Honestly im not that big of a fan of suitsupply , i think they are a bit over hyped( would like your thoughts on it) . Yes they are 299 but starting out and they go up to 399 and still keep a blake construction , leather is fine but not the best and here are some options that i think are better- 1. MEERMIN Mallorca Champion of Quality-Price Ratio Average price : $179 good year welt 2.VELASCA The New Kid on the “100% Made in Italy” Block Average price : $190 3.LODING France’s Single Price Champion Average Price : $205 , 4. SEPTIEME LARGEUR Good Value for Money with Strong Style Average Price : $280( suit supply killer) 5. Carmina The Quality Shoe Army from Majorca Average Price : $430 just to name a few
shaved fashion Great comment! I will add Jack Erwin, Berwick, Orban's, Myrqvist, Crownhill and Skolyx Private label at the budget segment. For the 299-425 $ segment i will add Yanko, TLB, Cobbler Union, J. Fitzpatrick, Carlos Santos, Loake 1880 export grade Ace Marks and Skoaktiebolaget private label.
I have had pretty bad experience with Meermin. The first pair of boot I ordered has asymmetrical brogue on left and right shoes (quality control problem). The left brogue is pointed to the inside quite a bit more than the right brogue. After a year and half of casual wear (only in autumn & winter, around 1-2 times a week, with regular conditioning), the seam on the right brogue broke. Now the leather with the brogue on my right shoe is partially detached with the underneath leather. Granted it is GYW, but what use will it do if the upper quality couldn't even hold up to the first resole??? Second pair has inconsistent leather quality on left and right shoe, the color shade is slightly different, and the leather is very hard to break in. I have only one pair of blake stitched shoe. It is hands down the most comfortable dress shoe I have ever worn, flexible, breathable, the leather is silky soft.
Sorry to hear that. For that price range i think Velasca will suit your needs. Blake-rapid construction all the benefits of blake construction with the same resoling process as the GYW.
Double YES for the Velasca! If I didn't have buyer's remorse for the Magnani oxford cap toes, I would've never heard about them. I planned to order their black cap toes with vibram soles. They may be the Thursday Boots killer as far as oxfords go.
Clean and shine your "old" shoes... They'll look as great as the brand new ones. Also, invest in cedar shoe trees... They're worth their weight in gold. Cheers!
Great video! My last Goodyear welted shoes took around 2 months to break in completely while wearing them at least twice every week. They are beautiful (oxblood quarter brogues) but i've had enough blisters for a year. I might finally give blake construction and their slimmer soles a chance this autumn. Keep up the good work, you're a gift to this community and many of us really appreciate what you do.
The sole of your Allen Edmonds is what makes them so heavy. The leather sole or leather sole + thin rubber protector versions of the same shoe are a lot lighter.
Good comparison..however, some of the more expensive shoes crease more than cheaper ones. Most of the times the amount of creasing is not the right way to asses the quality of leather.
I'm always concerned where the shoe creases. I've bought shoes where they've creased on a toe medallion or cap (usually, I think, a sign of fit or the "Last" used). The AE 5th does have a shorter toe-cap, but the AE Bond Street is a similar shoe with a longer cap.
Thanks for the unboxing. Although I love their suits, the positioning of the Suitsupply shoes confuses me. On the lower end price point you can get a Goodyear welted Meermin which are similar or better quality. You can also go Blake stitched Acemarks for the same price and probably equal or better quality. Allen Edmonds GYW firsts are often on sale for ~$250 and provide both better quality and value than these shoes.
Have to agree with you on that. For suits and shirts I lean more towards S&M, but I love the variety that SS offers. Their shoes though are quite a different story.
Why do you think the Allen Edmonds are all so cheap right now? (relatively speaking). Also do any of the other companies offer the $125 re crafting that the Edmonds offers? It just seems that if you invest in the Edmonds specifically at the $250 that many of theirs shoes are currently going for you can essentially get a new pair of shoes for $125 every few years. - Also nice singing voice Kav. Missed your calling.
@The Kavalier - So you do see a huge difference in leather quality between AE and BS? I just bought a couple pairs of BS and was hoping the leather quality would be similar to AE. Would you say it's closer to J & M leather quality than to AE? I'm super curious. Especially because the BS designs are so gorgeous...
Shoes look nice but I wonder if the extra $100+ from a Beckett Simonon is really worth it. Also, if you are going to drop $299, I'd rather go for a pair of AE's. Not worth it to me.
