# Are these Herring Shoes the most beautiful you've ever seen?



## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Just got these from Herring Shoes







HERE's the page!



Note the other, more exciting, colors! I know, I went conservative!








We may make these the "official" AskAndy shoe style! 

Another Member just posted about a similar style (other brand) but I can't find it - can anyone help? Thanks.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Actually, I just got a pair of the green and brown ones last week. They are, indeed, gorgeous. The suede is some of the deepest/plushest I've ever seen on shoes.


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## Hanzo (Sep 9, 2009)

Andy said:


> View attachment 2054


Wow! I want one of each!


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

This is interesting (well, maybe only to me :icon_smile but I'm a 10.5 US shoe size which converts (I checked the Foreign Size Conversions Chapter, Shoe Section, in my copy of *The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes*! :icon_smile_big:

That converts to 10 UK. But most of the British shoes I have seem to run big. I was noticing that I've put insoles in them all!!

I worked with the great folks at Herring and we decided to try a 9.5 UK size - they fit perfectly!


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Yes, I got 10's (based on the 10.5=10 conversion), but a 9.5 would have worked.


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## Poindexter (Jul 22, 2010)

Lord, I love spectators, but these ones that have suede or fabric for the body look like a maintenance nightmare to me. I would be interested in reports from anybody who actually wears them around the real world.

Aloha, 

Poinz


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## JustJosh (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm with poindexter on these. Great looking shoes, but in the midwest, I'd be afraid to wear them outside of an indoor event in the middle of summer.


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## Checkerboard 13 (Oct 6, 2009)

They are gorgeous shoes.. and quite reasonably priced. 

How do the materials and construction appear to measure up, in person?


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Poindexter said:


> Lord, I love spectators, but these ones that have suede or fabric for the body look like a maintenance nightmare to me. I would be interested in reports from anybody who actually wears them around the real world.


Poindexter, the entire original point of spectators was to ease the maintenance/wear concerns of suede shoes. Suede was once considered appropriate only for sporting use, such as attending horse races or playing golf, but those same activities often exposed shoes to mud and dirt. Smooth leather was easier to maintain, but suede more stylish. Spectators placed smooth, easily-maintained, dirt-sloughing leather at the toe, heel, and other places where wear is often worst, and suede in relatively protected locations.

FWIW, Herring includes a tin of clear polish with the shoes, and it's a breeze to apply that to only the smooth leather.


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## Scotch&Cigars (Dec 27, 2009)

These shoes are going to haunt me until I break down and buy them.

Alas, I fear that I am bound to be disappointed as my foot is slightly wide and these seem to come only in medium fit.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

I'm partial to their Country Collection...


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Wrong forum, you should be over on the Trad forum with those were they will be admired even more  Personally I've never liked specatators or any other two tone or two texture shoes.


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

No, they are not.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Andy said:


> Another Member just posted about a similar style (other brand) but I can't find it - can anyone help?


Similar?

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?84098-Gee-I-love-this-Vass-U-last-spectator!


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

Scotch&Cigars said:


> These shoes are going to haunt me until I break down and buy them.
> 
> Alas, I fear that I am bound to be disappointed as my foot is slightly wide and these seem to come only in medium fit.


Herring's medium fit is quite wide. I take a 10.5 E in most American brands, and have no problems with the width. Those with narrow feet might be less fortunate.


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## Scotch&Cigars (Dec 27, 2009)

That's excellent news. I take a 9E (and even then, on some shoes, I'm in between 9M and 9E), so that sounds like I shouldn't have much of a problem.

Now, to find 300 clams that I can blow on shoes...


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## Mad Hatter (Jul 13, 2008)

Kingstonian said:


> No, they are not.


Not doing it for me, also. Can't find any interest for the Strawfut, either.


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## dwebber18 (Jun 5, 2008)

With my birthday at the end of the month I have to come up with things for my wife to get as she has no imagination. Andy has inspired me and I just sent her an email with probably 6 different pairs from Herrings, haha. What you all will find funny is that she got me a pair of Strand for Christmas, for my birthday she asked if I would mind getting something similar for my birthday as she ordered the C&J Lowndes. I thought she knew me well enough to know I'll always take a new pair of shoes no matter what, guess I have to keep working on her. As to those shoes you posted Andy, yes they are quite nice and I would proudly wear them but there are more beautiful shoes. In that price range though, they are near the top of my aesthetics list.


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## Buffalo (Nov 19, 2003)

Are these Herring Shoes the most beautiful you've ever seen?

