This is very useful, thank you. Lets be honest here, what can you realistically expect from a 250 pair of leather shoes made in Europe, when a pair of sneakers produced under questrionable conditions in some third world country already cost as much if not more? You are of course free to think that theres better sources than Shoegazing. Is there a reason for that? Please dont take offence, I am just dead curious about it. Free shipping for many products! Free shipping for many products! Maybe even a philosophical one. Brands like Cheaney, Churchs, Trickers and Grenson dont feature here? Interesting times and personal style journey. I guess the issue is that I've not worn an English shoe before. Please check Rafal's thread and patronize a true custom maker. Id advise anyone whos a fan of RTW Northampton and Spanish shoes to go to the source and/or their stockists. P-79 last 10D: Excellent fit right out of the box with thick or thin socks. Ive a pair of Barker Grant that I must have worn 50/60/70 times and its only last week I had a topy (SVIG rubber) put on, the cobbler reckoned the rubber on the heel hadnt worn enough to warrant replacement. But also, a lot of brands offer MTO with a different width at no extra cost, or only a small one. France doesnt have the shoemaking tradition of the UK, Spain or Italy, and its brands like Loding or Orbans are all made in Spain and Portugal. Suede. The soles are more durable, the calf leather takes polish better and ages better, elements of the make lead to extra comfort (as do the materials), the make is finer and so looks better, and so on. Renav Goods Co A-1 Unstructured 42: Good fit for summer, but maxes out at Chup sock thickness. I have been wearing several pairs for ~18 years without an issue besides replacement of a couple of degraded rubber heel soles. meister Stylish Dinosaur Joined Feb 10, 2007 Messages 10,772 Reaction score 2,515 Dec 28, 2011 #9 I wear 9EE in AE (65 last) and want to try carminas. Out of the two shoe brands, however, Carmina shoes come forth as the best shoes in this discourse. Id like to add a little comment on the Vietnam shoe makers here. Second is a Loake 1880 snuff suede apron derby boot. Thanks for the response. I have had great buys from Tricker none were country shoes, but one pair had channeled soles, which even at full price would have been a bargain. Vanity may well be part of the explanation, its hard to say. Meermins can be bought at prices between $160 and $210 in the online and offline marketplaces today. MP/Barrie 9.5E: Excellent fit right out of the box with thick or thin socks. Very comfortable throughout the midfoot. Rafal hails from Poland and is a shoemaker who creates each pair of shoes by himself. Its hard to say since theyre Chelsea boots, which means breaking in isnt as much of an issue as with lace-up shoes. Thanks Simon, great work as always. My favorite last for standing long periods. In my experience, AE is not second to the former neither in leather quality nor make, and features more comfortable footbeds (especially vs Carmina), only it is not as sleek. Thankfully, that isnt true of all high end companies that Ive experienced and, in general, I have found that the quality of the service matches that of the product. Carmina Simpson Chelsea boot - 9.5 UK. Using these focus points, lets get into the comparison of these two shoe brands: Also, the materials of the Meermin shoes are flexible and stretchable enough to accommodate most feet. If one do good research ahead of placing an order (not just go by brand names and heritage, doesnt work anymore in the bespoke shoe world), choose a brand that suits ones style and preferences for shoes, the chance youll get your best shoes ever are very high. In addition they come in some very handsome styles. I just had the opportunity to try on some Carminas in store. **Notes about feet:** Left foot pretty much bang on 9D, right foot maybe 9.25D. Side-note: >90% of the sneakers I've worn over the years have been 10D, mostly Vans growing up and later Asics. Too tight in the vamp and mid-foot. There are some good value pick ups in this range, especially when youre figuring out what you like and dont like and building up your wardrobe slowly over time.. Nice, good to hear your experience Taylor, thanks. