# Ranking Shoes



## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

I'm sure this has been discussed before. But, the prior posts on this I have seen might not reflect current trends. 

Here is how I would rank the following shoe companies in terms of desirability factoring in quality of manufacturing, materials, styling, and durability. This is for Mens DRESS SHOES My list is unfortunately limited by my lack of exposure to certain brands. In other words, I have left off some well known brands because I just don't have any experience with them. I also tried to limit this to shoes costing UNDER $1000.


1. John Lobb 
2. Edward Green 
3. Loake
4. Crockett & Jones
5. Alden
6. Church's
7. Gucci 
8. Vintage Florsheim
9. Vintage Hanover
10. Allen Edmonds 
11. Vintage Footjoy 
12. Allen Edmonds 
13. Vintage Cole Haan
14. Vintage Nettleton
15. Johnston Murphy 

all the other typical brands sort of blend together at this point such as 

Bostonian, Clarks, Rockport, Bass etc. 

Im sure there are other opinions. I'm curious what others think.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Oh boy, now the gloves are really coming off .


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## fireworks (Sep 3, 2014)

Blanket rankings by brand are kind of ridiculous as most brands are manufactured by a variety of standards. Some vintage Cole Haan, for example, were made by Edward Green.

That point aside, Loake above C&J is objectively wrong.


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## Fred G. Unn (Jul 12, 2011)

Nobleprofessor said:


> 3. Loake
> 4. Crockett & Jones


:icon_scratch:


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

fireworks said:


> Blanket rankings by brand are kind of ridiculous as most brands are manufactured by a variety of standards. Some vintage Cole Haan, for example, were made by Edward Green.
> 
> That point aside, Loake above C&J is objectively wrong.


its really just a discussion for fun. I actually love C&J's. I have had a few pairs. I have not had any loake perhaps I was too generous with them.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

zzdocxx said:


> Oh boy, now the gloves are really coming off .


It's just for fun. I would guess if you polled 20 different AAAC members there would be 20 different orders.


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## FLMike (Sep 17, 2008)

AE is so NICE, they get ranked TWICE!!


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## Fred G. Unn (Jul 12, 2011)

Also, as fireworks pointed out, lots of brands have lines to different standards. Others might disagree but I'd probably rank C&J handgrade, then AS Exclusive, then C&J benchgrade. Some other C&Js such as C&J for Shipton & Heneage would be quite a few notches lower. Hard to wrap up all the different lines into one brand name in the hierarchy.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

FLCracka said:


> AE is so NICE, they get ranked TWICE!!


whoops.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

I, personally, can't see Gucci anywhere near my top 25. Plus, my list would have Tauer & Johnson near the top. Get ready to be abused by the Carmina and Vass crowd. lol


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

drlivingston said:


> I, personally, can't see Gucci anywhere near my top 25. Plus, my list would have Tauer & Johnson near the top. Get ready to be abused by the Carmina and Vass crowd. lol


I provided a huge caveat and that was that list did not include brands with which I have no experience.


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## pleasehelp (Sep 8, 2005)

What's the criteria for the ranking?

For these types of shoes, I look for something that (i) will hold up well to heavy use (including the ability to resole relatively easily), (ii) looks nice to me, (iii) fits properly and (iv) I can acquire with relative ease (including being able to get an appropriate fit with relative ease). I'm also a sucker for shoes made the USA. 

This is a long way of saying that I wouldn't know how to rank shoes of this type on any other scale. Having said, that I probably care about shoes far less than most people on this website.


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## Piqué (Apr 10, 2014)

You can move Loake down several spots and replace them with Alfred Sargent (or C&J and then Sargent, whatever floats your boat). Loake should definitely not be that high. I don't have any Guccis, but I would be absolutely shocked if they should be that high either.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

pleasehelp said:


> What's the criteria for the ranking?
> 
> For these types of shoes, I look for something that (i) will hold up well to heavy use (including the ability to resole relatively easily), (ii) looks nice to me, (iii) fits properly and (iv) I can acquire with relative ease (including being able to get an appropriate fit with relative ease). I'm also a sucker for shoes made the USA.
> 
> This is a long way of saying that I wouldn't know how to rank shoes of this type on any other scale. Having said, that I probably care about shoes far less than most people on this website.


