# Allen Edmonds shoes



## IvanD (Jan 5, 2012)

I have observed that among many members of this forum, these shoes seem to be the holy grail of stylish men's footwear.
Out of curiosity, I had a browse on UK sites selling these shoes and to be honest they seem very, very expensive compared with equivalent UK manufactured shoes.
Maybe it is the exchange rate, our being fortunate here with a huge choice ofUK manufactured handmade shoes or something else, I just don't know.
Maybe some of the more knowledgeable members on your side of the pond have an answer?


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## gaseousclay (Nov 8, 2009)

I don't know if i'd say they're the holy grail shoes. they are favored by a lot of US members, i'm guessing because of the price point when compared to other brands. since you're in the UK I wouldn't even bother because you have so many great English shoemakers at your fingertips. why buy Allen Edmonds when you could buy Edward Green, John Lobb, Gaziano & Girling or Alfred Sargeant?


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## roman totale XVII (Sep 18, 2009)

gaseousclay said:


> I don't know if i'd say they're the holy grail shoes. they are favored by a lot of US members, i'm guessing because of the price point when compared to other brands. since you're in the UK I wouldn't even bother because you have so many great English shoemakers at your fingertips. why buy Allen Edmonds when you could buy Edward Green, John Lobb, Gaziano & Girling or Alfred Sargeant?


As an Englishman in the US, I have to agree with the above. AE are decent shoes and I have several pair, but if were still in the UK I wouldn't give them a second look. Apart from the McNeil longwing and the Strawfut half mesh summer shoe, both of which are excellent.


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

Among US members, Alden tends to hold "holy grail" status. AE just commands respect.

Primarily because they're high quality and made in the US. As the other commenters have said, if I were buying shoes in England I would want a high-quality English-made shoe.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

I believe that most of us who are familiar with UK shoes, and at the same time have nice things to say about AE, will readily acknowledge that the UK leads the world. Moreover, we readily acknowledge that, were there to be a competition, the best from the US would not get near let alone get on the podium.

The sad fact is that the makers of the better UK shoes have, for the most part, not entered the US market. There are very few US cities in which one can find a single UK shoe, let alone a selection, for sale. 

Up until a few years ago when more than half of the governmental buildings in my city installed metal detectors, the majority of my shoes where from the UK but I had to go to Chicago to find any. Even then the selection was limited. Today I have switched to AEs, not because they are better but because they do not set off the metal detectors.


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

Miket61 said:


> Among US members, Alden tends to hold "holy grail" status. AE just commands respect.
> 
> Primarily because they're high quality and made in the US. As the other commenters have said, if I were buying shoes in England I would want a high-quality English-made shoe.


Alden holds "holy grail" status? 
Speak for yourself. They are fine shoes, but nothing spectacular. Just a well made American shoe.


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## Ματθαῖος (Jun 17, 2011)

I just wore my walnut Jefferson balmorals. The leather has become glove-soft. It's really quite nice, and much nicer than other AE shoes.


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## amemovox (Jun 26, 2005)

Ματθαῖος;1298430 said:


> I just wore my walnut Jefferson balmorals. The leather has become glove-soft. It's really quite nice, and much nicer than other AE shoes.


Were you able to locate this shoe in a store. Was it a special. From what I have heard, offerings in the "upscale" Independence are special order.


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## mr.v (Sep 26, 2011)

Alden derived from early Latin. Latin for "holy grail"


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

I like AE's because I know where I can walk into their company store, talk to the delightful manager and get shoes that fit and look good. No doubt if I knew where there was an Alden factory store I might do the same. However, AE's are at the top of my budgetary ability. Handmade Brits are out of the question. No doubt wonderful but at what cost?


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## Atterberg (Mar 11, 2012)

I like AE shoes because they are well-made in the USA, handsome, comfortable, and the company does a good job of managing consumer satisfaction. I respect their CEO for posting on this forum -- that's rather unheard of. The combined effect is that I feel happy contributing to their cause and would rather spend $300 on one pair of AEs than buy three pairs of Bostonians.


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## M Go Crimson (Aug 20, 2011)

arkirshner said:


> I believe that most of us who are familiar with UK shoes, and at the same time have nice things to say about AE, will readily acknowledge that the UK leads the world. Moreover, we readily acknowledge that, were there to be a competition, the best from the US would not get near let alone get on the podium.
> 
> The sad fact is that the makers of the better UK shoes have, for the most part, not entered the US market. There are very few US cities in which one can find a single UK shoe, let alone a selection, for sale.


