Proper leather shoes

I have some Sanders Playboy Chukkas UK12 for sale- paid £50 for them. It says to size up a half size so thought a full size could be ok but they're too big for me. Would fit someone who wears 11.5/12 normally I'd suggest. Can post at cost.
They look like this.

Ah, cheers, that makes more sense.

I was struggling to understand how such a low cost was translating to a > $1k shoe but selling at $125/unit makes more sense in that context.

So it's the scarcity of the material (and the workers to work with it) and the time required which bumps the price up.

I wonder if cheap overseas and machine made shoes have been partly responsible for higher prices. When I was younger I knew a lot of people who worked in shoe making but all that's left now seems to be the high end stuff.

Oh without a doubt. Shoe making is also a dying trade. Yuki also said he had a genuine fear that he won't be able to make any moccasins for much longer, arguably Yuketen's specialty, because all of the workmen and women that make them are 65+ and their knowledge is not being passed onto anyone. IIRC, British shoe makers are far better at running apprenticeships and teaching young people the craft of shoemaking. Tricker's are especially good at this.

Regarding Cordovan itself, I didn't realise till I read that article that one horse = one pair of shoes, so it's easy to see why it's so expensive. And that's before the hide is worked on for six months... There's obviously also different grades of cordovan shoe that creates a big price differential. Yuketen's leather is hand cut, the shoe is hand lasted and entirely hand stitched, whereas a pair of Allen Edmond's are machine made and use imported non-Horween Cordovan.

I thought that at one time Cordovan was considered a relatively low grade leather and wasn’t used for primo shoes, jackets et cetera. If so that that ‘one horse one shoe’ thing wouldn’t make sense.
Maybe I’m just imagining I heard that.

Anyone own Vibergs? Look really lovely, but 3x the most I've ever spent on shoes:

https://www.rivetandhide.com/shop/categories/footwear/viberg-service-boot-brown-chromexcel.html?___store=default

I had ‘em and sold ‘em, but only because I couldn’t figure out how to carry them off and where to wear them. Just too paranoid partly though my foot problems are enough to limit that kind of shoe purchase in the first place.
Get them if the above doesn’t put you off, they are gorgeous.

Been deliberating a new boot purchase for a while and these are top of the list. If nothing else has popped up to scratch the itch by Christmas then I’ll be heading to try on a pair

I reckon at that price, for that type of boot, you’d be remiss to not also consider a pair of John Lofgren’s.

After I read this interview I really wanted a pair.

https://standardandstrange.com/blogs/standard-strange-stories/an-exclusive-interview-with-john-lofgren

@ChasnotRobert - whatever you decide to go with, at that price range, so long as you buy from a proper boot manufacturer, they’ll last for decades to come. Even my Red Wing’s have lasted for a decade and those don’t hold a candle to Viberg/White’s/Truman/John Lofgren and so on.

Thanks - John Lofgren chukkas look amazing.

His take on ethics and quality is interesting and well thought through. Makes the price seem slightly less daunting.

Yep. They’re at the top of my next pair of shoes list.

Rather pleased with my new purchases. Obviously not the super expensive shoes normally associated with this thread but they suit my older needs.

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I don't doubt the quality, and maybe it's just me, but those Vibergs just have a touch of the TK Maxx about them (yes, I know you wouldn't find them in TK Maxx, but they wouldn't look out of place on the racks) - there's something about the design that's off. The John Lofgren's are much nicer, so are Wolverine 1000 Mile boots which, whist not being of the same quality, will last for over 10 years if looked after and worn on rotation.

My only issue with the 1000 Mile is that they look narrow when I switch from my Iron Rangers, and then vice versa. Still, variety being spice of lie and all that...

Jeans!!! Jeans n Schuh!!!

<3

Normally buy cheap shit M&S shoes but they don't do anything big enough now. Neither did any of the other 'normal human' shops near me.
Where can I get large, all black office shoes. No frills or foofy designs, no boots.
Leather uppers, thick durable synth/rubber soles.
Preferably online so I don't have to deal with people (pukes) shopping.

https://www.shoezone.com

Biggest size in shoes is 46?

This kind of thing, although would prefer simpler looking.
https://www.highandmighty.co.uk/products/leather-derby-shoe/p/CI177?ref=plp#v=color%3ACI177_BLACK%7Csize%3A10%7C

Edit - saw your link above... dunno about upper limit of sizes but H&M do cheap shit shoes - https://m2.hm.com/m/en_gb/productpage.0630304002.html

Clarks is the obvious. They go up to a 13 I think.

Don’t discount a glance in a charity shop while you’re out and about. I see gargantuan shoes languishing on the shelves of most. Too large for mortals, too small for gods. You as a titan may find a deal.

Hi Carson - did you get a chance to take photo of the Loakes? Need new work shoes so this is timely (if they fit).

https://www.marksandspencer.com/l/men/all-shoes/smart-shoes-n-c3jsu?facets=20321022,4294908085,8&slider_Current_Min=0&slider_Current_Max=150&sortBy=product.is_new|1

2 in stock?

https://www.marksandspencer.com/leather-lace-up-derby-shoes/p/p60144482?color=BLACK

H&M seem to max out at 11. In this case 'turning it up to 11' isn't good enough ;)

Went there. They did have bigger sizes but nothing all black.

Not a bad shout.