Shoes that look better with age...

[karanimal]

Alden x Jcrwe - 3 days into a 7 day trip to Japan....still holding a bit of a shine after a bit of saphir reno before the trip! Rained on and scuffed up but still going strong

 

Japan Trip 2015 by matt karai, on Flickr

[volvo240thebest]

William Lennon Oxford hill shoe

waxy tan leather

triple leather soles + vibram antislip

leather laces

crazy looking clown shoes but I do love them! especially with a pair of loose jeans like in here.

these will be hard to break in, they're crazy tough.

[Geeman]

The lift in the toe box is insane and a strange look, but I've got to admit I like em!

[volvo240thebest]

a couple more pics of the William Lennon oxfords

[bradl]

Like a reverse high heel

[Frost]

That toe box is absolutely perfect Volvo! The shoes look freaking great. Soon Inoue-san will not only talk about your beard, but your stylish shoes as well.

[Bradapalooza]

These are my Alden Cordovan Brogue Wingtips -- pics are about 2 years ago -- will update with more recent pics soon.

 

Bonus, pretty sure I'm wearing Samurai 710xx

 

[volvo240thebest]

Trickers after some TLC, treated them with leather oil Rapide, using a microfiber horse sponge. they're getting into their 17th winter of service!

winter shoe rotation

left to right

priere longwings

Tricker's William

rw IR 8111

William Lennon hillshoes

[Foxy2]

Very nice collection!

Loving the lift of the Lennon's - similar to the older Viberg lasts, but with a different toe box shape. Looking forward to see them break-in...

[volvo240thebest]

it'll take ages! they're made in such a way that the upper don't flex almost at all! the triple sole is bent towards the toe also for that purpose I think. Anyway despite they might look uncomfortable I have to say they're very comfy.

[BrownMetallic]

^

Literally, "Sprung Toe" = Rock&Roll

Rather than flex, when u walk, it rolls & [once broken in] slightly springs u forward to the next stride.

Also, due to the last shape, u won't get much vamp creasing

Edit:

'Been spoiled w/ effortless break ins from White's, Viberg, Tricker's, etc.

'Got the Waxed Reversed Kip, w/c is the thickest, most substantial leather they offer. Interesting experience &, for the record, the toughest break in I've ever encountered ... like breaking in a pair of ATVs__ but, for the life of me, I could not make myself to drop them .... like being masochistically attached to them, like a pair of natty indigo, heavy-ozer RAWs, I gotta to see them all the way through__ even if it takes 4evar

Edited November 25, 2015 by BrownMetallic

[greathoudini]

Those trickers look great volvo!

[superBobo]

Very cool! Have you tried any other WL lasts so you can compare sizes? Wonder if the derby last or the hill last is nicest for shoes. The toe shape on the Hill last looks perfect for my feet..

 

 

William Lennon Oxford hill shoe
waxy tan leather
triple leather soles + vibram antislip
leather laces



crazy looking clown shoes but I do love them! especially with a pair of loose jeans like in here.
these will be hard to break in, they're crazy tough.

[superBobo]

^^ and are the red wings way longer than all the other boots/shoes?

[mpukas]

Nice Trickers Volvo! Even after getting to know more and more great footwear makers through you fella's, I still fall for Trackers every time. The English boot/shoe makers have a great balance of ruggedness and refinement. 

[volvo240thebest]

Very cool! Have you tried any other WL lasts so you can compare sizes? Wonder if the derby last or the hill last is nicest for shoes. The toe shape on the Hill last looks perfect for my feet..

 

unfortunately william lennon doens't offer any oxford shoe on the derby boot last. that was what i wanted to order first when I got in touch with them.

they only offer oxford shoes on two different lasts, the hill shoe last and what they call the slim shoe last, which I didn't happen to like at all, as it's just too slim for what i had in mind. here's a pic of the slim shoe

 

[volvo240thebest]

Nice Trickers Volvo! Even after getting to know more and more great footwear makers through you fella's, I still fall for Trackers every time. The English boot/shoe makers have a great balance of ruggedness and refinement. 

Couldn't agree more, they're just the right shoe for almost every occasion. Should I reduce my collection to only one pair that would be the Tricker's, although I have to admit that also the Red Wing IR is a a very versatile boot, and I've been wearing it lots since I got them last year. I find Tricker's work better with narrow hem jeans while RW IR work better with wide hem jeans. OT - I totally hate the look of RW IR worn with tapered narrow hem jeans, which many people happen to favor as of late. It just looks wrong to me. Other have said that before me on this thread but I just feel the need to remind it once again haha!

[volvo240thebest]

^^ and are the red wings way longer than all the other boots/shoes?

it's a smidgen longer yeah. all of my shoes are uk10/US 10,5 but for some odd reason RW are labelled EU44/UK10/US11. not at all a problem for me as I just wear all of my boots definitely oversized and then wear a thick insole inside, love that extra bit of room in the toe box, my feet are wide and it's easier to go this way rather than find the EE width. I also find that the shoe shape is nicer this way.

[superBobo]

thanks!

 

are these on the slim shoe last? I had guessed the derby

[volvo240thebest]

I think these are the hill shoe. If you got the pic from some japanese blog/site they're defo the hillshoe. If you're considering a pair just shoot an email to Libs at WL, she's very helpful and replies quick most of the time.

Edited November 26, 2015 by volvo240thebest

[superBobo]

^^ Thanks! I have a pair of derby boots, so just curious about the options. I really like alot of the japanese pics of the Hill shoe, but less certain how´d they look in a UK 12...

 

for example

[volvo240thebest]

I'd stay away from commando sole on that. I think the triple leather sole is one of the nicest details of the shoe itself.

[superBobo]

Yea, its nice, but I find my boots super hard, so im thinkin a thick rubber sole might be better..

[volvo240thebest]

I wear a soft, spongy insole inside and don't suffer from the soles being too hard. might be another option to consider, although yeah the soles are super hard!

[overdRAWn]

Thx for all this useful information. I just sent a request to Libs asking for virgin leather, not waxed or oiled ... just like those Butts & Shoulders bags.

Lets wait and see ... although the Hill Shoe will look funny in size 12, I would like to give it a try.

overdRAWn

[volvo240thebest]

they already made shoes out of vegtan. they made a collab with Tender.

 

 

[superBobo]

Thats on the WW1 last right? Curious about that one..

[volvo240thebest]

yes it is. to be honest I think they're quite ugly. Wearing shoes with the shape of Lennon boots seems to me enough of a statement (!), I'd rather stay with their very nice standard range of leathers. From the picture you can see that the soft toe has a little collapsed with wear, nice touch, like it.

[BrownMetallic]

^

Now that u mentioned softoes__ VegTan PlainToe Derby w/ unstructured toe seems very appealing to me.

Edited November 27, 2015 by BrownMetallic

[Foxy2]

William Lennon Oxford hill shoe

waxy tan leather

triple leather soles + vibram antislip

leather laces

crazy looking clown shoes but I do love them! especially with a pair of loose jeans like in here.

these will be hard to break in, they're crazy tough.

Your turn-up is more "bad ass" than mine...