I was really just curious what others thought. Evidently, I'm WAY too high for Loake. It's interesting to hear other opinions.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

The golden age of AAAC saw the contributions of a true shoe expert and he summarized his thoughts here:https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=49981

Yes, jcusey's thread ended years ago years, reevaluations are always in order.

As most of the worlds top makers are in the UK, and as very few, if any US members are familiar with the current offerings of all the UK makers, I would defer to the opinions of our UK members.


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## style417 (Jun 28, 2014)

Nobleprofessor said:


> It's just for fun. I would guess if you polled 20 different AAAC members there would be 20 different orders.


I believe that 20 different members would probably have about 25 differing opinions.


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## aucociscokid (Jan 17, 2006)

My vote is for the vintage Florsheim Imperial. In a class by itself. The sine qua non of shoes, whose price is now entirely theoretical as no shoemaker could afford to even produce them today; with their Yuma Loafer being probably the most sought-after among shoe collectors. Pair them with collegiate-cut chinos for THE Ivy league look.


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## blue suede shoes (Mar 22, 2010)

drlivingston said:


> I, personally, can't see Gucci anywhere near my top 25. Plus, my list would have Tauer & Johnson near the top. Get ready to be abused by the Carmina and Vass crowd. lol


I agree with your view of Gucci. Their shoes are ugly, and they are made almost as well as a pair of Cole Hahn. Johnston & Murphy also shouldn't be in the top 25, or even the top 50. I certainly wouldn't put Vintage Florsheim and Vintage Hanover ahead of Allen Edmonds, not in a million years. John Lobb and Edward Green shoes are too sleek for my tastes and aren't trad, and I have heard too many stories of shoes from those companies arriving with defects. Also, I don't think one can find a pair of Edward Green shoes for under $1,300. Loake is too far up the list. Ludwig Reiter and Cheaney are two quality brands that I admire, but are rarely discussed on this board. I would put them in the top five, along with Alden and Church's.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

arkirshner said:


> The golden age of AAAC saw the contributions of a true shoe expert and he summarized his thoughts here:https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=49981
> 
> Yes, jcusey's thread ended years ago years, reevaluations are always in order.
> 
> As most of the worlds top makers are in the UK, and as very few, if any US members are familiar with the current offerings of all the UK makers, I would defer to the opinions of our UK members.


wow! That was quite a read. Makes me feel like a caveman by comparison.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

blue suede shoes said:


> I agree with your view of Gucci. Their shoes are ugly, and they are made almost as well as a pair of Cole Hahn. Johnston & Murphy also shouldn't be in the top 25, or even the top 50. I certainly wouldn't put Vintage Florsheim and Vintage Hanover ahead of Allen Edmonds, not in a million years. John Lobb and Edward Green shoes are too sleek for my tastes and aren't trad, and I have heard too many stories of shoes from those companies arriving with defects. Also, I don't think one can find a pair of Edward Green shoes for under $1,300. Loake is too far up the list. Ludwig Reiter and Cheaney are two quality brands that I admire, but are rarely discussed on this board. I would put them in the top five, along with Alden and Church's.


my experience with Gucci is limited to only several pair that I have sold and one pair of bit loafers that is probably 20+ years old. I still wear them and I believe they are extremely well made. I beat the hell out of my shoes and nothing as stood up as well except for my old Florsheim LWB and Nettleton LWB.

I really do think the old Vintage Florsheim's are superior to Allen Edmonds IF you look at the totality of AE's line. They make some pretty junky cheaply made rubber soled shoes that aren't any better than current Cole Haan and J&M. There are certainly some of the old standby shoes that match the quality Aldens.