Well said.


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## IvanD (Jan 5, 2012)

Thank you gentlemen, very informitive.
I had little idea that UK shoes were so difficult to come by in the US.
I will consider myself priveleged to have such a choice of footwear.


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

^indeed.


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

ark' nailed it. AE's are much-discussed here because they represent the pivot-point from disposable shoes to things that can last for a decade-plus of regular wear. They are often the overlapping point between men who have money but no strong interest in clothes and men who have a strong interest in clothes but less-than-infinite money. They also have a strong American aesthetic to them, being less sculpted (and less pointy) than many UK brands; some view that as blobby, others view it as the equivalent of the soft-shoulder for feet - naturalistic and (actually and apparently) comfortable.


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## gaseousclay (Nov 8, 2009)

> Alden holds "holy grail" status?
> Speak for yourself. They are fine shoes, but nothing spectacular. Just a well made American shoe.


if you were to pit US shoemakers against one another I think Alden would come out on top against AE for a couple of reasons. 1) Better quality and style imo. To my eye Aldens are more aesthetically appealing to shoe connisseurs because they lean more towards the English look than AE. AE's look clunky and utilitarian, whereas, Alden has a little bit of flare. I'm not saying i'd never buy AE but given a choice I would pick Alden first if I had to choose between US shoemakers. and 2) Availability. AE's are so mass produced they can be purchased anywhere, Alden's cannot. I know of 2 stores in Minneapolis that carry Alden compared to the dozens of stores that carry AE. AE are accessible, Alden not so much. I would rather own a pair of fine English shoes over Alden but there are no stores here that carry any of the brands I like, so Alden is the next best thing. So in a sense, Alden is a kind of holy grail only because they are hard to come by even in the US imo


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

^ Hmm, I guess my standard for holy grail is a bit higher than some. Availability in my region really has no direct impact on desirability. 

I can agree with the above when it comes to some Alden special make ups but I find the standard stock offering to be just ho hum. The classic Longwing, a great shoe no doubt. But well above a MacNeil or a vintage Florsheim? Not really. The tassel loafer? Wholly different from a Grayson or old stock foot joy for that matter? Not really. The cape cod bit? Why buy an American bit? The LHS, now that's an Alden model I can get on board with. They do it better than anyone. The Indy boot? Sure it has it's place, but there are numerous US bootmakers that can compete. 

Additionally, the diversity of offerings and customer service of AE make them a better company overall to deal with. IMHO. 

In this Internet age I just don't get local availability being an issue. With a few keystrokes I can get access to a huge array of fine shoes, try them on for size and then send back what doesn't work. 

So don't get me wrong, I like Alden. I like AE. I just get so sick of the monthly pissing contest between the two on this board. Holy Grail? Sure, if you feel that way. Just another American made welted shoe with better than average leathers? Yep. A league of its own? Maybe. But it's the minor league.


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## Sharpe (Apr 20, 2010)

I tend to agree with firedancer on this one, I really don't see much difference in the quality of AE verse Alden. I don't see how Allen Edmonds look "mass produced" and Alden's have more "Flare". Personally I think the Leeds in Burgundy Cordovan is one of the best shoes out there, but I love my Indy boots too. I think Quoddy makes Alden loafers look boring and they are by far the most hand made looking shoes I have seen 

I think we can agree that the U.S. can make some great shoes with in a specific price point, but when it comes to artisan styles English companies really do some amazing things. But you are going to pay for it. 

I would be curious if even the English can compete with AE on customer service or are they more like Alden.


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## Thomas Martin (Aug 12, 2011)

I'm not American and I have several pairs of AE. IMHO there is no better shoe for your money. The cost/quality factor is really outstanding when you compare it to many well knowned British or italian manufacturers. They are certainly no match to Lobbs but my Churchs cost me much more and they are by no means better than my AE.


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

IvanD said:


> Thank you gentlemen, very informitive.
> I had little idea that UK shoes were so difficult to come by in the US.
> I will consider myself priveleged to have such a choice of footwear.





IvanD said:


> English shoes are not difficult to obtain here, but they are somewhat expensive. That being said, I have come to prefer English shoes such as Edward Green, for example, because of their styling, particularly the sharp appearance of the closely trimmed welt on those English dress shoes I have.
> 
> I have, by comparison, always found American business shoes such as "gunboats" to be unpleasantly clunky. This holds for even for the AE Strand on the trim number 5 last. The welts on the Strand are less closely trimmed than on comparably styled English shoes and this detracts from their visual appeal.
> 
> ...


