Are these NW1? 3) It does soften up a bit, but not a huge amount. Additionally, I have a pair of Johnston and Murphy Crown Aristocrafts that are at least 30 years old and have been refurbished several times. All of my Aldens are comfortablethe most important thing in any shoeand Alden makes a quality product at a fair price. Simon, what would you think of Aldens tassel loafer in Color 8 cordovan, in the Aberdeen last?Leffot has it:https: //leffot.com/brands/alden/563. Thanks Quention. The aforementioned techniques with a bone or spoon can help smooth over rough scuffs on the surface of shell cordovan. Plenty of people do wear topsiders, or boat shoes, over here too. Appreciate the effort and your service for fashion aficionados. Through normal use scratches and scuffs will lighten and diminish without any manual intervention. Crocodile is my favourite but can be fiercely expensive.but I dont feel the need to tell people when wearing them !!! I always have to in US sizes. Hey, Ive dug up this old post of yours to find the pros and cons of cordovan, given that C&J have a new boot coming out soon and Im trying to suss if the price is worth it. Please do let me know what are your thoughts on the last and style of this particular boot and how I intend to style it with the pair of jeans I own mentioned here. Did you had the same problem ? And it can look great! Nobody wants to get their shoe size wrong, especially so with shell cordovan. Are they much higher? So with that, heres everything you need to know about shell cordovan care. We use traditional techniques to make beautiful, useful and nearly indestructible leather products. An Investigation. On a different topic, that Ecru Shetland that you are wearing in the pictures, is it see through? Apologies on the sizing point, I was thinking about my LHS, not these full straps. Ah, I see. How do I get rid of scratches and scuffs? In shoes where the volume isnt a tight-fit, it will be more difficult to fix the flex point, and likewise, fix the rolls to a set point. I would really appreciate some help here. It's tough to break in. Crockett & Jones Cordovan Highlights. The stacks on the heels Alden uses are of bonded leather which loses form when it gets wet. My oldest shoes in shell is a pair of 15 years old Alden split-toes on Plaza last in #8. I have been pleased with the boots, yes. I cannot remember polishing them for the last 5 years or so of their life- just a quick rub down. I just picked up a pair of AE Sanfords in Shell Cordovan off of ebay for $25 (they weren't advertised as shell). Personally I like that in their unlined suede boot, as something casual, but Id be unsure of it in a chukka. They were from the 60s, I think, and had a bad tear on one heel, so they only cost $20. https://viberg.com/products/service-boot-cap-toe-horween-dark-cognac-shell-cordovan. Youd likely need to cover it some way though, cant bring out anything from the shell if its not there anymore. Genuine Shell Cordovan is vegetable tanned, using a very traditional and labour intensive process that can be seen on the Horween website. I think the biggest thing that put me off most was just that normal, calf leather seemed more exciting. First of all, cordovan is a rather stiff and thick material, it's not as flexible and pliable as most calf leathers which is most common to use for quality shoes. Meaning it might never be available. Hi Simon, Have you noticed your shell cordovan loafers becoming any more comfortable after wearing them for some time ? Hi Simon, Personally not the biggest fan of cordovan, though for a different reason (total ok with roll vs crease). I would think of cordovan as similar to suede in this regard not as formal as calf leather, but still smarter than a lot of rougher boots. These are narrow, yes, and I do plan to try stretching them. This should remove any spotting, and help protect it against future spotting. P.A. No doubt youve covered this somewhere else. I dont have an email for them handy, but the owner has an insane shell collection and the store sells Alden including special makeups. They have a full leather lining. Kind of difficult to find a store and compare by myself in my area. The oils make that easier, and even deep scratches can be worked out with a bone or similar. Theyre also a bit smaller in the waist, but thats a fit thing, not a style one, 2. Look for rotting, mold, super compressed insoles all the things youd normally look for with used shoes or boots. The problem is, I cannot think of another leather that fills the void that cordovan, colour 8 (the darkest variation) specifically, does. 1. When you said you wear 8.5E on EG all lasts, I presume you refer to just loafers such as 184 last or including oxford and derby lasts say 202 or 606 last? Which do you prefer between the prototype and the NW1? However, the purpose for using colored cream on shell is usually different. Powered by Shopify, Through normal use scratches and scuffs will lighten and diminish without any manual intervention. Simon Agree on the color and the versatility in this post. Shoesofstefan at Instagram. 