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Giro bike shoes: 45.5 EU - Great fit. Not a thick sock last. I brought a pair of black Oxford brogues in a classic last for 109 that were from the previous season and a pair of Dark Leaf Calf Oxfords for 150 that had a negligible fault (even the staff had to look it up as it wasnt obvious). NWT Pual Smith Linen, Cotton & Silk Blend Neck Tie in Navy w/ White Polka Dots from MR Porter, New w/ Tag $200+ Brioni Italian Made Woven Silk Purple Paisley Neck Tie from Bergdorf Goodman, Vintage Dunhill English Made Black Leather Long Wallet. They look nice to me, but as I have only been buying shoes from British shoemakers, I am unsure whether their last may look showy or unusual comparison. Either as a good value buy for one who is unwilling or unable spend more, or, as a gateway purchase into the world of fine mens shoes. Very hard to break in and stiff leathers. Ive mostly moved to bespoke now due to my weird feet, but I do own a pair of Morjas suede chukkas that I use in bad weather. Focus were on shoes below 300, Carlos Santos nowadays is a bit above that, but definitely good for the price. Im a regular customer of both Jermyn Street shops and the customer service Ive consistently experienced over many years has been exceptionally good, significantly better than Ive experienced in some other, more expensive establishments that will be well known to readers of this blog. Thanks EL. Travel Shoes Poll: What shoes do you bring with you on short trips? I happily pay the very reasonable cost for a brand providing a certain width, a good service, retaining the lasts that suits me and other added values. Anyone that gets these Carmina shoes for their wardrobe would be getting some of the best style statements of their lives. But the key issue from my point of view is that AE offers 10 widths across all the models in their portfolio, where none of the Northamptoners are able to offer more than 2 and only for very few of their models. C&J 341 - 9.5 UK. The honesty of the first 4 paragraphs bring home why , having read this blog for 8 years, at times it feels less relevant to myself . They have a lot of life left in them. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. But its a not a secret that English brands, in general (this for example does not go for the premium brands) use less good leather soles than Spanish and Italian makers of welted shoes, in general. Guessing I'd need 9.5D or 9EE. Last month, Swedish shoe brand Myrqvist (above) sent me a pair of their loafers to try. It will be creeping in going forward too, whenever it makes sense. Also, I dont think youve ever written about painted patina on shoes . Carmina shoes come with better finishing than the Meermin shoes. HIRO 9: Terrible fit. Coming up on the PS Shop this Autumn/Winter, Tailoring for travelling: tough, comfortable, plain, So in order to create a frame of reference, I phoned Jesper Ingevaldsson, who writes the website, These are two of the best known shoe brands internationally, with Crocketts a British mainstay and, The English brands at this price level are, The level above that is made in Japan, and includes brands like, . Interesting ! Ive just received an email from Herring Shoes announcing that Church Shoes Ltd have decided to increase their prices to reposition their brand at a higher price point. Definitely wish Viberg made more boots on this last. While, as you mention, most people dont see the difference between a 400 Goodyear welted shoe and a 4,000 bespoke shoe. This article, then, is an analysis of the market for mens dress shoes below the Crocketts Handgrade level - all informed by Jesper. It wont make them extremely soft, but should help in the process. Take for instance Santoni, Prada or S. Ferragamo. Not sure why this is the case. I have found myself not liking the current 2021+ year make of the 2030 in 8.5 The changes have kind of fudged the instep for me right at the tongue seam. I purchased a pair of chocolate brown suede chukkas from AFPOS a number of years ago, and the suede is a beautiful colour and has maintained its nap really well. Buy Meermin shoes today because of how affordable they are. The instep is high, but massive on the service boot pattern. Can you please comment on the poor quality of English soles mentioned. Thanks for this, Simon. The double monks a little harder but getting there. Alden Aberdeen 9.5D: Great fit. Though, unsure of sizing, thanks. If I could make a bespoke last from these shoes I would. - 8 (very voluminous, though) Carmina- Robert- 8 Carmina- Rain- 8 Carmina- Forest- 8 Carmina- Soller-8 . We start at the top end of that market, and then gradually work our way down. The next level of price is below 250. Any feedback from you on this brand. Good point Ben, Im not sure. Regarding the soles, the comment was of course a generalisation, and of course British makers use European soles in most cases, that doesnt change anything. Unfortunately I can only confirm that. I have wide feet (I wear 8EEE on the 65 last in Allen Edmonds) so almost none of the regular lasts fit me, except for Forest 7.5EEE. I have 3 pairs of meermin and they are not hard to break in (aside from heel). Myrqvist, which we mentioned at the start, is one of these and uses fairly good raw materials - sourced from well-known tanneries like Du Puy in France. Simon as always your articles are informative