Proper leather shoes

Thanks I’m a 12 or 13..... although do I need toes?

“Insert your own joke about clown feet”

On a separate note I am hunting black round toe Derby’s around the £100 mark any suggestions? I have a wedding coming up, I’m very picky but also very Scottish and renovating an apartment.

To clarify looking for expensive version I can find on various selling sites.

Could try loake outlet website...?
Or Herring sale remnants?

Thanks for sharing. Going to watch these.

I reckon you should go to Bicester - you could even try calling ahead. Same for the factory shop. But Bicester carries a much greater range of stock.

Not in the larger sizes though. Fellow sasquatch here who had had precisely 1 success in 5 visits to Bicester. Call ahead and ask about stock, especially if you have wide feet like me (H).

Anyone for shoe care recommendations for a calfskin pebble grain leather?

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Saphir Medaille D’Or neutral shoe creme for a fortnightly nourish, black polish as needed (same brand).

I've found grenson come up quite big. I've a couple pairs of boots and they are wearing well.

Anyone tried Bicester or Factory shops, I'd imagine pretty hit or miss...?

Yes. Better choice in outlier sizes. Interesting to hear the comments about larger sizes above, as when I went the best ones were in larger sizes. Some shit colours. Worth a look though. The NF and Musto stores there are really good.

As for their general quality and price. IMO their relative price has fluctuated. Pretty sure my dad paid c.£200 in the late 80's, which isn't far off their relative price today. He still has them and iirc they've been sent back for the full renovation service once or twice. Early 00's? probably the same actual price.

Also worth remembering that fashions have changed. As have marketing and pricing strategies. BIFL type threads (like this one tbh) show that there's a real demand from consumers who are happy to pay a premium for a product they perceive to be quality with a legacy narrative and will offer man-maths VFM. Business adjust their prices accordingly.

(on a side rant.... post-Nike Converse is the worst offender for heritage pricing. What were $15/£20 shoes are now $$$$$ for what from a quality perspective should only ever be a $15/£20).

I have two pairs of Grenson, one i love and one I've never really got on with.
Should consider moving them on actually.

https://www.bexley.com/leather-cream-colorless-091007.html

Mainly because the shoes are Bexley, I bought the cream at the same time and they were both delivered to the office where they live.

Saphir mink spunk is nicer for renovation, but the cream is fine for "polishing".

The blake soled Grensons I've got are hands down the most comfortable leather shoes I've got. I keep meaning to write down the last details in case they wear off.

I'll give Bicester a call but thinking i'll go the Loake option.

I'd love to like the second pair but alas. Not even sure why it is.

There's been a drastic rise over the past few years. I bought a pair of Shannons for sub £400 2015ish. They're pushing £600 now!

I always see loads of 11's and 12's when I'm there...

Yeah, quite. Mad spenny. But then, are they the only English shoemaker owned by a major fashion house? I'm not aware of any others. So, sales model must definitely impacted by the parent company. Just the photography on their website. Clearly trying to turn English shoemaking into a lifestyle thing.

Jesus - a pair of Shannon's in the US is $850! That's more than C&J, Carmina, Tricker's, Alden. Everyone. For a pair of calf derby's. That's a very hard sell. You can grab cordovan from the above manufacturer's for less than that.

The headers of Church's versus C&J says it all really. C&J = shoes. Church's = two models wearing Prada gallivanting down a beach, carrying their shoes...

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That beach does look nice though, don't you want that life, can you really get it if you don't buy spenny shoes?

You don’t sell perfume by smell...

Well, you've got me there....

@JB John Lobb (Northampton not the original bespoke London JL) are owned by Hermes also.

I love my second hand church's but I won't be paying £450 for a new pair anytime soon.

Seems to be a fair amount available new and discounted from other retailers for under £300.

I think a pair of chukkas is what I need to round off my shoe wardrobe and keep me out of jeans n sheux.

I'm liking these Red Wings, any other suggestions?

https://www.sonofastag.com/products/red-wing-9215-foreman-chukka-briar-oil-slick

I love my Crown Horween desert boots if you don’t mind a crepe sole, I know I bang on about Crown, and they are my mates but they’re a great company. These in the pic are actually mine.

https://crownnorthampton.com/collections/wodford-desert-boot/products/woodford-desert-boot-horween-no-8-chromexcel

Also the Solovair chukkas look great in the flesh

https://www.nps-solovair.com/products/s3-103-bur-g?variant=28826354778176

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