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## gaseousclay (Nov 8, 2009)

> I really don't see much difference in the quality of AE verse Alden. I don't see how Allen Edmonds look "mass produced" and Alden's have more "Flare".


I didn't say they looked mass produced, I said they are mass produced. my comment was more about the aesthetics and availability of Alden compared to AE. I think Alden shoes look more elegant, whereas, AE does not imo. I don't know. I wouldn't quite say Alden shoes are scarce, but they are harder to come by than AE in most towns


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## StephenRG (Apr 7, 2005)

Forgive me in advance for re-making points others have made.

First, if one restricts oneself in the US to widely available shoe brands, any make cheaper than AE is significantly worse in quality, Alden is not obviously better (though the aesthetic does appear slightly more appealing to some, and their relative scarcity value also appears to be a selling point. (Devotees of Alden appear to be about as accepting of the lack of quality control as buyers of English sports cars in times past.) The only readily available shoes which IMO are obviously better are Brooks Brothers' Peal & Co. shoes made in England, which are roughly double the price, with a far more limited range of models and widths (and Peals are certainly not twice as good as AE).

If I were to compare AE with British manufacturers, I can't say that they're better or worse than similarly priced English shoes - but they have one huge advantage, which is the range of widths and lasts. No moderately priced (by AAAA standards...) quality English shoes can compare. If some of us prefer English/European styles (as I do) that does not one jot diminish my respect for what AE accomplishes. And the few pairs of AE shoes I own I am immensely satisfied with.


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

firedancer said:


> Alden holds "holy grail" status?
> Speak for yourself. They are fine shoes, but nothing spectacular. Just a well made American shoe.


I'm not even speaking for myself. The OP made a generalization about American tastes in higher-end shoes. I've never known anyone to consider Allen Edmonds to be a "holy grail," but I do know people who feel that way about Alden.

I have several pair of Aldens that I really like, but my favorite pair of shoes right now are by Crockett & Jones for Peal & Co., which means I bought them at Brooks Brothers.


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## smmrfld (May 22, 2007)

StephenRG said:


> Devotees of Alden appear to be about as accepting of the lack of quality control as buyers of English sports cars in times past.


This statement is so far off the mark as to be laughable.


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

smmrfld said:


> This statement is so far off the mark as to be laughable.


I do think that Alden loyalists are too accepting of production delays and a level of customer service not suited to shoes at this price point. From what I've read here customers who received shoes that aren't perfect have been taken care of, although they shouldn't have received inferior shoes to begin with.


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## Thomas Martin (Aug 12, 2011)

I happen to just come back from a trip to NYC. Where I paid a visit to the Alden as well as the AE flagship stores on Madison Av. And I was able to closely inspect offers from both manufacturers, not having had the opportunity yet to see Aldens because they seem to be virtually unavailable in stores around here. I bought the Alden longwing blucher in colour 8 basically because of the purple color that I prefer to the brown burgundy dye of AE otherwise I would have chosen the Mac Neill. You get more shoe for the price with AE. They're shells even come with oak soles.


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## gaseousclay (Nov 8, 2009)

Gurdon said:


> IvanD said:
> 
> 
> > English shoes are not difficult to obtain here, but they are somewhat expensive. That being said, I have come to prefer English shoes such as Edward Green, for example, because of their styling, particularly the sharp appearance of the closely trimmed welt on those English dress shoes I have.
> ...


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## ColdIron (Jun 19, 2009)

amemovox said:


> Were you able to locate this shoe in a store. Was it a special. From what I have heard, offerings in the "upscale" Independence are special order.


I also have the Jefferson. Ordered mine through the Military Exchange and they arrived much faster than my shell shoes that were ordered prior to the Jefferson and which I am still waiting to be delivered. It is a great shoe and a step up from the typical AE standard calf offering.


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## jeffdeist (Feb 7, 2006)

I love AE as a solid American brand that provides excellent style, quality, and value for the price. But I don't think they travel well. If one moved to London or Singapore, for example, AE's would not work nearly as well as virtually any English brand. They would look distinctly "American," and not in a good way. The world may love Alden, but it appears only America loves AE.


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

smmrfld said:


> This statement is so far off the mark as to be laughable.