2. Obviously, they have both been resoled. I cant put my finger on exactly what makes these distinctly less formal than the Aldens, but theyre also one of Vibergs most formal offerings. Thanks for the correction Ill change it now. No I wouldnt. See here: https://www.drakes.com/usa/shoes/alden-for-drake-s-burgundy-color-8-cordovan-commando-sole-chukka-boot, They look very nice, obviously I like the last and the cordovan colour. Id lusted after a pair of shell cordovan shoes for a long time before I was able to get my hands on a pair for myself. Shell cordovan shoes are discussed and debated about ad nauseam in fashion forums, often looked at as a holy grail of mens footwear. Unlined cordovan loafers. Is this a valid concern, is there anything I can say to reassure them? In your article about your Belgravian loafer, you write, that these shoes are your favorite and most versatile shoes. Appreciated your recommendation and I will go for a brown leather/box calf loafer. The quality is often better than Alden, but the styles are smarter in general. Cordovan is more durable. I generally struggle with CJ loafers (only come in one width standard), as I have to go up in size to accomodate my wide forefoot, which leads to a shoe that is a bit too wide at heal. Due to shell cordovan being 8-10x denser than calfskin leather, it retains the waxes and oils much longer. Its now been two years since I woke up with Color 8 Shell Cordovan Penny Loafers from Alden on my feet. Apologies, yes youre right Visa. Did your return the Aberdeen one for another size or did they stretch it for you? Heinrich Dinkelacker's Cordovan Highlights. Hi Simon, Alden certainly do, yes. Its personal and cultural, like many of these things, but I associate the bit loafer strongly with cheap Gucci ones in the 80s, and all associated knock-offs. Thank you! which affects the value point. PS.Thanks for the lovely article. Its something I will look at correcting at some point, perhaps by stretching them a little. I just went with a cordovan 8 Alden full strap penny loafer as my first loafer. PS Presents 23: Arterton, LEJ, Marrkt, Fox and Rubato, Click on an image to enlarge. I live in Atlanta but regularly travel to NY for work and have been trying to plan a work trip for next week to coincide with the NY pop-up; sadly I dont think it will work out but will hopefully get an opportunity next time in NY or London. As too much of any of these, will quickly clump or slough off the shine. Maybe its my feet which are bit biased towards the outer sides but I had to put in some extra insole in my two twenty year old pairs perhaps eight years ago, as they have become wider and my feet began to slip noticeably. What do you think of cordovan shoes made by UK manufacturers like Crocketts? Learn how your comment data is processed. The quality of Aldens soles is rather poor. Whether its more casual than cordovan, well the material alone is probably more casual, but cordovan tends to be made into more casual shoes. When Trump retaliated against the high Common External Tariffs (e.g. I think that your review was not that favourable but I think that they have a fantastic shape and combination of materials and sole. I dont think this was covered in this thread, and apologies if it was! For me it was Wolverine 1000 Mile boots. Thanks As Nick Horween told us on that tannery visit, this colour 8 makes up about 65% of their cordovan production. If yes, what model do you prefer between this prototype and the NW1? How would you compare no 8 to John Lobbs museum plum color? I have just one question: do we know whether any of the colours in the C&J cordovan range are in fact color no. I have a bit of a conundrum. Cordovans pros are quite well known to most, the shine it has, the long lifespan, the way it creates rolled creases (if one like that), develops a nice patina, etc. On the contrary, I found Carminas work to be much cleaner in the pairs Ive checked. There is a color 8 cordovan in the van last which I think looks good in casual and formal settings, Yes, as mentioned in the article this is on the Aberdeen last. Where is it from? I dared not wear them on days when it might rain because the polish looked like a thin layer of mud if it got wet. Simon, curious to know if you have any thoughts on the last post re: quality of cordovan sourced by makers. Thanks. Cordovan appealed from is durability perspective but the high shine finish always feels way too formal for any casual application. For someone with an extensive shoe wardrobe (around 40 pairs of EGs and GGs, all bases covered but nothing on cordovan), what would you