I suppose the one generalization that fits, however, is on finish. If you want a low-vamp tassel, Id look to the Alden one first. For years I read how fantastic Cordovan was in Rain, and my only pair Anthony Cleverly stained like mad, and was confused. Hello Simon. I recommend doing so - with a cloth - before you wear them or when you want them to look particularly good. Thank you for the high quality of your columns. And, scuffs, are dealt-with through heat and friction rubbing out. Couldnt find anywhere in Uk. I was looking at these pair of boots from Alden https://www.brogueshop.com/collections/shell-cordovan-1/products/alden-x-brogue-ruby-hill-boot-1 to wear with my https://thearmoury.com/products/the-armoury-by-nigel-cabourn-5-pocket-denim-jeans?variant=17728986677319 and my https://therealmccoys.com/collections/bottoms/products/001xx-washed Jeans. But from what you write here about comfort and opting for the larger size (if in doubt) I figure that I ought to go for the size 8,5/ E rather than trying my luck on a pair in size 8,5 D ? I dont have any from Crocketts, but did have a pair from Edward Green (mentioned above). Interested in how you wear the black cordovan tassel loafers. Thanks, nice to know youve found it so helpful. They are wide and flat, so theoretically, I would need pretty wide lasts to be comfortable. Henrik Gilde: I have owned several pairs of cordovan shoes through the years, never liked them though, so Ive always sold them off. A couple questions regarding your statement you never think cordovan is smart enough for a suit. Ive got two where the cordovan has a hatch grain to it. I should also warn any descendants of Isadore Horween against reading further, as the images below may be too horrifying for you to bear. Id love to see something one day on leather alternatives for shoes. Thank you in advance. Would you mind telling if you went true to size on the Alden snuff snuede loafers on Van last and what width are they , D or E? Any recommendations regarding color and style would be appreciated. As to belt, I wear a dark-brown leather most of the time, or even a black if its a smarter shoe/look. The aforementioned techniques with a bone or spoon can help smooth over rough scuffs on the surface of shell cordovan. On the waviness, are you keeping shoe trees in them after wear? one mor question. I do like the fact that its all eyelets and I like that in my boots. , this colour 8 makes up about 65% of their cordovan production. Thanks for your response. Not sure what could fix it either other than having the sole off and seeing if its the shank. Hi,Simon 379X Military Last. 3. Theres nothing wrong with the shoe, but it can be a bit of a shock if youre not expecting it. As a long time fan of both Alden and Cordovan, Im glad to see youre a convert. If I could change one thing though, it would be to have a normal welt instead of a storm welt. No comparison to Rendenbach soles. Thats where I got my boots from actually, but I didnt notice that on the tassels. I bought the Alden Plain Toe Blucher in Colour 8 at the San Francisco Alden in 2016, and returned to the same shop for the Black version in 2017. It is my preferred leather for watch straps. Alden is really expensive in my country, whereas to my surprise Allen Edmonds is not. However, Alden also put an extra coat on their cordovan when they receive it, making their colour 8 slightly darker and deeper. I dont think they stock color #8, but usually have whisky and dark brown, which is a little different from Aldens Cigar brown. Kind of difficult to find a store and compare by myself in my area. I tried them on today in size 8 but had a little heel slippage. Over time, even with proper care, repeated creasing can cause leather to crack and rip. Later, you can then brush them off, followed by a thin layer of protective cream polish, rubbed into the shell, and a thorough brushing. (Excluding the price difference/personal preference.) Theres no rule here just bear in mind that its a more casual material. Are these NW1? Striking colour similar to the number 8 that you described, extremely comfortable, and surprisingly light feel on the foot for a heavy shoe. It is all essentially corium. I have had two very different experienced with Cordovan. Thanks Simon! When Trump retaliated against the high Common External Tariffs (e.g. I think you have one in suede. Gents! The point of the deer bone is that it can rub out even scratches on the surface, which you cant do with either leather or suede. Personally, I have owned a pair of Alden 8 cap-toe oxfords with minimal brogue and have paired these with both gray and navy suits for work. Any thought / insight would be much appreciated (and justified by the title of this article;). Lovely. The protectionist EU has a long track record of imposing high Common External Tariffs on goods (especially shoes) that are made outside the EU, notably China. They remain perfect. Interested to hear any thoughts (from you or anyone), I wouldnt wear a cordovan belt probably, but I have a wonderful cordovan notebook, which has aged very well (here) and I like the T-style wallet in cordovan too. There is a color 8 cordovan in the van last which I think