All right you boys, need dress/casual shoe brand recommendation

[tantric superman 4,667]

So I've decided I'm just going to stop buying shitty, ill-fitting shoes (I've got wide feet so always a bit of a pain).  I recently bought some red wing work chukkas which I like.  I need a couple of other dress/casual (I'm using that term because I'm wearing a suit, khakis (docker type) or jeans, and I want stuff to wear with the latter two.

I want a shoe I can just keep resoling for a decade or two. 

I say dress/Casual because I guess somewhere in between.  Here is an Allen Edmonds' that is in the space I was thinking.

I'm kinda burned out on mocs or penny loafer type stuff.

So looking for brands that you have gotten that will last forever if you take care of them.

 

[Quagmire 2,147]

I’m a big fan of Clark’s shoes, they have tons of styles, good quality shoes, comfy too.

All I buy now

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,732]

J&M for me if it calls for something other than boots.

[gurt 748]

I would suggest something a bit more neutral than the ones you posted. I think those are a bit too overstated.

I recommend anything from meermin, and derbies (bluchers) are good as nice but not as formal as oxfords

https://meermin.com/in_en/shop/men/classic-collection/bluchers.html

These chukka boots are something I’ve wanted for a long time, and I think they walk the line of nice but casual due to the pebbles grain of the leather

https://www.herringshoes.co.uk/herring/gosforth-ii-rubber_rubber-soled-chukka-boots/tan-grain

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,877]

I’m a big fan of Clark’s shoes, they have tons of styles, good quality shoes, comfy too.

All I buy now

That’s what I usually wear for casual. I find them very comfortable.

[Jerry Callo 8,699]

I'll second both Clark's and Johnson Murphy. I have two pairs of JM Bicycle Schuler in both black and brown. Put tan laces in my older pair of black making them more casual. Wear the newer pairs with slacks.

[Al Czervik 1,229]

J&M period.  Hit the outlet, I’ve bought multiple pairs and have been able to get a big discount.  Do it, no regrats.  

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

Fuck man, the going rate on Aldens is $500/pair.  They last long enough that you can go from $200 to $500.

[Stella Link 534]

I also vote Johnston & Murphy.  I own several pairs, several styles from dress lace-up to casual loafers.  I've had one pair of loafers for over 15 years (my go-to weekend shoes), and had them re-soled a few times because they were so comfortable.  

https://www.johnstonmurphy.com/

 

 

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

Compared to Allen-Edmonds and Alden, JM have been horrible, both as to quality and as to fit.  That may have changed, but the prices indicate otherwise.

That meermins site looks really interesting.  I don't know shit about UK "fits" though.

[dcbc 14,465]

Can't replace the rubber soles, but Josef Seibel are very comfortable and nice looking shoes. 

[RoundRobin 828]

Allen Edmonds. 

[tantric superman 4,667]

22 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Compared to Allen-Edmonds and Alden, JM have been horrible, both as to quality and as to fit.  That may have changed, but the prices indicate otherwise. 

That meermins site looks really interesting.  I don't know shit about UK "fits" though.

Yeah, this is what I'm looking for.  If Allen Edmunds is just better quality (which is my experience), then I want to go with the better quality.   And the replaceable soles are a given.  My fat ass wears shoes hard. 

If Alden or Meermin is a better alternative to Allen Edmunds, I'm in.

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

8 minutes ago, tantric superman said:

Yeah, this is what I'm looking for.  If Allen Edmunds is just better quality (which is my experience), then I want to go with the better quality.   And the replaceable soles are a given.  My fat ass wears shoes hard. 

If Alden or Meermin is a better alternative to Allen Edmunds, I'm in.

Alden is as good, probably better than AE.  And they have a wide range of sizes, including wide.  And their wide widths are wide.  Spendy as hell though.

[gurt 748]

Compared to Allen-Edmonds and Alden, JM have been horrible, both as to quality and as to fit.  That may have changed, but the prices indicate otherwise.
That meermins site looks really interesting.  I don't know shit about UK "fits" though.

I have a pair of meermin oxfords, and they are beautifully made shoes. For the quality they are a good deal, likely in the same quality range as AE but cost a good bit less

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

1 minute ago, gurt said:

 

I have a pair of meermin oxfords, and they are beautifully made shoes. For the quality they are a good deal, likely in the same quality range as AE but cost a good bit less

What is the width like on them?  They are spectacular looking dress shoes and the price looks even better after perusing Alden's MSRP.  Holy shit.

[Hank Scorpio 17,729]

Allen Edmonds is the correct answer. 