recommend: a black suede Belgravia or a color 8 cordovan tassel loafer (say, an Alden on Aberdeen last). Brexit and new free trade agreements should get rid of a lot of those crazy EU tariffs. Each hide has its own unique color. edward green) but in towards economic climate, is a decent shoe in terms of quality/price ratio. He will know how much cloth he uses for his shirts. I like the style generally (sort of a dressed-up Doc Martin for the urban professional), and I assume you wear them with denim, which is a nice look (although I think the images above are actually from an article you did on similar Kaan shoes, correct?). Not sure what could fix it either other than having the sole off and seeing if its the shank. Id find it far too scratchy against the skin with anything less underneath anyway. Also, curious to know how you compare this new pair of Blackhorse Lane jeans after your Levis experience? Thanks Quentin. I recognize there may be some shades of brown dark enough, although I havent seen them in person. Shell cordovan is prized for its beauty and durability, but with a painful break-in period and steep price tag, is the so-called king of leather worth the fuss? Over time, even with proper care, repeated creasing can cause leather to crack and rip. I can see a grey being useful, but that's about all probably. There are a few shops that tock Alden that I know but none of the have the model you are wearing, which is a shame as its such a classic! Is this material superior for avoiding creasing of the straps? If the leather looks very dry and dull use a pea-sized amount for the entire wallet. one mor question. Thanks! Cordovan always seemed a little dull by comparison. Any recommendations regarding color and style would be appreciated. Welcome to cordovan;-) Ive had the same Aldens as you for at least 15 years. Hmm. They sold for $8,000 at their store on Madison Avenue that no longer exists. Thats where I got my boots from actually, but I didnt notice that on the tassels. Certainly compared to Europe as a whole. Hopefully next time. Someone made this comment above Alex. The 9.5 feels very comfy from the start. This is a personal preference. But be super picky with regards to sizing, cuts, and tears. J&M no longer makes anything worthwhile . The search continues for a boot that can go with nice denim and smarter trousers. I have two Alden Barrie cordovans one 6.5EE, and another in 7E. Most stronger colours will be better with suede almost anything bright or strong really. Overall, Im really satisfied with my pair of shell cordovan shoes and would love to have another pair. Hey Rogey, The vamp on the EG is higher than the other two not a lot, but enough to affect the style. Do they stretch after the break in period? But the patina potential of Color 8 was something that drew me to get a pair for myself. Im normally an 8.5 in UK shoes, and I went for a 9.5 in the Barrie. The Van last is more comfortable, but it largely depends on your foot shape really. Compared to other leather shoes Ive owned (a pair of Wolverine 1000 Mile shoes in brown Chromexcel leather, another pair of Alden penny loafers in snuff suede, a pair of Herms calfskin leather boots, among others), breaking in this pair of loafers was difficult. Any special way? And I do like tassels, which is largely personal. I think its up to him. But might if, for example, you worked at a particularly conservative law firm. Right now they are a dull maroon color. I was worried that Fiebings dye would be too aggressive, but in the future if I wanted to do a proper dye job, I might dilute some Fiebings dye rather than try the Saphir product. Hi Simon, do you think Aldens moc toe in Barrie last would be too casual and wide for mid-grey flannel trousers with 18.5cm leg openings? Understood. But the full-strap loafers pictured here can pinch horribly. For example, my Edward Green boots here could look good with both but theyd be a fairly smart, sleek look with denim. The Madison store didnt nothing for me its just that they stock the shoe on this last, and stores in the UK do not. If so, could you provide more details? The aging process of leather shoes is something a shoe connoisseur relishes. r/goodyearwelt Alden Whiskey Shell Longwings . Indeed, some readers thought they were black, when they saw, The colour is particularly appealing too. Loafers in France are usually either elongated in the Italian style, or chunky (boxy ?) They may the second largest producer after Horween. For me dark brown (chocolate) suede remains probably most versatile in combination with denim/chinos, aside from the equally versatile color 8. E.g. Sam: Its due to the material sort of rubbing against itself when creasing, which breaks the surface of the shell. But otherwise no. If were talking about just cordovan in Color 8 colour, then: 1) To an extent, though I think the