# Bally Shoes?



## DSD (Oct 17, 2007)

Any thoughts on the quality of Bally shoes? I bought two pair today, the most I have ever spend on shoes, but they were the most comfortable dress shoes I have tried on. They are both semi-traditional captoe but have the somewhat pointy toe that seems to be the current trend. I am not sure of the leather or construction but they are very thin and flexible and, as I mentioned, quite comfortable.

Dale


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I know back in the day they made great shoes. My dad has a couple pairs of their shoes from long ago. One pair he has is a loafer (typically weaker than lace ups) that he's worn since the 1960's. They always were kinda "stylish," but then again so are the Swiss. The funny thing is the adage fashion changes, style stays the same, would seem to make Bally shoes fashion and not style, but those shoe's from the 60's look good today and did then, even though both eras considered them fashion forward.


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## Tonyp (May 8, 2007)

Never been a fan of Bally. some nice styles and they seem to make alot of the same shoes over the years. The construction is not what a JL or EG would be. I think they are blake stitched. The dye/color process is also somewhat basic. Black Brown, cognac. Nothing much to look at but they are supposedly very comfortable as you have indicated.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Black, brown and cognac? Are they not bringing the full line to the US? When I was in Zurich I saw pretty much every color at their store - in addition to the usual colors I saw reds, greens, and blues.


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## Will (Jun 15, 2004)

When I last looked at them years ago, the soles were glued instead of sewn. That means they can't be re-soled. All you can do is throw them away then. That's not great value.


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## lee_44106 (Apr 10, 2006)

Here's the definitive answer to Bally shoes.

Among Bally shoes, the highest quality line is the "Scribe". This line is fully Goodyear welted, very nice leather (not corrected grain), and rather decent attention to detail. The lasts and therefore the shape of the shoes are plus/minus. They retail around $800 range. Too expensive, but often times can be had for much less on Ebay. The sole is close-channeled.

The rest of the Bally line of shoes are regrettable at best, although the overall quality is not any different than any of the other "fashionable" brand names.


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## Spence (Feb 28, 2006)

I've got a pair of the tan Scribe monks that were at Marshalls a few years ago, as well as a pair of Napa loafers. The loafers are really nice but would be destroyed under heavy wear. The Scribes are very clunky but well made. At discount they are a nice shoe but I'd never pay retail.

-spence


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## windsor (Dec 12, 2006)

I have a pair off dark brown suede wingtips..Vincent model. Made in France. Sole glued on I think . Very comfortable and bought at a bargain price.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

Hmmm, I guess I spoke without full info. The ones my dad has are welted.


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## burnedandfrozen (Mar 11, 2004)

The first ever pair of spectators I bought were Bally purchased probably from Nordys Rack about ten or twelve years ago. The are very comfortable but I don't wear 'em anymore because the beige vamp is made of canvass and I've never been able to get it really clean. I'm holding on to them in case someday I find something that will clean them.

BTW, the sole on these are stitched but only for a couple inches from the heel.


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Tonyp said:


> Never been a fan of Bally. some nice styles and they seem to make alot of the same shoes over the years. The construction is not what a JL or EG would be. I think they are blake stitched. The dye/color process is also somewhat basic. Black Brown, cognac. Nothing much to look at but they are supposedly very comfortable as you have indicated.


Agreed and Bally seems to have dropped its standards in recent years. I would also question their longetivity.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

I used to wear them in the mid-1990s. I got 6 months to a year out of each pair. Overpriced and not built for longevity, sadly. Miles behind people like Church's never mind EG or Lobb.


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## omairp (Aug 21, 2006)

DSD said:


> Any thoughts on the quality of Bally shoes? I bought two pair today, the most I have ever spend on shoes, but they were the most comfortable dress shoes I have tried on. They are both semi-traditional captoe but have the somewhat pointy toe that seems to be the current trend. I am not sure of the leather or construction but they are very thin and flexible and, as I mentioned, quite comfortable.
> 
> Dale


Most fashion oriented brands take a lot of heat on this forum. If you like the shoes, and they're comfortable, it's all good. But I wouldn't expect them to last a lifetime.


