Good shoes without breaking the bank?

Whats up WSO?

I had a question regarding some dress shoes, and then maybe some causal shoes.

I'm graduating soon, will be going into Big 4 accounting, if that makes any difference at all. My pops wants to get me something nice for graduation. He brought up suits and ties, but as a Big 4 auditor I won't really need those, so I was thinkin a good pair of shoes.

Now here's the catch. He doesn't make a lot of money at all. He's a definite blue collar guy working two jobs. But he really wants to get me something nice.

I know a lot of people on here say the pinnacle for dress shoes is the Allen Edmonds Park Ave. $300+ is a lot for shoes though. Are there comparable ones that maybe are in the $200 range? Maybe that will last you not a lifetime, but a long time? How about Johnston and Murphy? Are they anywhere close? Are Cole Haans complete garbage? Should I just maybe split some AE's with him?

Also, on a slightly unrelated note for something I'd just like to get for myself after I get a few checks, any recommendations on more causal shoes? Something for weekends that looks nice? My current idea of "nice shoes" are sperry type shoes.

Thanks guys

 

I have a couple pairs of allen edmonds and you can just wait till they are on sale. There are always mini sales, but every now and then, there is a really big sale. For me, I bought mine off ebay from a discount retailer. There's a risk of it being fake, but I am guessing it isn't as it is one of the most comfortable shoes I have worn, even compared to my other pair of AE's. The AE's are really as great as people make it out to be on this site and styleforum even has a huge AE appreciation thread. If you really want to go cheap, you can always check out thrift shops or nordstorm rack for cheap AE's, most of the time you won't find exactly what you are looking for though.

 
Art.Vandelay:

Whats up WSO?

I had a question regarding some dress shoes, and then maybe some causal shoes.

I'm graduating soon, will be going into Big 4 accounting, if that makes any difference at all. My pops wants to get me something nice for graduation. He brought up suits and ties, but as a Big 4 auditor I won't really need those, so I was thinkin a good pair of shoes.

Now here's the catch. He doesn't make a lot of money at all. He's a definite blue collar guy working two jobs. But he really wants to get me something nice.

I know a lot of people on here say the pinnacle for dress shoes is the Allen Edmonds Park Ave. $300+ is a lot for shoes though. Are there comparable ones that maybe are in the $200 range? Maybe that will last you not a lifetime, but a long time? How about Johnston and Murphy? Are they anywhere close? Are Cole Haans complete garbage? Should I just maybe split some AE's with him?

Also, on a slightly unrelated note for something I'd just like to get for myself after I get a few checks, any recommendations on more causal shoes? Something for weekends that looks nice? My current idea of "nice shoes" are sperry type shoes.

Thanks guys

Why not have him get you some ties and then buy AEs yourself?

 

I'd just get one around $100. You're gonna be sitting in a conference room all day, all week. Plus, they're gonna be covered in salt during the winter in Chicago. Also, I'd invest in suit and ties... Not expensive ones though. Some clients may dress business professional, which means you will have to also.

 
wsoanon:
Why not have him get you some ties and then buy AEs yourself?

I am under the impression that Big 4 auditors typically arent wearing ties, based on hearing from and meeting with many professionals at recruiting events and what not.

SECfinance:

You're in luck: the AE Outlets will be running a sale during President's Day Weekend - pick up some Park Aves during the sale for ~$225, thank me later.

Unfortunately, there are no AE Outlets anywhere near me...

BlueShirt:

I'd just get one around $100. You're gonna be sitting in a conference room all day, all week. Plus, they're gonna be covered in salt during the winter in Chicago. Also, I'd invest in suit and ties... Not expensive ones though. Some clients may dress business professional, which means you will have to also.

Hmm, I was actually told by a couple of Senior Managers to not buy suits and ties, because you will rarely if ever use them. Not that its not good to have some on hand, but based on what I was told and what I've seen, they dont seem to be worn often. I could be wrong

kedwards33:

Honestly you can find a quality pair of Johnston and Murphy dress shoes for 150-200 that will last quite a while.

