Reply With QuoteI would like a nice pair of shoes too... I am sure that someone once said that the shoes make the man.
Must get around to it one day :roll:
You're all bad people, I'm now looking at getting some decent shoes as I reckon that the Italian Next shoes I like at the moment (no sniggering at the back, I was finding it hard to get 11.5 shoes before!) are causing me issues when trying to wearing them resoled. So, I returned to a thread from here that I bookmarked and have narrowed the choices to Loake and Shipton and Heanage. Budget is £200, but I'd like to understand the difference between the two brands at this pricepoint. Are the skins the same, and the rest of the construction?
I would like a nice pair of shoes too... I am sure that someone once said that the shoes make the man.
Must get around to it one day :roll:
Gentlemen.
HERRINGS SHOES..check out their website for goodies.
Goat
My vote goes to Loakes, Ive had shoes from both and find - personal thing this that Loakes feel right.
Im on my third pair of suede brogues G fitting - after a week or so like slippers.
Mind you I had some loafers from S & H which were good.
Had some Alfred Sergeants too very good but for all round quality Loakes.
Main thing is jump in and follow your instincts, Pediwear is a very good supplier.
Regards
Alan :)
Thanks guys, the issue is getting the size 11.5 :(
So my search is down to:
Cheaney Lime
Shipton and Heanage Skye
Loake ???
Trickers pee all over loake imho, i managed to get a pair of £315 ilkley brogues for just £200 in a sale, they do half sizes too.
Brighty
They even cater for javaOriginally Posted by GOAT
http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/product-i ... hoeid=2022
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Loakes, Cheaney, Churches are all great, hell even Jones own aren't bad for the money. You get what you pay for though, so your budget is going to dictate your choice. Go try some on!
The main thing is you need to look after them. Regular polishing, shoe trees, resoling at the right time etc.
I only used to subscribe to the Next buy and wear for a year then throw away and repeat option, but nicer shoes are more comfortable for more of the time and if looked after, can be cheaper in the long run. Even if they work out marginally more expensive over say 4 years, you'll look much cooler in that 4 years. You spend money on your wrist as you are here, don't neglect your shoes! It's 101 man stuff!
Have a look at Grenson too. I need a wide (G) fitting and they have a good range.
Their range also includes rather more modern styles than some of the other traditional makers.
Not sure if this helps, but Debenhams at the minute have Loake shoes in their sale. Some are reduced by 50%, worth a look i think.
I picked up a pair of Shipton and Heneage; very nice single piece construction (not sure if that's the technical term, but basically just one piece of leather with the only stitching at the back). They seem very well made and strong, easily as good as Churchs and Crocketts that i've had in the past... and very much look the part - as you'd hope at £250ish, however, I've not had them long and haven't worn them that much (weather related) so can't really advise on the durability. No experience of Loake though.
Just checked on line it's the Addington Chestnut Burnished Calf Wholecut that I have, apparently. And just seen that they have the Almond Black Calf Oxford at £159... that seems a very good price.
I think they're a bit unimaginative for him!They even cater for java
http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/product-i ... hoeid=2022
"A man of little significance"
Do not make a special trip to Northampton in the hope of picking up bargains.
Factory shops are thin on the ground. 20 years ago there was a good choice and you could pick up a bargain. What shops exist, the selection is very poor in my experience - weird colours and styles/ sizes. Many factories don't have shops - ie. Loakes, Grenson :?
The only exception though is the Cheaney factory shop, Desborough, Kettering. It has a much wider selection of styles, in a decent number of sizes. It has a dedicated member of staff who is very helpful and knowledgeable. Here you have a chance of walking out with something you like and is probably worth a trip.
Luckily for me, I live 15 miles away. :D
Good luck.
Have a look at Foster & Son on Jermyn Street:
http://foster.co.uk/
Prices are usually a bit higher than £200 but they do excellent sales. I also take a size 11.5, there was a good choice of shoes in the sale in January. Can't tell you when the next sale is though!
