Proper leather shoes

second hand Church's grafton. I got a burgundy pair on ebay for 140 I think, but i've seen them go cheaper

I treat my leather work shoes like rubbish. Is there anything that will keep me looking like a corporate whore but with a head kickin' tough rubber sole? Like those Cat/Doc Martin boot soles but on office slut upper?

I went looking for a pair of everyday brogues in the Stafford Westfield last night. For some reason nearly every shoe now has the rubberised sole....WHY.

I love leather, I can have a non slip sole put on and when it wears out do the same again. I'm not sold on the idea of rubber soles for brogues. Nices pair I could find were £60 Black with Tan leather soles (Chapman & More) at TK Maxx in Leytone, but then someone had half inched the laces!

I know this thread is more geared towards a more well made/expensive shoe but does anyone know which of the TK Maxx stores in London stock the best selection of brougues?

So....

Why the rubber soles?

&

Where's the best place for decent cheap pair of brouges £60ish.

Need to find the John White's when they come in, only thing close to what you're describing I think. Bit more than sixty notes though

Nice, I saw some last night, decent shoe.

After a further look, the Charing Cross branch have just opened a new shoe department, I'll give that a chance tonight.

Thinking about it, Leyton isn't synonymous with good shops. If I remember correctly the shoe selections in the Gracechurch Street store were decent, that'll be the backup plan then!

plenty of leather soled brogues on the tk maxx site, might be worth a look?

Thanks but I've checked out the ones online, but it's a waste of time without trying them on. I find the sizing between manufacturers too inconsistent to punt for a pair online. In addition it's different from the stock in store.

buy two sizes, return one.

I'm not fussed about the preponderance of rubber soles due to the time of year. I'm looking at some brogues or a brogue boot with a commando sole for the winter, it's so wet up here in Glasgow that leather soles just get hounded in weeks and you wander around with sodden feet all the time.

Also looking at some chelsea boots to occasionally spice up my work attire. There are some nice Loake ones I've been considering.

Any recommendations for either?

Thise Loake Chelsea boots can be had for £120 in a shop on Harrow Place, just off Middlesex st. Can recommend.

Thise Loake Chelsea boots can be had for £120 in a shop on Harrow Place, just off Middlesex st. Can recommend.

Have they got a website?

Am on the brink of getting some Alden Indys, prob 405s. Anyone own and can vouch (not that I need it but always nice).

Own a pair.... love them. Possibly favorite footwear I own.

Extra points for Cordovan

http://www.aldenshop.com/Store/DrawProducts.aspx?CategoryID=158&ParentID=94&PageID=&Action=

Wish I was a uk6.5

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alden-x-The-Bureau-Kudu-boots-/171134973236?pt=UK_Men_s_Shoes&hash=item27d8707534

^they look battered

battered yes. good yes.

I'm not fussed about the preponderance of rubber soles due to the time of year. I'm looking at some brogues or a brogue boot with a commando sole for the winter, it's so wet up here in Glasgow that leather soles just get hounded in weeks and you wander around with sodden feet all the time.

Also looking at some chelsea boots to occasionally spice up my work attire. There are some nice Loake ones I've been considering.

Any recommendations for either?

I got some brogue Loake boots from TK Maxx, the same as this
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Loake-George-Mens-Black-Distressed-Vintage-Leather-Brogue-Boots-/00/s/MTAwMFgxMjAw/z/~hoAAMXQwwlSCkPH/$(KGrHqJ,!oQFIGpW)yIVBSCkPG1En!~~60_12.JPG

The Loake chelsea boots are nice but are a bit taller than I would like.

Picked these pebble-grain Alden longwings up in NYC but I think they're a bit small so I might have to move them on :-(

These natural chromexcel Indies are perfect though!

I went looking for a pair of everyday brogues in the Stafford Westfield last night. For some reason nearly every shoe now has the rubberised sole....WHY.

Because we're coming up to rainy shit whether that absolutely distroys soles

Tk max on grace church st can be quite good. But like most TK's its very hit and miss.

If you want churches then Bicester village is good - obviously subject to your size and how bad the defect is.

Blackmans in Cheshire Street

Not quite what it was , but still a good place for seconds

Mostly Barkers though...

Picked these pebble-grain Alden longwings up in NYC but I think they're a bit small so I might have to move them on :-(

These natural chromexcel Indies are perfect though!

Could you get a cobbler to stretch them a bit?

Because we're coming up to rainy shit whether that absolutely distroys soles

I know, but I haven't seen so many rubber soles on leather shoes, its a new trend surely.

Tk max on grace church st can be quite good. But like most TK's its very hit and miss.

If you want churches then Bicester village is good - obviously subject to your size and how bad the defect is.

Thanks but its a bit of a trek for shoes..... (unless intended for someone else).

Ended up piping for some Paolo Sartori...

http://www.tkmaxx.com/content/ebiz/tkmaxx/invt/G./7./p./27158919/27158919_lalt1.jpg

I got them in a grey horn colour rather then the pictured brown,, slightly dressy for a day shoe but hey-ho. Its a very comfortable fit for me in a size 45, i usually fit 46-47.

Too small shoes? Depends upon what too small means? Too narrow or too short.. Or both? Aldens tend to be sized on the large side.. I think the longwing is a Barrie last and that is around 1/2 larger than the standard US or 1/2 less than UK, viz. a UK 11 is a 11 1/2 in Barrie.. So if you thought the US had UK sizes you are perhaps 1/2 size short.. Normally one orders these, I think, in the standard size--- e.g. 1/2 size long (UK+1)--- but a tad more narrow (US widths are AAA to EEE with Alden D as the equivalent to E and sometimes F in the UK)..

There is nothing one can do about shoes that are too short.. Narrow.. depends as people are often used to sloppy fitting shoes and their first reaction to proper fit is "too tight".. That's why most shoes sold on the high street are in wide widths..