Thanks for your opinion. I'm going to look into J&M as well.

 

Hi Art...

Former Big 4 auditor.

Ties and suits are completely contingent on your client. However, I only knew of two clients out of probably 150 in the two cities I worked in that required ties and suits. So, I'd say you're absolutely right, you won't be wearing ties regularly. But having a few nice ones can't hurt.

What I recommend is getting some good shirts. You will be wearing dress shirts a lot (don't be one of the polo/khaki/square toed shoe auditors). Nice dress shirts are a huge investment because in my opinion, in the absence of a suit your shirt will have the greatest impact on your overall look. Make sure it fits right. Billowy sleeves, backs, huge or too-small neck sizes are rampant in big 4 and look SOO tacky.

 

I'll second the meltons but I picked mine up from Amazon for $90 a few years ago. For $175 I'd pay a little more to get some Allen Edmonds seconds instead. When the outlet has a sale you can just contact them to check what they have in stock and they'll ship.

 
  1. Go into Allen Edmond's store
  2. Tell them you're getting a pair of shoes for your birthday and need to get sized
  3. Leave the store and buy on Ebay for a third of the price
  4. ?????
  5. Profit!
Nothing short of everything will really do.
 

I would either buy A&E used off of EBAY or get some Johnson & Murphy's on sale. J&M's are fine shoes and realistically will last you long enough to buy nicer ones later down the road. You don't need to outfit yourself with the absolute best day one.

Just make sure your shoes aren't square toed, you clean and polish them and you will look better than 95% of your coworkers.

 

Get used A&E off eBay as has been suggested.

Another option, are Cole Haan. I personally rock them when it's rain/snow and save the Allen Edmonds and Gucci for nice days.

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 

At first glance, I thought heading read "Best shoes for breaking into banking".

Thank god I can't read well.

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for freedom of thought which they seldom use.
 

I wouldn't buy used shoes... Get "seconds" instead--they are shoes with defects that no one will notice. They go really cheap. You can find people retailing AE and the like on styleforum as well as ebay. You can probably grab a pair of park aves for 175-225.

 
HideAndSeek:

I wouldn't buy used shoes... Get "seconds" instead--they are shoes with defects that no one will notice. They go really cheap. You can find people retailing AE and the like on styleforum as well as ebay. You can probably grab a pair of park aves for 175-225.

I'm seeing some on ebay adversting as brand new in box for around that price point. I'm definitely gonna have to check that out, as well as the suggestion someone listed above about having them shipped for free from an outlet store.

On that note, I'm going to go try on at a relatively close mall that has an AE store, but in everyone's experience, how do you feel they run compared to other shoes? Obviously this will be a moot point once I just go try them, but I'm just curious.

 

Please don't criticize me for posting here but I am a mom who worked in finance a long time ago (top school MBA) and I have a son who works in finance so I very occasionally visit these boards. My son worked at a Big 4 in audit in NYC for a year recently. The dress code was dress pants and a dress shirt. He never once had to wear a suit and tie.

My son tried on Allen Edmonds but found them too stiff for his comfort. While he was at his Big 4 firm he wore Cole Haan tie shoes and TooBoot NY loafers. I think that Florsheim or Cole Haan shoes are fine. I would buy a pair of tie shoes to start (not loafers) and just get what is comfortable. They may not last long term as Allen Edmonds do but they are appropriate to wear at a Big 4 firm. I bought my son rubbers to wear over his shoes at Brooks Brothers and he wore them when the weather was bad.

My son left his Big 4 firm after a year to work as an IB analyst in a major bank (yes, it can be done). His group is business casual. He wears a combination of comfortable tie shoes and loafers. He says that the rubbers I bought him have kept his shoes in excellent condition.

 

New demo for WSO!

