Leave a comment! :) Edit - For those with wide feet, I recently discovered Bridlen has wider options! They have more detail on their Lasts page: bridlen.com/pages/the-bridlen-lasts?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTZjZDhhODllOGE4
I precisely enjoy your reviews because of their expressive and genuinely honest nature. Not only that, they are very detailed and easy to consume. If i wasnt a student i would immediately support you with money. You‘re the only person I consider a genuine reviewer who goes into details
I was unaware that upon clicking on this video that This video would actually alter my life dramatically. In a way This video was like watching a good movie as it has left me thinking about it the entire day but beyond the thoughts, you have forced me to grow past Allen Edmonds now and I will no longer look at them the same as I once did. Please keep on doing what you’re doing. If you are not already I hope that you become a bigger shoe judge than Kirby Allison you’ve already proven that you have much more knowledge.
Bruh this is probably the most underrated sartorial channel I've come across. Instead of just filming yourself doing unscripted hot takes you've invested in serious analysis of serious products, backed by ultra high production value. All of this is backed by your hilarious and unique personality. You've earned yourself a sub and praise for not half assing, you deserve WAY more than 4k subs and I can't wait until it's 40k+
Completely agree. The content he has is deep, accurate, actionable, and entertaining. The one piece of feedback I would give is to find a way to work in the printed on-screen additives in some other way because I'm having to pause the video often to both read that content and make sure I don't miss the verbal piece he's saying. The info given via both channels is useful though.
Once the founder of the corporations sell the company to private equity company, the quality of the products starts to decrease overtime for the worse.
I appreciate the honesty and thoroughness of your video. For me, I have wide square shaped feet. They are the only brand at their price point which makes a super wide range of sizes. They are the analogy of New Balance in the athletic shoe world. I have suffered through a range of well made, handsome and expensive brands that just induce pain.
History lesson: the working class had wider comfortable boots because they needed healthy feet to work optimally. The aristocrats wore very pointy jester shoes that deformed their feet because they didn't need to do hard labor. That's why modern fancy shoes look like triangles lol. Also why pretty much every North American's pinky toe points inwards to the foot (this is not natural and is caused by shoes) Unfortunately almost all shoes prioritize fashion above function.
I’ve been making and resoling mostly boots. Specifically work and historical reenactment boots. However I’ve resoled 2 pairs and rebuilt a pair of Allen Edmonds for my wife. The soles have an acrylic coat to hide imperfections this is what causes the burnt affect. The top is coated with acrylic fairly thick. For the rebuild, here’s what I did. New heel counter, I however used leather, Trimmed it down and extended it. Leather heel, converted it to a 270 degree hand welt. Fiberglass shank to wood and added ribbon laces. They came out amazing and many of the flaw’s removed. The last I used was a Munson last. I prefer closed channel soles. They extend the period between resoles.
Where did you get a Munson last? How did it change the way the shoe looks? I’ve only ever seen Munsons used to make boots, curious how it changed the shoe’s overall look
This video is, sadly, incredibly accurate. I used to buy AE, and I could see the decline in the quality over the years. That slide seems to have been hastened with the arrival of the new ownership. I also hate the modern marketing. Who are they targeting? It looks like they are shooting for a kid who is looking for his first pair of dress shoes but really only wears sneakers. Cheap sneakers. I look for quality above all else. The days of buying flashy fashion items that deteriorate quickly was over in my teens. I want something that lasts and has the appeal of a timeless beauty. I switched to TLB Mallorca about two years ago. It was one of the best decisions that I have made. The quality is evident in every aspect of the shoe from the materials used to the design to the craftsmanship. And right out of the box, the shoes are comfortable. The company also works very hard to please you and address any concerns or issues that you may have. The price is slightly higher than AE, but they are well worth the investment. And that is exactly what they are, an investment. If the shoes were sold at twice the price, few would question the decision.
And the fact that they have physical stores. Returns and exchanges can be a pain in the neck and a lot of these direct-to-consumer companies should just suck up the cost and open some stores so we can try on their shoes.
As entertainment these “calming” sessions are funny but having said that I don’t think you need to apologize for your hard work it’s clear you are highly knowledgeable in the field keep it up and thanks!
I really wish I found this channel before I started buying nicer shoes. You do a fantastic job, and your informative breakdown makes this very easy to consume.
But I do have to say, a 49 minute video is difficult to consume, I would have liked it to be closer to 20 minutes only because you made a very clear point by the 16 minute mark
It's great to see an honest video about dress shoes. Influencers often try to over-promote products. It's obvious that if you look at the subject of leather shoes, Allen Edmonds is a brand that's far too expensive for what it really is! Unfortunately, too few people are honest enough to say so. I'm French and we also have our fair share of poor brands whose influencers claim they're artisan quality and blah blah blah. You can count on a new subscriber :-)
appreciate the honest reviews. I am obsessed with shoe videos but its quite rare for any of my shoe video guys to say anything negative about a shoe company especially Allen Edmonds, the cornerstone of American Goodyear welted shoes. Appreciate your videos just make more.
@@ruperttmls7985 I don’t think by much my friend. If anything, they do use a higher quality grain for the uppers. In fact, I would put them on the top as far as that’s concerned but their lasts Aren’t all that
Allen got stuck in time, so now is blown out of water even by something like 250usd bridlen shoes. 400 for such a shoe is daylight robbery. In todays age, that shoe is really more like 150usd shoe. If i was to spend 400 ish, i would go with tlb mallorca or carlos santos handgrade. edit: i commented before watching anything. Guy himself said its 200 shoes, and still he would be mad :) Honestly, its a really bad shoe for the price. edit2: oh snap, he actually said its 150 dollar shoe at the end of the video :)
@@don_kandon6006 most, and this was not specifically aimed at you, but most lack diversity in mindset when it comes to shoes. Allen Edmond is a shoe that will last you a lifetime. not only that, but you can wear them every single day repetitively and all day long. They are a type of dress shoe that is specifically designed for that and this is the only reason why they are considered entry-level level, due to the fact that most in humble beginnings aren’t able to switch out shoes frequently. But for their durability alone, they are worth the $400 mark. An Allen Edmond, shoe less longer than a John lobb side-by-side durability test and you are paying thousands of dollars for that John lobb. Anything beyond Allen Edmond in Price, you are paying for names sake ,looks and high stitch count, but not durability. i’ll give Alden credit for thinking to use elephant skin, I mean, you can squat down in those things countlessly for years and not get permanent creases in the vamp but honestly, they are neck and neck with Allen Edmond ( they use the skin of young bulls ) And should not be beyond..
Black Friday sale ($199) + Rakuten black friday 12% cash back + 15% military discount... got a pair of Fifthe Avenue in Dark Chili for $150 lol. Totally worth.
FYI: The rubber runner(2nd layer of rubber on heel) is for better adhesion of the rubber heel and ease of replacement. Rubber doesn’t adhere as well to leather. I wonder how the leather outsole is tanned. From my understanding, one of the best leather outsoles is JR and it is oak tanned. Also some outsoles are treated for water resistance and durability. I use a Saphir product on my leather outsoles which helps with durability. It’s a super refined Vegetable oil and definitely helps with water resistance. Thanks for all the information. I learned a lot. Ps. I love the mountains and you did a great job.
Great video as always, and did I learn a lot about AE. Since the pandemic, I haven't had to travel for work, so I didn't buy any dress shoes past the 3 pairs of AE Hopkinsons from their Independence collection in 2017. I've done my research and it made sense to branch out. I'm now waiting on a pair of Bridlen and TLB Mallorca and have a pair of boots form Meermin. Thank you!
23:03 the view here of the lasts was beautifully informative, and a real highlight amidst a very educational video overall. I have an older pair of AE (circa 2017-18) that I’ve worn > 1000 times, and was gifted a new pair last year. They’re the same size, but don’t fit the same. The newer also came with the laces you mentioned, which feel functionally worse and subjectively seem sloppy. I’ll definitely look to some of your content here to teach me to appreciate more of the differences between new and old, as well as for future purchases with other brands.
Was about to buy these after seeing the black Friday deal, thanks for this video. Doesn’t seem like the alternates you suggested are running any BF deals, at least not as of Wednesday. But I’ll pass on cheap AE and buy a better shoe even if more expensive. Great video, well presented. Keep it up!
Just found your channel. Great video. I've had mixed experiences with AE quality. I have mostly purchased boots. Their customer service has been excellent ... in my experience.
I just went into an AE store walked out with a pair of fifth avenues, cashmere socks, and a pair of cedar shoe trees for right around $350. Im very satisfied with these shoes thus far. I do appreciate my Thursday and Beckett Simonon (outside of the 6-8 week lead time). Im actually gifting my groomsmen and best man a pair of Thursdays of their choice for the wedding💯 Great breakdown and very thorough! Loving this long form conversational content
They are worth it if bought at a discount. The problem I see with the company is that it’s lost its charm. Up until the late 2010s it was one of the last classic American shoe brands, specializing in relatively high quality dress shoes. When the new management came in the late 2010s, they began aggressively changing the company “DNA”. At this point, I’m not sure who the target audience is. If you flip though the catalogs they send in the mail several times a year, you’ll notice that all the models are weird, young (often “non-binary” looking) urban folks. Not a single model represents a regular, middle class American professional who goes to work conservatively dressed up (even though the vast majority of Allen Edmonds buyers are exactly that - middle aged, middle class American professionals who prefer a conservative look). The management must be completely out of touch with reality and lives in a bubble. They’ve probably hired a bunch of 30 year old hipsters from NYC and San Francisco to run the marketing and PR departments. Those people clearly don’t understand who the average AE customer is. Btw, I am neither middle aged, nor middle class (in the traditional sense of the word), nor do I live in the suburbs. I am actually a young urban person, an artist, and a classic menswear enthusiast. But I understand who the average AE customer is. The AE management obviously does not.
Thank you for commenting this. I actually had a segment on this exact issue, but cut it out - better for a follow-up video in the future. I feel like the marketing of AE is a very pronounced signal of what is going on internally. It sticks out so sorely that I am genuinely surprised I don't see more comments about it from people on either side of the overall discussion. It does feel like AE is rapidly falling out of touch with its historical brand identity, and not necessarily by intention. I feel very similarly. My theory is that Caleres simply hired a consulting firm full of more tech-oriented late-twenties/early-thirties folks (nothing wrong with this inherently) who aren't particularly in tune with the type of product or consumer base of AE and they slapped on the same copy/paste marketing plan that they use for every other Fast Fashion brand that hires them. It feels less like the marketing was made for the AE brand, and more like AE products were just slapped on H&M/Zara marketing material. There is nothing wrong with a company shifting its brand identity, and can often be a good thing with a changing market if well-executed, but it feels very awkward, misplaced, and non-committed.
@@DressWell.Madarasuhh not exactly. It's called wanting to SURVIVE. In the USA (and more globally) business formal is dying and even business casual is going away. In terms of footwear, plastic coated leather on a sneaker sole has become the new dress shoe standard or just higher end tennis shoes. If AE just kept making 5 varieties of lace up dress shoes and 2-3 loafers they'd be out of business. As it happens they still make a few hundred thousand pairs of dress shoes and boots in Port Washington. Alden makes less than half of what they do, at best. TLB Mallorca probably makes, at best, whatever number Alden does.
@@gnarl12Yet their main customers are not whatever they’re portraying in their marketing material. Abandoning your core customers is not surviving bud. No hip gen Z is going to buy Allen Edmonds either, so they’re just shooting themselves in their foot.
haha this is so true. Ive received a few AE catalogs in the mail and they all feature young, cool black dudes or some tatted up hipster. Basically, people who Ive NEVER seen wear classic dress shoes, let alone AEs.
This was really eye opening. Im a regular boot wearer more so than dress shoes, and $350 with redwing (another heritage us based brand) gets you a well made boot with comfortable stylish lasts that are not far off from what you can get from whites with similar construction methods. Redwing is an example of why ae is over priced when redwing can provide an arguably higher quality product for $100 less
Yea the change in quality since the company was sold was crazy! Gentleman’s gazette also did a comparison on the differences between the shoes and the era, think they had some from the 70s all the way up to now! Great video man! Loved watching it
I’m adding to your video and not criticizing or beginning an argument. AE shoes are made in Wisconsin, USA. Comparing them to shoes made in places like Colombia like Beckett Simonon is fair in terms of quality, but not when you under price into the equation. That’s also true of India, China, etc. AE shoes are almost perpetually on sale. I’m unsure what their average sale price is, but it’s not anywhere close to $400. I have personally found Cobbler Union to be a good compromise for me, personally. I’d really like to try Carmina but unsure what last and size to try. Quality full grain calf leather is so stiff when new that a return policy isn’t much help. It may be three weeks before you realize it’s not quite the right fit.
