Dress shoes question about Allen Edmonds - other brands to look into if needed?
Today I just bought a pair of Allen Edmonds oxfords (park avenue), and because I was lazy I didn't fully inspect them in the store but I was sold a somewhat scuffed model for full price. Obviously I am going to return them, but I was wondering if it was generally true what I've seen some people say about them - that AE as a brand is nowhere what it was in the past. This is my first proper dress shoe and I'd like it to be a good one.
I probably can't buy online as I often have issues with proper fitting shoes, and I need them for an upcoming event in a few weeks' time. I wouldn't mind just getting another AE pair that has better QC but some comments I've read on GYW and MFA have been troubling. I live on Long Island so going to NYC to shop around shouldn't be an issue. Would prefer to stay in this price range as well. I've looked into Meermin but many say they are stiff as bricks and take a long time to break in.
50 Replies
do you have pics of the issue? of course new shoes shouldnt be scuffed at all but curious how bad it is
Sure I can post some, give me a moment
they look and feel like scratches to me
yeah don't accept that
basically should be factory second but sold as new
i wouldn't go that far, it'd only take some elbow grease and some polish to fix. but I wouldn't accept it for a new pair.
i wouldn't give too much weight to AE "slipping" in quality. if you can get a nonscuffed pair I think it'll serve you fine.
Alright, sounds good to me, certainly more convenient
seconding everything maybe said
Thank you
that's pretty rough tho lol
My fault tbh
you could've looked closer but if they're marked as new they shouldn't look like that
Not ur fault imo
And for the future, I guess they're an ok brand to go with?
I would skip them for anything other than dress shoes
leffot has a wide pre-owned section if you're looking for better "quality"
Thanks again for the help!
Will note that
Also if you know your size for a model you can just buy AE from
eBay for wayyy cheaper
Ah man I had that exact model for years. In my experience, they do scuff and scratch pretty easily
certainly better not to have it be brand new that way ha
is there a better model you would recommend from them? those seem to fit my feet well enough
I would recommend targeting 25-50% off MSRP for Allen Edmonds. They have frequent sales, so not worth buying at full price.
unfortunately the model I want isnt on sale and I need a shoe asap :/
How quickly need the shoes?
20% extra off right now on factory second Park Avenue's from AE Shoe Bank. So ~$275 total cost. I've had good luck with AE factory seconds personally, mine just required a bit of stitch trimming and some conditioning/shine, but turned out like new afterwards. https://www.shoebank.com/product/mens-factory-second-park-avenue-cap-toe-oxford-dress-shoe-3023814/black-leather-ec4009121
Interesting. Is it ok to get factory seconds for my first dress shoe? if it ends up being scuffed too that kinda sucks no?
For the savings, could be worth taking the chance, particularly if you don’t expect to wear them a ton. What’s the upcoming event? And how often would you wear in the coming years?
My own experience with AE seconds was that they needed a little clean-up, but the two seconds I’ve bought didn’t have anything much worse than the scuffing on that full price pair. Suggest checking Reddit for more experiences though with seconds.
it's a wedding, and honestly not sure how much ill wear them in the upcoming time. probably not much.
If they’re just wedding shoes I’d get something cheaper or a different style you’ll get more wear out of otherwise (provided it’s appropriate for the wedding)
what is the most casual type of shoe I could get for a wedding that requires suit + tie? just seems like oxford is the way to go
oxford the most traditional, black tassel loafers with more formal details like Alden 660s and similar would be what I wear
depending on how strict you can get away with quite a lot tho. Could even wear cowboy boots for example
i mean im still probably gonna go with the oxfords since i literally have no dress shoes, and i guess its just an item i should have regardless
What color suit you likely to wear to the wedding? Wingtips or brogues are technically more casual than a cap toe oxford. Can wear with things like flannel trousers + tweed blazer easily, while cap toe may look too formal for such an outfit. And a brown wingtip/brogue can still work well with a navy or mid blue suit.
I’m going to a wedding in October and will be wearing a medium blue suit + brown brogues. And I have a pair of black cap toes to go with a charcoal suit for funerals and the like.
Unless it’s really conservative and traditional idt you need oxfords.
The utility and requirement of them is really overblown tbh
yeah it's not super formal, ill be wearing like light/mid grey i guess
thats the only suit i have rn it's gonna be tailored
but all i have are sneakers and chukkas rn
Pics of the chukkas?
And the suit tbh
wont be able to provide rn but im fairly sure the chukkas' shade of brown wont go with the suit
i mean i can easily be convinced not to go for cap toe oxfords since I probably wont have cause to wear them too much, i cant think of a situation that would reasonably come up that requires them
if you really wanted oxfords I just wouldn't get ones that are like $200 and you'll never wear them
quality doesn't matter that much when you're wearing them twice/year
yeah but then wont I have it like forever?
or will lower quality ones also last equally long if i wear infrequently
Why invest in something you don't particularly like and don't need to wear that often? I'd much rather spend on something that I'm excited to wear all of the time
Let's say some cheap shoes will last you 200 wears (gross underestimate). If you wear them even a half-dozen times/year they'll last 33 years
I will try to find a similar suit color on the web, as it is not with me at the moment
it's more of a blue-grey actually
Not exactly it but something between these two I thinkhttps://www.macys.com/shop/product/kenneth-cole-reaction-mens-slim-fit-mini-houndstooth-suit?ID=16987925&swatchColor=Blue
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/tommy-hilfiger-mens-modern-fit-th-flex-stretch-chambray-suit-separate-jacket?ID=16771141&swatchColor=Blue
and my brother said "loafers are for old people" xD
so i dont know what to believe anymore as someone with minimal taste
loafers are for people that like to wear loafers
also fyi this is my chukka I believe: https://www.florsheim.com/shop/style/13370-222.html
www.florsheim.com
Norwalk by Florsheim Shoes
Check out the Norwalk by Florsheim Shoes – designed for men who pay attention to the details and appreciate true craftsmanship. www.florsheim.com
i dont have a good camera so i think color may show better on the site
I'd just wear that with a white shirt
and the suit?
it's summery but nothing really wrong with it
alright, I mean if this is fine then I guess it's fine, Ill just have to see for myself when I try it on. I was just under the impression from reading some mfa posts that I should generally go for dressier shoes with suits where suit is required attire
It's not that important tbh. At my wedding I was the only person in a suit. But I also attended a black tie wedding this summer so it just depends on the dress code and such. You know more about that than we do
from the invite:
What is the dress code?
Short answer: Semi Formal. But if, just like we would, you are still wondering what exactly that means, we are here to help! The way we envision our event would be: - For ladies: cocktail dresses (or any length of dress you like), or a combination of dressy pants and top. - For gentlemen: suits, jacket optional, and no color preferences
What shoes should I wear?
Make sure you are wearing something comfortable! Our ceremony will take place outdoors, in a grassy area, and there will be some minimal (5 min maximum) walking from the ceremony area to the reception.
Sorry for the inundation of text, I really appreciate all help thus far
Yeah I'd just wear what you have
No reason to get something else on short notice. If you do want a nicer suit/shoes/etc I'd do that separate from this sort of thing. No need to spend $200 on shoes, +$600 on a suit, etc. that you'll only wear a handful of times
yeah agreed
especially I have a suit already
that was my brother's, figured I'd just get it tailored
much cheaper than a new one
yep! You can also post some fit pics here and folks can help determine what needs done