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 

I got my AE Park Aves on eBay in the 100's, there is a tiny hole on the bottom but its nothing. You can buy these "factory flawed" shoes. They lasted me a good year so far, I'm too broke to buying them at retail lol

 
RealMeal:

I got my AE Park Aves on eBay in the 100's, there is a tiny hole on the bottom but its nothing. You can buy these "factory flawed" shoes. They lasted me a good year so far, I'm too broke to buying them at retail lol

Yeah I have a pair of Ferragamos I got on eBay for 30 bucks, there is some green chewing gum stuck to the side of the left shoe that won't come off, but it's totally fine I just make sure my pant leg covers it.

 

Jeffery West, not sure how much they are in the US. But they're better then some of the awful/boring stuff that get's thrown around here. They last ages too. You might need a more casual dress code to wear them though, depends on your firm I imagine!

Always good if you can pick them up in a sale!

 

In my experience J&M is quit e a bit better quality than Cole Haan but a wider fit, your mileage my vary but J&M cap toes lasted about a year and a half of every-other-day wear , Cole Haan cap toes look like shit after just a year though they are more comfortable. On the other hand I have a pair of AE shoes (different style, not cap toes like the Park Avs) and they have lasted 5+ years, still look new, super comfortable, etc.

I have heard good things about Church's and it seems to be somewhere in the middle between J&M and AE. But you can't go wrong with AE, they last forever and look incredible.

Like somebody said just buy a decent style and keep them clean and you're ahead of 95% of the pack, so it might be overkill to spend $300 on a pair of shoes.

 
Best Response

AEs, but get a new pair if you can and avoid consignment. The shoes form to your feet and resoling costs about $150 + shipping, so you're really better off shopping the sales. I have some that are 3+ years old and it seems that if you take care of them they're going to last forever. If you're going to spend any significant amount of money on a new pair of shoes, do something nice for yourself and get a pair of AE's.

You can buy more after your first paycheck. Buy a pair for your dad too, pay him back, and take him to lunch. You have a chance to perform a very honorable role given he raised you to be successful. Never step on a person's pride, as I'm sure he doesn't need your help....but you can be a man and show your gratitude.

....or you could do what I did when I was broke, and just wing it on your first couple of months with a pair of $50 Bostonians. Wenham looks nice and most people in big4 will never know the difference. And they're comfy.

Here: http://www.amazon.com/Bostonian-Wenham-Dress-Black-Leather/dp/B0042NGZ5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391441373&sr=8-1&keywords=bostonian+wenham

Get busy living
 

[quote=UFOinsider]You can buy more after your first paycheck. Buy a pair for your dad too, pay him back, and take him to lunch. You have a chance to perform a very honorable role given he raised you to be successful. Never step on a person's pride, as I'm sure he doesn't need your help....but you can be a man and show your gratitude. [quote]

Glad you can see how its sort of a dilemma to me. He keeps saying he wants to get me a great gift, and while I know its more than he should be spending, it would be an asshole move on my part to deny him buying his first son a nice graduation gift. I know him, and he's a prideful motherfucker (as he should be, given many circumstances). I will definitely pay it back when the time comes.

Thanks for the shoe and other advice.

 
Art.Vandelay]</p> <p>[quote=UFOinsider]You can buy more after your first paycheck. Buy a pair for your dad too, pay him back, and take him to lunch. You have a chance to perform a very honorable role given he raised you to be successful. Never step on a person's pride, as I'm sure he doesn't need your help....but you can be a man and show your gratitude. [quote:

Glad you can see how its sort of a dilemma to me. He keeps saying he wants to get me a great gift, and while I know its more than he should be spending, it would be an asshole move on my part to deny him buying his first son a nice graduation gift. I know him, and he's a prideful motherfucker (as he should be, given many circumstances). I will definitely pay it back when the time comes.

Thanks for the shoe and other advice.

You're very welcome.

LOL it's impossible to hand someone cash as repayment for a gift and not insult them, especially a parent, but you can work the money back into the family in other ways. Fill the tank to full every time you use the car, make them dinner and buy more groceries than you need for it, etc... If the focus is on doing something nice and NOT about the money or control, you really can do the right thing. It's really really weird having more opportunity than you parents but it's exactly the American dream. Now, just keep the relationship in good standing :)

Congrats and good luck man.