Absolutely not. They have vulture capital behind them, and no they are not entirely made in USA. They use questionable label in Dominican Republic and other awful places to get around US laws, Especially child labor laws and slavery. This is a legal issue and the FTC and DOJ needs to take them to task. And congress needs to do their job an ensure just like the military with Barry Compliance, all USA footwear is made here, with quality materials.
I have two pairs from Allen Edmonds and I'm ok with them but I have little experience with quality dress shoes. They're not comfortable but I'll try out your other brands you like. Thank you for sharing.
I bought a pair of AE penny loafers at a 30% discount arount 2017. They were quite stiff at the beginning (especially since loafers need to fit quite tight in order to stay put), and have resoled them a couple of times since then, but now they're super comfortable. Not sure I would buy from AE again after seeing this video though...
Thanks so much for making this video. I have gotten many AE shoes without any knowledge of these flaws because I’ve heard they’re known as great starter shoes. I feel much more informed now. What are your thoughts about their considerably cheaper sneaker lines, which go on sale for around $100? Are they comparable to other options around that price? It’s really nice to try their sizes in store
I am so glad it was helpful! I am not too familiar with their sneakers, though I wouldn't personally have much confidence. I am not super knowledgeable in the sneaker market, though for around that price I'd rather go with Beckett Simonon or Thursday if I had to just do a blind pick. There may be other good options too, though if you try on AE in store and feel good about them, I'd say go for it.
I bought 2 pairs of AE today. One is being shipped because they didn't have my size. I think I will return the one they are shipping, and keep the Park Ave boots since I've already wore them. I'll probably get a pair of Mallorcas. Thanks for the video!
This is quite possibly the most in-depth video I’ve ever seen on Allen Edmonds, outside of the factory tour! The amount of detail you go into is astonishing, just to keep that statement brief. After my purchase of their St. John’s double monks and personally seeing some of these same QC issues, I’m maintaining my distance. Granted, my only reason for going back to AE would be because of my long narrow foot, US 13B. I’ll be keeping my eye out for your future content, as you’ve just earned a new subscriber!
Just bought 2 pair of AE before watching this video. I haven’t worn them yet. 1. Walnut - Strands 2. Black - Park Avenue. Would love to know your thoughts on these? Same as the 5th Ave?
I own the Park Avenue myself as well. The 5th Ave, Park Avenue, and Strands are all very similar in construction quality and are all relatively poor for the price in my opinion compared to any number of options - TLB Mallorca, Bridlen, BLKBRD, etc. I have a review on Bridlen that you might find interesting for comparison. That said, if you are happy with them, that is what is most important.
There’s a recent video I saw where this guy de-constructed a $900 shell cordovan Higgins Mills, one of AE’s flagship “icons”. It was garbage inside. Fiberboard, cardboard, foam, thin flimsy leather midsole, thin Dainite compared to aftermarket Dainite. The leather AE uses is thin and flimsy. I was a little rough with my own Higgins Mills putting them on and I could hear a tearing noise. Think some of the single-stitching was ripping. In my opinion, AE never recovered from that massive fire that almost bankrupted the company. There “customer service” department are all $15/hour DEI call center muppets who don’t give a damn about the legacy of Allen Edmonds and know jack shit about welted footwear. If anyone has been paying attention to AE, they’ve been slowly transitioning to more and more sneakers every year (which nobody is buying). I can see AE being sold again by Caleres.
Bridlen would be my best suggestion for similar aesthetic, superior craftsmanship, and superior price: bridlen.com/collections/main-line-goodyear-welted/products/straight-tip-oxford-bitter-choco-zip-last?variant=47502387249448&ktk=d1Zkc05OLWI4MGRhZWMwYzM1 TLB Mallorca is even a step up above Bridlen, closer to that AE $400 mark: www.tlbmallorca.com/products/oxford-van-gogh-boxcalf-black-198
Saying some things that I guess are obvious: There's a very large part of the consumer base for mens dress shoes which are you white collar workers working car-to-carpet. These people are busy and need the shoes to fulfill uniform standards, not because they care about wearing dress shoes. Also, their use case doesn't really require durability - these people are wearing their shoes for large parts of the day, but not necessarily doing a lot of walking, and certainly not on abrasive surfaces. Parallel point is that the cost of any product is not just the direct purchase price but also the cost of time and mental energy invested. If you're a white-collar worker optimizing over a very limited volume of uncommitted time each week, and you don't derive pleasure from investing time and energy into researching shoes, then doing so is very expensive. And, you have the disposable income to buy that time and energy back from the market by purchasing from a low-effort brand. AE is built for that market. They're a well-known brand and they have physical locations and quick shipping, which makes it easy and convenient to buy shoes and minimizes the time/energy costs. They are expensive because white collar workers typically have the disposable income and are used to the idea that they need to spend a good deal of money to present themselves as 'serious' people in the workplace. They can also guarantee most people a size that fits reasonably OK. People who are allocating low levels of mental energy to buying shoes will usually buy them last minute and don't have the patience for breaking in stiffer leather uppers, and AE provides that quick turnaround and softer leather. There's currently a compositional evolution taking place within the market for dress shoes - more people buying them as a hobby because of exposure to YT content etc., fewer people buying them for work as the WFH revolution has relaxed dress codes. So there's likely to be some deterioration of AE's customer base over time.
@@youtubetv4856 many offices switched to allow dress sneakers. A friend of mine works in NYC at an advertising firm that just switched to allow dress sneakers. A few others have done the same from what I understand. Suit and tie club is almost dead. I have been wearing them for years now instead of wearing shoes to formal functions. Regularly I am bare foot or in work boots AE dress sneakers are actually quite durable but I am saddened by the drop in quality of their shoes in the last 10 years. I do disagree with the video about the toe. I do know anyone who wants a stiff toe. I know a lot of people who wear a suit and tie everyday and the stiff toe is a killer on the feet.
@@jlozano2014 Beck and Sim isn't expensive enough. These are city workers who get bonuses and buy expensive watches with them, or people who work with and around such people. Also Beck and Sim is a totally different proposition, as you have to order months ahead of receipt of product, there are no stores you can walk into and walk out with a shoe, etc. Altogether, completely different product.
I have 2 pairs of AE, and I must say that I was disappointed with both; however, I purchased both at significant discount, so plan to enjoy for the time being, and purchase other brands in future.
you often say that what you're paying for past a certain price point is the last. at what point do you stop paying for the construction and materials (i.e., at what price point should construction and materials be perfect)?
Great question. The answer is rather long. When I say that kind of thing, I am speaking a bit more to the more functional-oriented crowd, which composes much of the audience. I am also more trying to telegraph the lesser-known idea of the importance of shoe lasts, which the average person is not really aware of. It is really an abridged point that could expand into a much larger conversation. I would say around ~$500/$600. With TLBM Artista being an exception at $400. More specifically, it's not that construction and materials will be perfect beyond that price, but more so that the returns diminish severely for the average person who might not care or even notice the extremely fine level of detail that goes into shoes beyond that price. And certainly nobody else will. These details and fine levels of craftsmanship are more for the wearer as a matter of appreciation - much like how one appreciate a nice painting that nobody else might ever see except them. To answer your specific question, ~$2,000, which is where you enter the highest order of MTO or Bespoke is generally where you will see true perfection from an artistic point of view. But the average person is not viewing shoes through that lens, which is totally okay. And also why I emphasize that although there is indeed a significant difference between a $500 and $2,000 shoe, the average buyer should not feel compelled to spend $2,000 on a pair if their goal is simply to have a well-made, well-designed product that stands well above what the average person is wearing - i.e. "functional" purposes.
@@DressWell.Madaras thank you for the very informative reply, Chris! I discovered your channel a few days ago, and I've been completely blown away by the quality of your videos from the information you present and how you present it - absolutely amazing. Would you consider doing a video on suits, preferably MTM? Perhaps focused on what to expect for each price point and what kind of diminishing returns you can expect when going beyond it, similar to what we've seen from you with shoes. And any chance you've worn any Thomas Bird shoes? I was considering a pair from them, since I prefer a blake stitch to a GYW at that price point, but your one-hour TLBM review has me reconsidering. Happy New Year!
@@jointhearmy555 I'd love to, but that's probably a ways off. I'm generally focusing on videos being a bit more involved, higher quality, and fewer made. I may have to team up with a tailor for that kind of thing - or take alot of time to do research. I would like to get into it, though, because I like shooting fabrics in general. Generally in the U.S., the best value seems to be between $2k and $3k for MTM. Above $3k is, similar to shoes, more for artistic merit than straightforward functionality. Under $2k is still totally fine for most purposes, but the fabrics tend to be meh. My 2-piece suit was $2.2k, for reference. I planned to spend under $2k, but found the fabrics underwhelming- though I'm also picky. I like the basketweave I ended up with. I'm not familiar with Thomas Bird, but they seem okay. Nothing crazy special, but not bad at all. Lasts are okay. I like their loafers in blue patina. The patinas I think make them worth $350. Without the patina, it's a little pricey and I'd probably rather get 2 or 3 Blake pairs from Bridlen for the same price. Or CNES. Happy New Year!
@@DressWell.Madaras Gotcha, and your 2-piece is the navy one you wear on the channel, the one with the red button hole on each surgeon's cuff? Absolutely! Gotta have quality fabric. Although, I figure that with suits, most of what you're paying for is fit after a certain price point (like how you mentioned the last with shoes). After learning of Bridlen and CNES, I'm inclined to give them a shot, particularly CNES from what I've seen. Sadly, I hadn't heard of either when I got my Thomas Birds.
AE isn’t worth $425. However, I’ve gotten all my pairs for around $250 during the big sales event. Cannot beat them at that price. At $425, I’m looking at spending a little more for Carmina. Love this channel 👍
I did the same during the pandemic. I got hired at a university in Atlanta and assumed I would return to office-wear soon…still working at home as of 11/2024 (no complaints). I got two pair of Dalton boots for about $220 each, down from $440. That sale, plus the recrafting service was worth it for me. Considering I hardly dress up, I imagine I’ll have these for life.😂
Awesome video and quality presentation. Looking forward to many more videos. Would like to see videos on boots , there is plenty of good content you could make in that area. Also other edc stuff would be a good choice.
Yes. I would kind of consider it a waste of Shell to apply AE craftsmanship to it. Bridlen has nice Shinki Shell, and TLBM also has a Shell line. Both cheaper and higher-quality craftsmanship than AE.
Thank you for every moment you put in this video. Very informative and perhaps the best review I have seen in years. Also the videography quality is next to none.
I bought my first.pair of AE 5th avenues for $250 and have seen some.of the problems you show, but unfortunately I have wide feet and there are few brands in the sub $400 range tjat have such an incredible.range of widths. Id have tonstep up all the way toa Yearn to get RTW in an E width. Anything in an AE or Be kett Simonon price range that isnt crap and has E or EE widths?
Bridlen has wider options! They have more detail on their Lasts page: bridlen.com/pages/the-bridlen-lasts?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTZjZDhhODllOGE4 Their shoes generally run wider, but their MOD Last is also great for extra-wide / EEE. Here is my review of them: th-cam.com/video/_Idp6pauryA/w-d-xo.html
I have three pairs of Allen Edmonds boots and I would not suggest the brand overall. There are just so many better products made to a higher standard. I have the Landon Cap toe in Walnut, Liverpool Chelsea in black, and the Higgins Mill in Brown. AE is a brand that knows its reputation and knows that they are selling to people that are simply either unaware of better products or fearful of trying something unknown. The boots are made to their lowest sale price IMO. These boots are always on sale, which is definitely going to entice people who are new. I’m local to AE and wanted to support a local company. I purchased the Higgins Mill and the Liverpool Chelsea from a local AE retail store as full priced retail firsts. The Higgins Mill should have not even been sold as a second. There is loose grain on both boots. It’s heavy on the vamp also also on the inner upper of the right boot. The left boot has loose grain on the upper on both sides. There is a void or something that has revealed itself in the vamp as a discolored thin spot. The lack of gusseting on the tongue allows it to slide around. The heel stack has absolutely collapsed. The eyelets eat laces. I wear these boots when I want to look nice but I know I’m going to be walking in water/mud/muck. I get compliments on them so they do look nice to normal people. My Liverpool Chelsea is a boot I only wear with fairly formal attire and it is just not a high quality boot. There is a lot of fine creasing developing very quickly and these boots live in boot trees while unworn. I have only worn these a few times as I rarely wear black ties. The leather seems very thin and these boots don’t seem to take a great shine. The leather is also delicate and I somehow have a slice in the leather on the toe on the left boot. It was damaged very easily. Just overall decent but there are definitely better boots for less money. The Landon Cap toe is probably my most satisfying of the three. I purchased these from Amazon as what I presume as a second due to the price of $179 and these appear to be factory firsts. These are superficially at least the nicest pair of AE boots I have. I do think I’m more pleased with these because I didn’t pay 425 for them because, they are also not high quality The leather is thin. The cap toe is two pieces of leather sewn together, which is causing some strange creasing on the cap where they are sewn together. The eyelets on these also eat laces. I found the customer service to be quite lacking. As the Higgins Mill immediately looked bad due to the heavy creasing that appeared from the loose grain on the first wear, I went to exchange them and the clerk denied because they were worn. They were obviously very worn she said and I had no idea how to care for them and I should be using shoe trees. I was obviously not using shoe trees. I purchased three pairs of trees with the boots. They had only been worn literally once. I was told loose grain is just normal for Chromexcel. These are not my only pair of Chromexcel boots but they are the only pair that have any loose grain. I accepted that they were mine and attempted to make the best of them. A month later I noticed that the laces are fraying and about to break. I head to the AE store, and they don’t have any laces. I stop back about six weeks later and still no laces. Confused as several products use the same laces, I asked the clerk when they would receive a restock. Never she says, now recognizing me, and suggests I just get something on Amazon. This is a premium store in a fancy hotel. In my experience the customer service isn’t great either.