[gurt 748]

What is the width like on them?  They are spectacular looking dress shoes and the price looks even better after perusing Alden's MSRP.  Holy shit.

I’d say they are fairly standard width, though they did take a bit of breaking in. If you have particularly wife feet you might go towards a brand with wider options.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4,975]

If you want something that will last forever go with a quality brand that is Goodyear welted. But then you are almost getting out of the dress casual category almost by definition. If you want something that is comfortable from the get go, but is still a bit dressy go with something that is Blake stitched. But those can't be resoled very easily. You almost need to pick one or the other for dress casual.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,509]

If you want something to last decades you also want something that you will want to wear decades.  You can’t get something trendy because it will look bad in 10 years. Look at styles that were being worn in the 80s, 90s, 00s and now. Find what was worn across those decades and buy that style. Timeless not trendy. 

Nothign wrong with buying trendy but don’t worry about it lasting for decades.   You will want to throw it away next year. 

[thunderlounge 7,815]

18 hours ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

J&M for me if it calls for something other than boots. 

You mean like the beach?

[Stella Link 534]

Allen Edmonds are great shoes if budget isn't a consideration.  

[tx 3 putt 76,880]

buy whatever you can buy on close out. nordstrom's has great sales 

[Sam Lin 3,551]

On 10/5/2018 at 7:30 PM, Hank Scorpio said:

Allen Edmonds is the correct answer. 

This, and go into one of their stores and try sizes on until you nail your fit, since they make any size any width. My dad has super-wide feet and AE custom order is the only place he gets a great fitting shoe.

After you figure out your fit, either custom order the shoe you want in that size, wait for one of their sales, or browse their Shoebank factory seconds to save some money. Half of mine are custom due to wanting Dainite soles, but I've also bought a couple pairs from Shoebank and couldn't find the blemish that made it a factory second.

[Irwin F Fletcher 3,550]

I'm a big fan of Allen Edmonds (couple of dress, casual and a pair of their boots). I've had three pair sent for resole that were originally purchased back in the early 90's. All have held up exceptionally.

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

7 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

This, and go into one of their stores and try sizes on until you nail your fit, since they make any size any width. My dad has super-wide feet and AE custom order is the only place he gets a great fitting shoe.

After you figure out your fit, either custom order the shoe you want in that size, wait for one of their sales, or browse their Shoebank factory seconds to save some money. Half of mine are custom due to wanting Dainite soles, but I've also bought a couple pairs from Shoebank and couldn't find the blemish that made it a factory second.

Yeah, one thing to be aware of with A-E, is that they use a lot of different lasts with pretty different fits, even within a particular type (bal, slip-on dress, etc.).  Just because you have a pair that fits great doesn't mean you can order the same size in a different shoe, even if it's a superficially similar shoe.

[Lazarus Bocanegra 304]

I have been a fan of AE for a long time, but I was very displeased with the work they did on the last pair I sent for recrafting.  Displeased enough that I will probably just get the next pair resoled locally, or switch to Alden.  

 

[PorscheGuy 127]

J & M should be your first choice. Then again, dockers? Really?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

DId a little looking around, and it seems we're both right about JM.  Their ordinary lines of shoes are made abroad and typically of cheap(er), corrected grain leathers (which means stiff and will crack badly sooner rather than later).  In other words, notso hotso.

 

However, their top of the line shoes, costing >$250, compare ok to AE and Alden.  Don't seem to be quite as good, but a reasonable substitute at a price break of $100 or more.  They also apparently tend to have wider lasts than the others.  The key seems to be whether they come in actual widths (A, B. C, D. E, EE) or M or W.  Apparently, even at JM stores, widths other than D or maybe EE will have to be ordered, meaning getting your size can be a bit of a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey exercise.

[dirtonia 269]

Air Jordan's, duh.

[ohchaucer 1,443]

Alden - anything in cordovan if you want them to last forever.  They are pricey and the cordovans are about $200 more than their regular leather counterparts, but I have a pair of loafers, chukkas and a longwing wingtip and they are all 10+ years old and look new still.  They also have a range of widths.

[TwiceHorn 31,440]

3 minutes ago, ohchaucer said:

Alden - anything in cordovan if you want them to last forever.  They are pricey and the cordovans are about $200 more than their regular leather counterparts, but I have a pair of loafers, chukkas and a longwing wingtip and they are all 10+ years old and look new still.  They also have a range of widths.

 

[RDCanecutter 26,401]

OP, don't abase yourself like this. Move beyond decaf conceptions like "comfort".

[C-Man 27,198]

2 hours ago, ohchaucer said:

Alden - anything in cordovan if you want them to last forever.  They are pricey and the cordovans are about $200 more than their regular leather counterparts, but I have a pair of loafers, chukkas and a longwing wingtip and they are all 10+ years old and look new still.  They also have a range of widths.

