Replacing 30 year old pair of Allen Edmonds, looking for suggestions

andrewdc said:

I purchased the shoes I'm replacing in 1992. Blucher/Derby style, plain toe, welted rubber sole, probably calfskin. A fairly informal shoe that could move between an evening in a blazer and the sidelines of a soccer field. I have replaced the sole twice and recrafted the leather twice; the lining has come loose, stitching is pulling away from the leather, so I think it's time to replace them. No idea what model these are, but they look a little like the current AE Chicago or Alpine.

There was a time when I would have considered another pair of Allen Edmonds or maybe Johnston & Murphy, but in my opinion, those brands have seen better days. Allen Edmonds still makes a solid shell cordovan shoe, but i like Alden's shell offerings more, and i need something more casual.

Current options under consideration to replace them: Alden plain toe bluchers, models 941C, 9431S, 9432S. they're options, but $500-$600 seems like a lot of money for a casual shoe, even if they might also last 30 years. I'm also looking at Rancourt's Camden Derby. I have been happy the past several years with other shoes from Alden and Rancourt.

Other suggestions welcome.

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I don't think you can go wrong with Alden, if their lasts suit you, and you're willing to pay the price. Very solid, if not the most finely finished, they are indeed a 30 year shoe.

Rancourt I'm less familiar with, except that the one pair I have from them is at least a 1/2 size larger than other shoes I have had of the same size from other makers. But if you like their fit and sizing, I suspect they're solid, though built differently than Aldens.

Many years ago, I became interested by the quality/value nexus of English shoes and have ordered mainly those for a decade or two. But the exchange rate has recently become less favorable, and they're not quite as good a value. Sanders and Sanders is one lower priced English make that I've purchased and know make a very solid shoe.

I'm also intrigued by shoes being made in Spain and Portugal, as they both have a tradition of fine quality, and they're a good deal less than English shoes. This is evidenced by a retailers from a variety of nations using them as a source for their house brands. I'm currently wearing a pair of Spanish made loafers from the English retailer Herring, who are excellent to do business with, and they're very solid, comfortable and handsome shoes that I believe I paid around $200 for with the AAAC discount.

Two Scandinavian retailers I would be interesting in Sampling are SKOLYX and Skoaktiebolegat. The house brands of each are made in Mallorca, a seat of traditional Spanish shoewear, And both retailers have a good reputation, and offer a superb value on the above mentioned shoes. I notice that the SKOLYX house brand shoes all come with rubber soles. I've been jones'en for a pair of their pennies in polo suede, but would not get the use of them.

The only catch is that European shoes are traditionally offered in only one or two widths, so if you're a tricky fit, it can be a problem. And, of course, you also have to be comfortable with a trans-Atlantic try on, and a willingness to purchase other than U.S. make.

andrewdc said:

Thanks, that is interesting. I had not considered European brands.

Alden definitely works for me, I have worn one of their shell cordovan bluchers for years, but it irks me to spend so much money on a casual shoe. Europe makes me uncertain because i know some brands (Crockett & Jones, for example) run narrow, and a lot of clothing from the UK/EU runs small - i have to buy shetlands and other sweaters from the UK in XXL, and I'm not that large.

When i have purchased a pair of shoes from a company & the fit works, I generally inquire re: whether they use a similar last on the other shoe I'm considering, and if they aren't the same, how the lasts compare to each other. With Rancourt, that was already productive; I asked, and the last they use for a pair of loafers I wear runs larger than the last for the derby; they recommended sizing up by a half size. customer service at good companies generally appreciate an educated inquiry by email and respond.

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If your Alden shoe is on the Barrie last that is indeed a full and broad last.

I've found that in addition to English retailers, most other European retailers that also sell on-line usually either size their shoes in English sizes, or offer the equivalent of their shoes' sizes in both English and U.S. sizes. I've worn a U.S. size 11D in most U.S. shoes. Alden is an exception as I've yet to find a size/last combination that works for me. But, as mentioned, I've found Rancourt's loafer last larger as well.

Most English sizes are roughly equivalent to a U.S. D width as their standard "fitment," usually designated as an F width. But as you noted, different lasts offer differing volumes, and they typically have "country" lasts for their walking shoes and boots that are both wider and offer more volume to accommodate thicker socks. And among their general ranges some lasts will fit narrower, or wider. Some wider lasts might be designated as an F+. And some makes will also offer a second wider width which is often designated a G fitting, roughly equivalent to a U.S. E.

I find most English size 10 standard width shoes fit me well.