For 2 decades I only owned AE shoes. They were and still are an OK starter brand. I agree that the quality has deteriorated due to ownership changes. And no with alternatives brands doing incredible things at various price points the only advantage AE has is that you can go into a store and try them on. Thanks for another amazing video. BTW, TLB is an amazing brand. What Toni produces for what he charges is insane. Carlos Santos is amazing with all their patina work. I am a huge fan of Yearn and Ichigo Ichie. I own 5 pairs of Yearn and 11 of Ichigo.
AE shoes have been made about the same for decades. The SPI has little bearing of durability fwiw and that's from cobblers who've taken apart thousands of them.
@@gnarl12 You are correct. SPI doesn't dictate quality. Even if we agree that the quality of AE shoes is unchanged through the years, the rise of new shoemakers competing in the same $$ range makes AE look bad. TLB is a great comparison brand to AE. And the only "advantage" AE has over the TLB benchgrade line is that AE are made in the USA.
@@mtbokor1969 sizing (widths especially), in store try one and a super easy return policy. Oh and EU sizing isn't a direct correlation. Also, I doubt TLB makes more than 50k pairs a year vs ~400k a year AE makes. At scale, little details add cost. TLB is great BUT size by email/ FedEx sucks for 95% of consumers.
Hey Chris, happy to see that you are thriving! I watched your Yearn video nearly a year ago and I didn't sub then, but I did now! Great...no EXCEPTIONAL quality content as always! Amazing detail and I love that you explain even the stuff 'we should already know' like what each stitch is like (Blake vs Goodyear). I find that you do a superior job for example explaining and showing exactly how the goodyear welt and blake stitch actually look and work. I've seen that goodyear welt diagram 10 times and FINALLY today just after watching this really feel like I have a good idea exactly how it is constructed. Details like the text suggesting the cost of a good resole is a question I've always had that other channels really glaze over or don't talk about at all. Finding out a good resole costs maybe half the cost of a good $300+ shoe could be surprising to a lot of people (including me!). Gonna go check out some of your other videos like the Beckett Siminon chop (ouch for your wallet!) but at least it seems to have gotten some views... And just like last year, I'm not super into dress shoes...but I just love your videos anyway! LOL
How could I forget! You left one of my first comments! I am so glad I earned your subscribe :). I don't blame you for not doing so, I am proud of that Yearn video but I rewatched it a bit recently and the audio quality on it........oof. I am so glad you said that about GYW construction because I have always felt the same way! It took me forever to wrap my head around how the shoe actually comes together and would love to make the resource that I wish I had long ago that very clearly shows how the construction works in a way that is really understandable. Now that I have some halved GYW shoes, I'll probably make a couple videos dedicated to a full explanation of Blake/GYW construction in the future. So happy to see you again!
One of the reasons I've purchased AE over the years is I have a narrow foot (12B). Many of the shoes with European sizing appear to only come in one width. Can you recommend any brands or are any of the brands your recommended offered in a narrower width?
BLKBRD can do a bunch of different custom stuff by request, often inexpensive or free. I know they do custom widths, so I'd try sending them an email. I would consider them easily superior to AE, but also with a more classic, unassuming design.
“Not good looking shoes” - so subjective. It depends on one’s aesthetic. Classic American aesthetic compliments the Park Ave look. The recommended alternatives wouldn’t complement the classic American menswear aesthetic, but if a European look is your thing, they’re great. Quality issues are another story, but aesthetically it’s not an apples to apples comparison as presented here.
Design is not as subjective as many often make it out to be. There are general principles of design in any and every category of product that can be considered 'objective' in the sense that there is an almost 100% probability that, when abided by, will yield something the vast majority of consumer would consider well-designed. Allen Edmonds may be going for a Classic American aesthetic - one that could be considered robust, heavy, and straightforward, among other things - and that may indeed contrast the more light, contemporary, and refined designs of European and Asian shoes. But that doesn't mean it is well-design and it certainly doesn't excuse sloppy design. The comparisons made here I would consider apples-to-apples and indeed productive. It may be different types of apples, though, so if you want the same type of apple, I suggest taking a look at the 13:28 timestamp on my Bridlen Review: th-cam.com/video/_Idp6pauryA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xcqIPKTETCC47nUL&t=808 Bridlen's design philosophy is just about what any person would conjure in their mind when describing the above-outlined Classic American aesthetic. While not comprehensive, the comparison I make there to Allen Edmonds will better illustrate why Allen Edmonds fails from a design standpoint even within the context of it's own design parameters.
@@DressWell.Madaras I would agree on the fine elements of quality which you have outlined great detail. But most (not all) of them would not be noticed except by close scrutiny. I find the classic American oxford more aesthetically pleasing than the Euro designs. As “good looking” as they are for one who appreciates shoes, they would look off with a sack suit. This is why I say the matter of looks is subjective.
In reference to the recent makings of Allen Edmonds shoes, I have to agree with every point that you have made, however in their defense, I have to say that the earlier better made iterations of the AE shoe, maybe grossly misunderstood in their design and purpose. AE shoes are perceived to be an entry-level “dress shoe “ and this is what they are not . As we both know, there are many different purposes and tears of Leather shoes. The Design language Of the A E shoe tells me that they are a shoe that is highly durable and is perhaps a workhorse in that they can be worn every day /all day And everywhere And most importantly, a better alternative to a sneaker or trainer as opposed to a standard Typical dress shoe which is to be worn only once maybe twice a week and During said days only part of that day and to be taken off in the evening after work and They can only be worn in specific places like indoors on a carpet or a marble floor . The standards in design in the two types of shoes are to be different, and I don’t think that it is fair to hold the AE shoe to the standard of A dress shoe.. There are other shoes for that purpose so instead Grade them as a “work Horse -dress shoe” (the older better made ones). And in this way, I am sure they will come out on the higher end of their kind. Thank you.
Awesome video,,,, Made a lot of peoples butts hurt😂🤣but very good video and I don’t believe you hate the company or anything like that, just gathering helpful information for us👍 Do you know anything about Grant Stone boots ?
Thank you! I am not intimately familiar with GS, though to my knowledge they are generally well-regarded. I would stick with their boots, though. Their shoes are not terribly impressive imo.
I don't make shoes, but if you ever want a recommendation you can let me know your budget and what you like in a shoe and I can send some suggestions your way! You can always use my affiliate links if you want to support my channel :)
Honestly, the wide options of widths is something that keeps them desirable. All dress shoes used to have about five widths. Now barely any offer anything more than a standard and wide.
I bought a pair of Allen Edmonds Brogue for $14 USD, the bottom is pretty much worn out but the upper and the heel stack are both fine, had it resoled for a lil more than $100 and now it looks like it worth more than a brand new pair of AE, one of the best 115 bucks I’ve ever spent
@@gerryaustin8687 Nice, as long as there’s no cracks on the upper and no tear on the part where the upper connects to the welt, there should be nothing a good cobbler and a deep clean+ condition can’t fix, enjoy your new shoes!
100% Agree with your AE assessment. I have the fortunate/unfortunate experience of having worn AE shoes back in the 80’s and the shoes offered today are in no way related to them. Back in the day when you graduated to good shoes you were looking at Johnston & Murphy and when you “arrived” you found yourself in Allen Edmonds. I’ve purchased AE shoes in the last couple years during those ridiculous “sale” events and promptly returned them as they don’t even hold up to the 40 year-old versions I still own. Even my decades old Dexter wing-tips that were purchased for weekend duty only are better made. Buy quality, save money in the long run, look and feel better the entire time.
My guess is that AEs are the most profitable shoes, at least excluding labor. Everything you went over seemed like commercial pragmatism, like businessmen shaving costs wherever feasible for their consumers. And I'd guess that most of their consumers don't watch your channel, that they're pure utilitarians: "I need a dress shoe for my cousin's wedding" type of audience. It was an eye-opening video - loved it. Well deserved like and new sub, first time I came across your top-quality content!
Yes. Strictly speaking, it's not delamination, which implies that it was once properly laminated. I fumbled my words a bit. More specifically, the cork is not properly packed into the midsole cavity of the shoe and/or the outsole was not properly compressed down when stitching to avoid gaps. Delamination actually is a generous word here, because it implies the shoe was constructed properly to start. In reality, this defect exists simply because the shoe was manufactured improperly to begin with.
Is that the Allen Edmonds 7 years ago was better? Ive seen other videos from years ago talking about these shoes and praising them. I have some from around that time and have not had any issues. I haven’t bought any recently after that
Yea, it seems to be mostly a combination of videos by people who either A) Had a financial relationship with AE that they didn't disclose, and B) The well-intentioned, but misinformed propagation of popular mythology. From what I gather, some cite the decline occurring from as early as the late 80's/early 90's, which would roughly correspond with the company being sold out of the original family to a businessman, John Stollenwerk. Most seem to cite around 2000 as being a big turning point, which would make sense as that corresponds with its sale to a private equity firm, Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison. The mid-2000's was also when many more shoe brands began to pop up, and access to better-value international options became more pervasive with the advent of the internet. The overall decline is, in my opinion, half AE dropping its quality and half it simply not keeping up with market competitors constantly evolving and advancing the overall quality of dress shoes and efficiency of creation.
Not that I know of that are specifically made in Canada, though I think my top pick for an AE alternative would be Bridlen: bridlen.com/collections/main-line-goodyear-welted?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTYzYzE0NjlhYzFm Here's my review on them. They're great: th-cam.com/video/_Idp6pauryA/w-d-xo.html
Saying AE charges $425 is misleading in my opinion. That’s list not average selling price. Their shoes are very frequently “on sale”. I bought the same shoe in the video in dark chili at about the same time - a couple months later - and paid probably a little more than half the $425 list. Based on videos I’ve seen, AE quality is probably lower than Carmina but so is the average selling price. My opinion is comparing Carmina to AE by list price is misleading. It’s not clear that the details are really material to functionality and durability. That said even after being a customer for almost 25 years, I won’t pay $425 or even $400 for AE shoes but with the discounting I don’t have to. I also found the conflict of interest disclosure on the video misleading in my opinion. It says the video is “not sponsored” then goes on to say video’s company is an affiliate of a company that owns Carlos Santos.
The video is not primarily concerned with morality or fairness. It is concerned with the thesis, which is the title of the video. I addressed AE sales in the video and the thesis is supported at either the list price or the various discount prices. The purpose of the video is to help consumers get the highest quality for their money, if that is their concern. Not everyone will know about the sales, and so aggregate average sale price data isn't really relevant to the function of the video. Insofar as there is a discussion to be had on the morality of the issue, here are my thoughts. If it is misleading for me to say AE charges $425 for their shoes, then I would argue it is misleading for AE to charge $425 for their shoes. Many seem to lose sight of this point when they argue that 'everyone knows you don't buy AE full price', as if that is a good thing. That is not a good thing. It is a sign of fraudulent marketing, specifically deceptive pricing and there is a reason the FTC has regulations and guides regarding it: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-233 I do not know if AE is marketing unlawfully. I am not qualified to say. It also doesn't really matter for a conversation on morality. You do not have to break the law to act immorally. It being such common knowledge that one should never buy AE at list price is a sign that AE is probably on the side of being misleading in their pricing. Imagine buying your first pair of dress shoes at AE at full price, only to quickly realize that it is 'common knowledge' to buy that at almost 50% list price. I would feel pretty deceived. Maybe you wouldn't. -------------------------------- The video is not sponsored. "Sponsored" is a term that specifically refers to my company having received something of value - monetary or non-monetary - in an agreed-upon exchange for creating the video. That did not happen. The irony of you claiming my disclosure is misleading is that I don't actually have to disclose in-video that I have an affiliate deal with The Noble Shoe (Carlos Santos), because that affiliate deal was not made in exchange for this video. It was in exchange for my Carlos Santos review video. I do so anyway because it is important to me that viewers understand the full lens through which they are receiving information on DW. If I choose to leave affiliate links in the comments and/or description, a disclosure must be made that they are affiliate links. This is at the bottom of all of my descriptions, as is standard practice on TH-cam. It does not, however, need to be disclosed in-video if it is not specifically in exchange for the creation of the video. If my goal were to mislead my audience, I would not include it in-video. If my goal were to mislead my audience, Dress Well videos would look substantially different.