Not really. I hope this didn't offend your sensibilities too much. As we know that can easily happen.

Cases in point.

Send Alden shoes to the factory for a recraft. Wait at least 6 weeks to get them back. Kind of a pain.

Send the same shoes in with a note, Do Not Dye, shoes come back painted purple. Just when they started to get that beautiful patina. Grrrr.

Send some of your crepe soles in for replacement. Good luck.

Sounds an awful lot like the old sterling electronics in the Jaguar. .......


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## Miket61 (Mar 1, 2008)

firedancer said:


> Not really. I hope this didn't offend your sensibilities too much. As we know that can easily happen.
> 
> Cases in point.


None of those issues are related to the initial quality of the shoes, but rather the slow and increasingly dismissive customer service attitude.


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## firedancer (Jan 11, 2011)

^ agreed. And the old English sports cars screamed off the lot......


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

smmrfld said:


> This statement is so far off the mark as to be laughable.


Having been hanging around AAAC and SF for almost eight years, I'd say it's spot-on. Many men have posted pictures of Aldens with such flaws that A-E wouldn't even sell those shoes as seconds, yet Alden fans will defend them as evidence of Alden's "artisanal character." A friend who worked as cobbler for a number of years considered Aldens to be highly overrated. That Aldens are much sleeker or more elegant than A-Es I fail to see. The Barrie last in particular strikes me as blobby as all hell. I'll concede that Aldens are good shoes, but not so good that I'd pay a substantial premium for them over equivalent A-Es, which is nearly always the case.

The claim that English shoes are easy obtain here, coming from a California poster, strikes me as bit odd. Aside from Brooks-Peal shoes, places where you can get good English shoes in Southern California are few and far between. There is the JLP store in South Coast Plaza, and Neiman-Marcus will have a few JLPs sometimes. Gary's in Fashion Island now carries Edward Greens in a very limited selection as of last time I was there, and the same is true of the Beverly Hills Saks. Not sure what the Ralph Lauren store in BH has these days. I know that Green used to make their Purple Label shoes. While I readily concede that Greens, Lobbs and probably C&J Handgrades are nicer than A-E, I don't think the degree of difference is enough to warrant the enormous price differential, at least for those of us who are not in the "1%." The simple fact of the matter is that whatever milieu I am in, I am invariably better shod than virtually all males present when I am wearing my A-Es.


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## gaseousclay (Nov 8, 2009)

JLibourel said:


> Having been hanging around AAAC and SF for almost eight years, I'd say it's spot-on. Many men have posted pictures of Aldens with such flaws that A-E wouldn't even sell those shoes as seconds, yet Alden fans will defend them as evidence of Alden's "artisanal character." A friend who worked as cobbler for a number of years considered Aldens to be highly overrated. That Aldens are much sleeker or more elegant than A-Es I fail to see. The Barrie last in particular strikes me as blobby as all hell. I'll concede that Aldens are good shoes, but not so good that I'd pay a substantial premium for them over equivalent A-Es, which is nearly always the case.


again, I think we're arguing aesthetics here which is a subjective issue. I only just purchased my first pair of Aldens and there are absolutely no flaws that I can see. If I came across such a flaw I would definitely be angry, especially since I paid so much for mine. With that said, I do see a noticeable difference in the styling of Alden and AE. I don't know what it is specifically but AE's look bulkier. If you look at the profile of each shoe you'll know what i'm talking about.

For me it's about perceived value. Mass produced, inexpensive shoes don't hold value for me and I for one am done buying cheap shoes. Aldens aren't rare but they're not mass produced on the same scale that AE are, and for that i'm willing to pay a premium, and also because I consider them to be well made shoes that will last me a lifetime. We all talk about individuality and style around AAAC like it grows on trees, but when I go to an event I want to be the only guy who isn't wearing what everyone else is wearing. If AE changed the styling of their shoes, or at the very least, offered one shoe that was styled after an English shoe i'd consider buying a pair.


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## Tiger (Apr 11, 2010)

Puzzled by the general comparisons between Alden and Allen Edmonds regarding "bulkiness." Shouldn't such comparisons be between specific shoes? Alden longwings are bulkier than AE Fifth Avenues, while AE MacNeils are bulkier than Alden straight-tip balmorals.

I own multiple pairs of both brands, and such general comparisons as are being made in this thread have little value, I believe...