I think there's value in covering the lower end of the price range but it's important to understand that at that price, the quality and construction just is going to be on a different level to higher end shoes. The "high shine" isn't because it's high quality leather but exactly the opposite. It's corrected grain, acrylic coated. There's no point lathering on high quality polish because it won't penetrate a sealed plastic coating, just shine it up with a brush. The creasing is also not a measure of leather quality but lack of, or poor use or the wrong type of shoe trees. To be honest though, the low price starting point for quality shoes is going to be the AE's or similar. To be fair though, if shoes are treated as a tool, then I understand the desire to buy "shiny shoes" at the lowest price, one or two weddings and a funeral. Throw in an interview - perfect, no point spending lots, just as I do when I buy tools. Always buy good spanners (wrenches), screw drivers etc. but for the occasional use power tool, I might get away with a cheap one, just not for the regular "go to" tools. My shoes span a price range of £6 (eBay) to pairs of £1500. From rubber sole, corrected grain leather - bullet proof for bad winter weather, to higher end shoes that are simply feel good shoes that won't wear out because they'll not be worn enough in my lifetime but will be passed down. Bottom line is, everyone has a budget and it's important to recognise that but a couple of pairs of quality shoes will last, can be recreated by a decent cobbler and will give years of service with proper maintenance. Go low and you will be replacing them far more often.
Kav, I had the $249 brown leather double monk shoes for three years and wound up donating them due to an extremely annoying cracking sound in my right shoe when I walked... had zero patience to fix them so out they went, but I still love SS shoes and wouldn't hesitate to buy another pair
Thanks for the review. Are the AE shoes Goodyear welted? Usually, they are at that pricepoint. Also, you should check out the Hanger Project. He has all the polishing videos and his own store. I've used many different polishes, and Saphir is, by far, the best in my opinion. For your AE cap toes, you can use light brown in the Saphir line. I polish all my shoes, a whopping 4 pairs, every weekend, so your shoes kinda drove me a little crazy; although, I'm a little obsessive, ok a lot, about shining my shoes.
Thank you Mark! I lustfully shop the Hanger Project all the time, the polishes, brushes etc are right up my alley. I have a bottle of the Saphir renovator and use it every couple of months on my shoes it does wonders. Working on a series that I dive into shoe care
Yes, lustfully is correct. Some of his items are out of my pricepoint. You need a creme to get those scuffs out. I look forward to seeing your methods.
Mark, I got the AE fifth avenues on sale & used my Saphir Reno Mat on the uppers behind the cap toe to make a contrast & they look awesome- I hope this works out over time. I won't polish them there but use Renovateur, bringing the toe and heel up to high shine with the mirror gloss and pate de luxe. I got the polish from Hangar Project, too.
I noticed that the first pair were quite wider than the third when comparing creasing. The wider will bend more as you walk if the fit is not correct. For what it's worth.
2 questions. - It seems like brown shoes with black/grey suits is becoming quite common. It looks very informal. Comments? - Length of pant. In your video it seems like your pant leg is quite short as it shows your ankles when standing. Is there a proper length for a pant leg?
I have Suitsupply monk straps with rubber soles, they're very nice, and of a decent quality. But they' are suede so it is different than normal leather. I know SS is a bit fashion forward and becoming very popular, but they don't cut corners. The shoes all look well.
Looking at a pair of Crockett and Jones Whole-Cut oxfords for court trips. Could you justify paying $660? Carmina, Paul Evan's, AE, Ace Marks, etc all have better price points.
I suggest you go for at leas half size lower on the tassel loafers otherwise tje shoes will not fit properly and will lose the shape even with shoe trees. I use 9 to 9.5 on leced shoes and I had to go for an 8.0 for a Fratelli Rosetti brera tassels and still a lil bit lose.. Good video boy keep them coming
I think a lot of men think less of the Blake stitch and it’s quite a shame. I have large feet and I’m not very tall. I prefer the Blake stitch because of the slim profile, a lot of Goodyear welted shoes make my feet look like clown shoes. TBNY, Santoni, and Magnanni make some very sleek shoes depending on what last feels the most comfortable. I haven’t tried out Paul Evans or Ace Marks yet.
Man these are awesome! Always glad to see some more awesome videos of these fancy uniform shoes in my feed. Will probably buy some like them for the future parties.
A very good review, sir! I bought the AE fifth avenues with the dainite sole last week @ $250 and love them- I hadn't noticed they are heavy until you mentioned it but they might be. They look just like yours. Interested in Suit Supply but I wish they would open a store near me so I can get fitted for suits instead of sending my measurements. I really liked the loafers too, so maybe you can do a review of the two pairs you got from them after you've worn them for a while.
But what if I don't like looking like Ronald Mc Donald with those giant welts? What if I want a thinner sole profile? What if I want a more flexible shoe out of the box? All these are advantages of a good Blake stitched shoe. It's not a matter of "best" and it surely isn't the case that most expensive to produce means "best" by any measure, it's a matter of what you feel is more important for your styling goals. Enough with the silly generalized subjective statements.
Allen Edmonds is great, especially if you have wider feet. Due to logistics it's tough for a company to carry a shoe in not only multiple sizes, but multiple widths. That's why most shoes just come in 1 width nowadays. AE gets my respect for stocking a wider range of sizes.
