Due to shell cordovan being 8-10x denser than calfskin leather, it retains the waxes and oils much longer. Your Aldens might look great with suits. See above. Thanks John, great to have the recommendation. Id certainly wear them with, for example, charcoal flannels, knitwear, and a raglan coat. I would have figured it to be more formal. But it is also absolutely unique - the kind of thing you recognise immediately on someone else walking down the street. Ah, I see. Picture: Carmina (Top picture: Vcleat). And ideally a darker no8 shade, but not as big a factor. On very large or very tall men, there might be issues. I havent tried them in person, so its hard to say. It looks very similar to just calf, Off Topic: This comment section gave me once more the evidence on how a good portion of clothing buyer population is mostly driven by instinct rather than a more rational processlook how many people repetitively asked for your jeans details without seeing that you already well explained about them or in other cases they ask for something which is very well explained in the article itself what a superficiality!! Its time to balance those out with something much less impressive. Usage frequency: As a retiree; I dont really get out too often. Curious if youve seen the Bit Ivy loafer in Color 16, a deeper burgundy version of Color 8 on pre-order from Leffot? last year (shown below). Beautiful shoes and a perfect fit. Thank you Simon, I would be interested to look into that too. I totally agree that, with most non-designer shoes, you get what you pay for. Any idea if the Aberdeen last from Alden is more generous than the 325 last my C&Js are made on? Tony. Next time youre in NY it might be worth the 2 hour flight to Atlanta to visit Sid Mashburns flagship store here. I think last shape should really by driven by your foot and what style you want. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Which do you prefer between the prototype and the NW1? What about a suit lower down the formality scale, say a mid Grey flannel? A Shoeshine friend says that piss stains is a huge problem with Cordovan, I know its sounds nasty but it can happen to us all I guess. Given the price of shell cordovan shoes, and the issues with water uncoated/untreated, Im not sure I am gong to rush to get a pair.That said, many shoe aficionados love the materialI remain intrigued But thats just brushing, not using polish or cream. Love it! Its here where the leather is thickest. Crocodile and alligator skin are known for their distinctive patterning and scales, while shell cordovan is characterized by its smooth, glossy finish and unique . All of them stand out a lot, and you wouldnt get anything like that on a smart shoe. Or other reason? I know its fine for the vast majority of makers and people, but that doesnt necessarily mean it will work for him and you. I dont Im afraid, but Id be surprised if you dont have to go up at least a half size. Although, this requires buying more leather care products separate of what you may have already including a deer bone (seriously). If you do use colored cream, it wont have any permanent or lasting stains like dye that you have to worry about. Ah, I see. Are the Alden versions sufficiently versatile to wear with flannel, cords, and cavalry twill, maybe with an appropriate sports coat? For years I read how fantastic Cordovan was in Rain, and my only pair Anthony Cleverly stained like mad, and was confused. I was looking at these pair of boots from Alden https://www.brogueshop.com/collections/shell-cordovan-1/products/alden-x-brogue-ruby-hill-boot-1 to wear with my https://thearmoury.com/products/the-armoury-by-nigel-cabourn-5-pocket-denim-jeans?variant=17728986677319 and my https://therealmccoys.com/collections/bottoms/products/001xx-washed Jeans. What are the plusses and minuses? Learn how your comment data is processed. Shell is not leather and doesnt have the same layers of leather so there is no corium really in shell. Yes, thats one of the better pros. But I still dont quite understand your preference for Alden over Carmina on quality/value grounds. Do they actually do anything? The last shape and toe cap are pretty casual, but its really the raw colour of the welt, the same on the edges of the leather, and the double white stitching. And when its grey denim, black shoes actually look best. I will confess (and so would my father) that we have many more fine pairs of shoes than one deserves. I think you have one in suede. But, Im not sure that Id pay $800+ for a new pair. Thank you. And its a shade I prefer - you can see the difference in my Vass pair above. Id also seen examples of shell exposed to sun lightening up quite a bit. A quality pair that fits you can last a lifetime, if cared for properly. J&M no longer makes anything worthwhile . Unless I want to go the MTO route, Ive got 1 rubber soled option from 6 offerings at Edward Green and 0 from 11 offerings at C&J, which I find