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## Asterix (Jun 7, 2005)

I've got 2 pairs of Bally suede shoes (Chukka and Loafer) and so far they've held up but they just seem like average quality shoes.


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## YYZ-LHR (Jul 2, 2007)

Bally used to be a great brand, but went bankrupt some years ago and it's resurrection as a more fashion-forward brand hasn't won it great fans here. For what it's worth, though, I bought one pair around eight months ago, and have been very pleased with it so far. It's very slim (narrower even than the C&J 337 last), which fits my foot very well. The leather seems to be of extremely high quality; I keep mine primarily for semi-casual use, so can't vouch for how well it takes a high shine, but it's softer and has broken in better (without any distinct cracking on the vamp) than any other shoes I own.

The sole, which is _extremely _thin and looks very elegant, may yet prove its weakness. While it's held up well so far, I imagine it will be ready for a re-sole by the spring. I'd assumed it was Blake-stiched rather than glued (as someone earlier in this thread suggested -- I confess that I don't know what to look for), but even if it _can_ be replaced I'm suspicious that your average London cobbler won't be able to match it with something so fine. I'm sure as heck not entrusting it to Timpson's.


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## FashionRite (Jul 5, 2010)

Anyone have any updates to this thread? In particular whether or not the quality of Bally shoes has improved?


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## Orsini (Apr 24, 2007)

I recently got a pair of the Bally "Newland" Derby Lace-up Dress Shoe for $270 marked down from $395.00 from Bloomingdales.










These seem like a very nice shoe, but I don't know if I would want to pay full retail for them.

I have examined then closely several times and there are no variations anywhere. It looks like a very high quality manufactured item. The shoe is light in weight. The soles are some kind of rubber, are carefully detailed, and also seem light in weight. I have found two places on the internet that claim to be able to re-sole these.

I haven't worked these into the rotation yet (my orthotics have been in the shop) but, they are very comfortable. If they work out, I will probably add another pair - on sale.

It is nice to see what a shoe that is not made in a death camp looks like. By you have to pay for it...


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## Bespoken pa (Apr 14, 2012)

I have a pair of black loafers I purchase about three years ago and so far they have held up fine. Of course I baby my shoes. I was able to get them half off at rubeinsteins, I believe they were around 200$. Are they of the same quality as my eg offerings, no but then again I could purchase 4 to 5 pairs of bally s for what the eg set me back.


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## Thomas Martin (Aug 12, 2011)

We have a Bally flagship store in our hometown and I was having a pair of shoes of the scribe line in my hands recently (while I was buying my purse :wink2. They are solid, beautiful and seriously well crafted but I cannot justify to buy one pair for the retail price of 1200 Swissfrancs, especially since there's a cobbler just around the corner who makes you a pair of bespoke shoes for half of the price.


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## srmd22 (Jun 30, 2009)

Thomas Martin said:


> We have a Bally flagship store in our hometown and I was having a pair of shoes of the scribe line in my hands recently (while I was buying my purse :wink2. They are solid, beautiful and seriously well crafted but I cannot justify to buy one pair for the retail price of 1200 Swissfrancs,* especially since there's a cobbler just around the corner who makes you a pair of bespoke shoes for half of the price.*


I wish I had this!


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## peterc (Oct 25, 2007)

I have always had a soft spot for Bally shoes, probably because the brand was one of the few imported brands available in the City where I grew up. I have always found Bally shoes to fit my feet very well. I owned several pair in the 80's/90's, but as I put on weight and my feet (seemed to) expand, I had to relinquish them. I was married in a pair of Bally shoes, a slip on called the Cymbal. I still have this pair in my closet for obvious reasons. Last summer at Macy's, I used my wife's birthday gift card to me to buy a Bally 2 eyelet derby model in pebbled grey leather, the Barano. This was an expensive shoe, at $495.00, but I got it on sale so I think it was $366.00 all in. Pricey, yes, but I liked the retro 60's Mod look, so it was worth it to me. The sole is thin, but I baby my shoes too and do not wear these often. Had I known, in my 20's, what shoe size I would be in my 50's, I would have bought a spare pair of every pair of Bally's I bought in that size - that is how much I like their shoes.

In Manhattan in 1984, I counted 5 Bally stores!


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