Love the necktie you look awesome in the Jumper, you not feeling hot I'm guessing it's been so warm in the U.K.., have had to take my jumpers/sweaters off
I'm a EEE, so same. If a shoe does not come in your width, it might as well not even exist. Fit is everything. Thing is Allen Edmonds can be had on sale, on clearance, or as seconds for under $250 fairly consistently.
Question: What size do you wear in Beckett Simonon and what size do you wear in your Thursday boots? I wear a size 8 in Thursday Captains, and I'd like to order some Beckett Simonon shoes.
Hey Kav, how has the creasing been on the suit supply oxfords? I'm going to a suit supply shore tomorrow. Also, any experience with Charles Tyrwhitt dress shoes?
Cursed with wide feet. I’ve only tried on cole haans, but didn’t feel comfortable in their regular width. Thankfully they had wides. Maybe I’ll step up to one of these in the video some day.
This is just a general question regarding the shoe cap. I have had several dress shoes with the cap and inevitably I get blisters where the shoe cap joins the rest of the shoe. Is this just saying something about my foot or size or is this a problem with this type of shoe? Thanks
The last of the suit supply is very sleek I like it alot I'll have to consider them more heavily for my next shoe! Would like to also see a vid on the sneakers keep it up buddy :)
I prefer the color of Allen Edmonds shoes to any of those and most others I've seen. I think AE gets the colors right for their shoes and they have exact matching belts of equal quality to the shoes. I only own Allen Edmonds shoes and one suede Paul Evan's though, so I might be a little biased.
The Kavalier At the $399 price point though you are getting into Carmina and others that are excellent like Allen Edmonds but have more contemporary lasts and even higher quality leather!
You're always going to get more obvious creasing in a cap-toe shoe than in any other style, I think. That's one reason why I don't consider them for myself. Your AEs may have the least severe creasing because of the short cap though. But I agree they look truncated, kind of cab-forward as they used to say about cars.
Good day! I want to say thank you for reviewing a large pricepoint range, not just luxury high end. I am looking for my first pair off quality dress shoes and would like to know your "best quality for the money" picks, from the direct to consumer companies.
You should be using shoe trees on your shoes and give them a clean, bit difficult to compare otherwise. No idea what weight of shoe has to do with anything...surely blake and goodyear important...blake more expensive to re-sole.
You seem so knowledgeable about dress shoes..I would like to hear your views on crockett and jones, aldens...please make a video about these shoes...thank you...
Good video as always. To my eye, the Suit Supply shoe has too pointy off a toe. Allen Edmonds seconds are the best buy in the market. The reps are amazing, will pull the shoes and inspect them, and they will ship the same day if you call early enough.
I have a question on the Allen Edmonds. The cap toe on the shoe he shows, is there supposed to be discoloration on either side of the brogue piece. I went to the Southlake store this weekend and most of the brown shoes had discoloration like it was a bad dye job. There were also several pairs with what looked like black smudges on the front were I assume they tried to darken them. And some had dye in the brogue holes and but some, right beside it, did not. I am being overly critical for $400 shoes?
I think that's the nature of handfinished shoes but they're also supposed to be polished and shined once they are purchased. After unboxing so many of these shoes they are rarely perfect out of the box but close enough that some literal spitshine and polish will take them to be 💯
Allen Edmonds shoes are all hand finished, so each shoe can have slight variations. I almost always apply a black burnish to my toe caps as I prefer the look.
I don't want to sound like a snob here, but, honestly, none of these shoes are quality shoes. Generally speaking, you don't get into good quality territory until you get up to about the $600 price point. Church's is the standard there, but even Church's are nothing special. The only exception to the $600 minimum is Carmina shoes, which are made in Mallorca, Spain, and which go for about $400-$500. I haven't tried Suit Supply shoes, so I can't speak about them from experience (in this video, the leather looks suspect, though)-it would be great if The Kavalier gave us an update on them-but I can tell you that Allen Edmonds in particular are a scam. In terms of leather quality and construction, they are really more like $200 shoes. Sorry, but it's true. I've had to learn the hard way.
Wish someone out there...could tell us "WHO", makes shoes for Suit Supply. I thought it might be Magnanni...but I think now, that is incorrect. Wish someone knew.
I can't see running a UA-cam channel where you're talking about these shoes and you seem to have never used shoe trees or Saphir leather conditioner. It's like buying a Porsche and never getting the oil changed or rotating the tires.
i learned something new here about the way higher quality leather vs lower quality leather creases. i guess i did indeed get what i paid for for my 200 dollar dress shoes given that the creasing is quite dramatic and similar to the lower end shoes you just showed.
i already use shoe trees and i wear my shoes every 3-4 days in rotation. the point i was making was the shoes i own aren't of the highest quality which is why they inevitably crease the way they do
Can you mention all your shoe sizes? I only got your size for Meermin and Suitsupply. It is useful information to cross size shoes. Thanks a million. Enjoy your channel.