puzzling! Simon, curious to know if you have any thoughts on the last post re: quality of cordovan sourced by makers. Alden is really expensive in my country, whereas to my surprise Allen Edmonds is not. In the US, at least, and speaking solely about each companys cordovan offer, their pricing is very similar. Any special way? Plenty of people do wear topsiders, or boat shoes, over here too. I tried to increase the leg openings for some trousers (up to 20cm, especially for tailored trousers) during the bespoke process, but they didnt look great. How do I get rid of scratches and scuffs? Its almost like youre wearing down and moulding the surface. Its made on the 379X Military Last. 2. Thanks for the reply and advice.Its so nice of you. The shopkeeper guy suggested me to get 7.5 as they will stretch. r/goodyearwelt Alden Whiskey Shell Longwings . E.g. The loafers shown above - my Alden full-straps on the Aberdeen last - look almost black in this light. Do they stretch after the break in period? As Nick Horween told us. Spanish Carmina is one of the brands who treat the cordovan to make it withstand rain better. I'm not entirely sure why they fell out of someone's rotation, but I'm happy they did. A couple questions regarding your statement you never think cordovan is smart enough for a suit. That said, there is certainly a look with black loafers, which can be too easily dismissed if we just think of that as formal. Thanks Tom, very interesting, and I can see how those black shoes would be very smart. I recommend doing it after every wear, if you can. And, scuffs, are dealt-with through heat and friction rubbing out. Not elegant enough? What would you replace that Saphir recolorant with? Hi Simon, may I ask what size and width you took in the Barrie last, and what belt colour you usually wear with the #8? Hi Noel. Its certainly thicker than calf. I would sincerely appreciate your guidance as I am currently deciding which way to go for a pair of cordovan tassel loafers. I think it is really unique and pleasing to my eye because of the short vamp. It has an almost grungey, otherworldly appearance to it, and yet still appears smart. I guess it might be your feet, but then again I havent worn mine for 12 years either. The big appeal for me is its toughness and waterproof properties, as you note. Normally I wear 8.5 E in all EG lasts. Although not a number 8, I really like those cordovan Vass. After taking them off for the day, use a damp cloth for a quick wipedown. Some like that sturdiness, while some dislike it and have a hard time breaking in corodovan shoes and getting them comfortable due to this, a bit depending on how sensitive your feet are. Assuming the shoe itself is smart enough, how would the colour 8 cordovan go with a navy or charcoal suit? Whats the verdict on the jumper boots? I do love these shoes. Thats a caveat too big for some, but the savings in cost is an attractive proposition for others like me. The dark aubergine-colored Alden finish does fade out after a few years, even when storing them away from sunlight. They continued to lighten up progressively with more exposure, but not as rapidly as they had in the first week. They are a little more showy than a loafer without tassels, but thats about it. 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. Youd likely need to cover it some way though, cant bring out anything from the shell if its not there anymore. Have you seen the hudson loafer? On the side, do you have any plans to review the armoury in house label shoes? Hi Simon, I just bought a pair of Alden Plain Toe Blucher in Color 8 when in New York. If you want to polish your Cordovan . This is not intended to be a dressy shoe, so the brass eyelets fitted well. I recommend doing so - with a cloth - before you wear them or when you want them to look particularly good. I am inclined to pick black having looked at your black cordovan which one would you pick if you were me? 187 Likes, 0 Comments - (@matthews.grail) on Instagram: ". Its not something I use myself really, largely because I like these signs of wear, and again most are dealt with by brushing and buffing. Anyways, the Alden Indy color 8 shell is often said to be super versatile. They simpy cost too much to take the chance, in my view. We use traditional techniques to make beautiful, useful and nearly indestructible leather products. But otherwise no. Hi Simon I am deciding between Black or Burgendy (not colour 8) cordovan loafers. And your pair look totally dark, so dark that I find it difficult to believe it is a No.8. Here in NYC, they are far more common than I have seen on trips to London. Thank you for the high quality of your columns. They seem to be similar to my childhood notion of what an adult mens shoe looked like. Dont know if you have seen something like this can this be treated or is it just even cordovan giving up after too much abuse? 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