I was talking to someone the other day "Yeah, I guess I'll drop the cash on some Allen Edmonds". Wow... yeah... no. Probably one of the times that the cell phone eavesdropping worked out and put your video into my feed.
Interesting. First a quick correction. A shoe last is the foundation of a shoe's design, while the upper is the part of the shoe that covers the foot. All of AEs dress shoes are leather uppers and they use various lasts for different types of shoes and boots. I’ve been wearing AE and Alden since 1996. I prefer AE over Alden as AE shoes come in different widths from very narrow to very wide. There is no other shoe company in that price point that offers their width selection. In addition, AE regularly run sales and you can easily get a new pair for under $300, and I’ve found their return policy very generous. In my 28-year relationship with buying AE shoes I have only had to return 2 pairs and they quickly remedied the issue by sending me a new pair. Their quality has certainly taken a hit due to a couple ownership changes, but still decent. They are also endlessly recraftable and I still wear my Park Avenues purchased in 1996.
People buy Allen Edmonds because they have sizes that fit everyone, not everybody fits into the standard "narrow D width shoe" like you do. That's what makes brands like Allen Edmonds and Alden my shoe of choice. None of these "alternatives" fit people with wide feet.
Absolutely agree. My size 12 4E feet are why I went with AE some years ago, not any sort of perceived "quality." AE and Aldens were pretty much my only viable choices. At least I could get a decent, still not great, fit for a dress shoe at what I thought was a very reasonable price. Every time I was given a possible alternative I would check the website only to discover D was the widest shoe available. I recently decided to just go the full bespoke route with Gaziano & Girling in London. My feet have never had it so good, but of course at a tremendous cost compared to the mass made factory shoes available to practically everyone else.
You can choose a wider last for better shoes. Just measure your feet and send an email to customer support for sizing. Trying to justify AE quality because the shoe you tried elsewhere wasn't the correct last makes no sense.
@@abcxyz7529 None of these companies offer lasts that would be the equivalent of an Allen Edmonds AAAA, AAA, AA, A, B, EE, or EEE. It simply costs too much for these companies to offer sizes that fit people with feet that fall outside the normal "acceptable" sizing. Plus the lasts these brands offer are long, weird looking, and ungainly, making it difficult too walk in them. This is why the "standard American lasts" feel so "blunt" and "unrefined", they're shorter so you can actually wear them and have a functional shoe instead of "art" better suited for a display, wide toebox, space in the vamp for high insteppers, etc.
@@downingbethune8758 Completely agree, I'm considering going down the bespoke route after almost exclusively wearing Alden and Allen Edmonds for some time now. The old wallet would hurt, but at least my feet would be happier. It really is heartbreaking having to look at all of these nice shoes and knowing that not 1 of them will ever fit you due to all of them being so, so narrow. And good luck trying to return your newly purchased yet ill fitting shoes to Portugal or India like he's suggesting.
@@abcxyz7529 Even if the last is "slightly wider", it won't accommodate EE, EEE, or EEEE feet like an Allen Edmonds or Alden last would. The same thing applies for people's who's feet are much narrower than the norm. Classic American brands like Allen Edmonds and Alden work, these weird foreign brands do not.
I have about 15 pair of Allen Edmonds going back about 20 years. They've consistently been good shoes and I'm still wearing all of them (after recrafting a few). Their recrafting service is top notch and besides getting s new sole (and you can chose amongst several options) they just come back looking brand new.. They fit my feet well and I find them very comfortable. I had one pair where the heal came lose and they repaired it for free. Other than that they have been flawless for me. Also, I'm in love with the Strand and Strandmok design. Money isn't a concern for me and I'm certainly not going to buy something made in China or India.
I have one pair of AE shoes, which I bought in 2003. Is that before their drop in quality? The soles of mine developed holes after many years of wear, so I had them resoled. But otherwise, they've held up fairly well.
Private equity will not quit taking over major businesses. It's just part of capitalism. I purchased my first Allen Edmonds Graydson in 1987 in natural tan leather but paid extra to have it dyed in black. $300 plus $75 for the dye. So 8% price hike is minimal. I also purchsed 5 other pairs later. I appreciate the quailty and craftsmanship. My former favorite was the Hardwick and now the Knightbridge. I would like to get a pair in cordovan. But once PE takes over, production will be allocated throughout the world, like India. The genuine American made AE will always outstand the challenges of time. I still have my Grayson and it still looks good. AE is american tradition!
For a year or two now I have been planning to buy some good dress shoes to replace some garbage I bought for my first office job. After a bit of research, Allen Edmonds came up as a trusted name that I could likely buy and be happy with for a long time. But after *more* research and videos like this one I'm likely to buy Yearn or TLB Mallorca Artista. Since I'm the type of person to buy once cry once and appreciate long lasting quality, I think either of those choices will make me happy for a long time and be a better choice than Allen Edmonds. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. This is literally the exact reason why I made this channel. To help people get better quality for their money and just be overall happier with their purchases. This comment made my day.
I’m actually going to encourage you to buy AE but make sure they’re on sale or look at their outlet. As a cobbler, we can recraft them and, for me the BIGGEST reason why, they are made in Wisconsin so they’re mostly US made shoes. You can buy the majority of their products for MUCH cheaper than this full priced example. Just a different POV. Cheers!
"Dumb idiot shills Patreon after forgetting sunscreen in July" timestamp is almost as fantastic as this video. Seriously, this is incredible. This is like Project Farm but for shoes. I've read posts on forums where people suspected the defects you're mentioning but that was in bits and pieces. This is comprehensive and has the proof of cutting the shoes open. I have a pair of Johnson Muphy's that were around 120 and a pair of Park Ave's. I can't go more than 2 hours in the Parks Ave's without getting blisters but no blisters all day in the J&M's that cost 1/3 the price. Thanks for the phenomenal videos.
Had to leave another comment. I'm watching your "7 shoes under 350" video and I'm thinking "those mountains look really simila...OH SHIT THE FLATIRONS". SKO BUFFS!
I just visited my first Allen Edmonds store (in Chicago), and I have to say I was not impressed. I confess to being a bit of a shoe-a-holic, and for me, the artisanal qualities of a well made pair of shoes invoke the same feelings of awe as looking at a Purdey shotgun or a Slayer coffee machine. I guess I picked up 5 pairs of shoes in the store, including the brand's famous Park Lane cap toe oxfords, and I was really surprised at both the cheap look and feel, and the poor quality stitching. One pair had such a warped quarter that I'm still unsure if it was deliberately distressed. (Probably not given the brand's conservative history).
43:26 Love this idea. Def do some historical videos. And since you are close to PNW get with Bakers and make something designed by you and their team. Go all out..
Probably better quality, but worse value. It's hard to 'grade' AE because they are creating what I consider to be defective products because of the cork. A bit of a moot point regardless because at that point you are trying to draw gradation at the bottom of the barrel - it's all sludge anyway.
Bought my first Allen Edmonds over 20 years ago and own over 70 pairs dated from the late 1960s to 2000s calf, sharkskin and shell cordovan. Everything is overpriced due to inflation and supply issues due to the pandemic. My advice when buying shoes is to do your own research. Don't just take the opinion of one person reviewing 1-2 pairs of shoes. AE makes many types of shoes using many types of leathers and you'll get many results. AE makes mistakes and will usually put those mistakes for sale at their "factory seconds" dept. So don't be surprised when a factory seconds has flaws. They're seconds. If your premium AE shoes have flaws, return them. Is $400 a lot for AE? Yes. I think $400 is a lot for ANY PAIR of shoes that aren't shell cordovan or another exotic hide. My John Lobb loafers "Campus" and "Lopez" go for $1100-$1600 a pair. Would I pay that today? No. The quality isn't worth 4-6x AE loafers. IMO My Churchs "Diplomats" go for $1K. Would I pay that today? No. Those captoes aren't worth 3-4X my AE or Alden captoes. I own 15-16 pairs of Alden shoes that would go for $600-$1000. Would I pay that? No. Because $600+ is a lot of money. Inflation sucks. So don't compare the quality of a pair of shoes or a company against the rising inflation of everything. Eggs cost $4-$7 a dozen and were .89 just 4 years ago. Those things should have a gilded shell at that price. But they don't and I still buy them. lol
@stylishoversixty9459 Sir, if I may ask just to sate my curiosity: would I be correct in assuming that you watch Sartorial Talks as well? I remember seeing the silhouette of yours in the comments section there too!
@@jdelorenzod2725 Thanks... I never thought of Columbia. I just bought a tortilla press there (my plan was to get a USA one but with the upcoming trade war, I'm not gonna buy US)... I found a show brand Camina that's not US based, I'm looking at some shoes there. I'll also heck the brand ou mentioned in Columbia (and México). Thanks!
@@jdelorenzod2725 Thanks again, I just went to both the latin american companies. Very nice. Thanks for the recomendation! I'll probably get some shoes from each one.
Seriously the FTC needs to come down on the footwear industry for false claims. Not to mention the use of questionable labor overseas. And the unions for AE, Thorogood etc need to join forces and mandate specific materials provided.. Not to mention congress if they were actually in charge and had the peoples back. Would make a lay requiring all footwear in America made to a standard, and with sizing and podiatry invloved overseeing fit... Theres no reason the Podiatry Society cannot oversee all sizing. Its a safety & Legal issue at this point...
Leave a comment! :)
Edit - For those with wide feet, I recently discovered Bridlen has wider options! They have more detail on their Lasts page: bridlen.com/pages/the-bridlen-lasts?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTZjZDhhODllOGE4
What is your opinion of British brands like Barker and Loake?
I precisely enjoy your reviews because of their expressive and genuinely honest nature. Not only that, they are very detailed and easy to consume. If i wasnt a student i would immediately support you with money. You‘re the only person I consider a genuine reviewer who goes into details
Your kind comments and support itself means so much to me! Thank you so much!
I am not honestly familiar enough with them to have much of an opinion.
I was unaware that upon clicking on this video that This video would actually alter my life dramatically. In a way This video was like watching a good movie as it has left me thinking about it the entire day but beyond the thoughts, you have forced me to grow past Allen Edmonds now and I will no longer look at them the same as I once did. Please keep on doing what you’re doing. If you are not already I hope that you become a bigger shoe judge than Kirby Allison you’ve already proven that you have much more knowledge.
Bruh this is probably the most underrated sartorial channel I've come across. Instead of just filming yourself doing unscripted hot takes you've invested in serious analysis of serious products, backed by ultra high production value. All of this is backed by your hilarious and unique personality. You've earned yourself a sub and praise for not half assing, you deserve WAY more than 4k subs and I can't wait until it's 40k+
Thank you!!!!!!!
Completely agree. The content he has is deep, accurate, actionable, and entertaining. The one piece of feedback I would give is to find a way to work in the printed on-screen additives in some other way because I'm having to pause the video often to both read that content and make sure I don't miss the verbal piece he's saying. The info given via both channels is useful though.
Once the founder of the corporations sell the company to private equity company, the quality of the products starts to decrease overtime for the worse.
The founders of AE haven’t run the company since the 1950s.
Lol AE went to PE 30 years ago.
Worst customer service in the industry
Quality goes down and the price goes up
How you have under 6k sub is wild to me. The quality of the content is amazing!
I appreciate the honesty and thoroughness of your video. For me, I have wide square shaped feet. They are the only brand at their price point which makes a super wide range of sizes. They are the analogy of New Balance in the athletic shoe world. I have suffered through a range of well made, handsome and expensive brands that just induce pain.
same :(
History lesson: the working class had wider comfortable boots because they needed healthy feet to work optimally. The aristocrats wore very pointy jester shoes that deformed their feet because they didn't need to do hard labor.
That's why modern fancy shoes look like triangles lol. Also why pretty much every North American's pinky toe points inwards to the foot (this is not natural and is caused by shoes)
Unfortunately almost all shoes prioritize fashion above function.
@@TH-camChannel-nf2nw👍history lesson
I’ve been making and resoling mostly boots. Specifically work and historical reenactment boots. However I’ve resoled 2 pairs and rebuilt a pair of Allen Edmonds for my wife. The soles have an acrylic coat to hide imperfections this is what causes the burnt affect. The top is coated with acrylic fairly thick.
For the rebuild, here’s what I did.
New heel counter, I however used leather, Trimmed it down and extended it. Leather heel, converted it to a 270 degree hand welt. Fiberglass shank to wood and added ribbon laces. They came out amazing and many of the flaw’s removed. The last I used was a Munson last. I prefer closed channel soles. They extend the period between resoles.
Thank you for sharing! Especially about the insole. That's so interesting, I've never heard of that being done to an insole.
Where did you get a Munson last? How did it change the way the shoe looks? I’ve only ever seen Munsons used to make boots, curious how it changed the shoe’s overall look
If the upper is acrylic coated it's bookbinder leather/corrected grain and AE doesn't use that anymore.