I have three pair of the Alden full strap slip-ons (burgundy or dark brown, black and lighter brown) and love them. I got the burgundy/dark brown ones first and they've been reconditioned/resoled at least twice. They come back looking brand new but it's like $175 or so to have it done. The others have been reconditioned at least once each and it's about time to send my black ones back in the near future.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,732]

Aren’t you fancy

[Liquor and Poker 3,659]

Lucchese?

[happyfunball 481]

I’d assume you are at least 50 plus for anyone suggesting Clarke’s 

[G650 14,246]

On 10/5/2018 at 3:40 PM, tantric superman said:

So I've decided I'm just going to stop buying shitty, ill-fitting shoes (I've got wide feet so always a bit of a pain).  I recently bought some red wing work chukkas which I like.  I need a couple of other dress/casual (I'm using that term because I'm wearing a suit, khakis (docker type) or jeans, and I want stuff to wear with the latter two.

I want a shoe I can just keep resoling for a decade or two. 

I say dress/Casual because I guess somewhere in between.  Here is an Allen Edmonds' that is in the space I was thinking.

I'm kinda burned out on mocs or penny loafer type stuff.

So looking for brands that you have gotten that will last forever if you take care of them.

 

Crockett & Jones and Allen Edmonds are both solid and will last forever.

 

Those shoes pictured though would make Stevie Wonder flinch.

 

Edit: Johnston & Murphy are pretty much garbo these days too, like what happened to Florsheim.

Edited October 12, 2018 by G650

[G650 14,246]

On 10/6/2018 at 1:08 AM, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

If you want something that will last forever go with a quality brand that is Goodyear welted. But then you are almost getting out of the dress casual category almost by definition.

 

wat.

[Guest]

The J&M store in Terminal A of the DFW Airport always has great prices on shoes. I buy a new pair once every fiscal half.

In fact, if you are a salesman and don't do most of your clothes shopping at an airport (There is a Johnston & Murphy and a Brooks Brothers at ORD, IAH, DFW, basically anywhere you will be in a quarter or two) then I'm not sure I want to buy whatever wares you are peddling, sir.

Edited October 15, 2018 by Guest

[G650 14,246]

[SHOOTER12 8,800]

Always go with Stacy Adams......

 

Srsly, can't go wrong with J&M's.   Been a favorite of mine for years.

[C-Man 27,198]

Anybody have experience with Trask? Looking at another pair of penny-loafers and they look nice.

[dcbc 14,465]

I'll throw Joseph Seibel into the mix.  Been wearing these things out on a day-by-day basis for nearly 20 years.

[kevwun 15,769]

Clarks are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn.

[kmac30 416]

You mentioned Allen Edmunds, why not just go there. DO NOT buy at Nordstrom if you have wide feet. They usually don’t carry the wide selections even though they say they do. The sales guy will get you a larger size to get the width right. The shoe will flip up on you. Go to the AE store and get fitted.

I took a pair I had bought at Nordstrom to the AE store to get restored (whatever they call it). Talked to them for a while. They said they would do it, but in the end I had shoes that didn’t fit. They thought I was throwing money away. They pulled out some shoes that were my actual size. Holy hell. Changed my life (I wear a suit every day). I had 2 pairs of AE that didn’t fit right. Manager gave me a discount of $100 because I had just missed a sale. I’ve bought 2 more pairs that fit right since, when they’ve had sales. It’s a huge difference.

The other thing about buying from the store, I have gone in there a couple times and had them clean up the edges of the soles or some scuffs. They’re happy to do it.

[Nueces River Rat 5,538]

On 10/5/2018 at 8:38 PM, Stella Link said:

I also vote Johnston & Murphy.  I own several pairs, several styles from dress lace-up to casual loafers.  I've had one pair of loafers for over 15 years (my go-to weekend shoes), and had them re-soled a few times because they were so comfortable.  

https://www.johnstonmurphy.com/

 

 

I'll vouch for J&M.  Ecco has some good casual shoes.

 

[Wally Fairway 5,541]

another vote for J&M, with a fallback of Cole-Haan

[That Guy 955]

I rock santonis all day everyday. Work very well for the shape of my foot. Large Variety of styles.

[Celery Man 20,933]

I realize the post re:Clarks=old was a few months back but I see desert boots fairly frequently and chukkas in general all the time. I bought some desert boots a few years back on a whim and they’re a great mix of comfortable to walk in, easy to slip on and off, and casual but a bit smarter than tennis shoes.