Fifth Avenues in walnut with Dainite sole. Precisely the shoes I'm planning on ordering this weekend from AE (sale ends Monday). How do you like the Dainite sole?
Only downside I will point out about the Dainite sole is that it's a single piece of rubber. If you tend to wear the heels down faster than the rest of the shoe, you'll have to get the whole thing replaced. With the normal leather sole, the heels are separate, so AE can put on new heels for only $50 and leave the rest of the sole alone.
These look slick. Someone should make that one bend section of the shoe with the highest quality $400 leather and the rest with the $199 high quality to bring the overall price point down. Missed the opportunity to get black tho ;)
@@The_Kavalier ok then you're using either the wrong type or size of shoe trees or incorrectly because I have 25+ year old shoes that look in far better condition. I'm not wishing to sound mean but it looks like maybe you put a shoe tree in the shoes for an hour after use. I have shoe trees for all my shoes, the only time they're without is when there's feet in them.
I know I am a bit late to the party but considering how much I appreciate your content and taste I am pretty irritated and shocked over the bad shape your shoes are in. I just don´t understand how people who are into clothing that much don´t invest into some good shoe trees.
Honestly im not that big of a fan of suitsupply , i think they are a bit over hyped( would like your thoughts on it) . Yes they are 299 but starting out and they go up to 399 and still keep a blake construction , leather is fine but not the best and here are some options that i think are better-
1. MEERMIN Mallorca Champion of Quality-Price Ratio Average price : $179 good year welt
2.VELASCA The New Kid on the “100% Made in Italy” Block Average price : $190
3.LODING France’s Single Price Champion Average Price : $205 ,
4. SEPTIEME LARGEUR Good Value for Money with Strong Style Average Price : $280( suit supply killer)
5. Carmina The Quality Shoe Army from Majorca Average Price : $430 just to name a few
shaved fashion Great comment! I will add Jack Erwin, Berwick, Orban's, Myrqvist, Crownhill and Skolyx Private label at the budget segment.
For the 299-425 $ segment i will add Yanko, TLB, Cobbler Union, J. Fitzpatrick, Carlos Santos, Loake 1880 export grade Ace Marks and Skoaktiebolaget private label.
Yes amazing informtion, thank you! Going to make sure I dive into these brands as well. Kudos to Ore as well. Updating the brand tracker!
I have had pretty bad experience with Meermin. The first pair of boot I ordered has asymmetrical brogue on left and right shoes (quality control problem). The left brogue is pointed to the inside quite a bit more than the right brogue. After a year and half of casual wear (only in autumn & winter, around 1-2 times a week, with regular conditioning), the seam on the right brogue broke. Now the leather with the brogue on my right shoe is partially detached with the underneath leather. Granted it is GYW, but what use will it do if the upper quality couldn't even hold up to the first resole???
Second pair has inconsistent leather quality on left and right shoe, the color shade is slightly different, and the leather is very hard to break in.
I have only one pair of blake stitched shoe. It is hands down the most comfortable dress shoe I have ever worn, flexible, breathable, the leather is silky soft.
Sorry to hear that. For that price range i think Velasca will suit your needs. Blake-rapid construction all the benefits of blake construction with the same resoling process as the GYW.
Double YES for the Velasca! If I didn't have buyer's remorse for the Magnani oxford cap toes, I would've never heard about them.
I planned to order their black cap toes with vibram soles. They may be the Thursday Boots killer as far as oxfords go.
2:30 the color and sheen of the AE looks so pristine and exquisite! Simply blows every other ones out of the water.
they really do. I would argue there are two populations of shoes represented here: the AEs and the other 3 brands.
Clean and shine your "old" shoes... They'll look as great as the brand new ones.
Also, invest in cedar shoe trees... They're worth their weight in gold.
Cheers!
My thoughts exactly.
Great video! My last Goodyear welted shoes took around 2 months to break in completely while wearing them at least twice every week. They are beautiful (oxblood quarter brogues) but i've had enough blisters for a year. I might finally give blake construction and their slimmer soles a chance this autumn. Keep up the good work, you're a gift to this community and many of us really appreciate what you do.
Thank you!
The sole of your Allen Edmonds is what makes them so heavy. The leather sole or leather sole + thin rubber protector versions of the same shoe are a lot lighter.
Good comparison..however, some of the more expensive shoes crease more than cheaper ones. Most of the times the amount of creasing is not the right way to asses the quality of leather.
I'm always concerned where the shoe creases. I've bought shoes where they've creased on a toe medallion or cap (usually, I think, a sign of fit or the "Last" used). The AE 5th does have a shorter toe-cap, but the AE Bond Street is a similar shoe with a longer cap.
I just stumbled upon your channel and your video. Pretty cool summary of the various price points of men's shoes!
Dan
Thanks for the unboxing. Although I love their suits, the positioning of the Suitsupply shoes confuses me. On the lower end price point you can get a Goodyear welted Meermin which are similar or better quality. You can also go Blake stitched Acemarks for the same price and probably equal or better quality. Allen Edmonds GYW firsts are often on sale for ~$250 and provide both better quality and value than these shoes.