Get busy living
 

Macy's or Nordstroms have sales and you can get J&M for about $90 that are normally closer to 150. That being said I find them less comfortable than the A&Es. But if your simply looking for look for interview season or are a bit tight on cash then I feel like the look are pretty comparable.

 
seiberjb:

I personally love the grey suit/walnut shoe look. Been sporting these for awhile and have aged well. Got them on sale for 250. Remember, shoe trees are your friend and definitely invest in some. http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF6105_1_40000000001_-1_

I have this exact pair and love them as well. I don't like to spend a ton on my wardrobe but shoes are something I'll spring for - must be a holdover from my days spent pining over the newest basketball shoe. Also, I got these on sale (I think during the RDA sale?) for ~225-250 as well

 

What a bunch of ballers on this website..

Two suits should be plenty to start with. As stated above, you don't really wear a suit that much as an auditor. I recommend buying a conservatively styled shoe. You do not want to appear to be flashy as an auditor (however, I did love rocking my patent leather Concords on Fridays). J&Ms would be perfect. You could also check out Nordstrom Rack to see if they have any nice kicks.

As for casual shoes - I love New Balance. Check out the 990s or 993s. You can customize them on their website. They'll last you for several years and they are SUPER comfy. If you want to show some style, grab some Kobe VIs (snakeskins) off Ebay. The footbeds mold to your feet and they are very light. Best bball shoes I've ever worn.

+1 for your self-awareness

CPA/investor/bballer
 

You simply can not beat Loakes – handman in England. I have three pairs, two of them have lasted for more than five years. Amazing quality, real leather

Do not get Hugo Boss – looked good for a couple of months and then fell to pieces

With shoes the cheap man really does pay twice

http://www.loake.co.uk/

You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake son.
 

A good starter brand is Johnston & Murphy. You can find them at department stores, and they're quite comfortable and look sharp. Good pair of nice, everyday shoes.

- Capt K - "Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. If you want to make ambitious people waste their time on errands, bait the hook with prestige." - Paul Graham
 
if much given much expected:
i second the johnston and murphy. Or you can spend some time on ebay and pick up some really nice shoe for relatively cheap. I buy all my nice shoes on ebay.

There's a lot of fake stuff on ebay. Not that I'm saying you bought fake stuff but you will always run the risk even if the guy has impeccable feedback. Plus, I always need to try on the shoes because sizes/fit vary depending on brand.

 
if much given much expected:
i second the johnston and murphy. Or you can spend some time on ebay and pick up some really nice shoe for relatively cheap. I buy all my nice shoes on ebay.

i completely agree!! J&Ms are definitely great shoes on the less expensive end of the spectrum. i saw a pair on ebay, got over to the mall to try them on.. really comfortable and fit perfectly. went back on ebay and won them for $11.50 (NEW IN BOX!). of course shipping was over $15, but stll..

and also listen to what a lot of other people were saying about allen edmonds on sale

 
patekphilippe:
if you have some time to kill and you can putz around at the store and find your size in a particular model, go look on here:

http://stores.ebay.com/Allen-Edmonds-Auction-Store

you should be able to find an excellent pair for under $200. they are selling park avenues for a hair under 200 right now and those are the quintessential interview shoe.

This is the best answer in this thread - it is impossible to find a better constructed shoe at regular retail price other than AE. The AE Auction store is officially maintained by AE. The downside is that AE has a clunkier look than most of the fashion brands, but you are buying quality and comfort. Park Aves run a little narrow - try them on in a store before you purchase.

Read up on goodyear welting, and shoe lasts.

Buy a pair of woodlore shoe trees from Century 21 for 12 bucks also.

 

Are you near a century 21? GO THERE!

********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********

********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********
ideating:
Rockport? Please tell me you're kidding. The new Cole Haans are comfortable.