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Tiger said:


> Puzzled by the general comparisons between Alden and Allen Edmonds regarding "bulkiness." Shouldn't such comparisons be between specific shoes? Alden longwings are bulkier than AE Fifth Avenues, while AE MacNeils are bulkier than Alden straight-tip balmorals.
> 
> I own multiple pairs of both brands, and such general comparisons as are being made in this thread have little value, I believe...


^^^^I agree
From my perspective AE has pushed out more "euro" flavored models than Alden with there recent releases in their 3-333 last


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## Thomas Martin (Aug 12, 2011)

Tiger said:


> Puzzled by the general comparisons between Alden and Allen Edmonds regarding "bulkiness." Shouldn't such comparisons be between specific shoes? Alden longwings are bulkier than AE Fifth Avenues, while AE MacNeils are bulkier than Alden straight-tip balmorals.
> 
> I own multiple pairs of both brands, and such general comparisons as are being made in this thread have little value, I believe...


Shouldn't we compare similar styles by both brands? Such as the Alden Longwing Blucher and the AE Mac Neil? I have read somewhere that the Alden Plain Toe Blucher is bulkier than the Leeds, but I cannot confirm it because I own neither.


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## mommatook1 (Apr 17, 2008)

:icon_smile_big:



mr.v said:


> Alden derived from early Latin. Latin for "holy grail"


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## David J. Cooper (Apr 26, 2010)

For me, it's rubber soled shoes. I love my AE Wilberts and have just bought a pair of Bentons. The Alden Walkers just didn't do it for me. They were also very heavy. Perhaps someday I'll "get" Alden but not now.


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## mommatook1 (Apr 17, 2008)

I would argue (for the sake of this argument) that it is perhaps more reasonable to compare US or UK shoes relative to the cost to a normal citizen in each respective country. Comparing nominal prices distorts the argument because of differences in pricing that occur when you take into account exchange rates and pricing schemes for export sales. So, for example, compare a $350 pair of AE with a £350 pair of Church's. 

If you look at it this way, I would agree that AE or Alden are inferior to common British offerings, per undetermined unit of currency. 

However, from my American perspective (and earning a paycheck in USD), paying 1.6x the GBP price tag for a pair of British shoes is generally not worth it (hence my collection of Aldens and AE's).


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

*English shoes in Southern California*

With a couple of exceptions, I have bought my English shoes mail order from the UK. It is, however, possible to buy EG's and other English shoes at Leather Soul in Beverly Hills. I have visited this store and anticipate placing an order with them. Lafont in New York apparently has a good selection of English shoes as well. My one US purchase of Edward Greens was from Skyvalet in DC. Adam was very helpful.

At one time Carroll and Company carried EG's. When I asked about the discontinuance the proprietor explained that they could not sell enough pairs to warrant the cost of stocking them. Leather Soul's store is in the same neighborhood. It will be interesting to see how things work out for them. I hope including Cleverley in the mix will benefit their sales.

As noted by one poster, to buy shoes by mail you have to establish your size. I did some research and ordered my first pair of EG captoe oxfords during one of their sales, figuring I could resell them if the fit was off. Turned out to be the best RTW fit I have ever gotten in dress shoes. I have since then bought a number of EG's directly form the company.

Regards,
Gurdon


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## Starch (Jun 28, 2010)

My US-centric perspective, at the current time:
For Allen Edmonds
- Readily available (no AE store here, but Nordstrom carries them)
- Variety of styles
- Made in US
- Reasonably priced, particularly since they're often available at a discount

Against English shoes
- Not readily available, unless you want to order online and get them shipped from the UK (and there are a limited number of rebranded ones)
- The better ones are very expensive

I wore English shoes 90% of the time for 20 years or so, but that was before Church closed all their stores and applied a 2-3x multiplier to their prices.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

One caveat I have entertained about ordering English shoes from abroad is the difficulty of getting the exact size. My customary US size is 13D. According to some conversion charts that should make me a 12 (UK) or a 12.5 (UK). Not sure about width either--E or F?


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## Tiger (Apr 11, 2010)

Thomas Martin said:


> Shouldn't we compare similar styles by both brands?


Yes, of course - that was exactly my point. Generalizations lead to comparisons too vague to have meaning or juxtaposing dissimilar shoes.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

Thomas Martin said:


> I'm not American and I have several pairs of AE. IMHO there is no better shoe for your money. The cost/quality factor is really outstanding when you compare it to many well knowned British or italian manufacturers. They are certainly no match to Lobbs but my Churchs cost me much more and they are by no means better than my AE.