Have to agree with you on that. For suits and shirts I lean more towards S&M, but I love the variety that SS offers. Their shoes though are quite a different story.
Couldn’t agree more. At that price point, I’d want a GYW. AE’s factory seconds are good enough for me, especially for three bills.
Why do you think the Allen Edmonds are all so cheap right now? (relatively speaking). Also do any of the other companies offer the $125 re crafting that the Edmonds offers? It just seems that if you invest in the Edmonds specifically at the $250 that many of theirs shoes are currently going for you can essentially get a new pair of shoes for $125 every few years. - Also nice singing voice Kav. Missed your calling.
They are doing their anniversary sales right now(think it ends today actually). Their firsts don't usually sell for $250.
The name "suit-supply" sounds sooo cheap and cheesy especially for a pair of dress shoes
@The Kavalier - So you do see a huge difference in leather quality between AE and BS? I just bought a couple pairs of BS and was hoping the leather quality would be similar to AE. Would you say it's closer to J & M leather quality than to AE? I'm super curious. Especially because the BS designs are so gorgeous...
Shoes look nice but I wonder if the extra $100+ from a Beckett Simonon is really worth it. Also, if you are going to drop $299, I'd rather go for a pair of AE's. Not worth it to me.
Yes, the factory seconds and frequent AE sales really muddy this price point.
Agreed! We also have to consider other brands at that price point like Ace Marks which are exactly at that price point. Love your content, man.
Ditto on the Ace Marks. My favs!!
The most expensive suitsupply shoes are probably made by AE...
beto88keys but to follow up on my comment, I agree
I think there's value in covering the lower end of the price range but it's important to understand that at that price, the quality and construction just is going to be on a different level to higher end shoes.
The "high shine" isn't because it's high quality leather but exactly the opposite. It's corrected grain, acrylic coated. There's no point lathering on high quality polish because it won't penetrate a sealed plastic coating, just shine it up with a brush.
The creasing is also not a measure of leather quality but lack of, or poor use or the wrong type of shoe trees.
To be honest though, the low price starting point for quality shoes is going to be the AE's or similar.
To be fair though, if shoes are treated as a tool, then I understand the desire to buy "shiny shoes" at the lowest price, one or two weddings and a funeral. Throw in an interview - perfect, no point spending lots, just as I do when I buy tools. Always buy good spanners (wrenches), screw drivers etc. but for the occasional use power tool, I might get away with a cheap one, just not for the regular "go to" tools.
My shoes span a price range of £6 (eBay) to pairs of £1500. From rubber sole, corrected grain leather - bullet proof for bad winter weather, to higher end shoes that are simply feel good shoes that won't wear out because they'll not be worn enough in my lifetime but will be passed down.
Bottom line is, everyone has a budget and it's important to recognise that but a couple of pairs of quality shoes will last, can be recreated by a decent cobbler and will give years of service with proper maintenance. Go low and you will be replacing them far more often.
Kav, I had the $249 brown leather double monk shoes for three years and wound up donating them due to an extremely annoying cracking sound in my right shoe when I walked... had zero patience to fix them so out they went, but I still love SS shoes and wouldn't hesitate to buy another pair
Great tip! From what I've read they've upgraded their manufacturing and leather. Need some miles on these!
Looks like you need shoe trees and Saphir Renovateur. Fix that right up.
Good review, but Allen Edmonds all day!
Thanks for the review. Are the AE shoes Goodyear welted? Usually, they are at that pricepoint. Also, you should check out the Hanger Project. He has all the polishing videos and his own store. I've used many different polishes, and Saphir is, by far, the best in my opinion. For your AE cap toes, you can use light brown in the Saphir line. I polish all my shoes, a whopping 4 pairs, every weekend, so your shoes kinda drove me a little crazy; although, I'm a little obsessive, ok a lot, about shining my shoes.
Thank you Mark! I lustfully shop the Hanger Project all the time, the polishes, brushes etc are right up my alley. I have a bottle of the Saphir renovator and use it every couple of months on my shoes it does wonders. Working on a series that I dive into shoe care
Yes, lustfully is correct. Some of his items are out of my pricepoint. You need a creme to get those scuffs out. I look forward to seeing your methods.
Mark, I got the AE fifth avenues on sale & used my Saphir Reno Mat on the uppers behind the cap toe to make a contrast & they look awesome- I hope this works out over time. I won't polish them there but use Renovateur, bringing the toe and heel up to high shine with the mirror gloss and pate de luxe. I got the polish from Hangar Project, too.
i have a pair. They do crease quite a bit. The sole holds up really well though. They seem to get cuffed really easily though watch out
I do take a lot of care of them and after 3 or 4 years you can see that the leather starts to crack a bit on the creases...
