Shoes that look better with age...

[Alec Leamas]

Yes these look great! Re: cosmetic flaws, firsts have those as well so don't worry!

The top down view puts to bed any concerns of mine around them looking too pointy with the machine stitching.

Very nice pair of loafers, look to fit you really well, peak menswear indeed!! haha 🙃

[beautiful_FrEaK]

@Broark Hem your damn jeans you hippy!  

[Broark]

7 hours ago, julian-wolf said:

Is the mock moc stitching on the machine sewn version even some transverse to the leather, or is it just two rows of straight stitching right through to the inside (mock mock moc)?

Honestly I'm not sure, but I'll try to double check in a bit.

 

22 minutes ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

@Broark Hem your damn jeans you hippy!  

Actually these are hemmed, believe it or not.

[yung_flynn]

5 hours ago, Alec Leamas said:

The top down view puts to bed any concerns of mine around them looking too pointy with the machine stitching.

I still think that the handsewn looks a little better in a rough-and-tumble way, but it's not like the machine sewn ones look bad especially for the price delta.

To my understanding, the leisure mechanical sewn loafers are mostly just the machine stitched moc-toe from the non-shell Indy boots (shell ones are hand sewn) translated to the Van last loafers. I like the machine stitched Indy, so I'd probably like these as well

[cultpop 0217]

Vintage deadstock Frye boots. Seller said they were a sample on display in a flagship store. 

They smell like an old motorcycle jacket. 

Super Solid. 

 

Reminds me a little of the Clinch cowboy boots by Brass Show Co. A little sturdier and more structured with thicker soles and no toe embellishment. Tea core leather too. 

Should last forever. 

 

 

[cultpop 0217]

 Vintage 1940s/50s Nocona Pee Wee cowboy boots with Sawtooth inlay in chocolate kangaroo. Made in Nocona Texas. 

 They require little repairs every couple of wears but they're is nothing like them. 

 

[Talan]

New MOTO in brown Horween's Latigo just arrived.

[Broark]

Every time I see a pair of Motos posted I'm reminded that they don't make anything in my size.
Maybe one day!

[cultpop 0217]

Deadstock Frye, a few days wear. 

Starting to break in a bit, getting creases and rolls. 

Definitely don't make them like they used to. 

[mlwdp]

@cultpop 0217Would love to see what you can do with a pair of Clinch cowboy boots that’s out now.

[cultpop 0217]

4 hours ago, mlwdp said:

@cultpop 0217Would love to see what you can do with a pair of Clinch cowboy boots that’s out now.

Yes! 

I would love to give them a try but they are way out of my budget. 

I was actually searching for a suitable stand in for the Clinch boots when I found these. 

Luckily these were about 80% LESS than the retail cost of Clinch. 

But those Horned Moon boots are absolutley masterful. They are themselves based on a vintage pair. (Shown below underneath the Clinch boots)

 

Clinch Horned Moon

Vintage inspiration. 

 

 

[Duke Mantee]

The decorative stitching on the clinch boots is fairly shit given the price 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

got these oiled suede Alden for Ed Meier boots at a third of the original retail, the most beautiful boots I own now

they come up with true balance last but feature real leather soles instead the indy cork rubber soles

 

Edited August 3 by Sympathy-For-The-Denim

[cultpop 0217]

 

Weird vintage harness engineer western Jodhpur zip boots. Unknown maker. Composite soles. Lovely patina. 

 

[aho]

Bought the newly re-released RW Beckman boots in black. Kind of a pointless post without pictures, etc. but I'll have that up shortly. I plan on using some edge dressing to brown the natural trim, not a fan of that look and prefer the original colorway, but the boots were nice enough to take the plunge

[aho]

Some pictures after applying Fiebing's Brown Edge Dressing. Looks so much better in my opinion, not really a fan of natural edges. Also swapped out the laces for the waxed laces (also included), though forgot to snap some photos. 

 

I'm certainly no boots expert. But I've worn White's, Wesco, Alden, etc. over the last 20 years. Never really had an eye for Red Wing. I appreciated the history, but didn't quite understand their use case since my PNW boots were much more robust, and my Alden's more dressier. All these years later, I find PNW boots too clunky and heavy, and my Alden's not robust enough. Suddenly Red Wing made perfect sense, and prices haven't really skyrocketed luckily. Some complain that these new Beckman's don't have the Japan version flatbox toe of yore (which I would've preferred), or that the heel should be stacked leather for the price. But for the price, I think these represent a perfect midway boot that looks dressy enough, and still robust enough without being cumbersome or hard on my geriatric knees. Looking forward to putting the miles in!

[Geeman]

Look great, even without the flatbox toe they still look less bulbous than the previous beckman which always put me off. 

[Talan]

On 7/31/2024 at 9:12 AM, Talan said:

New MOTO in brown Horween's Latigo just arrived.

