I'll have to go take a look for some. At that price I think I'll see if I can get a pair to fit my cycling shoes as they get very damp and kinda stinky sometimes.

[Paul T]

Couldn't agree more. Not sure if the OP is in the US but if so, try your local Nordstrom Rack.

.

Many thanks. I shall be in the East Village next week, maybe two blocks from a big Nordstrom Rack, I think, so could be perfect.

[Happy Hooligan]

I dont use trees , I stuff my boots/shoes with shoe cleaning rags or shoe bags . Just enough so there is no streching of the leather . Has worked fine for me so far . Though I do like a mildy creased boot , asthetically it looks the part to me .

wood will absorb the moisture that's in your boots and send it on it's way, while rags will just soak it in, and keep it in the boot... It's better for your leather..

[robotbox]

I recently picked up these Billy Reid Olden boots off of Gilt for pretty cheap. I'm not too fond of the faux distressing/burnishing, but figure if I beat the shit out of them anyways it won't really matter. Gilt is good about returns if I decide to ditch them.

My question is how to condition them? The top is like suede, and near the bottom and toe is more of a solid leather. Is there anything I can do to even out the finish? The construction on them is surprisingly nice, IMO

[mikedbt5]

wood will absorb the moisture that's in your boots and send it on it's way, while rags will just soak it in, and keep it in the boot... It's better for your leather..

Totally agree HH , the expensive footwear I own hasn't had a soaking yet . Over the years I have worn DM'S / trainers which I wore into the ground and most of my workdays are spent in safety shoes ...but I know and I'll be purchasing some .

[devilish]

^^Looks to me like they're rough out that's been dubbed in some places and not others. Maybe going over the lighter bits first with Obenauf's or SnoSeal and then after they've dried giving the whole boot another coat.

[SLAB]

lovely to see your pair of Skye boots again Fre$co; anyone know if you can still buy these online?

I got confirmation today at work that I will get the promotion Ive been working/studying for the past few years. Me thinks that is sufficient reason to treat myself to a nice pair of boots; most likely some Whites SD's loosely inspired on the US MArines WWII service boots.

[CrashTestBrummie]

Something that might be of interest to the veldtheads on here...an original magazine ad dated 1915 for a Lotus Veldtschoen boot 'For The Trenches'.

No scanner, so took a pic instead. If the construction was only patented in 1914, this must be the earliest, or one of the earliest, incarnations of the English veldtschoen boot. And it's pretty different to what you might expect to see:

Compare with the 'classic' Lotus design below (almost untouched despite a lot of wear), and the much more recent AS incarnation below that:

I also came across an exchange of letters in the Daily Telegraph that suggests it might not have been AE Ingham who created the design, but one William Tooth:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/3609491/Grandad-made-boots-not-money.html

You can follow the link in the letter to see the previous correspondence, which relates to a boot in the window of Cordings of Picadilly, which had a waterproof boot in the window kept in a tank of water...according to one correspondent, clearly not given to flights of fancy or hyberbole, it was "a national landmark on a par with the likes of Eros and Nelson's Column"...

[Paul T]

great info ben, thanks. I love those original boots - I'm intrigued by what Alfred Sargent might do with their upcoming "more traditional" veldt designs.

On the subject of Cordings - I would guess these boots are veldts...

Boots that look better with age. In the window of Cordings, Piccadilly, London...