I noticed that the first pair were quite wider than the third when comparing creasing. The wider will bend more as you walk if the fit is not correct. For what it's worth.
2 questions.
- It seems like brown shoes with black/grey suits is becoming quite common. It looks very informal. Comments?
- Length of pant. In your video it seems like your pant leg is quite short as it shows your ankles when standing. Is there a proper length for a pant leg?
tchevrier I noticed the shortness of the pants also. Definitely needs another inch or so. Slacks should break slightly on top of the vamp.
Do you us any shoe trees? It looks like you don’t, & you don’t ever shine your shoes ether way. Thanks
I have Suitsupply monk straps with rubber soles, they're very nice, and of a decent quality. But they' are suede so it is different than normal leather. I know SS is a bit fashion forward and becoming very popular, but they don't cut corners. The shoes all look well.
Looking at a pair of Crockett and Jones Whole-Cut oxfords for court trips. Could you justify paying $660? Carmina, Paul Evan's, AE, Ace Marks, etc all have better price points.
I suggest you go for at leas half size lower on the tassel loafers otherwise tje shoes will not fit properly and will lose the shape even with shoe trees. I use 9 to 9.5 on leced shoes and I had to go for an 8.0 for a Fratelli Rosetti brera tassels and still a lil bit lose.. Good video boy keep them coming
I think a lot of men think less of the Blake stitch and it’s quite a shame. I have large feet and I’m not very tall. I prefer the Blake stitch because of the slim profile, a lot of Goodyear welted shoes make my feet look like clown shoes. TBNY, Santoni, and Magnanni make some very sleek shoes depending on what last feels the most comfortable. I haven’t tried out Paul Evans or Ace Marks yet.
Man these are awesome! Always glad to see some more awesome videos of these fancy uniform shoes in my feed. Will probably buy some like them for the future parties.
Shoe trees and care go a long way. Your collection looks rough.
I was going to say the same thing.
Same here... almost embarrassing 🤷🏽♂️
😂😂
A very good review, sir! I bought the AE fifth avenues with the dainite sole last week @ $250 and love them- I hadn't noticed they are heavy until you mentioned it but they might be. They look just like yours. Interested in Suit Supply but I wish they would open a store near me so I can get fitted for suits instead of sending my measurements. I really liked the loafers too, so maybe you can do a review of the two pairs you got from them after you've worn them for a while.
If money isn’t a problem, just go for AE.
love AEEEEEEEE
But what if I don't like looking like Ronald Mc Donald with those giant welts?
What if I want a thinner sole profile?
What if I want a more flexible shoe out of the box?
All these are advantages of a good Blake stitched shoe.
It's not a matter of "best" and it surely isn't the case that most expensive to produce means "best" by any measure, it's a matter of what you feel is more important for your styling goals.
Enough with the silly generalized subjective statements.
@@DavidSaintloth check out Santoni
Allen Edmonds is great, especially if you have wider feet. Due to logistics it's tough for a company to carry a shoe in not only multiple sizes, but multiple widths. That's why most shoes just come in 1 width nowadays. AE gets my respect for stocking a wider range of sizes.
Nah, i'd rather not have a 360 goodyear, but a 270 handwelt for that price. Oh and a leather heel.
Love the necktie you look awesome in the Jumper, you not feeling hot I'm guessing it's been so warm in the U.K.., have had to take my jumpers/sweaters off
The Ae seconds still look great than the rest
At 13A, I'm staying with Allen Edmunds.
I'm a EEE, so same. If a shoe does not come in your width, it might as well not even exist. Fit is everything. Thing is Allen Edmonds can be had on sale, on clearance, or as seconds for under $250 fairly consistently.
Last month I paid $157.00 for a pair of factory second and closeout Merlot McAllister Wingtips in 13A from the Shoe Bank (Allen Edmunds' outlet).
Question: What size do you wear in Beckett Simonon and what size do you wear in your Thursday boots? I wear a size 8 in Thursday Captains, and I'd like to order some Beckett Simonon shoes.
Hey Kav, how has the creasing been on the suit supply oxfords? I'm going to a suit supply shore tomorrow. Also, any experience with Charles Tyrwhitt dress shoes?
Cursed with wide feet. I’ve only tried on cole haans, but didn’t feel comfortable in their regular width. Thankfully they had wides. Maybe I’ll step up to one of these in the video some day.
Wide feet you can go with AE or Ace Marks
I have Cole Haans as well and they *do* run narrow. Had to get a wide but there's a little bit of heel slippage. I kept them, though.
Please. Use. Some. Shoe. Trees.
Thanks, your beautiful leather dress shoes.
Hey Jon,
Looking for some loafers for summer wear. What brand is your favorite?
Jay Butler have been my go-tos
Try wing tips, makes your foot seem shorter... great vid...