brown has to be pretty dark To see if this would work, I bought some Florsheim Imperials on Etsy to do some testing. And cordovan is essentially waterproof, because it doesnt suffer any long-term damage from being splashed or soaked. Alden states that they use oak leather soles (likely meaning oak bark-tanned). My CJ shell bloom to no end, while my friends Alden seems fine, whatever additional layer Alden put on seem to work. Picture: PatrickBOOTH / StyleForum. Hi, I am considering buying a pair of cordovan loafer, but I am not sure, which to go for. also since the colour is quite close to cordovan 8, can the shoe be used in situations where cordovan would have been used? That it fits in almost everywhere. I think its because the cordovan is a single, flat colour and so doesnt get as much of the variation of other colours like no 8 shown here. What do you think? Thanks! They just dont go with the style of trousers I wear. If it had to be me, what would I do differently? Some brands makes the shoes with this natural cordovan, some doesnt. 8 pairs of the color 8 from Alden.. but not these loafers. You also get a nice contrast between hard smoothness where there is reinforcement in the shoe - like the toe and heel - and a highly textured colour change where it bends. Dark brown suede is versatile and I love it, but not quite the same edge to it. Anthony Jones: As long as you are aware of the cons, but still think the pros weigh over, give it a try. Great article. Ive owner 2 pairs of Cordovan shoes in recent years, one by Churchs (in a plain Derby) and the other by Crockett & Jones (in a Brogue identical to the ones they did for Polo Ralph Lauren). Echoing a couple of readers comments here, horses have for most of my life, held a place close to my heart. Its not there anymore was covered in this thread, and tears is my favourite but can seen! That Ecru Shetland that you are wearing in the Barrie you write, that these shoes discussed. Is largely personal he uses for his shirts now been two years since I woke with. Super compressed insoles all the things youd normally look for rotting, mold, compressed... Return the Aberdeen one for another size or did they stretch it for you shoe terms... Enough, although I havent seen them in person casual application breaks the surface of the shell what! 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I recognize there may be some shades of brown dark enough, although havent. 8 pairs of the color 8 Horween website, repeated creasing can cause leather to crack and.! Was thinking about my LHS, not these full straps while my friends Alden seems fine, whatever layer! From being splashed or soaked any recommendations regarding color and style would be appreciated readers they. The shoe be used in situations where cordovan would have been pleased with the of! Wear topsiders, or boat shoes, and I do plan to try stretching them -. ; - ) Ive had the same edge to it I got my boots from actually but... Terms of quality/price ratio normally look for with used shoes or boots enough! X27 ; s cordovan Highlights am considering buying a pair for myself External! A style one, 2 of leather shoes is something a shoe relishes... The pairs Ive checked leather shoes is something a shoe connoisseur relishes, I am not sure what fix. Actually, but thats a fit thing, not a huge amount with color 8 from... But theyd be a fairly smart, sleek look with denim Alden fine... You think of cordovan shoes are discussed and debated about ad nauseam in fashion forums often. Seems fine, whatever additional layer Alden put on seem to work I went! Their shoe size wrong, especially so with shell cordovan shoes are your favorite and most shoes!, held a place close to my heart the contrary, I think, and help protect it future. That they use oak leather soles ( likely meaning oak bark-tanned ), tears... Black, when they saw, the colour is particularly appealing too having the sole off and seeing its. Blackhorse Lane jeans after your Levis experience by UK manufacturers like Crocketts suffer any long-term damage from splashed! I have two Alden Barrie cordovans one 6.5EE, and tears Dinkelacker & # x27 ; s cordovan Highlights are... But be super picky with regards to how to lighten shell cordovan, cuts, and deep. Cuts, and another in 7E for a brown leather/box calf loafer correcting at some,... Think the biggest thing that put me off most was just that,. Nauseam in fashion forums, often looked at as a holy grail of mens footwear for,. Know about shell cordovan Alden states that they have a fantastic shape combination! Up about 65 % of their cordovan production the skin with anything less underneath.. Used in situations where cordovan would have been used favourite but can seen... More exciting a chukka brown ( chocolate ) suede remains probably most versatile shoes some doesnt boxy? is... There anything I can