I already had a pair of Cole Haans (brown) and my mom was suppose to get me another pair (black) for Christmas last year. She doesn't really understand that there can be that big of a difference in dress shoes and so sure enough, she got me the wrong pair of shoes (Rockports).

After being quite disappointed initially, I decided to try them out a few times and ended up liking them quite a bit. I now find myself preferring them over my Cole Haans. Maybe they just fit my feet well, but I actually do like them for a fairly cheap shoe. Obviously I plan on upgrading to a much nicer shoe once the income increases, but they work for the college budget.

Also, I know you're probably thinking "Why didn't you just take them back?" and the answer is that I'm against taking things back (it's a long story) and I rarely rarely ever do exchange something or ask for a refund.

 

Your best best is definitely Allen Edmonds on sale. Go to your local Nortstrom Rack and you should be able to get a pair for under $200, though probably not one of the most popular ones (like the Park Avenue). If you're willing to move up to the $300 range, you may even be able to find a pair of Aldens online if you are diligent. You won't need anything better than Aldens until you are way more advanced in your career, if ever. Monty's suggestion of Testoni is good too, if you can find them on sale.

 

get some eccos, they're comfortable and durable. at a certain point you're paying more for the brand than the shoe itself. you want something as comfortable as possible, no one gives a damn if you wear stylish shoes.

========================================= We are excited to formally extend to you an offer to join Bank of Ameria
 

In that price range, I like Johnston and Murphy. Pretty classic, and they make great loafers. Calf skin, made in Italy, the shoe of all presidents...can't go wrong.

Again, that may cause an uprising amongst the Ferregamo evangelists, etc. but J&M is a classic look, excellent quality, comfortable, and best of all, within a reasonable price range that boldly says "I'm well off but prudent". Haha, again, just my thoughts.

 

dont have any ferregamo's so cant comment on that but I have a pair of J&M's and I like them a lot. Surprisingly comfortable and classic look.

Invite People Here: //www.wallstreetoasis.com/invite $9 WSO Guides: //www.wallstreetoasis.com/wsoguides Elite GMAT Tutors: //www.wallstreetoasis.com/page/one-on-one-gmat-prep

 

I have a pair of J&M Cap Toes that retail for $165 in the J&M stores and in Macys - http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/product.aspx?pid=38229&search=melton

I got them online for $120 total using a bunch of coupons at DSW. This shoe is made in India though. The ones made in Italy are more expensive - i.e. http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/product.aspx?c=643&pid=49923&VID=49954

 

I feel the need to refer the OP to Allen Edmonds. While they may be more expensive up front, they will be a lot cheaper in the long run and you will be happier than if you buy a pair of J&Ms. This will be because you will invest in re-soling the AEs at ~$60 instead of buying new J&M's at $150. Also, AE's use nice leather, which is demonstrated in both the supple nature (ie: leather isn't hard as metal under ankle) and durability (leather won't fold like a wet napkin and resists scuffs). I suggest you either call AE factory store and inquire into the availability of seconds (slight defects=big discount), visit Sierra Trading Post, monitor Amazon and visit ebay in search of AEs. Additionally, Cole Haan typically retails for the roughly the same as Johnston & Murphy and offers (I think) a slightly higher quality of construction. That being said, if you spend the time searching, you should be able to find several pairs of AEs in your price range.

The most popular models seem to be: Park Avenue, Grayson, Soho, Verona, Leeds, McClain, Randolph (wide variety of styles represented there)

"I'm not sure what the four 9's do, but the ace, I think, is pretty high."
 

Johnson & Murphy. Conservative and in that price range.

Cole Haan or Kenneth Cole for something a little more stylish and younger.

I give it 5 minutes before people post on this thread 500+ dollar shoes or start flaming this guy.