Just got these from Herring Shoes
Click image for larger version Name: Herring-Fencote-BrownCalf-GreySuede.jpg Views: 69 Size: 4.8 KB ID: 2053

Have to disagree here, and I know that it's a matter of taste which is individual, but since you asked Andy, here is my reply:: Absolutely, positively NO.


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## simonfoy (Mar 18, 2010)

Very similar to the Barkers pair I have just bought. There is a post on the WAYWT part of the forum.


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## Musick (Oct 5, 2009)

The last is the deal breaker IMO. Nice otherwise.


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## Sator (Jan 13, 2006)

Andy said:


> This is interesting (well, maybe only to me :icon_smile but I'm a 10.5 US shoe size which converts (I checked the Foreign Size Conversions Chapter, Shoe Section, in my copy of *The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes*! :icon_smile_big:
> 
> That converts to 10 UK. But most of the British shoes I have seem to run big. I was noticing that I've put insoles in them all!!


I don't think that UK shoes run big, rather it is the conversion tables that are incorrect. Most people are much better off converting US size to UK size by subtracting 1. The only exception is if you have a wider foot.

There used to a be on-line converter that got it right but it seems to have disappeared.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Sator said:


> I don't think that UK shoes run big, rather it is the conversion tables that are incorrect. Most people are much better off converting US size to UK size by subtracting 1. The only exception is if you have a wider foot.
> 
> There used to a be on-line converter that got it right but it seems to have disappeared.


That was my experience. S&H fitted me with a pair of Alfred Sargent shoes sized 10EX when my U.S. size is 11D and they fit perfectly.


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## Country Irish (Nov 10, 2005)

They are fantastic but I worry about the maintenance and the sizing. It would be difficult to try a new brand by mail order due to the possibility of having to exchange them. If I had a local dealer to get my first pair it would be easier to purchase on line with the next pair.
They are tempting though.


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## Owen Meany (Jul 10, 2008)

WOW, Props to Herring! Over the past (6) months I have been reaching beyond my AEs and Aldens, the former because of styling and the latter due to quality control issues. I got my first pair of English shoes (C&J) through Brooks Bother and was treated to a fantastic split toe of remarkable shape, quality and understated good looks....anyway, it seems every effort I have made to build upon my English collection has fallen flat due to stock supplies and the like...

Then I saw this post, went to the Herring site, found a pair of monks I liked and (4) days later - from the UK to Los Angeles - the are here! I have purchased many shirt from the UK and none have every arrives to quickly!

Herring as earned a new customer....thanks, jtb (I'll report on the shoes separately - Trickers' Monk)


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

I've worn these shoes around the house just to make sure everything was good, but on Friday night I wore them out to the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.

The shoes fit perfectly, felt great and had no lines (wrinkles) on them at the end of the evening!! I finally found the right size!

This is a great theatre and if you're ever in the Palm Springs area just go! Doesn't matter what's playing it will be a wonderful concert and a fantastic experience. Doesn't hurt that an AskAndy Member is in charge of productions! We saw Michael Feinstein and Tyne Daly.


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## sclemmons (Mar 4, 2006)

Jay Koz stocked a line of shoes much like these when he had his store on 2nd Avenue. They came with shoe trees in them, and I bought four different pair, including a pair of spectators much like these, a suede wing tip, a brown wing tip, and a brown spectator with foxing holes the size of shirt buttons. Don't know whether these were they or what they were, but he upgraded to Edward Green and dropped the line. It would be great to have a resource to acquire the JK products again.


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## Claus (Apr 8, 2010)

Sator said:


> I don't think that UK shoes run big, rather it is the conversion tables that are incorrect. Most people are much better off converting US size to UK size by subtracting 1.


This is also my impression.

Simple maths tells us that this is true. The _American Apparel and Footwear Association_ (previously called _Footwear Industries of America_) suggest to follow this formular:_

Men's size (US)_ = Last length in inch × 3 - 24

The English system follows the formular:

_Adult size (UK)_ = Last length in inch × 3 - 25

Simply substraction tells that the difference is one full size.

Also, there's a study by the _Shoe and Allied Trade Research Association_, Northamptonshire:


> The American system is also confusing because, although using inches, they start one-twelfth of an inch smaller than the English system, causing the American size to be one-quarter of a size smaller. This is further complicated because the actual size scale marked on the footwear is much larger. Women's shoes tend to be 1.5 sizes larger, but men's shoes are only 1 size larger than the equivalent English fitting.


Reference: "Settling footwear complains" by Parker, K., Tailby, S., and Weston, A.


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