"A man of little significance"
What style of shoes are you looking for?
The Churches shop in the Bicester sale village isn't bad although I can't remember if they do half sizes! Tods do but I wouldn't bother unless you're looking for driving shoes. I can't think if there are any other shoe shops at Bicester. Ok, cancel that, here's a list:Do not make a special trip to Northampton in the hope of picking up bargains.
Factory shops are thin on the ground. 20 years ago there was a good choice and you could pick up a bargain. What shops exist, the selection is very poor in my experience - weird colours and styles/ sizes.
The only exception though is the Cheaney factory shop, Desborough, Kettering. It has a much wider selection of styles, in a decent number of sizes. It has a dedicated member of staff who is very helpful and knowledgeable. Here you have a chance of walking out with something you like and is probably worth a trip.
Luckily for me, I live 15 miles away. :D
Good luck.
http://bicestervillage.com/en/brand-dir ... ccessories
You can always call them in advance...
"A man of little significance"
I bow to your superior knowledge Foxy. I've never been and don't intend to. I couldn't think of anything worse - hoards of people milling around desperately trying to find a "bargain". I hate shopping, I've got better things to do. :wink: .
All I know is it's not worth trawling around the different factories to find anything you might want to wear.
Shipton and Heneage shoes are all made for them by other manufacturers- for example, the Addington wholecut is made by Cheaney.
I know this as I've just ordered a pair, and their customer services dude filled me in on which last, width fitting etc- so all I had to do is go and try on a pair of Cheaneys somewhere to get the right size ordered. Very helpful in fact, so simply on their openness I would say they're worth a shot.
Similarly, the Paul Smith wholecut shoes, when you can find them, are made by Crockett & Jones.
Jones shoes are also made by someone else, I was told Church, but I'm not sure. It may vary through their range. Church are ow owned by Prada.
It's embarrassing that I know all this about the Bicester place! It's actually not bad, it's large and generally quiet and you can get some excellent stuff there for a lot less than on the high street. I go there for shirts, jeans, trousers, jumpers and so on. There's a Thomas Pink shop with shirts for £35, Gieves and Hawkes do good and cheap boxers, jumpers and jackets, I'm currently wearing a very good pair of True Religion jeans which cost me £90, there are Diesel and Levis shops too, the Dunhill shop is great if you fancy spending £300 on a nice weekend bag, although they do good shirts and so on at good prices. There's a bit of everything. Don't ever go with your wife or girlfriend though.I bow to your superior knowledge Foxy. I've never been and don't intend to. I couldn't think of anything worse - hoards of people milling around desperately trying to find a "bargain". I hate shopping, I've got better things to do. :wink: .
All I know is it's not worth trawling around the different factories to find anything you might want to wear.
"A man of little significance"
That's interesting, I didn't know that. I live quite close to one of their shops so just popped in, but useful to know.
If you can get into the West End easily I would recommend a trip into John Rushton in Wimpole St. John is an absolute gent to deal with and his stock consists of a standard range (quite a lot of Alfred Sargent if I remember correctly) at a permanent 20% reduction. John has lots of contacts in Northampton and on the left hand side, as you go in, he has a constantly changing variety of shoes he has picked up himself at factory shop prices. Sizes are a bit of a lottery but I've been lucky; it's where most of my shoes come from. It is worth ringing ahead if you're an odd size.
http://johnrushtonshoes.com/index.html
Thanks all for the info so far
I've never had an oxford shoe for years, preferring the more contemporary style; but if a shoe is going to last around 10 years, I guess that it's better to go back to the Oxford?
I will 2nd that as my bill with them yesterday was £550 :shock:
Cheers,
Ben
..... for I have become the Jedi of flippers
" an extravagance is anything you buy that is of no earthly use to your wife "
Bluchers, chukkas and Chelsea boots are equally solid choices. I tend to not wear oxfords except on formal occasions, while a plain- or cap-toed blucher with or without brogueing works with anything from beat-up denim to tailored cashmere. Chukkas are extremely versatile as well. I find that brown ages far better than black does.
