# Trying to find beefroll penny loafers



## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Gents: 

I have been reading through the various posts throughout here trying to make a decision. I recently bought a pair of Allen Edmonds "Kenwood" in what i believe to be a cordo brushoff. Unfortunately --- they simply do not fit. (my camera is currently in Bulgaria. As soon as I have it back, these will be on the thrift.)




Any idea where i can get something similar for say 150ish or less? These are going to be wore sockless most of the summer, so i didn't want to spend alot of money. 

Due to the lovely value of the dollar, i can't get the barker caruso. 



I suppose, should i just give up and get the JM Skimocs? Ideas are greatly appreciated. (by the by, i wanted to avoid Weejuns) 

Thanks in advance.


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## enecks (Apr 25, 2007)

How about Sebago?


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Thought about those but were largely unimpressed when i saw them in person. Esp after after seeing these kenwood's.


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## Brooksfan (Jan 25, 2005)

Try LL Bean.


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions. It does lead me to another question, while i would never think of corrected grain normally, the cordo colors seem kind of drab in full grain leather. Am i crazy?

Also, I prefer a longer vamp. The little pinch pennies never really do it for me. I do however have a high instep ( i beleive that is the term. Loafers and some bals are really uncomfortable across the top of the foot.) Every AE loafer has caused problems b/c of this. Any one else have this problem? Do i just go wider or size up form my normal size?


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

If those Kenwoods are not excessively tight across the instep, I would stretch them to make them work. Otherwise sell them here - those Kenwoods are nice. I wish I could find a pair. What size?


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Speas, trust me i though about that. I don't think that any amount of stretching would make them fit my fred flinstone feet. 

They are 9E's. I find it funny that AE makes most of its shoes with large toe area, but not its loafers. Methinks I will have to size up to a 10 to even have a fighting shot at making an AE loafer fit. 

When my camera returns home... these will def be up.


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## Forbes (Jan 8, 2008)

If you're looking to spend less than $150, I definitely recommend Bean's. Their shoes are still made by Bass and are comparable to the old Weejuns you can get at Bass outlets. Bass outlets only recently reintroduced beefrolls and they can be had for less than $90 and have leather soles. Not nearly the craftsmanship AEs have, they're still not a bad deal. Best of Luck.


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Forbes said:


> If you're looking to spend less than $150, I definitely recommend Bean's. Their shoes are still made by Bass and are comparable to the old Weejuns you can get at Bass outlets. Bass outlets only recently reintroduced beefrolls and they can be had for less than $90 and have leather soles. Not nearly the craftsmanship AEs have, they're still not a bad deal. Best of Luck.


hmmm you are very persuasive. Ha. It isn't so much the money, but the 150ish/200 mark seems to make sense to me. Why not just go buy bb or alden after that point.

I may be ran out of town for this, but i actually like the Frye Jack Penny. I picked up a couple pairs cheap. Turned out to be a great investment. If the only made a cordo ... ahh.


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## Georgia (Aug 26, 2007)

J&M Ski Mocs


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## Tom Buchanan (Nov 7, 2005)

I would suggest the Sebago Classic. If you do not mind corrected grain, they are a great knock around shoe. I like Sebago's steel shank and oiled sole.

You can usually find them new on ebay for cheap.


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Well i found another pair of the AE Kenwood. This time I ordered a 10E. Will advise as to how it turns out. Thanks for the help. Me thinks i may grab a ll bean for the really rough times. 

Will post picts when the Camera returns.


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## knickerbacker (Jun 27, 2005)

*Beefroll*

I have a pair of Alden Cape Cod beefroll loafers which I picked up from ebay for a song. I'm not inclined to beefroll mocs and have used them for gardening, bailing out the flooded basement, set building, metal work, motorcycle mechanics, wet weather mocs, and myriad other uses which one would think them utterly unsuited for. They have really worn unbelievably well and are very comfortable. As they do have a non-gloss finish (which might rule them out for you), I'd recommend looking at the Bass loafers which seem to be available with or without irony in hipster shoe stores everywhere. They look just the same as the ones I wore as part of a school uniform in the 1970's. They were less than $100 when I saw them a few weeks ago.