@@DressWell.MadarasAE used to paint/lacquer their insoles. They used to be jet black. Now they're natural colored/light brown.
@@fritbyferd2711 eBay actually. It’s a style of last
This video is, sadly, incredibly accurate. I used to buy AE, and I could see the decline in the quality over the years. That slide seems to have been hastened with the arrival of the new ownership. I also hate the modern marketing. Who are they targeting? It looks like they are shooting for a kid who is looking for his first pair of dress shoes but really only wears sneakers. Cheap sneakers. I look for quality above all else. The days of buying flashy fashion items that deteriorate quickly was over in my teens. I want something that lasts and has the appeal of a timeless beauty. I switched to TLB Mallorca about two years ago. It was one of the best decisions that I have made. The quality is evident in every aspect of the shoe from the materials used to the design to the craftsmanship. And right out of the box, the shoes are comfortable. The company also works very hard to please you and address any concerns or issues that you may have. The price is slightly higher than AE, but they are well worth the investment. And that is exactly what they are, an investment. If the shoes were sold at twice the price, few would question the decision.
Two things keep me coming back to Allen Edmonds: my hobbit feet that need extra wide fits and their constant sales.
And the fact that they have physical stores.
Returns and exchanges can be a pain in the neck and a lot of these direct-to-consumer companies should just suck up the cost and open some stores so we can try on their shoes.
As entertainment these “calming” sessions are funny but having said that I don’t think you need to apologize for your hard work it’s clear you are highly knowledgeable in the field keep it up and thanks!
I really wish I found this channel before I started buying nicer shoes. You do a fantastic job, and your informative breakdown makes this very easy to consume.
But I do have to say, a 49 minute video is difficult to consume, I would have liked it to be closer to 20 minutes only because you made a very clear point by the 16 minute mark
Thank you for the candid feedback! This is actually something I am working on with all newer videos!
It's great to see an honest video about dress shoes. Influencers often try to over-promote products. It's obvious that if you look at the subject of leather shoes, Allen Edmonds is a brand that's far too expensive for what it really is! Unfortunately, too few people are honest enough to say so.
I'm French and we also have our fair share of poor brands whose influencers claim they're artisan quality and blah blah blah.
You can count on a new subscriber :-)
appreciate the honest reviews. I am obsessed with shoe videos but its quite rare for any of my shoe video guys to say anything negative about a shoe company especially Allen Edmonds, the cornerstone of American Goodyear welted shoes. Appreciate your videos just make more.
Alden is better
@@ruperttmls7985 I don’t think by much my friend. If anything, they do use a higher quality grain for the uppers. In fact, I would put them on the top as far as that’s concerned but their lasts Aren’t all that
Allen got stuck in time, so now is blown out of water even by something like 250usd bridlen shoes. 400 for such a shoe is daylight robbery. In todays age, that shoe is really more like 150usd shoe. If i was to spend 400 ish, i would go with tlb mallorca or carlos santos handgrade.
edit: i commented before watching anything. Guy himself said its 200 shoes, and still he would be mad :) Honestly, its a really bad shoe for the price.
edit2: oh snap, he actually said its 150 dollar shoe at the end of the video :)
@@don_kandon6006 most, and this was not specifically aimed at you, but most lack diversity in mindset when it comes to shoes. Allen Edmond is a shoe that will last you a lifetime. not only that, but you can wear them every single day repetitively and all day long. They are a type of dress shoe that is specifically designed for that and this is the only reason why they are considered entry-level level, due to the fact that most in humble beginnings aren’t able to switch out shoes frequently. But for their durability alone, they are worth the $400 mark. An Allen Edmond, shoe less longer than a John lobb side-by-side durability test and you are paying thousands of dollars for that John lobb. Anything beyond Allen Edmond in Price, you are paying for names sake ,looks and high stitch count, but not durability. i’ll give Alden credit for thinking to use elephant skin, I mean, you can squat down in those things countlessly for years and not get permanent creases in the vamp but honestly, they are neck and neck with Allen Edmond ( they use the skin of young bulls ) And should not be beyond..
Point understood. But that doesn't mean the shoes are good.
I was thinking about getting a pair of AE’s I’m so glad I did some research on TH-cam and went Beckett Simonon instead
Black Friday sale ($199) + Rakuten black friday 12% cash back + 15% military discount... got a pair of Fifthe Avenue in Dark Chili for $150 lol. Totally worth.
FYI: The rubber runner(2nd layer of rubber on heel) is for better adhesion of the rubber heel and ease of replacement. Rubber doesn’t adhere as well to leather. I wonder how the leather outsole is tanned. From my understanding, one of the best leather outsoles is JR and it is oak tanned. Also some outsoles are treated for water resistance and durability. I use a Saphir product on my leather outsoles which helps with durability. It’s a super refined Vegetable oil and definitely helps with water resistance. Thanks for all the information. I learned a lot. Ps. I love the mountains and you did a great job.
Great video as always, and did I learn a lot about AE. Since the pandemic, I haven't had to travel for work, so I didn't buy any dress shoes past the 3 pairs of AE Hopkinsons from their Independence collection in 2017. I've done my research and it made sense to branch out. I'm now waiting on a pair of Bridlen and TLB Mallorca and have a pair of boots form Meermin. Thank you!
This channel deserves to lift off. Great video
Your channel is an absolute treasure. Thanks for the long videos :)
23:03 the view here of the lasts was beautifully informative, and a real highlight amidst a very educational video overall.
I have an older pair of AE (circa 2017-18) that I’ve worn > 1000 times, and was gifted a new pair last year. They’re the same size, but don’t fit the same. The newer also came with the laces you mentioned, which feel functionally worse and subjectively seem sloppy. I’ll definitely look to some of your content here to teach me to appreciate more of the differences between new and old, as well as for future purchases with other brands.
Was about to buy these after seeing the black Friday deal, thanks for this video. Doesn’t seem like the alternates you suggested are running any BF deals, at least not as of Wednesday. But I’ll pass on cheap AE and buy a better shoe even if more expensive. Great video, well presented. Keep it up!
Thanks!
It usually takes me a while to respond to comments but I just wanted to say thank you so much!!!!!!
Great video and review as always! I'd love to see you review Hartt Shoes and get your thoughts.
That review was brutally honest. Thank you and I subscribed
Just found your channel. Great video. I've had mixed experiences with AE quality. I have mostly purchased boots. Their customer service has been excellent ... in my experience.
I just went into an AE store walked out with a pair of fifth avenues, cashmere socks, and a pair of cedar shoe trees for right around $350. Im very satisfied with these shoes thus far. I do appreciate my Thursday and Beckett Simonon (outside of the 6-8 week lead time). Im actually gifting my groomsmen and best man a pair of Thursdays of their choice for the wedding💯
Great breakdown and very thorough! Loving this long form conversational content
They are worth it if bought at a discount. The problem I see with the company is that it’s lost its charm. Up until the late 2010s it was one of the last classic American shoe brands, specializing in relatively high quality dress shoes. When the new management came in the late 2010s, they began aggressively changing the company “DNA”. At this point, I’m not sure who the target audience is. If you flip though the catalogs they send in the mail several times a year, you’ll notice that all the models are weird, young (often “non-binary” looking) urban folks. Not a single model represents a regular, middle class American professional who goes to work conservatively dressed up (even though the vast majority of Allen Edmonds buyers are exactly that - middle aged, middle class American professionals who prefer a conservative look). The management must be completely out of touch with reality and lives in a bubble. They’ve probably hired a bunch of 30 year old hipsters from NYC and San Francisco to run the marketing and PR departments. Those people clearly don’t understand who the average AE customer is.
Btw, I am neither middle aged, nor middle class (in the traditional sense of the word), nor do I live in the suburbs. I am actually a young urban person, an artist, and a classic menswear enthusiast. But I understand who the average AE customer is. The AE management obviously does not.
Thank you for commenting this. I actually had a segment on this exact issue, but cut it out - better for a follow-up video in the future. I feel like the marketing of AE is a very pronounced signal of what is going on internally. It sticks out so sorely that I am genuinely surprised I don't see more comments about it from people on either side of the overall discussion. It does feel like AE is rapidly falling out of touch with its historical brand identity, and not necessarily by intention.
I feel very similarly. My theory is that Caleres simply hired a consulting firm full of more tech-oriented late-twenties/early-thirties folks (nothing wrong with this inherently) who aren't particularly in tune with the type of product or consumer base of AE and they slapped on the same copy/paste marketing plan that they use for every other Fast Fashion brand that hires them. It feels less like the marketing was made for the AE brand, and more like AE products were just slapped on H&M/Zara marketing material.
There is nothing wrong with a company shifting its brand identity, and can often be a good thing with a changing market if well-executed, but it feels very awkward, misplaced, and non-committed.
@@DressWell.Madarasuhh not exactly. It's called wanting to SURVIVE. In the USA (and more globally) business formal is dying and even business casual is going away. In terms of footwear, plastic coated leather on a sneaker sole has become the new dress shoe standard or just higher end tennis shoes. If AE just kept making 5 varieties of lace up dress shoes and 2-3 loafers they'd be out of business.
As it happens they still make a few hundred thousand pairs of dress shoes and boots in Port Washington. Alden makes less than half of what they do, at best. TLB Mallorca probably makes, at best, whatever number Alden does.
@@gnarl12Yet their main customers are not whatever they’re portraying in their marketing material. Abandoning your core customers is not surviving bud. No hip gen Z is going to buy Allen Edmonds either, so they’re just shooting themselves in their foot.
@@gnarl12You just described what Bud Light did. How well did that work out?
haha this is so true. Ive received a few AE catalogs in the mail and they all feature young, cool black dudes or some tatted up hipster. Basically, people who Ive NEVER seen wear classic dress shoes, let alone AEs.
This was really eye opening.
Im a regular boot wearer more so than dress shoes, and $350 with redwing (another heritage us based brand) gets you a well made boot with comfortable stylish lasts that are not far off from what you can get from whites with similar construction methods.
Redwing is an example of why ae is over priced when redwing can provide an arguably higher quality product for $100 less
Wow I did not know anything about this. Thanks for sharing.
Yea the change in quality since the company was sold was crazy! Gentleman’s gazette also did a comparison on the differences between the shoes and the era, think they had some from the 70s all the way up to now!
Great video man! Loved watching it
I’m adding to your video and not criticizing or beginning an argument.
AE shoes are made in Wisconsin, USA. Comparing them to shoes made in places like Colombia like Beckett Simonon is fair in terms of quality, but not when you under price into the equation. That’s also true of India, China, etc.
AE shoes are almost perpetually on sale. I’m unsure what their average sale price is, but it’s not anywhere close to $400.
I have personally found Cobbler Union to be a good compromise for me, personally. I’d really like to try Carmina but unsure what last and size to try. Quality full grain calf leather is so stiff when new that a return policy isn’t much help. It may be three weeks before you realize it’s not quite the right fit.
Carmina reccomends you try their RAIN last for a first purchase.
Absolutely not. They have vulture capital behind them, and no they are not entirely made in USA. They use questionable label in Dominican Republic and other awful places to get around US laws, Especially child labor laws and slavery. This is a legal issue and the FTC and DOJ needs to take them to task.
And congress needs to do their job an ensure just like the military with Barry Compliance, all USA footwear is made here, with quality materials.
I tried Carmina which costs about $100 more at full price. The difference in construction quality, aesthetic design and comfort is day and night.
Very good and detailed review. Liked and subscribed. Keep it up 👍🏼
Thanks, will do!
I have two pairs from Allen Edmonds and I'm ok with them but I have little experience with quality dress shoes. They're not comfortable but I'll try out your other brands you like. Thank you for sharing.
Glad I could help! Always feel free to ask questions.
I bought a pair of AE penny loafers at a 30% discount arount 2017. They were quite stiff at the beginning (especially since loafers need to fit quite tight in order to stay put), and have resoled them a couple of times since then, but now they're super comfortable.
Not sure I would buy from AE again after seeing this video though...
Thanks so much for making this video. I have gotten many AE shoes without any knowledge of these flaws because I’ve heard they’re known as great starter shoes. I feel much more informed now. What are your thoughts about their considerably cheaper sneaker lines, which go on sale for around $100? Are they comparable to other options around that price? It’s really nice to try their sizes in store
I am so glad it was helpful! I am not too familiar with their sneakers, though I wouldn't personally have much confidence. I am not super knowledgeable in the sneaker market, though for around that price I'd rather go with Beckett Simonon or Thursday if I had to just do a blind pick. There may be other good options too, though if you try on AE in store and feel good about them, I'd say go for it.
@@DressWell.Madaras That makes sense, thanks for offering your thoughts! Your videos are super informative and entertaining, looking forward to more!
For wide feet, you could buy AE (13 eee) or step up in quality and buy "G" width (11½ G) from TLB Mallorca. I also suggest Grant Stone for boots.