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## Reuben (Aug 28, 2013)

You've completely skipped the various handsewn manufacturers too, haven't you? Quoddy, Rancourt, Highland, Russell Mocc, ect.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

6.5 Carmina, 6.75 Meermin... 4.5 Ensor Bonafe. 2.5 Gaziano & Girling, 0.5 Cleverley. Tied with C&J are Vass. 2.8 St Crispin. Loake down to 6.5. Alfred Sargent at 4.8. Trickers tied with Alfred Sargent. .? Shoe snob at 4.6?


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## aucociscokid (Jan 17, 2006)

Gucci horsebit loafers are moccasin-sewn, not Goodyear-welted. Two entirely different animals. Not really fair to rank them with the latter. As moccasins , they're well-made, esp. pre- Thom Browne. Certainly iconic. None more. Although the design elements have been altered Thom Browne > and not in a good sense either. To me.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Shoes not in production can be omitted, IMO.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Bexley at 14.5 or 15.5. Septieme Largeur somewhere at or before or after 10. Markowski after SL (I think). New list compilation?


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## Z.J.P (Jun 29, 2010)

Personal and in No Order:
Edward Green, Vass, Alden, C&J, Rancourt, Allen Edmonds, Paraboot, Alfred Sargent, Trickers


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

Bjorn said:


> Bexley at 14.5 or 15.5. Septieme Largeur somewhere at or before or after 10. Markowski after SL (I think). New list compilation?


A NEW LIST? I'm not wading into that pool again!


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## smmrfld (May 22, 2007)

If we're discussing rank shoes, rented bowling shoes are at the top of that list, followed closely by rented formal shoes. Though the order could easily be reversed.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Bjorn said:


> Shoes not in production can be omitted, IMO.


I don't know. Depends on whether we can still count Florsheim Imperials. They're still in production, but not the Imperials most of us would value. Hard to imagine my shoe rack without them.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

32rollandrock said:


> I don't know. Depends on whether we can still count Florsheim Imperials. They're still in production, but not the Imperials most of us would value. Hard to imagine my shoe rack without them.


agreed! I love my old Florsheim's, whether they are shell cordovan, black smooth, black pebble grain, Burgundy Bison, Cognac, or Brown. Now, if I could just find a white pair!


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Nobleprofessor said:


> agreed! I love my old Florsheim's, whether they are shell cordovan, black smooth, black pebble grain, Burgundy Bison, Cognac, or Brown. Now, if I could just find a white pair!


I think I have a pair in olive kicking around somewhere. For the true aficionado.


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## tonylumpkin (Jun 12, 2007)

32rollandrock said:


> I think I have a pair in olive kicking around somewhere. For the true aficionado.


I've had an olive pair. Never could bring myself to wear them though.


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## DRWWE (Jul 6, 2009)

You say you limited your list to shoes costing under $1000, yet you put Lobb and Green in your top two. If you have a source for new shoes from these brands at such a low price, please inform us.


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## Brigadier Cheape (Sep 25, 2014)

+1 for the old vintage Florsheim; owning several of the aforementioned brands, my 5 nail v cleats are fun to wear. Nothing like the sound they make on hard surface


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

DRWWE said:


> You say you limited your list to shoes costing under $1000, yet you put Lobb and Green in your top two. If you have a source for new shoes from these brands at such a low price, please inform us.


You are right that most of their shoes are higher. But, there are some. 
https://www.johnlobb.com/us/models/...e?utm_campaign=john-lobb_US&utm_medium=ppc_US

admittedly, most of them are higher.


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## Nobleprofessor (Jul 18, 2014)

Brigadier Cheape said:


> +1 for the old vintage Florsheim; owning several of the aforementioned brands, my 5 nail v cleats are fun to wear. Nothing like the sound they make on hard surface


Just be careful on wet pavement!


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## Brigadier Cheape (Sep 25, 2014)

Make that a hard, dry surface because there's also nothing like the sound your head makes when it hits a hard surface...


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## Hejarnold (Nov 11, 2014)

Yanko and Meermin should be mentioned as well among the lower price options


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