This is just a general question regarding the shoe cap. I have had several dress shoes with the cap and inevitably I get blisters where the shoe cap joins the rest of the shoe. Is this just saying something about my foot or size or is this a problem with this type of shoe? Thanks
The last of the suit supply is very sleek I like it alot I'll have to consider them more heavily for my next shoe! Would like to also see a vid on the sneakers keep it up buddy :)
My full grain leather bespoke monk strap shoes crease like crazy compared to my bespoke top grain leather oxfords.
I prefer the color of Allen Edmonds shoes to any of those and most others I've seen. I think AE gets the colors right for their shoes and they have exact matching belts of equal quality to the shoes. I only own Allen Edmonds shoes and one suede Paul Evan's though, so I might be a little biased.
The more I try these new brands the more AE seems like the way to go, working my way through all of them though...
The Kavalier At the $399 price point though you are getting into Carmina and others that are excellent like Allen Edmonds but have more contemporary lasts and even higher quality leather!
Thanks for the vids. I was just wondering how the Paul evans you got about a year ago has been?
Really liking them. They're in the video at 2:00 mark
I know an Omega Seamaster when I see one! How long have you had yours?
You're always going to get more obvious creasing in a cap-toe shoe than in any other style, I think. That's one reason why I don't consider them for myself. Your AEs may have the least severe creasing because of the short cap though. But I agree they look truncated, kind of cab-forward as they used to say about cars.
Nice video. Like to see a vid on the fits you wear with loafers
Nice Shoes And Taste.Thanks For Sharing 👍
Thursday boots is revealing their new shoe line on 4-26. Of course it's a Thursday. Major discounts for 1 day sale.
Good day! I want to say thank you for reviewing a large pricepoint range, not just luxury high end. I am looking for my first pair off quality dress shoes and would like to know your "best quality for the money" picks, from the direct to consumer companies.
Working on that, I have purchased most brands at this point but looking at a few more. Beckett Simonon is really tough to beat.
You should be using shoe trees on your shoes and give them a clean, bit difficult to compare otherwise. No idea what weight of shoe has to do with anything...surely blake and goodyear important...blake more expensive to re-sole.
I do everyday! Need to get more polishes though. Learning a lot from Kirby Allison.
Thank you for your answer! Good to know that. It reveals something about the leather quality BS used to make the shoes.
My concern with Italian shoes has been that they wear very quickly.
Check out Epaulet’s white leather sneaker. Curious to see what you think of them.
should I buy a suit supply pair of shoes or buy meermin?
Your Beckett Simonon looks like you did not use a shoe tree. Am I correct or they look like that even when you used a shoe tree?
I always use shoe trees. As soon as the shoes come off
You seem so knowledgeable about dress shoes..I would like to hear your views on crockett and jones, aldens...please make a video about these shoes...thank you...
Thanks for the warning about the loafers!
Good video as always. To my eye, the Suit Supply shoe has too pointy off a toe. Allen Edmonds seconds are the best buy in the market. The reps are amazing, will pull the shoes and inspect them, and they will ship the same day if you call early enough.
I personally like that exact shape of the tip. I look for the model today but couldn't find it. Can you (or someone) help me look for exact model?
Has the Beckett simonon changed the leather ever since this review?
I have a question on the Allen Edmonds. The cap toe on the shoe he shows, is there supposed to be discoloration on either side of the brogue piece. I went to the Southlake store this weekend and most of the brown shoes had discoloration like it was a bad dye job. There were also several pairs with what looked like black smudges on the front were I assume they tried to darken them. And some had dye in the brogue holes and but some, right beside it, did not. I am being overly critical for $400 shoes?
I think that's the nature of handfinished shoes but they're also supposed to be polished and shined once they are purchased. After unboxing so many of these shoes they are rarely perfect out of the box but close enough that some literal spitshine and polish will take them to be 💯
Allen Edmonds shoes are all hand finished, so each shoe can have slight variations. I almost always apply a black burnish to my toe caps as I prefer the look.
Can't wait for an update after a few months of wear.
I don't want to sound like a snob here, but, honestly, none of these shoes are quality shoes. Generally speaking, you don't get into good quality territory until you get up to about the $600 price point. Church's is the standard there, but even Church's are nothing special. The only exception to the $600 minimum is Carmina shoes, which are made in Mallorca, Spain, and which go for about $400-$500. I haven't tried Suit Supply shoes, so I can't speak about them from experience (in this video, the leather looks suspect, though)-it would be great if The Kavalier gave us an update on them-but I can tell you that Allen Edmonds in particular are a scam. In terms of leather quality and construction, they are really more like $200 shoes. Sorry, but it's true. I've had to learn the hard way.
My first AE is the Higgins mill boot. Had to go through three returns because of QA issues. My opinion of AE is that they are overpriced.
Wish someone out there...could tell us "WHO", makes shoes for Suit Supply. I thought it might be Magnanni...but I think now, that is incorrect. Wish someone knew.