Exactly. In what world is anyone comparing Lobb and AE?

Dollar for Dollar, you could put AE against any comparable UK shoe - and AE would more than hold its own.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Regarding the Alden vs. AE debate, I can't agree with those who believe that Alden is more stylish. So far as I can see, AE offers pretty much every style that Alden does, plus a whole lot more.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

jeffdeist said:


> I love AE as a solid American brand that provides excellent style, quality, and value for the price. But I don't think they travel well. If one moved to London or Singapore, for example, AE's would not work nearly as well as virtually any English brand. They would look distinctly "American," and not in a good way. *The world may love Alden, but it appears only America loves AE.*


I love how people out here preach all day long about individuality and developing ones own style....and to ignore the trends and the fads as promoted by GQ and Esquire etc. Yet when it comes to something like this topic - you are more concerned with "blending in" with the crowd in some foreign country.

If you were walking down the street in London with a pair of well polished, well cared for AE shoes and a nice outfit - only the most pompous windbag would dare comment on your shoes being "distinctly American" whatever that is.


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

^Well said, FWIW, in the past couple of years, I have attended soirees at the British Consul's house in LA for the two most recent Masters of Balliol College--Dr. Andrew Graham and Sir Drummond Bone. Cocktail/business attire was the order of the day. I found both men to be capital fellows and obviously far more accomplished in this world than I--after all, the Master of Balliol is one of the more important beings in the Universe! Nonetheless--and this is what makes this relevant to this thread--I was much more elegantly shod in my A-E PAs than either of these two eminent, otherwise estimable men!


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## DG123 (Sep 16, 2011)

Holy grail?
No.



IvanD said:


> I have observed that among many members of this forum, these shoes seem to be the holy grail of stylish men's footwear.
> Out of curiosity, I had a browse on UK sites selling these shoes and to be honest they seem very, very expensive compared with equivalent UK manufactured shoes.
> Maybe it is the exchange rate, our being fortunate here with a huge choice ofUK manufactured handmade shoes or something else, I just don't know.
> Maybe some of the more knowledgeable members on your side of the pond have an answer?


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## DG123 (Sep 16, 2011)

The truth is that fit is essential to any quality footwear, and English brands fall woefully short in terms of fit/width availability.



JLibourel said:


> One caveat I have entertained about ordering English shoes from abroad is the difficulty of getting the exact size. My customary US size is 13D. According to some conversion charts that should make me a 12 (UK) or a 12.5 (UK). Not sure about width either--E or F?


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## Bucksfan (May 25, 2008)

Thomas Martin said:


> Shouldn't we compare similar styles by both brands? Such as the Alden Longwing Blucher and the AE Mac Neil? I have read somewhere that the Alden Plain Toe Blucher is bulkier than the Leeds, but I cannot confirm it because I own neither.


Somewhat true, AE's PTB on their 1 last is a bit sleeker than Alden's version on the Barrie. Same is true for the MacNeil vs Alden's LWB. However the same is not necessarily true in NSTs, cap toes, etc. it really is last and style-specific.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
+1. Having both AE Leeds and Alden PTBs and AE MacNeils and Alden LWBs, I can say with confidence that, Bucksfan, you are absolutely spot-on with your conclusions. I will also tell you that the roomier toe boxes has led to my preference for Alden's offerings in the two cited designs!


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## Bespoken pa (Apr 14, 2012)

Everyone has their opinion which makes sense as the exact same shoe could fit ten people with the same foot size differently. In terms of quality I would guess most members of this forum would not pit American shoe manufacturers against their uk counter parts but then again there is a fairly large difference in price. I prefer alders to ae if for no other reason than Alden is mauch smaller company that has less of a prefabricated mass production feel to it. Do I feel like there is a noticeable difference in quality between the two , not really.


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## tmoffatt (Apr 13, 2005)

As someone with surfboard-flat feet, very long and narrow at 13 B, I see Allen Edmonds as the holy grail. There are almost NO English shoes for narrow feet (I am a 12.5 C UK). I love Blucher wingtips, but I cannot wear Aldens. So for most good shoes, it is the wonderful array of Allen Edmonds. One sidelight of being a 13 B - I scored a 'seconds' Jefferson in the present Tent sale. Allen Edmonds online feels wonderful to 13 B


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