 

Replaced the laces with more comfortable ones, hope it’s not sacrilege)

[Talan]

4 hours ago, aho said:

Some pictures after applying Fiebing's Brown Edge Dressing. Looks so much better in my opinion, not really a fan of natural edges. Also swapped out the laces for the waxed laces (also included), though forgot to snap some photos. 

 

I'm certainly no boots expert. But I've worn White's, Wesco, Alden, etc. over the last 20 years. Never really had an eye for Red Wing. I appreciated the history, but didn't quite understand their use case since my PNW boots were much more robust, and my Alden's more dressier. All these years later, I find PNW boots too clunky and heavy, and my Alden's not robust enough. Suddenly Red Wing made perfect sense, and prices haven't really skyrocketed luckily. Some complain that these new Beckman's don't have the Japan version flatbox toe of yore (which I would've preferred), or that the heel should be stacked leather for the price. But for the price, I think these represent a perfect midway boot that looks dressy enough, and still robust enough without being cumbersome or hard on my geriatric knees. Looking forward to putting the miles in!

Beckman boots were my first serious shoes, bought years ago. I liked almost everything about them, except for the very low heel, which also wore down fairly quickly on the outer edges. I thought about replacing it, but never got around to it and ended up selling them cheaply to a friend, who is quite happy and still wearing them.

Hope you will be glad to use them.

[Alec Leamas]

@aho the Beckmans look great! 

Interested in seeing how they age and develop, I've not seen so much of that, r/RedWingShoes is full of the more popular (and I suppose more recently available) Iron Rangers, Moc toes and Blacksmiths

[yung_flynn]

I'm not a boot expert nor have I ever been a big Red Wing guy despite living in MN for a few years, but the new version of the Beckmans did catch my eye. They remind me a bit of a White's semi dress on the #38 swing last in a way, more so than the more typically bulbous toed RW boots. There something that I would consider if I ever decided to add to my boot lineup

[tooth]

@aho every once in awhile Barnstormer gets the Flatbox version and still has some sizes left. I almost pulled the trigger on them myself, but decided on getting a different pair instead.

[vIGGiou riou]

Aho, they look very nice those RW Backman  ...

Edited September 10 by vIGGiou riou

[blooming]

 

Freshly conditioned Lofgren Chelsea boots. These have been my daily footwear since last December, and will likely remain that way. The only thing I don't do in them is play drums, because the pedals chew up the toe area. Learned that lesson on a pair of IR's a long time ago

[Alec Leamas]

Lovely pair of chelsea boots! I've frequently been interested in a pair of chelsea boots by one brand or another, I like the simplicity and clean look

[Alec Leamas]

Picked up this pair of Alden 9501 (plain toe bluchers in natty chromexcel) second hand for a great price.

Good amount of patina going on already and plenty of life left, look and feel like they won't need a resole for some time yet too!

The upper wasn't particularly well cared for by previous owner, so doing my best to nourish it while retaining the characteristics of natural cxl.

Apologies the best photo of them is upside down! 🙃 try as I might I can't flip it round for some reason!

Edited September 12 by Alec Leamas

[blooming]

6 hours ago, Alec Leamas said:

Lovely pair of chelsea boots! I've frequently been interested in a pair of chelsea boots by one brand or another, I like the simplicity and clean look

Once you go laceless, it's hard to look back.

Lofgrens are definitely on the higher end of the price range for Chelseas, and they are a bit overbuilt, kinda like an engineer boot with a shorter ankle and no strap. I also really like the RM WIlliams Turnout boot if you want something a bit sleeker and also about half the price.

Edited September 12 by blooming

[Alec Leamas]

17 hours ago, blooming said:

Once you go laceless, it's hard to look back.

Lofgrens are definitely on the higher end of the price range for Chelseas, and they are a bit overbuilt, kinda like an engineer boot with a shorter ankle and no strap. I also really like the RM WIlliams Turnout boot if you want something a bit sleeker and also about half the price.

I think it was actually the heft of your Lofgrens that I'm drawn to, I find that "normal" Chelsea boots look too pointy on me - I have wider feet and a pointy/sleek shoe just never ever sits right for me, visually or physically.

There was a Red Wing spin on a Chelsea a while ago too, the Chelsea Rancher, which had that similar robust look - "elevated Blundstone", perhaps?

Edited September 13 by Alec Leamas

[Maynard Friedman]

^ I have a pair of these Red Wing Chelsea boots in ebony harness leather (not my photo).

[Broark]

@Alec Leamas also worth looking at the Paraboot Elevage, I have a pair they did a few years back in collaboration with Arpenteur made from a nice oiled nubuck.
I wear Blundstones quite frequently but when I want to wear something a bit nicer I'll put them on, and they're noticeably cheaper than the JL chelsea boots.