The Bostonian Impression was the mid-range of the dress shoe line til 96-97 which retailed $139.99 or on sale $119.99 the entry level for Bostonian was Classics made in the USA retailed for $109.99 or sale price $89.99. The top line was the Crown Windsor that retailed around $200 and the Shell Cordovan $400ish after 96 the Classics became the Classics First Flex Made in India, the Impression was discont. and replaced with a new line of Crown Windsor $139.99 which was in a few different countries depending on the model and the higher regular lines were gone. They sometimes would have limited lines shoes from$189.99 and up which were usually only available at the select higher end Bostonian stores.
Great find Robert! I am glad you were able to find a pair in your size range too! I don’t envy you finding shoes for those big dawgs! Lol 😆! I am always afraid to buy Bostonian online but maybe I should rethink my opinion. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family my friend!
They're no Allen Edmonds, but they're not bad shoes. Like I was saying, don't buy them to make money (unless they're shell cordovan), but to wear they're fine. You have to get to know them a little, like in the case of these, they have BIG heels. Another advantage: TONS of them were made, so you can generally wait to find pairs in good shape. Also, if you buy them and don't like them, if you don't overpay, you can probably turn around and re-list them for close to what you paid for them.
Some of the corrected grain models, especially the Bostonian "Classics" line made after around 2000-ish do have stiffer leather, but aren't bad at all after they break in. Again, they're not Allen Edmonds quality though.
We shoe nerds obsess over things like full grain leather…but those shoes look nice and you can bet they look nicer than most people shoes on any given day. And all that for the price of a quarter pounder meal. I think the key with these types of shoes is to use them occasionally for a different look or when you have crap weather. I own a black pair of black Mezlan oxfords I bought for 25 bucks on eBay and they are my wedding and funeral shoes. They look great, are light and comfortable. For those occasions they are perfect.
Hi Robert, I have a pair of burgundy corrected grain/polished leather (italian spazzolato or abrasivato leather, quite similar to this Bostonian) cap toe derby. Visually speaking, I still can't decide if I like them or not. They look like shell cordovan, very smooth but too glossy. If I look at them in artificial light they look nice, but if I look at them in natural light they look a little plasticky. Does corrected grain leather lose it's shine over time?
If you want to get rid of the plasticky look and feel of corrected grain leather shoes, there’s only one way and that’s stripping the finish with acetone. It will probably strip the dye along with the finish but re-dying shoes isn’t terribly difficult.
You can replace an aglet with electrical shrink. Apply heat with a lighter and it will shrink tightly to the lace. You just cut it to size. Oops, I should've watched the rest. I see that you did that. Shrink wraps come in different sizes.
My HONEST answer: sometimes: 1. I've never been very concerned with that kind of stuff. 2. I really SHOULD be more disciplined and structured (structure is not my strong point). I should do it EVERY time on any shoe I put on my channel. I should have a process with steps that I do on every shoe, but I tend to be more of a thinker and choose steps that seem appropriate and neccessary for that individual project. 3. Leather is naturally antibacterial, That's leather shoes last forever without getting smelly (if you treat it right), even though it is on people's feet and gets warm and damp. 4. Bacteria needs moisture to grow. Old thrifted shoes are generally the opposite - they're usually bone dry, so it's rare for them to have any problems related to smell/bacteria, etc. 5. When I do sanitize, I use a mix of 50/50 or 70/30 alcohol and water from the local drug store in a spray bottle, and give the interiors a few squirts.
The Bostonian Impression was the mid-range of the dress shoe line til 96-97 which retailed $139.99 or on sale $119.99 the entry level for Bostonian was Classics made in the USA retailed for $109.99 or sale price $89.99. The top line was the Crown Windsor that retailed around $200 and the Shell Cordovan $400ish after 96 the Classics became the Classics First Flex Made in India, the Impression was discont. and replaced with a new line of Crown Windsor $139.99 which was in a few different countries depending on the model and the higher regular lines were gone. They sometimes would have limited lines shoes from$189.99 and up which were usually only available at the select higher end Bostonian stores.
Great find Robert! I am glad you were able to find a pair in your size range too! I don’t envy you finding shoes for those big dawgs! Lol 😆!
I am always afraid to buy Bostonian online but maybe I should rethink my opinion.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family my friend!
I too worry about buying Bostonians on line. They look good and are inexpensive but I worry that they're not going to be comfortable.
They're no Allen Edmonds, but they're not bad shoes. Like I was saying, don't buy them to make money (unless they're shell cordovan), but to wear they're fine. You have to get to know them a little, like in the case of these, they have BIG heels. Another advantage: TONS of them were made, so you can generally wait to find pairs in good shape. Also, if you buy them and don't like them, if you don't overpay, you can probably turn around and re-list them for close to what you paid for them.
Some of the corrected grain models, especially the Bostonian "Classics" line made after around 2000-ish do have stiffer leather, but aren't bad at all after they break in. Again, they're not Allen Edmonds quality though.
We shoe nerds obsess over things like full grain leather…but those shoes look nice and you can bet they look nicer than most people shoes on any given day. And all that for the price of a quarter pounder meal. I think the key with these types of shoes is to use them occasionally for a different look or when you have crap weather. I own a black pair of black Mezlan oxfords I bought for 25 bucks on eBay and they are my wedding and funeral shoes. They look great, are light and comfortable. For those occasions they are perfect.
U R a great shoe pundit, Bob!
Thx 4 yet another outstanding video!
Cheers!
I'm glad you liked it!
Happy Thanksgiving 🦃
Thank you! Same to you!
Show us trifting sessions! 🙏
I have a video or two released recently on the subject! Check out my "Thrifting Videos" playlist!
Great video. Thanks.
Hi Robert, I have a pair of burgundy corrected grain/polished leather (italian spazzolato or abrasivato leather, quite similar to this Bostonian) cap toe derby. Visually speaking, I still can't decide if I like them or not. They look like shell cordovan, very smooth but too glossy. If I look at them in artificial light they look nice, but if I look at them in natural light they look a little plasticky. Does corrected grain leather lose it's shine over time?
If you want to get rid of the plasticky look and feel of corrected grain leather shoes, there’s only one way and that’s stripping the finish with acetone. It will probably strip the dye along with the finish but re-dying shoes isn’t terribly difficult.
You can replace an aglet with electrical shrink. Apply heat with a lighter and it will shrink tightly to the lace. You just cut it to size. Oops, I should've watched the rest. I see that you did that. Shrink wraps come in different sizes.
Do you do anything to santasize used shoes before you wear them?
My HONEST answer: sometimes:
1. I've never been very concerned with that kind of stuff.
2. I really SHOULD be more disciplined and structured (structure is not my strong point). I should do it EVERY time on any shoe I put on my channel. I should have a process with steps that I do on every shoe, but I tend to be more of a thinker and choose steps that seem appropriate and neccessary for that individual project.
3. Leather is naturally antibacterial, That's leather shoes last forever without getting smelly (if you treat it right), even though it is on people's feet and gets warm and damp.
4. Bacteria needs moisture to grow. Old thrifted shoes are generally the opposite - they're usually bone dry, so it's rare for them to have any problems related to smell/bacteria, etc.
5. When I do sanitize, I use a mix of 50/50 or 70/30 alcohol and water from the local drug store in a spray bottle, and give the interiors a few squirts.