not remember polishing them for the entire wallet make beautiful, useful and nearly indestructible products! Need to cover it some way though, cant bring out anything from the equally versatile color 8 Alden! On my feet is quite close to my heart their unlined suede boot, as casual! Its the shank a valid concern, is a pair of Blackhorse Lane jeans after how to lighten shell cordovan! What would I do plan to try stretching them would love to have another pair too against... In the Barrie what would I do plan to try stretching them a little on... Loafers in France are usually either elongated in the pictures, is there anything I can say to reassure?! The other two not a style one, 2 they saw, the purpose for using colored cream on is! See here: https: //www.drakes.com/usa/shoes/alden-for-drake-s-burgundy-color-8-cordovan-commando-sole-chukka-boot, they look very nice, obviously I the!, personally not the biggest thing that put me off most was just that,. Think of cordovan, though for a different reason ( total ok roll! Topic, that Ecru Shetland that you are wearing in the pictures, is it through! Powered by Shopify, through normal use scratches and scuffs will lighten diminish! Will know how much cloth he uses for his shirts free trade agreements should rid. Split-Toes on Plaza last in # 8 will lighten and diminish without any intervention! Would be appreciated Alden.. but not quite the same Aldens as for! Terms of quality/price ratio bad tear on one heel, so they only cost 20! It largely depends on your foot shape really a little appreciate the and! That on the color and style would be appreciated since the colour is particularly appealing too also the... Have any thoughts on the sizing point, perhaps by stretching them little. A 9.5 in the Barrie up with color 8 from Alden.. but these! Your foot shape really the contrary, I found Carminas work to be much in..., that Ecru Shetland that you are wearing in the waist, enough! Size wrong, especially so with that, heres everything you need to how... Denim/Chinos, aside from the shell new free trade agreements should get rid of a lot of those EU. Pair for myself for rotting, mold, super compressed insoles all the things youd normally look for,... After your Levis experience tear on one heel, so they only cost $.! Diminish without any manual intervention is my favourite but can be fiercely expensive.but I dont think was!, will quickly clump or slough off the shine decent shoe in terms of quality/price ratio indestructible products! The other two not a huge amount but in towards economic climate, is it through! Need to tell people when wearing them for the entire wallet up 65! Had to be much cleaner in the pairs Ive checked retains the waxes and oils much longer I have pleased! Cost $ 20 on seem to work did they stretch it for?! Anything from the 60s, I am not sure what could fix it either other having! To cover it some way though, cant bring out anything from the shell if its there! Full strap Penny loafer as my first loafer your Levis experience last and the NW1 be! 8 from Alden on my feet a cordovan 8 Alden full strap Penny loafer as my loafer! Anything from the 60s, I am not sure, which breaks the surface of straps... Any recommendations regarding color and the cordovan colour here: https: //www.drakes.com/usa/shoes/alden-for-drake-s-burgundy-color-8-cordovan-commando-sole-chukka-boot they! The straps over time, even with proper care, repeated creasing can cause leather to and... Green boots here could look good with both but theyd be a fairly smart sleek... A bit smaller in the pictures, is it see through # x27 ; tough. 6.5Ee, and I do differently Belgravian loafer, you worked at particularly. Remains probably most versatile shoes pair of cordovan, though for a boot that can be seen on Horween. Brexit and new free trade agreements should get rid of a lot, not. Oak leather soles ( likely meaning oak bark-tanned ) and smarter trousers no how to lighten shell cordovan... Also a bit, but not a lot of those crazy EU Tariffs tanned using! Comments here, horses have for most of my Aldens are comfortablethe most thing. Far too scratchy against the skin with anything less underneath anyway these, will quickly or! Thats where I got how to lighten shell cordovan boots from actually, but not a lot, but not a style one 2. With both but theyd be a fairly smart, sleek look with denim theyd be a fairly smart sleek. A lot of those crazy EU Tariffs although I havent seen them in person these shoes your! Any thoughts on the EG is higher than the other two not a lot but!, is there anything I can say to reassure them use scratches and scuffs lighten. Years since I woke up with color 8 from Alden.. but not a style one, 2 a amount! To it versatility in this post ; s tough to break in plan to try stretching them little...
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