Does anyone own these shoes. I am close to pulling the trigger. To me it's a lot to spend on a "casual" pair of shoes, though I would wear them with a plain suit. I just don't know what kind of belt to wear with them and a suit. I think a matching belt might be too matchy.
Alden 947 All Weather Walker
kforton
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Does anyone own these shoes. I am close to pulling the trigger. To me it's a lot to spend on a "casual" pair of shoes, though I would wear them with a plain suit. I just don't know what kind of belt to wear with them and a suit. I think a matching belt might be too matchy.
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The all weather walkers are good shoes (my brother has a pair of the 947), but they should not be worn with a suit.
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The 947 is a casual shoe. I am strange about my shoes, on the weekends when it is time to be causal I will wear a weejun occasionally but usually it is a bit loafer. I like my shoes to be a little more dressy I guess. This shoe wouldn't do it for me. Don't wear this shoe with a suit.
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I've never worn a pair of rubber-soled shoes with a suit, not once. Save, of course for the Maine Hunting Shoe during snow or heavy rains, but they come off when I get to the office, replaced, usually with leather-soled weejuns.
You could certainly do worse in the casual shoe department. The biggest benefit with the Alden walker is comfort. If you like them and they fit and feel good, pull the trigger. They are fine casual shoes.
JB
You could certainly do worse in the casual shoe department. The biggest benefit with the Alden walker is comfort. If you like them and they fit and feel good, pull the trigger. They are fine casual shoes.
JB
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Well, not in total agreement...you're an overshoe man in the rain, and I would be shocked to find a pair of weejuns in your shoe room (unless they were shell cordovan, of course).
JB
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Couldn't he save some money and get a pair of Rockports? They look the same
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Rockports don't have nearly the durability or comfort (assuming your foot fits the shoe, which my feet don't for any alden last), quality, nor grip of the all weather walkers (that sole is really grippy)...looks wise though, well not the same, but similar yes. Which is why they are to be worn by people who spend a lot of time on their feet and not in a suit.
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Actually, that's what I was saying too, though I see how it was vague.
I've been eyeing them as well, but have heard that they are hot in the summer. Have you considered the Plain Toe Blucher on Barrie last (#9430S)? Not all that different, a little less costly. I'm tempted, but don't want to buy them until I can try them on. By the way, I'd wear them with a poplin suit w/o hesitation, and wear dark brown shoes, with rubber soles, with charcoal suits.
So would I!
947's seemed to be the shoe of choice to wear with jackets and suits when I was in college. The lousy New Haven weather would bring them out of the clothes closet.
You'll still find the occasional administrator or professor up there who wears these with a sack suit, OCBD and tie. The 947's seem to look best with medium grey, although with khaki they scream Ivy League. Also, try a dark tan, brown, or burgundy belt with these.
A good friend of mine from another residential college wore a pair of 947's practically every day of his four year college sojourn. Pretty durable!
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I finally looked these up to see what the heck ya'll were talking about. I have a pair of shoes that look almost exactly like these from Charles Tyrwhitt. Mine have Dainite (sp?) rubber soles. I think they look great with my tan and olive poplin suits. If I had a brownish tweed suit, I'd wear 'em with that, too. I have a gator belt in a honey brown color (with an ancient engraved brass plate buckle) that I wear with those shoes (which is quite often).
They're great also with the tweed jacket / twill trousers look. Perfect for academia. But I wouldn't wear these with anything except the most casual suits. Not right for the banker / lawyer / boardroom look. Go with cap toes or wing tips for that.
Scott
They're great also with the tweed jacket / twill trousers look. Perfect for academia. But I wouldn't wear these with anything except the most casual suits. Not right for the banker / lawyer / boardroom look. Go with cap toes or wing tips for that.
Scott
That New Haven school works wonders for my friends who live south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
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Doesn't make it right. With a suit (or sportcoat) I feel that only leather soled shoes should be worn (though it's ok if they have a topy on them). Otherwise it just doesn't look right.
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Do not underestimate these shoes!!
Do not underestimate these shoes!!
I once purchased a pair of Alden welterweight shoes (very similar to these) on 66% sale. Thinking that they would be ok for kicking around. Initially, the top of the backs dug into my heels and it was my miserly graduate student stubbornness that forced me to keep wearing them. Well give it a few wearings (and one or two pairs of sacrificed socks) and these shoes are comfortable. Suddenly, no other shoe in my wardrobe comes close to these in comfort. Not the kind of squishy comfort when one puts his feet in sneakers but the rare solid, supportive comfort one never imagines in leather shoes!
I have walked from north of Columbia campus to wall st and back wearing the aldens. I have walked all over singapore, paris, munich and istanbul in these. In a pinch, a tie and a not too formal (i.e. tweed) jacket and a button down worked well with them
After two resolings, the top was pretty distorted (I pronate severely). Still the standard by which I compare the comfort of any show that I own today. If they had my size at teamsports in this, I would have bought it.
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Do not underestimate these shoes!!
I once purchased a pair of Alden welterweight shoes (very similar to these) on 66% sale. Thinking that they would be ok for kicking around. Initially, the top of the backs dug into my heels and it was my miserly graduate student stubbornness that forced me to keep wearing them. Well give it a few wearings (and one or two pairs of sacrificed socks) and these shoes are comfortable. Suddenly, no other shoe in my wardrobe comes close to these in comfort. Not the kind of squishy comfort when one puts his feet in sneakers but the rare solid, supportive comfort one never imagines in leather shoes!
I have walked from north of Columbia campus to wall st and back wearing the aldens. I have walked all over singapore, paris, munich and istanbul in these. In a pinch, a tie and a not too formal (i.e. tweed) jacket and a button down worked well with them
After two resolings, the top was pretty distorted (I pronate severely). Still the standard by which I compare the comfort of any show that I own today. If they had my size at teamsports in this, I would have bought it.
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Were these resolings by Alden or a local cobbler? I've read Alden puts them on the original last as part of their restoration to try to get the uppers as close to new as possible, and I wonder if even with that technique that much wearing does that to the uppers.
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As I had bought them for less than the resoling price, I had them done by local cobblers. Yes, I was young and not too wise once, now I am old and not much wiser.
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