Regular patrons of this site know the affection that Bark and I have for Allen-Edmonds shoes. I’ve been a devoted customer of the brand for nearly twenty years now and I’ve owned somewhere between eighty-five and ninety pairs of A-Es. A few months ago, I fulfilled a long-time dream of mine by traveling to the famous “Shoebank” in Wisconsin for the first time. I left with the proverbial three bags full, including an utterly brilliant set of MacNeil longwings with tartan plaid cloth vamps.
This morning, Allen-Edmonds spammed me with a rather unusual offer. It’s not one for which I personally qualify, but I’m passing it along because I suspect it will pan out for one, or more, of my readers.
It goes like so:
To enjoy the student offer simply visit an Allen Edmonds retail store and present your valid* student ID. You will then have the opportunity to buy one of the following top selling styles: Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Strand, McAllister or Warwick with a matching Manistee or Wide Basic belt AND receive a pair of Allen Edmonds cedar shoe trees for the price of $350. This is a savings of over $150 OFF the retail price of these products.
While all five of the listed shoes are very nice, if you don’t currently own a set of proper shoes, your first purchase must be the Park Avenue. I don’t wear my “Parks” very often because I don’t travel in conventional business circles any more, but they are indispensable. You can wear them to a wedding or a funeral or a football game. The question becomes: what color? I’m afraid the answer is probably “black” because this country continues to be chock-full of total fuckin’ morons who think you can’t wear brown shoes with a black suit and you can’t take the risk that your interviewer will not be deluded in that fashion.
Those of you who are students might blanch at the $350 combo price, even though it’s a screaming bargain. Let me tell you something I learned the hard way: Wearing a good set of shoes is a true foundation on which you can build your life. I’ve seen this from both sides now: in the mid-Nineties I was selling cars and I was so poor that I had literal holes in the soles of my shoes, soaking my feet and rubbing them raw. It’s tough to put on your best face when your feet are in misery and you know how terrible your shoes look.
On the other hand, I have two “never-fail” items in my wardrobe. I’ve never failed to get the job or make the sale or land the girl when I wear them. The minor item: my sterling-silver Tyrwhitt collar stays. The major item: my twice-recrafted horsehide MacNeils. I used them to drive the Nurburgring and walk the streets of Greenwich Village and sink into the sand of Venice Beach. If you have a good set of shoes, you can accomplish whatever needs accomplishing.
Best of all, when you buy a set of Allen-Edmonds you are supporting American workers and their families, earning a fair wage for skilled labor. You’re making things better for your friends and neighbors, and you’re even helping to support labor rates in overseas countries. It’s the right thing to do, and you’ll feel better afterwards.
Last but not least, there’s something to be said for owning the best of something. Yes, I know there are “better” off-the-rack shoes — Grenson Masterpieces, Crockett&Jones, Edward Green, Magli Platinum, maybe even Alden. I own all of them and I’ll tell you that Allen-Edmonds is just as good. They’re not as subtle, they’re not as finely detailed, but they are made as well as anything this side of a true Lobb handsewn. You never need to offer an excuse for wearing the Allen-Edmonds Park Avenue. Every President of this country, from Mr. Reagan to Mr. George W. Bush, wore the Park Avenue at his inauguration. (Mr. Obama, of course, wore some cheap-ass Cole-Haans. He probably did this because, not to be too direct about it, his mother was not a member of polite society and as a consequence he just didn’t know any better.) If they’re good enough for President Reagan, they’re good enough for you, right?
President Obama may have worn the questionable Cole-Haans, but he did accept a gift of custom made shoes from Perry Ercolino.
I first read about Perry’s show circa 1994 when they were less than 1K a pair…
http://www.perryercolino.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/the-shoes-fit.pdf
and http://www.perryercolino.com/about-perry/
I have two pair of Grayson and one pair of Nashua. 7 EEE FTW!
I have a serious question for you, Jack, if I may call you Jack. Is it worth it to purchase used AE shoes in my exact size via eBay and then get them reconditioned and resoled? I’m not trying to be the cheap weasel of the bunch, but I’d like to know if it’s suitable or not.
I’ve bought AEs from eBay. I was always disappointed. I only do it now if it’s something custom or discontinued.
I’ve done it.
It’s a gamble.
The problem is that Recrafting doesn’t “unbreak-in” the shoe. So if your foot is a different shape than the foot of the previous owner, Recrafting doesn’t reset the counter, so to speak. It will still have the shape that it took during his wearing of the shoe.
If the price is low enough, buy the shoes and try them on. IF THEY FIT, you’re good to go.
Big if on the price being low enough.
I got my Macneil’s that way and paid ~$75, they fit quite well. I wouldn’t necessarily do it again, but it was a much cheaper way for me to get a feel for the brand, and I can completely see where one would be justified in paying $400 for a pair of shoes. I didn’t get that before.
I’m not jack but keep in mind that the recrafting process does not replace the cork and and leather foot bed inside the shoe.
Thanks Jack. This is a wonderful thing AE is doing. I didn’t buy a pair when I graduated college (because ROTC), but I certainly did 7 years later when I resigned my commission and became a civilian. Still have them, with many miles on them now.