Grant Stone is heavy af. Nice construction for sure but they’re the least comfy boots in my collection.
I bought 2 pairs of AE today. One is being shipped because they didn't have my size. I think I will return the one they are shipping, and keep the Park Ave boots since I've already wore them. I'll probably get a pair of Mallorcas. Thanks for the video!
This is quite possibly the most in-depth video I’ve ever seen on Allen Edmonds, outside of the factory tour! The amount of detail you go into is astonishing, just to keep that statement brief. After my purchase of their St. John’s double monks and personally seeing some of these same QC issues, I’m maintaining my distance.
Granted, my only reason for going back to AE would be because of my long narrow foot, US 13B. I’ll be keeping my eye out for your future content, as you’ve just earned a new subscriber!
Thank you!
Just bought 2 pair of AE before watching this video. I haven’t worn them yet.
1. Walnut - Strands
2. Black - Park Avenue.
Would love to know your thoughts on these? Same as the 5th Ave?
I own the Park Avenue myself as well. The 5th Ave, Park Avenue, and Strands are all very similar in construction quality and are all relatively poor for the price in my opinion compared to any number of options - TLB Mallorca, Bridlen, BLKBRD, etc. I have a review on Bridlen that you might find interesting for comparison. That said, if you are happy with them, that is what is most important.
There’s a recent video I saw where this guy de-constructed a $900 shell cordovan Higgins Mills, one of AE’s flagship “icons”. It was garbage inside. Fiberboard, cardboard, foam, thin flimsy leather midsole, thin Dainite compared to aftermarket Dainite.
The leather AE uses is thin and flimsy. I was a little rough with my own Higgins Mills putting them on and I could hear a tearing noise. Think some of the single-stitching was ripping.
In my opinion, AE never recovered from that massive fire that almost bankrupted the company. There “customer service” department are all $15/hour DEI call center muppets who don’t give a damn about the legacy of Allen Edmonds and know jack shit about welted footwear.
If anyone has been paying attention to AE, they’ve been slowly transitioning to more and more sneakers every year (which nobody is buying). I can see AE being sold again by Caleres.
Thanks for telling us the truth.
Question, who does this type of dress shoe correctly and what is the price for competent superior craftsmanship?
Bridlen would be my best suggestion for similar aesthetic, superior craftsmanship, and superior price: bridlen.com/collections/main-line-goodyear-welted/products/straight-tip-oxford-bitter-choco-zip-last?variant=47502387249448&ktk=d1Zkc05OLWI4MGRhZWMwYzM1
TLB Mallorca is even a step up above Bridlen, closer to that AE $400 mark: www.tlbmallorca.com/products/oxford-van-gogh-boxcalf-black-198
Saying some things that I guess are obvious:
There's a very large part of the consumer base for mens dress shoes which are you white collar workers working car-to-carpet. These people are busy and need the shoes to fulfill uniform standards, not because they care about wearing dress shoes. Also, their use case doesn't really require durability - these people are wearing their shoes for large parts of the day, but not necessarily doing a lot of walking, and certainly not on abrasive surfaces.
Parallel point is that the cost of any product is not just the direct purchase price but also the cost of time and mental energy invested. If you're a white-collar worker optimizing over a very limited volume of uncommitted time each week, and you don't derive pleasure from investing time and energy into researching shoes, then doing so is very expensive. And, you have the disposable income to buy that time and energy back from the market by purchasing from a low-effort brand.
AE is built for that market. They're a well-known brand and they have physical locations and quick shipping, which makes it easy and convenient to buy shoes and minimizes the time/energy costs. They are expensive because white collar workers typically have the disposable income and are used to the idea that they need to spend a good deal of money to present themselves as 'serious' people in the workplace. They can also guarantee most people a size that fits reasonably OK. People who are allocating low levels of mental energy to buying shoes will usually buy them last minute and don't have the patience for breaking in stiffer leather uppers, and AE provides that quick turnaround and softer leather.
There's currently a compositional evolution taking place within the market for dress shoes - more people buying them as a hobby because of exposure to YT content etc., fewer people buying them for work as the WFH revolution has relaxed dress codes. So there's likely to be some deterioration of AE's customer base over time.
Your point is likely valid in some cases, but not in large cities where men walk miles from their subway stops to their offices.
on point!
I would add that the trend toward “hybrid” shoes, as unfortunate as it is, will prob make or break AE.
Ae isn't priced for what you are mentioning. Really Beck and Sim is priced there.
@@youtubetv4856 many offices switched to allow dress sneakers. A friend of mine works in NYC at an advertising firm that just switched to allow dress sneakers. A few others have done the same from what I understand. Suit and tie club is almost dead. I have been wearing them for years now instead of wearing shoes to formal functions. Regularly I am bare foot or in work boots AE dress sneakers are actually quite durable but I am saddened by the drop in quality of their shoes in the last 10 years. I do disagree with the video about the toe. I do know anyone who wants a stiff toe. I know a lot of people who wear a suit and tie everyday and the stiff toe is a killer on the feet.
@@jlozano2014 Beck and Sim isn't expensive enough.
These are city workers who get bonuses and buy expensive watches with them, or people who work with and around such people.
Also Beck and Sim is a totally different proposition, as you have to order months ahead of receipt of product, there are no stores you can walk into and walk out with a shoe, etc. Altogether, completely different product.
You are a hero man. Saved me to spending money on a bad-quality shoe. Liked and subscribed
Thank you for saying this! That's what I'm here for!
I have 2 pairs of AE, and I must say that I was disappointed with both; however, I purchased both at significant discount, so plan to enjoy for the time being, and purchase other brands in future.
you often say that what you're paying for past a certain price point is the last. at what point do you stop paying for the construction and materials (i.e., at what price point should construction and materials be perfect)?
Great question. The answer is rather long. When I say that kind of thing, I am speaking a bit more to the more functional-oriented crowd, which composes much of the audience. I am also more trying to telegraph the lesser-known idea of the importance of shoe lasts, which the average person is not really aware of. It is really an abridged point that could expand into a much larger conversation.
I would say around ~$500/$600. With TLBM Artista being an exception at $400. More specifically, it's not that construction and materials will be perfect beyond that price, but more so that the returns diminish severely for the average person who might not care or even notice the extremely fine level of detail that goes into shoes beyond that price. And certainly nobody else will. These details and fine levels of craftsmanship are more for the wearer as a matter of appreciation - much like how one appreciate a nice painting that nobody else might ever see except them.
To answer your specific question, ~$2,000, which is where you enter the highest order of MTO or Bespoke is generally where you will see true perfection from an artistic point of view. But the average person is not viewing shoes through that lens, which is totally okay. And also why I emphasize that although there is indeed a significant difference between a $500 and $2,000 shoe, the average buyer should not feel compelled to spend $2,000 on a pair if their goal is simply to have a well-made, well-designed product that stands well above what the average person is wearing - i.e. "functional" purposes.
@@DressWell.Madaras thank you for the very informative reply, Chris! I discovered your channel a few days ago, and I've been completely blown away by the quality of your videos from the information you present and how you present it - absolutely amazing.
Would you consider doing a video on suits, preferably MTM? Perhaps focused on what to expect for each price point and what kind of diminishing returns you can expect when going beyond it, similar to what we've seen from you with shoes.
And any chance you've worn any Thomas Bird shoes? I was considering a pair from them, since I prefer a blake stitch to a GYW at that price point, but your one-hour TLBM review has me reconsidering.
Happy New Year!
@@jointhearmy555 I'd love to, but that's probably a ways off. I'm generally focusing on videos being a bit more involved, higher quality, and fewer made. I may have to team up with a tailor for that kind of thing - or take alot of time to do research. I would like to get into it, though, because I like shooting fabrics in general. Generally in the U.S., the best value seems to be between $2k and $3k for MTM. Above $3k is, similar to shoes, more for artistic merit than straightforward functionality. Under $2k is still totally fine for most purposes, but the fabrics tend to be meh. My 2-piece suit was $2.2k, for reference. I planned to spend under $2k, but found the fabrics underwhelming- though I'm also picky. I like the basketweave I ended up with.
I'm not familiar with Thomas Bird, but they seem okay. Nothing crazy special, but not bad at all. Lasts are okay. I like their loafers in blue patina. The patinas I think make them worth $350. Without the patina, it's a little pricey and I'd probably rather get 2 or 3 Blake pairs from Bridlen for the same price. Or CNES.
Happy New Year!
@@DressWell.Madaras Gotcha, and your 2-piece is the navy one you wear on the channel, the one with the red button hole on each surgeon's cuff?
Absolutely! Gotta have quality fabric. Although, I figure that with suits, most of what you're paying for is fit after a certain price point (like how you mentioned the last with shoes).
After learning of Bridlen and CNES, I'm inclined to give them a shot, particularly CNES from what I've seen. Sadly, I hadn't heard of either when I got my Thomas Birds.
@@jointhearmy555 Yea that's the suit I wear in videos. Bridlen and CNES are both great. Hard to go wrong with either!
AE isn’t worth $425. However, I’ve gotten all my pairs for around $250 during the big sales event. Cannot beat them at that price. At $425, I’m looking at spending a little more for Carmina. Love this channel 👍
I did the same during the pandemic. I got hired at a university in Atlanta and assumed I would return to office-wear soon…still working at home as of 11/2024 (no complaints). I got two pair of Dalton boots for about $220 each, down from $440. That sale, plus the recrafting service was worth it for me. Considering I hardly dress up, I imagine I’ll have these for life.😂
Awesome video and quality presentation. Looking forward to many more videos. Would like to see videos on boots , there is plenty of good content you could make in that area. Also other edc stuff would be a good choice.
Thank you sir! Chelsea boots coming next video!
@@DressWell.Madarasooohh!! I love Chelseas and happen to be in the market for some!! Let’s go
@@jstnnnnn My friend! Depending on your budget, my next video releasing in just a few hours here I think might literally be made just for you!
Great info. Great video.
I was interested in their cordovan shoes. Do you think these will have similar issues?
Yes. I would kind of consider it a waste of Shell to apply AE craftsmanship to it. Bridlen has nice Shinki Shell, and TLBM also has a Shell line. Both cheaper and higher-quality craftsmanship than AE.
I stopped buying Allen Edmonds 3 years ago after many years of loyalty. Returning 2 pairs for literally falling apart was enough for me.
Thank you for every moment you put in this video. Very informative and perhaps the best review I have seen in years. Also the videography quality is next to none.
Private equity is the reason almost everything has declined in quality over the last 5-10 years. Companies are focusing solely on profits.
I bought my first.pair of AE 5th avenues for $250 and have seen some.of the problems you show, but unfortunately I have wide feet and there are few brands in the sub $400 range tjat have such an incredible.range of widths. Id have tonstep up all the way toa Yearn to get RTW in an E width. Anything in an AE or Be kett Simonon price range that isnt crap and has E or EE widths?
Bridlen has wider options! They have more detail on their Lasts page: bridlen.com/pages/the-bridlen-lasts?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTZjZDhhODllOGE4
Their shoes generally run wider, but their MOD Last is also great for extra-wide / EEE. Here is my review of them: th-cam.com/video/_Idp6pauryA/w-d-xo.html
I have three pairs of Allen Edmonds boots and I would not suggest the brand overall. There are just so many better products made to a higher standard. I have the Landon Cap toe in Walnut, Liverpool Chelsea in black, and the Higgins Mill in Brown. AE is a brand that knows its reputation and knows that they are selling to people that are simply either unaware of better products or fearful of trying something unknown.
The boots are made to their lowest sale price IMO. These boots are always on sale, which is definitely going to entice people who are new. I’m local to AE and wanted to support a local company. I purchased the Higgins Mill and the Liverpool Chelsea from a local AE retail store as full priced retail firsts. The Higgins Mill should have not even been sold as a second. There is loose grain on both boots. It’s heavy on the vamp also also on the inner upper of the right boot. The left boot has loose grain on the upper on both sides. There is a void or something that has revealed itself in the vamp as a discolored thin spot. The lack of gusseting on the tongue allows it to slide around. The heel stack has absolutely collapsed. The eyelets eat laces. I wear these boots when I want to look nice but I know I’m going to be walking in water/mud/muck. I get compliments on them so they do look nice to normal people.
My Liverpool Chelsea is a boot I only wear with fairly formal attire and it is just not a high quality boot. There is a lot of fine creasing developing very quickly and these boots live in boot trees while unworn. I have only worn these a few times as I rarely wear black ties. The leather seems very thin and these boots don’t seem to take a great shine. The leather is also delicate and I somehow have a slice in the leather on the toe on the left boot. It was damaged very easily. Just overall decent but there are definitely better boots for less money.