and an education. Were not aiming to cover the whole market here, by a long way the focus is on cheaper shoes that we would never normally cover on Permanent Style, really below 300. * **Thomas George Popes** 7.5UK quite snug, grips heel well but pinches the toes a bit. TLB Artista full review here and a pair of natural CXL beefrolls were very loose I could slide right out of them. Initially uncomfortably tight across the vamp in shell and with moderate heal slip. I have experienced Cheaney a fair bit, my first two pairs of English shoes were from Cheaney main line (I still have one of them), plus I have worn Cheaneys imperial range as well as C&J mainline shoes. I could not ask for a better fitting oxford. For what its worth, Ive purchased more boots in the past 3 years than any other style of footwear (dress/service types of models). Most of my shoes are Crockett & Jones because of the great customer service and the consistent quality. It is something that is destroying the reputation not only for these brands but for bespoke shoes in general. Alexander 9E/9.5D: Excellent fit when worn sockless. In particular, if you're interested in this price bracket, check out, https://shoegazing.com/2016/08/12/review-crownhill-shoes-the-stewart/, https://shoegazing.com/2015/09/06/review-carlos-santos-7201-braga-cognac/, https://www.afinepairofshoes.co.uk/products/berwick-1707-penny-loafer-9628-dark-brown-suede?variant=19309209288766&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5ZCblaOs6gIVdBPTCh32aAttEAEYASABEgKcGvD_BwE, https://www.carminashoemaker.com/penny-loafers-brown-suede-80113, https://britishshoecompany.co.uk/collections/berwick-1707/products/berwick-mens-derby-leather-lace-up-shoes-5768-k6, https://it.velasca.com/collections/francesine-goodyear. Slightly low instep and volume. Loake Bullet last (F-fit): 7Uk fits but a bit tight around toes. I wrote an article about it many years ago on the Swedish version of Shoegazing (before English was launched) which, to summarise, had the conclusion that its down to vanity. Career and job listings in fashion, mens clothing, Reviews of Classifieds and classifieds sellers, No Man Walks Alone - Official Affiliate Thread (a.k.a. With thick socks, fits like a snug glove all around on unstructured toe. regards judging quality by calf not suede? Here's some of my sizing for reference: Meermin RON 11.5 medium Tricker's Bourton 10.5 Tricker's Stow 11 Carmina Xim UNLINED 10.5 Carmina Simpson 11.5 Alden Grant 11.5 It is a smidge shorter than 2030, but that's due to the lack of taper. Career and job listings in fashion, mens clothing, Reviews of Classifieds and classifieds sellers, No Man Walks Alone - Official Affiliate Thread (a.k.a. A little little uncomfortable initially, but that's just due to the heel counter. These should fit TTS for people with higher arches but this last is definitely not for me. Not sure I'd feel the same today. There are some great savings on offer and often the defects are either unnoticeable or very minor. Most brands provide one width per shoe/last, which in the end really limits your ability to find the right fit (not to mention, to find the right fit for the shoe you actually want to buy). So in order to create a frame of reference, I phoned Jesper Ingevaldsson, who writes the website Shoegazing.com and now works in the industry, for Swedish shop/brand Skolyx. The same is true for the tailors and the small number of shops I use for RTW clothing. I'm not sure if this last has a particular name. Most of my pairs are 9E, which need thicker socks to fit really well (E is the standard Alden width at most European retailers). Why spend 400 retail when you can get a great pair of shoes for half that? Leo 9.5E: Excellent fit with thin socks. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. This includes Loake 1880, Carlos Santos, Morjas, Myrqvist, Skolyx, Grenson, Carmina and TLB Artista and Id like to share some of my experiences. Seemed comfortable at first but the more I wore it, the more I realized it just doesn't work for me. I converted my US size to UK and got that one, should have done 1/2 down from UK. I'll update this list as I get new stuff in too. This I find quite interesting, since you certainly arent the only one. Berwick has become very popular in recent years, particularly in Asia, Russia and elsewhere. As you mentioned, the C&J sole is flat and not very detailed, but the leather is thick but very supple and significantly more comfortable than any other shoe I have over the course of the day. Meermin shoes are also very comfortable due to the relaxed feel of their Double Insoles System but they are not as comfortable as the Carmina shoes. These would be an excellent fit if the toe box was a bit wider. Carminas are more expensive than Meermin shoes. 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