 

This isn't a flame. You asked for advice, you're getting it. Loafers are generally more casual than oxfords, so if your shop is suit&tie all week, don't bother with loafers, even though they can work with suits, you're safer with black & dk. brown/oxblood laceups. Make sure they're leather sole and no square toe, or at least faint squareness; think more oblong than square. Cole makes a few exceptions to this rule:

http://www.colehaan.com/colehaan/catalog/product.jsp?catId=100&productI…

As for the other Cole recommended, Kenneth's entire line is largely unacceptable, in my opinion. They're mostly going-out shoes, not going-to-work-on-wall-street shoes. Everything I've seen of theirs is clunkily rubber-soled and super square-toed.

However, those you linked to are not even casual-dress loafers. They're driving shoes. You could maybe pull them off coming in on weekends, depending on the firm. But those are very casual shoes.

Best of luck.

 

Save the loafers for the club or bar. As stated above, Johnston and Murphy is good as well as Bostonians. I've received numerous compliments on the Bostonians I have and they are quite comfortable.

 

I wore a similar pair of those loafers I posted above during my summer internship at the same firm. They're very comfortable and stylish imo. I like the cole haan oxfords you linked.

My firm is business casual as I said in my original post and I'm on the S&T side so its moreso casual than the IBD side. Thats why more people wear drivers and such on the desks around me.

What do you think of these:

http://www.zappos.com/cole-haan-air-ludlow-cap-toe-dark-brown?zlfid=111

http://www.zappos.com/cole-haan-air-jefferson-moc-oxford-black-calf?zlf…

http://www.zappos.com/boss-hugo-boss-recco-10114182-01-brown

http://www.zappos.com/johnston-murphy-corbett-ii-cap-toe-dark-brown-cal…

All in brown because I'll be wearing mainly Grey, Light Grey, Charcoal slacks to work.

 
collector:
John Lobb, Church and Heschung (maybe even Berluti but even more expensive) Just buy those, you won't regret it. The quality is 10 times better, last longer, better service and so on..... And people will notice

My estimate of 5 minutes was off lol

 

I love Lobb and Church also. I have a pair of A. Testoni's which are great as well as some J&M signatures with ostrich. Problem is none of these are in the 150-200 price range. I would suggest looking online or something and seeing if you can get some high end shoes used. Go to a cobbler and get the soles redone and leather treated and you will have brand new shoes.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
...I have feet...

Me too!!! LOL.

To the OP. Whatever you do, don't just buy a pair of shoes because they look good or are stylish/trendy...buy something with some quality and comfort.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

Is anyone familiar with Herrings? If yes, how is the quality of these two pairs?

http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/product-info.php?selectedColourID=1659&br… http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/product-info.php?selectedColourID=418&bra…

With shipping to the US included, the first pair costs about $160 and the second pair about $220. Seems like a good deal to me. The quality should be much better than Cole Haan/Johnson & Murphy/etc.

 

mephistos are the best thing possible for your feet / how you feel. Your feet and back will feel a huge difference if you switch over to wearing them all the time... on the flip side- They are also extremely expensive and generally not good looking... but it's a sacrifice that's worth it sometimes - depending on the day.

To Boot NY makes good shoes that are comfortable and look good... they can be pricey, but usually not absurd.

Tod's are the best possible shoes for most non-work situations.

Feragamo and Gucci shoes look the best (in my mind), and I wear them when balling out at the club and also when I'm meeting with investors / doing client-facing type stuff.

 

mephistos are the best thing possible for your feet / how you feel. Your feet and back will feel a huge difference if you switch over to wearing them all the time... on the flip side- They are also extremely expensive and generally not good looking... but it's a sacrifice that's worth it sometimes - depending on the day.

To Boot NY makes good shoes that are comfortable and look good... they can be pricey, but usually not absurd.

Tod's are the best possible shoes for most non-work situations.

Feragamo and Gucci shoes look the best (in my mind), and I wear them when balling out at the club and also when I'm meeting with investors / doing client-facing type stuff.