The Landon Cap toe is probably my most satisfying of the three. I purchased these from Amazon as what I presume as a second due to the price of $179 and these appear to be factory firsts. These are superficially at least the nicest pair of AE boots I have. I do think I’m more pleased with these because I didn’t pay 425 for them because, they are also not high quality The leather is thin. The cap toe is two pieces of leather sewn together, which is causing some strange creasing on the cap where they are sewn together. The eyelets on these also eat laces.
I found the customer service to be quite lacking. As the Higgins Mill immediately looked bad due to the heavy creasing that appeared from the loose grain on the first wear, I went to exchange them and the clerk denied because they were worn. They were obviously very worn she said and I had no idea how to care for them and I should be using shoe trees. I was obviously not using shoe trees. I purchased three pairs of trees with the boots. They had only been worn literally once. I was told loose grain is just normal for Chromexcel. These are not my only pair of Chromexcel boots but they are the only pair that have any loose grain.
I accepted that they were mine and attempted to make the best of them. A month later I noticed that the laces are fraying and about to break. I head to the AE store, and they don’t have any laces. I stop back about six weeks later and still no laces. Confused as several products use the same laces, I asked the clerk when they would receive a restock. Never she says, now recognizing me, and suggests I just get something on Amazon. This is a premium store in a fancy hotel. In my experience the customer service isn’t great either.
The video was spot on 😊excellent video
For 2 decades I only owned AE shoes. They were and still are an OK starter brand. I agree that the quality has deteriorated due to ownership changes. And no with alternatives brands doing incredible things at various price points the only advantage AE has is that you can go into a store and try them on. Thanks for another amazing video. BTW, TLB is an amazing brand. What Toni produces for what he charges is insane. Carlos Santos is amazing with all their patina work. I am a huge fan of Yearn and Ichigo Ichie. I own 5 pairs of Yearn and 11 of Ichigo.
AE shoes have been made about the same for decades. The SPI has little bearing of durability fwiw and that's from cobblers who've taken apart thousands of them.
@@gnarl12 You are correct. SPI doesn't dictate quality. Even if we agree that the quality of AE shoes is unchanged through the years, the rise of new shoemakers competing in the same $$ range makes AE look bad. TLB is a great comparison brand to AE. And the only "advantage" AE has over the TLB benchgrade line is that AE are made in the USA.
@@mtbokor1969 sizing (widths especially), in store try one and a super easy return policy. Oh and EU sizing isn't a direct correlation. Also, I doubt TLB makes more than 50k pairs a year vs ~400k a year AE makes. At scale, little details add cost. TLB is great BUT size by email/ FedEx sucks for 95% of consumers.
Hey Chris, happy to see that you are thriving! I watched your Yearn video nearly a year ago and I didn't sub then, but I did now! Great...no EXCEPTIONAL quality content as always! Amazing detail and I love that you explain even the stuff 'we should already know' like what each stitch is like (Blake vs Goodyear). I find that you do a superior job for example explaining and showing exactly how the goodyear welt and blake stitch actually look and work. I've seen that goodyear welt diagram 10 times and FINALLY today just after watching this really feel like I have a good idea exactly how it is constructed.
Details like the text suggesting the cost of a good resole is a question I've always had that other channels really glaze over or don't talk about at all. Finding out a good resole costs maybe half the cost of a good $300+ shoe could be surprising to a lot of people (including me!). Gonna go check out some of your other videos like the Beckett Siminon chop (ouch for your wallet!) but at least it seems to have gotten some views...
And just like last year, I'm not super into dress shoes...but I just love your videos anyway! LOL
How could I forget! You left one of my first comments! I am so glad I earned your subscribe :). I don't blame you for not doing so, I am proud of that Yearn video but I rewatched it a bit recently and the audio quality on it........oof.
I am so glad you said that about GYW construction because I have always felt the same way! It took me forever to wrap my head around how the shoe actually comes together and would love to make the resource that I wish I had long ago that very clearly shows how the construction works in a way that is really understandable. Now that I have some halved GYW shoes, I'll probably make a couple videos dedicated to a full explanation of Blake/GYW construction in the future. So happy to see you again!
One of the reasons I've purchased AE over the years is I have a narrow foot (12B). Many of the shoes with European sizing appear to only come in one width. Can you recommend any brands or are any of the brands your recommended offered in a narrower width?
BLKBRD can do a bunch of different custom stuff by request, often inexpensive or free. I know they do custom widths, so I'd try sending them an email. I would consider them easily superior to AE, but also with a more classic, unassuming design.
“Not good looking shoes” - so subjective. It depends on one’s aesthetic. Classic American aesthetic compliments the Park Ave look. The recommended alternatives wouldn’t complement the classic American menswear aesthetic, but if a European look is your thing, they’re great. Quality issues are another story, but aesthetically it’s not an apples to apples comparison as presented here.
Design is not as subjective as many often make it out to be. There are general principles of design in any and every category of product that can be considered 'objective' in the sense that there is an almost 100% probability that, when abided by, will yield something the vast majority of consumer would consider well-designed.
Allen Edmonds may be going for a Classic American aesthetic - one that could be considered robust, heavy, and straightforward, among other things - and that may indeed contrast the more light, contemporary, and refined designs of European and Asian shoes. But that doesn't mean it is well-design and it certainly doesn't excuse sloppy design.
The comparisons made here I would consider apples-to-apples and indeed productive. It may be different types of apples, though, so if you want the same type of apple, I suggest taking a look at the 13:28 timestamp on my Bridlen Review: th-cam.com/video/_Idp6pauryA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xcqIPKTETCC47nUL&t=808
Bridlen's design philosophy is just about what any person would conjure in their mind when describing the above-outlined Classic American aesthetic. While not comprehensive, the comparison I make there to Allen Edmonds will better illustrate why Allen Edmonds fails from a design standpoint even within the context of it's own design parameters.
@@DressWell.Madaras I would agree on the fine elements of quality which you have outlined great detail. But most (not all) of them would not be noticed except by close scrutiny. I find the classic American oxford more aesthetically pleasing than the Euro designs. As “good looking” as they are for one who appreciates shoes, they would look off with a sack suit. This is why I say the matter of looks is subjective.
would you consider reviewing some good loafers options?
Sure! I'd love to make a video on loafers. It may be a little bit far out, but I'll add it to the list!
In reference to the recent makings of Allen Edmonds shoes, I have to agree with every point that you have made, however in their defense, I have to say that the earlier better made iterations of the AE shoe, maybe grossly misunderstood in their design and purpose. AE shoes are perceived to be an entry-level “dress shoe “ and this is what they are not . As we both know, there are many different purposes and tears of Leather shoes. The Design language Of the A E shoe tells me that they are a shoe that is highly durable and is perhaps a workhorse in that they can be worn every day /all day And everywhere And most importantly, a better alternative to a sneaker or trainer as opposed to a standard Typical dress shoe which is to be worn only once maybe twice a week and During said days only part of that day and to be taken off in the evening after work and They can only be worn in specific places like indoors on a carpet or a marble floor . The standards in design in the two types of shoes are to be different, and I don’t think that it is fair to hold the AE shoe to the standard of A dress shoe.. There are other shoes for that purpose so instead Grade them as a “work Horse -dress shoe” (the older better made ones). And in this way, I am sure they will come out on the higher end of their kind. Thank you.
Awesome video,,,, Made a lot of peoples butts hurt😂🤣but very good video and I don’t believe you hate the company or anything like that, just gathering helpful information for us👍
Do you know anything about Grant Stone boots ?
Thank you! I am not intimately familiar with GS, though to my knowledge they are generally well-regarded. I would stick with their boots, though. Their shoes are not terribly impressive imo.
I would like to buy a shoe made by you, where I can buy it?
I don't make shoes, but if you ever want a recommendation you can let me know your budget and what you like in a shoe and I can send some suggestions your way!
You can always use my affiliate links if you want to support my channel :)
Did he say “ tradition and craftsmanship”? Kerby Allison should response
Yup, ordered some...arrived and made in india. Also the leather and stitching isnt great. Its no wonder i got a good deal on them.
What do you think of their "Reserve" shoes?
A laughable attempt
Honestly, the wide options of widths is something that keeps them desirable. All dress shoes used to have about five widths. Now barely any offer anything more than a standard and wide.
I bought a pair of Allen Edmonds Brogue for $14 USD, the bottom is pretty much worn out but the upper and the heel stack are both fine, had it resoled for a lil more than $100 and now it looks like it worth more than a brand new pair of AE, one of the best 115 bucks I’ve ever spent
Im doing the same, buying a used pair from ebay and going to have them resoled.
@@gerryaustin8687 Nice, as long as there’s no cracks on the upper and no tear on the part where the upper connects to the welt, there should be nothing a good cobbler and a deep clean+ condition can’t fix, enjoy your new shoes!
@@Joseph_yy Thanks!
Amazing review 👍👍
100% Agree with your AE assessment. I have the fortunate/unfortunate experience of having worn AE shoes back in the 80’s and the shoes offered today are in no way related to them. Back in the day when you graduated to good shoes you were looking at Johnston & Murphy and when you “arrived” you found yourself in Allen Edmonds. I’ve purchased AE shoes in the last couple years during those ridiculous “sale” events and promptly returned them as they don’t even hold up to the 40 year-old versions I still own. Even my decades old Dexter wing-tips that were purchased for weekend duty only are better made. Buy quality, save money in the long run, look and feel better the entire time.
I was about to drop $425 +tax. glad I watched this first
th-cam.com/video/yvHYWD29ZNY/w-d-xo.html
@ lol, thank you 🙏
My guess is that AEs are the most profitable shoes, at least excluding labor.
Everything you went over seemed like commercial pragmatism, like businessmen shaving costs wherever feasible for their consumers.
And I'd guess that most of their consumers don't watch your channel, that they're pure utilitarians: "I need a dress shoe for my cousin's wedding" type of audience.
It was an eye-opening video - loved it. Well deserved like and new sub, first time I came across your top-quality content!
PS: Just found out you're a realtor in Boulder. That's where I plan on moving. I'll definitely reach out when I'm ready to move!
Reach out anytime my friend! Happy to help.
You might find my other channel helpful: th-cam.com/video/q2TDOM47U1M/w-d-xo.html
Can you feel the delamination of the cork and the outsole on the shoe that wasn’t cut in half?
Yes. Strictly speaking, it's not delamination, which implies that it was once properly laminated. I fumbled my words a bit. More specifically, the cork is not properly packed into the midsole cavity of the shoe and/or the outsole was not properly compressed down when stitching to avoid gaps. Delamination actually is a generous word here, because it implies the shoe was constructed properly to start. In reality, this defect exists simply because the shoe was manufactured improperly to begin with.
Is that the Allen Edmonds 7 years ago was better? Ive seen other videos from years ago talking about these shoes and praising them. I have some from around that time and have not had any issues. I haven’t bought any recently after that
Yea, it seems to be mostly a combination of videos by people who either A) Had a financial relationship with AE that they didn't disclose, and B) The well-intentioned, but misinformed propagation of popular mythology.
From what I gather, some cite the decline occurring from as early as the late 80's/early 90's, which would roughly correspond with the company being sold out of the original family to a businessman, John Stollenwerk. Most seem to cite around 2000 as being a big turning point, which would make sense as that corresponds with its sale to a private equity firm, Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison.
The mid-2000's was also when many more shoe brands began to pop up, and access to better-value international options became more pervasive with the advent of the internet. The overall decline is, in my opinion, half AE dropping its quality and half it simply not keeping up with market competitors constantly evolving and advancing the overall quality of dress shoes and efficiency of creation.
@ thanks for the info my friend! Very good breakdown of what’s going on with AE.
Any brand alternatives for canadians?
Not that I know of that are specifically made in Canada, though I think my top pick for an AE alternative would be Bridlen: bridlen.com/collections/main-line-goodyear-welted?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTYzYzE0NjlhYzFm
Here's my review on them. They're great: th-cam.com/video/_Idp6pauryA/w-d-xo.html
Saying AE charges $425 is misleading in my opinion. That’s list not average selling price. Their shoes are very frequently “on sale”. I bought the same shoe in the video in dark chili at about the same time - a couple months later - and paid probably a little more than half the $425 list. Based on videos I’ve seen, AE quality is probably lower than Carmina but so is the average selling price. My opinion is comparing Carmina to AE by list price is misleading. It’s not clear that the details are really material to functionality and durability. That said even after being a customer for almost 25 years, I won’t pay $425 or even $400 for AE shoes but with the discounting I don’t have to. I also found the conflict of interest disclosure on the video misleading in my opinion. It says the video is “not sponsored” then goes on to say video’s company is an affiliate of a company that owns Carlos Santos.
The video is not primarily concerned with morality or fairness. It is concerned with the thesis, which is the title of the video. I addressed AE sales in the video and the thesis is supported at either the list price or the various discount prices. The purpose of the video is to help consumers get the highest quality for their money, if that is their concern. Not everyone will know about the sales, and so aggregate average sale price data isn't really relevant to the function of the video. Insofar as there is a discussion to be had on the morality of the issue, here are my thoughts.