I can't see running a UA-cam channel where you're talking about these shoes and you seem to have never used shoe trees or Saphir leather conditioner. It's like buying a Porsche and never getting the oil changed or rotating the tires.
i learned something new here about the way higher quality leather vs lower quality leather creases. i guess i did indeed get what i paid for for my 200 dollar dress shoes given that the creasing is quite dramatic and similar to the lower end shoes you just showed.
Use shoetrees! And wear your leather shoes every other day instead of every day. Greatly helps with keeping them nice.
i already use shoe trees and i wear my shoes every 3-4 days in rotation. the point i was making was the shoes i own aren't of the highest quality which is why they inevitably crease the way they do
was missing the shoe reviews. thanks!
More on the way! Was planning to have Thomas Bird video up earlier in the week but a little behind...
Are you going to do an update to this video? I've noticed that you have a few different brands you could add in a bigger roundup
Yes was just working on it last week 😊
@@The_Kavalier sweet. Love the channel. Bought from Bonobos last week and looking into a few other things. Great value for the money +longevity
The brown Suit Supply brown captoe are truly beautiful. Especially like the glossy look.
Can you mention all your shoe sizes? I only got your size for Meermin and Suitsupply. It is useful information to cross size shoes. Thanks a million. Enjoy your channel.
EU size 45 in almost anything these days.
Fifth Avenues in walnut with Dainite sole. Precisely the shoes I'm planning on ordering this weekend from AE (sale ends Monday). How do you like the Dainite sole?
Love it. It's heavy but so durable and barely any wear on it after dozen+ days on the road.
Only downside I will point out about the Dainite sole is that it's a single piece of rubber. If you tend to wear the heels down faster than the rest of the shoe, you'll have to get the whole thing replaced. With the normal leather sole, the heels are separate, so AE can put on new heels for only $50 and leave the rest of the sole alone.
is it possible to do an episode of sport jackets or blazers?
Great Idea!
Why does the Blake stitch on the suitsupply not extend to the heel?
Off topic. Would the AE Fifth Avenue in black be usable for interviews or the brougeing makes it too casual?
For the most part yes. If you're going into banking I think they're more formal overall. Good idea... interview wardrobe video...
The Kavalier So would you suggest instead the Park Avenue of they are too casual? Yes I possibly have one with a bank.
Btw you forgot the teddy interview link!
Anyone have experience with Civardi shoes? What are your thoughts on this brand?
A great combination of shoes, all good quality& in leather, not single Wear& Tear
Great video, thank you for your time doing these.
What about Johnston Murphy?
Allen Edmonds is the only one of that group that has wide widths. Any other good shoe makers offer wide widths?
I am looking for ya! Working on a similar style video but with wide widths. Mostly looking like AE ;-)
Ace Marks have up to E.
Question for ya, do guys still wear does with no show socks? Is that fad over?
I think it's still going but might be trending down...
The Kavalier thanks, do you TK?
what is that color called on the Allen Edmonds?
If you decide to sell some shoes in size 12 give me a holler!
Richard Collins I was thinking the same thing lol
Love the loafers, Jon But the Allen Edmonds sounds like they can give your legs a workout just by walking.
These look slick. Someone should make that one bend section of the shoe with the highest quality $400 leather and the rest with the $199 high quality to bring the overall price point down. Missed the opportunity to get black tho ;)
I think that might be what Ace Marks does based on their designs. Need to get my hands on a pair...
Would you ever do a review on a Thom Browne suit?
Can u tell me difference in D and E width?
Great comparison!
Surprised you like tan so much, I only wear dark brown.
What to you think of Jack Erwin?
A great video Johnny 👍
Thank you Sukhy!
Good comparison
I agree with everybody else you need to start taking care of your shoes a little bit better shoe trees and polish would do wonders
I do! Shoe trees everyday, regular horse brush and sapphir polish for each. Just a lot of wear
@@The_Kavalier ok then you're using either the wrong type or size of shoe trees or incorrectly because I have 25+ year old shoes that look in far better condition.
I'm not wishing to sound mean but it looks like maybe you put a shoe tree in the shoes for an hour after use. I have shoe trees for all my shoes, the only time they're without is when there's feet in them.
Thanks a lotta !!! Buddy
You use a shoe tree right?
Everyday
Good!
yeah but does he polish or condition
Have to say, the creasing in the shoes says otherwise!
Try out Thursday boots dress shoes
Where did you get that jumper?
Bonobos merino wool from several years ago.
Haha those caps on the AE fifth ave are comically small in comparison
They kind of drive me crazy. They are the same size on both factory seconds the full price ones I bought. Crazy.
Lighting makes it difficult to see them when unboxing.
Working on that. Need new stands for the new light panels
Love the idea and the table.
Yes, much better than old floating box whilst standing...
I know I am a bit late to the party but considering how much I appreciate your content and taste I am pretty irritated and shocked over the bad shape your shoes are in. I just don´t understand how people who are into clothing that much don´t invest into some good shoe trees.