 
International Pymp:
mephistos are the best thing possible for your feet / how you feel. Your feet and back will feel a huge difference if you switch over to wearing them all the time... on the flip side- They are also extremely expensive and generally not good looking... but it's a sacrifice that's worth it sometimes - depending on the day.

To Boot NY makes good shoes that are comfortable and look good... they can be pricey, but usually not absurd.

Tod's are the best possible shoes for most non-work situations.

Feragamo and Gucci shoes look the best (in my mind), and I wear them when balling out at the club and also when I'm meeting with investors / doing client-facing type stuff.

Yep, as a Mephisto owner I agree that 90% of their models are ugly as all hell -- but they feel damn good, and I count myself lucky for reaching the point in life when peer pressure no longer affects me and I feel confident going throughout the day wearing my crappy Jos a Bank suits and bland shoes.

 

Never compromise on shoes. Get some decent ones, 1-2 sizes larger, go to your shoemaker of choice and get some air cushion system and a synthetic inner shoe like they had them on the hilfiger surfing shoes. Cant get more comfortable, and it will just look like your normal business shoe. Good thing is: you can replace the bottom, you can replace the inner shoe, and you can replace the cushion system. As long as you treat your shoe well , and you dont have stinky feet, you can wear it for ages.

"Make 'Nanas, not war! "
 

[quote=Banker88]Just went to try these on in the store before ordering online- not as comfortable as I had hoped. Gonna stick with my J&Ms for now: http://www.johnstonmurphy.com/product.aspx?pid=38229&search=melton[/quo…]

The AEs need to be broken in, but they are better made shoes using better leather than J&M, thus will look better for longer. They're not going to be as comfortable as, for example, those Cole Haan shoes with the Nike Air or whatever, but they're definitely a great dress shoe if you're willing to sacrifice a little bit of comfort.

FWIW, my AEs have gotten significantly more comfortable to wear after 1 month of use, probably wearing them about twice a week.

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 

I doubt there's any difference in leather quality between J&M vs AE. Full grain leather is full grain leather. Heck I doubt most people can tell the difference in leather between a shitty Kenneth Cole vs Edward Greens. The reason AEs cost what they do is because of labor costs of manufacturing in the USA, not the fact that they've discovered a higher grade of full grain leather the rest of the world doesn't know about.

As far as comfort, I haven't found a pair of shoes more comfortable than my pair of Florshiem with something called BioComfort insoles. And I own a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo 'Faraone's.

 
shera:
I doubt there's any difference in leather quality between J&M vs AE. Full grain leather is full grain leather.

I'm no expert on shoes or leather quality, but from what I have seen with my own shoes, my AEs have looked better for longer, even though they are both nearly the same age and I wore them with similar frequency until I threw away the J&Ms. This could be for any number of reasons I guess, but I was under the impression that it had to do with the quality of the materials.

ThaVanBurenBoyz:
Coming from someone that owns shoes from both AE and J&M, I can say AE probably costs more because they last much longer. For brown shoes, I was using J&M pennies for almost a year before they started to look too worn out. I replaced them with 5th Aves, because my black Park Aves are 2+ years old, and look and feel no older than 6 months. Both have been worn about the same amount, too.

J&M will feel more comfortable initially, but the AEs are perfectly fine after a handful of wears.

I had the same experience.

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 
shera:
I doubt there's any difference in leather quality between J&M vs AE. Full grain leather is full grain leather. Heck I doubt most people can tell the difference in leather between a shitty Kenneth Cole vs Edward Greens. The reason AEs cost what they do is because of labor costs of manufacturing in the USA, not the fact that they've discovered a higher grade of full grain leather the rest of the world doesn't know about.

As far as comfort, I haven't found a pair of shoes more comfortable than my pair of Florshiem with something called BioComfort insoles. And I own a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo 'Faraone's.

I agree with most everything in this, except the KC vs. EG. The leather on the best pair of KC is horrible.

I own a few pairs of Allens and the construction quality is far better than any Indian-made or Chinese-made shoes.