If it is misleading for me to say AE charges $425 for their shoes, then I would argue it is misleading for AE to charge $425 for their shoes. Many seem to lose sight of this point when they argue that 'everyone knows you don't buy AE full price', as if that is a good thing. That is not a good thing. It is a sign of fraudulent marketing, specifically deceptive pricing and there is a reason the FTC has regulations and guides regarding it: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-233
I do not know if AE is marketing unlawfully. I am not qualified to say. It also doesn't really matter for a conversation on morality. You do not have to break the law to act immorally. It being such common knowledge that one should never buy AE at list price is a sign that AE is probably on the side of being misleading in their pricing. Imagine buying your first pair of dress shoes at AE at full price, only to quickly realize that it is 'common knowledge' to buy that at almost 50% list price. I would feel pretty deceived. Maybe you wouldn't.
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The video is not sponsored. "Sponsored" is a term that specifically refers to my company having received something of value - monetary or non-monetary - in an agreed-upon exchange for creating the video. That did not happen. The irony of you claiming my disclosure is misleading is that I don't actually have to disclose in-video that I have an affiliate deal with The Noble Shoe (Carlos Santos), because that affiliate deal was not made in exchange for this video. It was in exchange for my Carlos Santos review video. I do so anyway because it is important to me that viewers understand the full lens through which they are receiving information on DW.
If I choose to leave affiliate links in the comments and/or description, a disclosure must be made that they are affiliate links. This is at the bottom of all of my descriptions, as is standard practice on TH-cam. It does not, however, need to be disclosed in-video if it is not specifically in exchange for the creation of the video. If my goal were to mislead my audience, I would not include it in-video. If my goal were to mislead my audience, Dress Well videos would look substantially different.
good review
I was talking to someone the other day "Yeah, I guess I'll drop the cash on some Allen Edmonds". Wow... yeah... no. Probably one of the times that the cell phone eavesdropping worked out and put your video into my feed.
Interesting. First a quick correction. A shoe last is the foundation of a shoe's design, while the upper is the part of the shoe that covers the foot. All of AEs dress shoes are leather uppers and they use various lasts for different types of shoes and boots. I’ve been wearing AE and Alden since 1996. I prefer AE over Alden as AE shoes come in different widths from very narrow to very wide. There is no other shoe company in that price point that offers their width selection. In addition, AE regularly run sales and you can easily get a new pair for under $300, and I’ve found their return policy very generous. In my 28-year relationship with buying AE shoes I have only had to return 2 pairs and they quickly remedied the issue by sending me a new pair. Their quality has certainly taken a hit due to a couple ownership changes, but still decent. They are also endlessly recraftable and I still wear my Park Avenues purchased in 1996.
People buy Allen Edmonds because they have sizes that fit everyone, not everybody fits into the standard "narrow D width shoe" like you do. That's what makes brands like Allen Edmonds and Alden my shoe of choice. None of these "alternatives" fit people with wide feet.
Absolutely agree. My size 12 4E feet are why I went with AE some years ago, not any sort of perceived "quality." AE and Aldens were pretty much my only viable choices. At least I could get a decent, still not great, fit for a dress shoe at what I thought was a very reasonable price. Every time I was given a possible alternative I would check the website only to discover D was the widest shoe available. I recently decided to just go the full bespoke route with Gaziano & Girling in London. My feet have never had it so good, but of course at a tremendous cost compared to the mass made factory shoes available to practically everyone else.
You can choose a wider last for better shoes. Just measure your feet and send an email to customer support for sizing. Trying to justify AE quality because the shoe you tried elsewhere wasn't the correct last makes no sense.
@@abcxyz7529 None of these companies offer lasts that would be the equivalent of an Allen Edmonds AAAA, AAA, AA, A, B, EE, or EEE. It simply costs too much for these companies to offer sizes that fit people with feet that fall outside the normal "acceptable" sizing. Plus the lasts these brands offer are long, weird looking, and ungainly, making it difficult too walk in them. This is why the "standard American lasts" feel so "blunt" and "unrefined", they're shorter so you can actually wear them and have a functional shoe instead of "art" better suited for a display, wide toebox, space in the vamp for high insteppers, etc.
@@downingbethune8758 Completely agree, I'm considering going down the bespoke route after almost exclusively wearing Alden and Allen Edmonds for some time now. The old wallet would hurt, but at least my feet would be happier. It really is heartbreaking having to look at all of these nice shoes and knowing that not 1 of them will ever fit you due to all of them being so, so narrow. And good luck trying to return your newly purchased yet ill fitting shoes to Portugal or India like he's suggesting.
@@abcxyz7529 Even if the last is "slightly wider", it won't accommodate EE, EEE, or EEEE feet like an Allen Edmonds or Alden last would. The same thing applies for people's who's feet are much narrower than the norm. Classic American brands like Allen Edmonds and Alden work, these weird foreign brands do not.
I have about 15 pair of Allen Edmonds going back about 20 years. They've consistently been good shoes and I'm still wearing all of them (after recrafting a few). Their recrafting service is top notch and besides getting s new sole (and you can chose amongst several options) they just come back looking brand new.. They fit my feet well and I find them very comfortable. I had one pair where the heal came lose and they repaired it for free. Other than that they have been flawless for me. Also, I'm in love with the Strand and Strandmok design. Money isn't a concern for me and I'm certainly not going to buy something made in China or India.
I don't wear dress shoes, subscribed :)
I have one pair of AE shoes, which I bought in 2003. Is that before their drop in quality? The soles of mine developed holes after many years of wear, so I had them resoled. But otherwise, they've held up fairly well.
I've never worn one. Handmade shoes with the help of professionals cost me about $550. Small shoemaker in Austria. I love them.
Private equity will not quit taking over major businesses. It's just part of capitalism. I purchased my first Allen Edmonds Graydson in 1987 in natural tan leather but paid extra to have it dyed in black. $300 plus $75 for the dye. So 8% price hike is minimal. I also purchsed 5 other pairs later. I appreciate the quailty and craftsmanship. My former favorite was the Hardwick and now the Knightbridge. I would like to get a pair in cordovan. But once PE takes over, production will be allocated throughout the world, like India. The genuine American made AE will always outstand the challenges of time. I still have my Grayson and it still looks good. AE is american tradition!
For a year or two now I have been planning to buy some good dress shoes to replace some garbage I bought for my first office job. After a bit of research, Allen Edmonds came up as a trusted name that I could likely buy and be happy with for a long time. But after *more* research and videos like this one I'm likely to buy Yearn or TLB Mallorca Artista. Since I'm the type of person to buy once cry once and appreciate long lasting quality, I think either of those choices will make me happy for a long time and be a better choice than Allen Edmonds. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. This is literally the exact reason why I made this channel. To help people get better quality for their money and just be overall happier with their purchases. This comment made my day.
I’m actually going to encourage you to buy AE but make sure they’re on sale or look at their outlet. As a cobbler, we can recraft them and, for me the BIGGEST reason why, they are made in Wisconsin so they’re mostly US made shoes. You can buy the majority of their products for MUCH cheaper than this full priced example. Just a different POV. Cheers!
I got vintage pear of florsheim shell cordovan loafers from 1950
I inherited my dad’s AE Fifth Ave shoes he got in 2004. Solid quality. I would not buy AE now though.
"Dumb idiot shills Patreon after forgetting sunscreen in July" timestamp is almost as fantastic as this video. Seriously, this is incredible. This is like Project Farm but for shoes. I've read posts on forums where people suspected the defects you're mentioning but that was in bits and pieces. This is comprehensive and has the proof of cutting the shoes open. I have a pair of Johnson Muphy's that were around 120 and a pair of Park Ave's. I can't go more than 2 hours in the Parks Ave's without getting blisters but no blisters all day in the J&M's that cost 1/3 the price. Thanks for the phenomenal videos.
Had to leave another comment. I'm watching your "7 shoes under 350" video and I'm thinking "those mountains look really simila...OH SHIT THE FLATIRONS". SKO BUFFS!
SKO BUFFS
I just visited my first Allen Edmonds store (in Chicago), and I have to say I was not impressed. I confess to being a bit of a shoe-a-holic, and for me, the artisanal qualities of a well made pair of shoes invoke the same feelings of awe as looking at a Purdey shotgun or a Slayer coffee machine. I guess I picked up 5 pairs of shoes in the store, including the brand's famous Park Lane cap toe oxfords, and I was really surprised at both the cheap look and feel, and the poor quality stitching. One pair had such a warped quarter that I'm still unsure if it was deliberately distressed. (Probably not given the brand's conservative history).
top tier review
43:26 Love this idea. Def do some historical videos. And since you are close to PNW get with Bakers and make something designed by you and their team. Go all out..
Is AE still better than lowly Florsheim or Stacy Adams?
Probably better quality, but worse value. It's hard to 'grade' AE because they are creating what I consider to be defective products because of the cork. A bit of a moot point regardless because at that point you are trying to draw gradation at the bottom of the barrel - it's all sludge anyway.
I get used ones on eBay for great prices, and they’re probably older and better than the new ones.
I just saw them at a store and was surprised how cheap they seemed. I didn’t know it was because of acquisition
Positive comment
Bought my first Allen Edmonds over 20 years ago and own over 70 pairs dated from the late 1960s to 2000s calf, sharkskin and shell cordovan.
Everything is overpriced due to inflation and supply issues due to the pandemic.
My advice when buying shoes is to do your own research.
Don't just take the opinion of one person reviewing 1-2 pairs of shoes.
AE makes many types of shoes using many types of leathers and you'll get many results.
AE makes mistakes and will usually put those mistakes for sale at their "factory seconds" dept.
So don't be surprised when a factory seconds has flaws. They're seconds.
If your premium AE shoes have flaws, return them.
Is $400 a lot for AE? Yes. I think $400 is a lot for ANY PAIR of shoes that aren't shell cordovan or another exotic hide.
My John Lobb loafers "Campus" and "Lopez" go for $1100-$1600 a pair. Would I pay that today? No. The quality isn't worth 4-6x AE loafers. IMO
My Churchs "Diplomats" go for $1K. Would I pay that today? No. Those captoes aren't worth 3-4X my AE or Alden captoes.
I own 15-16 pairs of Alden shoes that would go for $600-$1000. Would I pay that? No. Because $600+ is a lot of money.
Inflation sucks. So don't compare the quality of a pair of shoes or a company against the rising inflation of everything.
Eggs cost $4-$7 a dozen and were .89 just 4 years ago. Those things should have a gilded shell at that price. But they don't and I still buy them. lol
Interesting how the standard of quality has gone down but the cost of the product has gone up...oh well simply par for the course of capitalism!
@stylishoversixty9459 Sir, if I may ask just to sate my curiosity: would I be correct in assuming that you watch Sartorial Talks as well? I remember seeing the silhouette of yours in the comments section there too!
What is your preferred alternative?
Are there any good shoes not made in USA?
\\\ 🌍 Brand Alternatives \\\
Entry-Level -
BLKBRD (India): www.blkbrdshoemaker.com/?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTZiNWMxMTM0Yzkz
Beckett Simonon (Colombia): www.beckettsimonon.com/?rfsn=7785546.5a1e2d&
Meermin (China): meermin.com/?ktk=d1Zkc05OLTMxY2IzNTcxYmVl
Bridlen (India): bridlen.com/?ktk=d1Zkc05OLWU3M2IwZGE4NTFj
Mid-Range -
Carlos Santos (Portugal): www.thenobleshoe.com/en-us/collections/carlos-santos-shoes
TLB Mallorca (Spain): www.tlbmallorca.com/collections/artista-mens-shoes?sort_by=manual
High-End -
Yearn Shoemaker (China): arterton.co.uk/collections/yearn-shoemaker-hand-welted-footwear?sca_ref=6795669.I48JeyCd6o&sca_source=AE-Rvw-dsc&
Ichigo Ichie (Vietnam): ichigoichieshoes.com/
Grant Stones are made in China, Thursdays in Mexico and Beckett Simonon in Colombia.
@@jdelorenzod2725 Thanks...
I never thought of Columbia. I just bought a tortilla press there (my plan was to get a USA one but with the upcoming trade war, I'm not gonna buy US)...
I found a show brand Camina that's not US based, I'm looking at some shoes there. I'll also heck the brand ou mentioned in Columbia (and México).
Thanks!
@@jdelorenzod2725 Thanks again, I just went to both the latin american companies. Very nice. Thanks for the recomendation! I'll probably get some shoes from each one.
Seriously the FTC needs to come down on the footwear industry for false claims. Not to mention the use of questionable labor overseas. And the unions for AE, Thorogood etc need to join forces and mandate specific materials provided.. Not to mention congress if they were actually in charge and had the peoples back. Would make a lay requiring all footwear in America made to a standard, and with sizing and podiatry invloved overseeing fit... Theres no reason the Podiatry Society cannot oversee all sizing. Its a safety & Legal issue at this point...
Dare you to do Alden next :) One of us! One of us!