These cordovan bluchers have worked out quite well for me so far, and they've become better-looking with age. Here's how they looked when new:
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9651/dsc6118l.jpg
Be forewarned, you're going to need a few more pairs of decent shoes, as they require an off day between wearings if you want them to last, and you're not going to want to go back to trendy disposable ones. Don't forget the cedar shoe trees!
Thanks,Bluchers, chukkas and Chelsea boots are equally solid choices. I tend to not wear oxfords except on formal occasions, while a plain- or cap-toed blucher with or without brogueing works with anything from beat-up denim to tailored cashmere. Chukkas are extremely versatile as well. I find that brown ages far better than black does.
These cordovan bluchers have worked out quite well for me so far, and they've become better-looking with age. Here's how they looked when new:
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9651/dsc6118l.jpg
Be forewarned, you're going to need a few more pairs of decent shoes, as they require an off day between wearings if you want them to last, and you're not going to want to go back to trendy disposable ones. Don't forget the cedar shoe trees!
not sure about what Bluchers are as my google search doesn't match the pic?
Anyhow, I think I've narrowed my shortlist down to:
Shipton and Heneage Skye
Loake Aldwych and
Cheaney Lime
i have a couple of pairs of church's and they are great shoes once they have been broken in.
i would recommend trickers over loake but do have a look at sanders shoes also.
Thanks, but Trickers don't appear to do 11.5 and church's don't appear to be the same quality as Loake, Cheaney or Shipton and Heaneage.
I suppose that derby is a more common term than blucher. Wikipedia covers the difference accurately enough:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_shoe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_shoe
The examples of derby shoes on there are not the best-looking, however.
Oxford (brogued):
Derby:
Thanks! :thumbup:I suppose that derby is a more common term than blucher. Wikipedia covers the difference accurately enough:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derby_shoe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_shoe
The examples of derby shoes on there are not the best-looking, however.
Oxford (brogued):
Derby:
My pleasure, and welcome to the world of grown-up footwear!
As a wise shoemaker once said: "Why wear sneakers? Walk like a man!"
Trickers, Church's and Sanders would get my vote for the smarter option
Got these
Loake Ashbys last year £160 great shoe for the price getting better with wear and they do 11.5
Ashbys
Also another curve ball Oliver Sweeney they do 11.5, bought these last year as well sub £200 and really impressed with them
Serpentine
A quick word of my experience of the Church's outlet in Bicester - expect weird and wonderful designs aplenty and very few "normal" sized "normal" shoes.
Bicester generally is a horrible horrible place if you go at peak times, I've seen people literally throwing clothes on the floor in the outlets in the hunt for their sizes, and a large woman knocked my wife over without so much as an apology.
Anyhoo - interested to see a comment a few above stating that Church's are not the same quality as Loake and Cheaney, surely that's not correct? If anything I'd have put the Loakes a league below the others :?
Fact of the day - Church's is actually owned by Prada.
I wear Ted Baker brogues got em from TK Maxx for £60 and are a bargain IMO
Got these
Loake Ashbys last year £160 great shoe for the price getting better with wear and they do 11.5
Ashbys
The Loake is a very good shoe. Heavy duty country brogue - not a dress shoe as such. It comes in a decent, generous width, that would allow a thicker woollen sock if you so desire. Will last forever if resoled properly. The mustard colour is an acquired taste though.
very good advice the cheaney factory shop is in desbrough.
others are in northampton itself.
as well as good savings on perfect shoes the factory shops might also have heavily discounted seconds where the damage or fault is actually quite minimal and would only put off somebody who is extremely fussy.
yes good advice.
all my "proper" shoes have a pair of trees.
very good advice the cheaney factory shop is in desbrough.
others are in northampton itself.
as well as good savings on perfect shoes the factory shops might also have heavily discounted seconds where the damage or fault is actually quite minimal and would only put off somebody who is extremely fussy.