That said, the pair of Florsheim wingtips I'm wearing now, with the biocomfort insoles, are more comfortable than my Asiacs. And they look nice. The Florsheim Imperials I own (Indian-made) have AE-quality leather but aren't constructed super well. Some lose threads. Still comfortable, though. I'd recommend Florsheim's on sale to anyone (under $90).

 

Coming from someone that owns shoes from both AE and J&M, I can say AE probably costs more because they last much longer. For brown shoes, I was using J&M pennies for almost a year before they started to look too worn out. I replaced them with 5th Aves, because my black Park Aves are 2+ years old, and look and feel no older than 6 months. Both have been worn about the same amount, too.

J&M will feel more comfortable initially, but the AEs are perfectly fine after a handful of wears.

 

For $200 go buy three pairs right now.... Back in April I was shopping around for two pairs and I bought 1 on ebay for 290 including shipping and then had to pay full retail + tax at an AE retail store for the other pair which was crushing. $200 is a goddamn steal. BUY.

Also, to agree with Otter... the shoes get much more comfortable when they are broken in. I rotate the two pairs that I have and after 3 or 4 weeks they were much much more comfortable. Def go try them on first though so you get the correct size/width. I normalls wear 10.5-11 in more shoes and in this last from AE I wear a 10D

 

I think you guys have convinced me on these, just wondering about sizing. I usually wear 10.5-11 but have no idea on a width. Nordstrom's makes it so easy to do returns that I'm not terribly worried about it, but it would be nice to get it right on the first try. Do these run long/short? I was thinking of going 10.5 D...

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 
duffmt6:
I think you guys have convinced me on these, just wondering about sizing. I usually wear 10.5-11 but have no idea on a width. Nordstrom's makes it so easy to do returns that I'm not terribly worried about it, but it would be nice to get it right on the first try. Do these run long/short? I was thinking of going 10.5 D...

I usually fit into 10.5-11 and with the AE's I wear 10D... really better go try them on if possible though if its not a huge hassle.

 
smalleights:
Just picked up a pair and my, they are marvelous. The soles feel quite slick when walking around, will this go away after they are broken in?

Yep that just happens with new shoes. I think I read somewhere that people used to take a knife and make shallow cuts in a grid pattern into their soles to get some added traction when the shoes were brand new. Just wear them around and you'll be fine.

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 

Tried these shoes on at Macy's and I'm happy I did. Two things: - the leather looks rather cheap considering that they retail for 320 or 199 in this case - they don't scale up well; size 7 1/2 looked about right but size 9.5 basically looked extremely pudgy because the toe cap basically has the same size. Definitey recommend trying these on before ordering them (unless you don't mind returning them).

 

[quote=shera]^ agreed. IMO Bass & Co.'s cap toe look better and they sell for only $70. You can see the grain in the leather, it's not as dull looking as the PAs but also not that horrendous plastic looking leather either.

http://www.footsmart.com/p-bass-mens-atlanta-cap-toe-oxford-shoes-86638…]

Haven't seen those specific shoes, but I had never seen a Bass shoe in person until a few weeks ago, and they were all very cheap-looking from what I could tell. Not worth spending the money when you could get a much better shoe for not a whole lot more.

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 

slim fit look into uniqlo and H&M, but i don't think you can get 100% wool for that price unless you start looking at styleforum classified 2nd hand. You'll probably have to get anything you buy tailored, so tack on another 20-25 dollars to pants price when you're looking at purchases.

100 dollar for good quality shoes is hard... at that price point look into johnston & murphy meltons. but they're corrected grain. maybe look on ebay for some allen edmonds 2nd hand.

 

Look on ebay for shoes. Allen Edmonds, Cole Haan and others should be around that price range used.

Pants...go to like Macys bro and just get some decent pants, don't worry about brand. $100 each wont get you anything fancy

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 

Hugo Boss pants fit me really well. They're slim but not too slim. You can get nice pants for $100/pair at an outlet mall usually and then just have them hemmed.

Sometimes when you bring the thunder... you get lost in the storm.
 

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