looks good in casual and formal settings, Yes, as mentioned in the article this is on the Aberdeen last. In addition to limited supply, shell cordovan requires an intense tanning process that can take six months to produce. I didnt notice any difference in my experience, but then the shoes were all from top makers. Which tongue pads have you found to be effective? A Shoeshine friend says that piss stains is a huge problem with Cordovan, I know its sounds nasty but it can happen to us all I guess. Do you think that Alden or Edward Green have lasts for loafers which can fit with wide feet ? Its just really hard for calfskin to compare to. and Im now interested in buying a pair of casual/dress boots. I belief you own shoes in both models. Who should do this instead of me next time? Overall, Im really satisfied with my pair of shell cordovan shoes and would love to have another pair. Here in NYC, they are far more common than I have seen on trips to London. Above all, each piece is different. Picture: Alden of San Diego. But I wouldnt use black cream or polish yet. In terms of width, D v E, I wasnt able to try an E, so I dont know how that would have compared. I generally struggle with CJ loafers (only come in one width standard), as I have to go up in size to accomodate my wide forefoot, which leads to a shoe that is a bit too wide at heal. I'm not entirely sure why they fell out of someone's rotation, but I'm happy they did. Picture: PatrickBOOTH / StyleForum. If you want another recommendation, look at the handful that Crocketts have in cordovan. Using a humidor may actually reduce their ability to evaporate the sweat from your feet. And given how the shoes will be worn (mostly denim) the slimness was not that much of a concern. Ah, I see. Understood. It benefits hugely from brushing, and from buffing (rubbing). Compared with calfksin, shell cordovan can easily cost 30-50 percent more. One of the biggest such sites in the world, it receives up to 500,000 page views a month. Is this ill advised for a first loafer? If youre not in the right financial position, your feet can wait. How do I get rid of scratches and scuffs? Maybe its my feet which are bit biased towards the outer sides but I had to put in some extra insole in my two twenty year old pairs perhaps eight years ago, as they have become wider and my feet began to slip noticeably. Its manageable depending on what socks I have on but thin or sockless is out of the question. However, I always wear shoes which pinch my toes as my outfit would look proportionally odd if I wore anything that fits my feet well; it would look like I am wearing chunky trainers. In both cases the material is just one factor. Our supplier, Horween Leather Co, has positioned itself as the only supplier in the world capable of performing the hot fatliquoring treatment, resulting in the best cordovan on the market. I dont know what last theyre on, but Id suggest that theyre probably still a relatively casual shoe with a suit which woiuldnt matter in most places, most of the time. https://thearmoury.com/products/hudson-tassel-loafer?variant=32131236102215 Appreciated your recommendation and I will go for a brown leather/box calf loafer. Hi Simon, nice to see you moving into this area of things, been a reader for about 8 years now and this is my first time commenting I think. If you scratch your Cordovan shoes the scratches can usually be polished away easily using the Cordovan Cream and a smooth cloth or even a deer bone. Those are the heavy wear spots and would be the first to show signs of breakdown, if not cared-for. May I ask why did you prefer this make up to the more common Aberdeen last and blind eyelets? Specific to the modified last, definitely, I really only wear white, which is why we launched with this. Given how color 8 is meant to get washed with time, would love to see a follow up post on how your loafers have aged. General wisdom among Alden fans dictates that the Aberdeen fits true to (Brannock) size, and the Barrie is roomier all around, and can be worn a half size smaller. Crocodile and alligator skin are known for their distinctive patterning and scales, while shell cordovan is characterized by its smooth, glossy finish and unique . Though, with all the fats in the leather I have never found it necessary to administer shoe cream or polish. They are truly priceless, especially when in good condition. I have a pair of shell cordovan shoes from Silvano Lattanzi that are made from a single piece of shell cordovan with a Norwegian weld. Any thoughts on the Alden Blutcher Plain Toe cordovan shoes? This process leaves the material with a very high . Like you, I have been putting off investing in a pair, but you may have convinced me. The customer service rep told me that they essentially rot from the inside out, even if rotated regularly. If were talking about just cordovan in Color 8 colour, then: 1) To an extent, though I think the brown has to be pretty dark Hi Simon, So I did an quick search, and there are no threads devoted to restoring Shell Cordovan Shoes. Do you have any recommendations for successfully pairing brown pants with black shoes? 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