Generally, steel capped Arctic explorer boots aren’t worn with business suits.
[quote]
(This should go good on a thread that degenerated into English gentleman’s suits)[/quote]
The thread is about suits. The “English” wardrobe is merely a Western European expression of timeless and traditional aesthetic. I realise that taste and class are alien to the American mindset which is why I’m trying to steer the OP away from the Arctic boots with business suit look to a more traditional sensibility; English or otherwise.
I like Allen Edmonds shoes. Pricey and immediately comfortable at first wearing. They don’t tend to wear out. I try on a pair in expensive men’s stores and then order from their Florida outlet, for about 30 -40% discount. They are handmade shoes so don’t order online without first trying on a pair. They offer the usual resole service which a friend’s father has used for about 40 years for the same pair.
[quote]1 Man Island wrote:
Didn’t seem worth its own thread. Anyone suggest some good places for shoes? The tassels aren’t cutting it anymore.[/quote]
The tassels haven’t been cutting it for quite some time.
Wing tip or cap toe shoes are the way to go. Wing tips are a bit more in style right now, cap toed oxfords are pretty classic looking. Johnston Murphy’s are my brand of choice because they are comfortable and very reasonably priced.
[quote]1 Man Island wrote:
Didn’t seem worth its own thread. Anyone suggest some good places for shoes? The tassels aren’t cutting it anymore.[/quote]
The tassels haven’t been cutting it for quite some time.
Wing tip or cap toe shoes are the way to go. Wing tips are a bit more in style right now, cap toed oxfords are pretty classic looking. Johnston Murphy’s are my brand of choice because they are comfortable and very reasonably priced. [/quote]
I like your style Lanky. Johnston and Murphy here as well, with Cole Haan.
My dad has picked up brand new suits, pockets not even opened, at quite a few thrift stores here in South Fl. Big name brands, blowes me away how nice they are. AND, he gets them for next to nothing, too!
Marco Island–rick snowbirds
Naples – rich snowbirds
Boca Raton
Delray Bch.
Vero Bch.–hidden secret this place is. Used to live there for 7 yrs. Thrift stores are amazing, great deals on clothes.
It amazes me how the super healthy get rid of brand new, hardly used things! Boggles my mind.
Also, check out Ebay…the only downside is you can’t try it on.
The best investment I’ve made has been AE shoes. I used to favor Italian shoes that were very comfortable, but much less constructed. AE’s are comfortable, and for the SHW guys, the soles can take twice the ware of other shoes. I can see how someone would have them for 40 years.
[quote]TheKraken wrote:
The best investment I’ve made has been AE shoes. I used to favor Italian shoes that were very comfortable, but much less constructed. AE’s are comfortable, and for the SHW guys, the soles can take twice the ware of other shoes. I can see how someone would have them for 40 years. [/quote]
Anyone who has a pair of shoes for 40 years just plain isn’t wearing them that often.
Put a toe tap on the heel and the entire bottom of the shoe should last 4 or 5 years with normal wear (2-3ish times a week). After that most shoes can have the sole replaced for $30 and you can get another 4-5 years.
At that point, the shoes are probably out of style and you need a new pair anyway. But not bad at all if you only paid $120 (price for JM) for them. You don’t get significantly more use out of a $350 pair, IMO.
I don’t think you can go wrong with Allen Edmonds or Alden. They’re a bit more expensive than other brands, but if they’re well cared for, they should last a lifetime. Two pieces of advice: use shoe trees, and give the shoes a day of rest to dry out after wearing them. Also, if you have a high quality brand like AE or Alden, send them back to the factory for resoling and possible refurbishment. If a local cobbler resoles them incorrectly, then they can’t be resoled again.
I have a pair of AE shell cordovan wingtips with double leather soles that I bought in 1981 and wore pretty much 5 days a week (ignoring my own advice) and rarely polished for more than 15 years. I sent them back to the factory every 5 years or so to be resoled and refurbished. Today the cordovan is a bit darker in spots (due to my wearing them in the rain too often without enough wax protecting them), but the shoes are otherwise in great shape. I don’t wear them that often anymore (various foot problems have driven me to buy either very cheap shoes that can take my orthotics, or very expensive custom shoes), but I can’t bear the thought of giving them to Goodwill.
If you have very wide feet, Hitchcock Shoes (www.widefeet.com) is a good resource.
Another option is to buy an inexpensive pair of Rockports or other dress walkers, wear them for a year and then throw them out. You can take out the insole and put in your own orthotics or arch supports. They’re almost as comfortable as running shoes. I did this for over 10 years and no one ever noticed.