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## wessex (Feb 1, 2008)

Wow, for months I've resisted buying Alden's because of the hefty price tag and knickerbacker is wearing them for grubby tasks :icon_hailthee:


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

Tom Buchanan said:


> I would suggest the Sebago Classic. If you do not mind corrected grain, they are a great knock around shoe. I like Sebago's steel shank and oiled sole.
> 
> You can usually find them new on ebay for cheap.


Just found this listing:


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

zarathustra said:


> Well i found another pair of the AE Kenwood. This time I ordered a 10E. Will advise as to how it turns out. Thanks for the help. Me thinks i may grab a ll bean for the really rough times.
> 
> Will post picts when the Camera returns.


where did you get them?


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## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

I'd also be curious as to where you got them and what you paid.

I started a thread about these shoes last year, at which point they were very difficult to find in the States and cost about $300 (from a UK-based website). I still think they're the nicest beefrolls I've seen.

EGF


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

I called AE to see if I could special order a pair of Kenwoods. They're discontinued but available in some of the outlets, so AE found one and shipped it to me. $133 plus shipping in less than a week (box showed it at $177 list). I dont know for sure but these might only come in E width as a 'Euro model'. The top piece/vamp is lined but the rest isn't other than the heel pad. They have much better arch support than my Cayman sebagos. Leather is corrected as expected but not of poor quality. Yes I am that white.


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## egadfly (Nov 10, 2006)

^ Nice looking shoes, Speas.

Could you comment on sizing/fit?

EGF


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## Speas (Mar 11, 2004)

^Fits fairly true to size (10E). I have a pair of cayman IIs I bought not long ago in the same size and these have a bit more room in the front. It looks like the front of the shoe doesnt pinch down as much as the sebagos. Vamp is higher too.


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

I ended up going with a 9.5 which needs a bit of stretching but will do methinks. 

The high vamp on these sold me. I like the way it looks much better. Why Europe gets these and not us is beyond me. I love these shoes. 

To those who inquired as to my extra pair. My boss at work currently has first dibs. I am trying to have him take a hickey freeman suit off me as well. If he doesn't take them, should know by tomorrow. I will let those that pmed me know first. (They are 9 E).


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

For information, Bean is offering their "classic penny loafer" in a new colour called canyon. The photo on the website is horrible--which is why I haven't posted it here--but in the catalogue it's a very nice middle brown colour. This shoe is a beefroll and might be just right for some of our members.

They look great in the catalogue and I'd like a pair, but I'm not keen on ordering shoes from a distance. Maybe at that price I'll give them a try anyway. Hopefully this means we will start to see more brown shoes reappearing in North America brands (if only SAS would make their penny loafer in brown...).

DocD


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## paper clip (May 15, 2006)

Speas said:


> ^Fits fairly true to size (10E). I have a pair of cayman IIs I bought not long ago in the same size and these have a bit more room in the front. It looks like the front of the shoe doesnt pinch down as much as the sebagos. Vamp is higher too.


Nice looking shoe at that price. I checked out the Sebagos in person, and they just look too cheap for $100....the AE looks nice for $130...


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

My boss ended up taking the shoes. This is his first foray into nicer shoes, having worn BR and such ilk. Hopefully i can bring him all the way into the light. haha.


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## wolfhound986 (Jun 30, 2007)

zarathustra said:


> My boss ended up taking the shoes. This is his first foray into nicer shoes, having worn BR and such ilk. Hopefully i can bring him all the way into the light. haha.


Maybe he'll become an AE convert!

This pair is definitely better looking and better made than any of BR's current offerings, as I could see from my most recent visit to a BR store. The current BR models are now made in India whereas a few years ago there were made in Italy.

The AE Kenwood is USA-made and reasonably priced, you have classic style and solid construction... this shoe should be a part of AE's domestic offerings. I'm not sure why it was offered only outside the US.


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## EBIKERBLUE (Jun 18, 2008)

*Penny loafers*

All those brands look great for the sockless look! I would also try Florsheim Berkeley- their smokin hot in Port Wine and Black!!


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