Wish I had known to buy brown back then. I have (had, now) spent far too many years buying black shoes, to my discredit.
Personally, I’d go with the longwings up front, rather than the captoes.
Longwings are my favorite, but if you only have ONE pair of shoes, it can’t be longwings.
It’s my dream to live in a better world where longwings CAN be your only 😉
Pat ;
Whatever you chose to do , is correct and stylish if it suits you .
-Nate
Well let’s leave aside the fact that I work from a home office in southernmost california and it’s in the 70s again today. I’m not sure flip flops are stylish and correct by any measure — even if they are the regionally-correct Rainbows brand 😉
Related question :
Where can I buy steel toed , steel shanked glossy black wing tips ? .
Even Florsheim quit making them much to my dismay .
I’d really like some help here .
TIA ,
-Nate
(who suffered years of ridicule for my old ‘ Banker’s Shoes ‘ but my foot was crushed in the 1960’s so proper footwear is critical now)
I’m not aware of anybody who makes a steel-shanked dress shoe for mass production nowadays, simply because they set off metal detectors at the airport.
Jack, sorry to hear you are not wearing your Parks much any more. I’m not in a business dress environment as much these days myself, but I’ve taken to wearing my bourbon Park Avenues with classic 501 Levi’s, a white dress shirt and sport coat. Heck, I even wore them one day with a pair of Carhartt 5 pocket duck pants along with a Brooks Brothers button down white dress shirt. A great pair of shoes will elevate any ensemble, and make you feel better about casual dress! Break out those Park Avenues!!
The Park Avenue “last” just doesn’t work as well for me as the MacNeil or Broadstreet. And I’m a huge cordovan snob so I try to wear one of my five sets of horsey A-Es as often as possible. I agree with you, however, that there’s almost no “wrong” way to wear them.
Jack, why do you like shell cordovan so much? I hear it water-spots like nobody’s business.
That hasn’t been my experience — and because the leather is hardy, you can wipe it off with a rough cloth or even a paper towel.
Vibram’s are my go-to interview shoes. Thanks to them, I haven’t had a job in years.
Jack and Bark, you’ve just about convinced me to buy a pair of AE Park Avenues in Merlot. Here’s the question, though, from a fashion ignoramus/coward: When wearing a gray suit (that is, the only decent suit I own) and brown shoes, what does one do about the socks? This would appear to be the make-or-break transitional area.
Socks match the color of the trousers.
I agree with this.
Having grown up in the mountain west, I learned there are three kinds of footwear: everyday boots, Sunday boots, and gym shoes (any sort of athletic sneaker, essentially). So even though it bucks convention in “polite society” in most places throughout the US, I’ll still wear a gleaming pair of Lucchese boots, either in brown or black, with dress slacks or charcoal gray suit. They’re equally at home with a pair of jeans. Best of all, socks don’t matter.
This dress shoe thing. Okay, I’ll try it. But I encourage everyone to purchase a fine pair of western boots. Start with a low-heeled roper with a round toe at first to ease into it, like the Bannock in pecan calf. Then work up to the Collins in black. Warning, these are not cheap. But they are handmade in Texas and the craftsmanship is superb. Once they are broken in to your foot, incredibly comfortable.
Unless you’re really adventurous and brave, or live where western boots are commonplace, I advise against exotics.
When Alex Roy and I drove across the country in Matt Farah’s Lexus earlier this year, I made him stop at TWO boot places in Texas looking for the perfect pair of ostrich boots. I have a set of ostrich dress shoes and I wanted something similar. Didn’t find anything that was American-made and fit well and had a round toe.
I bought Ariat ropers while out west. Not nearly as nice as Luchesses, but I am forever sold on wearing ropers as casual footwear. As comfortable as my AEs.
Great everyday boot at a good value. I have a pair of Ariat ropers, the synthetic sole offers good grip in bad weather, and I’m not a fan of wearing the Lucchesses after the parking lots and sidewalks have been salted. Not an issue with the Ariats.
Jack, next time you’re in Austin, hit up Allens Boot Store as well as Cavenders.
If you’re in El Paso, go to J.B. Hill Boot Company and get a custom fitting (you can also do a fitting via mail — send them an outline, they send you back fitter boots which will confirm your foot size and shape which you then return). Then choose your style, color, materials. Completely bespoke, custom handmade boot. You can easily find yourself paying PRS Private Stock prices, however.
Exactly why I bought them. Winter traction. Tresmonos was up here and had leather soled boots. Not great on Toronto sidewalks.
Having worked in a 24-7 jeans environment led by the CEO (I work on the same floor), you owe it to yourself to get a pair of 100% American made jeans from Tellison, Railcar, Gustin, or another outfit using Cone Mills White Oak denim or anothet U.S denim plant. I put my dress clothes budget into jeans - as its all I can wear now - and cannot be happier with real denim and the fading from my life. Raw selvedge denim looks killer with with a pair of MacNiels, Stradmocks, Iron Rangers, or AE loafers.