I'd say all the stock in the factory shops are seconds, one offs, trials etc. But why be fussy when a pair of shoes will pick up scuffs as soon as they are worn.
and churchs own cheaney but let then run as an independant business.
in the case of cheaney not all stock in factory shop is seconds. They have much bigger discounts on the seconds.very good advice the cheaney factory shop is in desbrough.
others are in northampton itself.
as well as good savings on perfect shoes the factory shops might also have heavily discounted seconds where the damage or fault is actually quite minimal and would only put off somebody who is extremely fussy.
I'd say all the stock in the factory shops are seconds, one offs, trials etc. But why be fussy when a pair of shoes will pick up scuffs as soon as they are worn.
they do also have a lot of samples and one offs but all samples are made in size 8 only.
Yep bit chunkier than some of my other brouge's but still look good for smart wear and also look great with smart jeans/jacket
Colour was bit bright when new but after polish or two and bit of wear look great 8)
Got these
Loake Ashbys last year £160 great shoe for the price getting better with wear and they do 11.5
Ashbys
The Loake is a very good shoe. Heavy duty country brogue - not a dress shoe as such. It comes in a decent, generous width, that would allow a thicker woollen sock if you so desire. Will last forever if resoled properly. The mustard colour is an acquired taste though.
Depending what model you're after, trickers can come up very big, i'm usually an 11 but my 10.5 trickers are spot on, so you may get away with an 11Thanks, but Trickers don't appear to do 11.5 and church's don't appear to be the same quality as Loake, Cheaney or Shipton and Heaneage.
Brighty
That'll be my post, and was drawn from a previous thread about shoes which alluded to the leather being used by Churches not being of the same quality as in Loakes and Shipton & Heaneage. Happy to be proven wrong in that case, but would also state a preference for english-made shoes at the price point.
Fratelli Rosetti for me every time. The reason is their lightness and flexibility. Most brogues are just too heavy and unwieldy for me. Not cheap, but great shoes.
I'm confused.That'll be my post, and was drawn from a previous thread about shoes which alluded to the leather being used by Churches not being of the same quality as in Loakes and Shipton & Heaneage. Happy to be proven wrong in that case, but would also state a preference for english-made shoes at the price point.
Churches shoes are most definitely made in England. They are also in a league above (in both quality and usually price) Loake.
Sorry if I have misinterpreted your post :)
Nae bother mate, I was referring to this thread. I've been wrong before and more than likely am again! ;)I'm confused.That'll be my post, and was drawn from a previous thread about shoes which alluded to the leather being used by Churches not being of the same quality as in Loakes and Shipton & Heaneage. Happy to be proven wrong in that case, but would also state a preference for english-made shoes at the price point.
Churches shoes are most definitely made in England. They are also in a league above (in both quality and usually price) Loake.
Sorry if I have misinterpreted your post :)
Ive just been out today and got me some Churches ("Church sir "! ((they said in the shop)) "not Churches" :lol: ). I to had a £200 budget in mind, loakes where top of the list as Ive had them before, but Ive always wanted a pair of 'Church shoes' so thought bugger it.
Saying that they were £275, and I must admit I was expecting them to be £400-£500 ish so was pleased.
Got home tonight, brush polished them and they look MINT! Dont want to wear them now and get them all dirty! :D
Which style did you buy? ^^^^
I'd agree with the comment that Church's are a league (or two) better than Loake (having had both).
I bought a pair of Church's Consul (black polished binder, Oxfords - lovely) a couple of years ago (full price - Oxford Street) and they are the best shoes I have had (by some margin).
I also own a couple of pairs of RM Williams boots (chesnut Craftsman and black Stockyard) which are more comfortable and sturdier than the Church's but not as finely finished.
Best VALUE shoes are usually to be found in the Clarks shops in outlet villages. I've a nice pair of brogues and a shiny pair of black Derby shoes that cost about £30 each and just seem to last forever. They may be many orders of magnitude down from Church's, etc., but, conversely, they are comfortable, hardwearing and smart, the "Seiko 5" of shoes (if you like).
Cheers,
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