[quote]biker wrote:
Believe it or not, try EBAY. [/quote]
As mentioned earlier, this is great advice and tried it myself. Picked up a $1900 Brooks Brothers suit for $350. It was another $40 to get it tailored and still saved $1500. It’s pre-owned but it’s not like people who buy $2000 suits are going to go out and mow the lawn in them.
[quote]biker wrote:
Believe it or not, try EBAY. [/quote]
As mentioned earlier, this is great advice and tried it myself. Picked up a $1900 Brooks Brothers suit for $350. It was another $40 to get it tailored and still saved $1500. It’s pre-owned but it’s not like people who buy $2000 suits are going to go out and mow the lawn in them.
james
[/quote]
This thread actually peaked my interest in trying this so I took a look at Ebay. I wear a pretty large size suit (46 or 48XL, depending on brand) so the selection was fairly limited, but I did catch a Burberry suit on there that looked pretty good but I was outbid at the last second. Suit went for $49.
I think the only problem with Ebay is that most of the pre owned suits on there are older and possibly out of style. For instance, the Burberry suit I was bidding on had cuffs and pleats instead of a straight leg and flat front pants. I was bidding on the suit on the off chance I’d be able to have the pleats tailored out (from what I read this is a fairly risky tailoring job). The cuffs would have been easy enough to tailor out, though.
If the pants were cuffed for someone a bit shorter than you, you could wind up with a line across the bottom of your pants where the cuff wore against the shoes.
Men’s style, for better or for worse, is not as static as it used to be. A 10 year old suit looks outdated. The shoulders are too padded, the armholes are too large, it probably has 3 buttons and the top button is too high. If you have to wear a suit every day, it makes sense to purchase something of good-enough quality to last you 5-6 years then get rid of it and get something newer. If you just need something for weddings and baptisms, then purchase a sack suit and keep it for 20 years.
[quote]Dr. Pangloss wrote:
If the pants were cuffed for someone a bit shorter than you, you could wind up with a line across the bottom of your pants where the cuff wore against the shoes.
Men’s style, for better or for worse, is not as static as it used to be. A 10 year old suit looks outdated. The shoulders are too padded, the armholes are too large, it probably has 3 buttons and the top button is too high. If you have to wear a suit every day, it makes sense to purchase something of good-enough quality to last you 5-6 years then get rid of it and get something newer. If you just need something for weddings and baptisms, then purchase a sack suit and keep it for 20 years.[/quote]
Not sure if you know this but I’m from Texas. Im kind of important. That being said.
I dont need a full suit (we do jeans, boot and button ups) but I do need a good couple of jackets. Any suggestions there Dr?
Texas, huh? You looking for a jacket with or without tassels?
If I were you, I’d go to Brooks Brothers or a nicer department store and find a couple sport coats. I assume you’d wear it when visiting clients or prospective clients? I think there’s nothing objectionable about a sportcoat from BB, and it tells your client that you’re trustworthy and can show good business judgment.
If you want to spend a little more, look for an unlined sportcoat. More attention needs to be spent on interior details that would otherwise be covered by a lining, but it would be a blessing in the TX heat.
[quote]Dr. Pangloss wrote:
Texas, huh? You looking for a jacket with or without tassels?
If I were you, I’d go to Brooks Brothers or a nicer department store and find a couple sport coats. I assume you’d wear it when visiting clients or prospective clients? I think there’s nothing objectionable about a sportcoat from BB, and it tells your client that you’re trustworthy and can show good business judgment.
If you want to spend a little more, look for an unlined sportcoat. More attention needs to be spent on interior details that would otherwise be covered by a lining, but it would be a blessing in the TX heat.[/quote]
I will save the tassels for the house when wearing my banana hammock.
Yea I have been thinking about it now that I am back doing Business development. I am moving from dealing with just the field guys to the Corp suits again also.
I need a couple of jackets that I can wear in the heat and not be a puddle. But also something to wear in the winter. I dont know what kind of cut, material etc that would look good.
I may have to break down and just go to a place that knows WTF they are talking about.
[quote]Dr. Pangloss wrote:
Texas, huh? You looking for a jacket with or without tassels?
If I were you, I’d go to Brooks Brothers or a nicer department store and find a couple sport coats. I assume you’d wear it when visiting clients or prospective clients? I think there’s nothing objectionable about a sportcoat from BB, and it tells your client that you’re trustworthy and can show good business judgment.
If you want to spend a little more, look for an unlined sportcoat. More attention needs to be spent on interior details that would otherwise be covered by a lining, but it would be a blessing in the TX heat.[/quote]
I will save the tassels for the house when wearing my banana hammock.
Yea I have been thinking about it now that I am back doing Business development. I am moving from dealing with just the field guys to the Corp suits again also.
I need a couple of jackets that I can wear in the heat and not be a puddle. But also something to wear in the winter. I dont know what kind of cut, material etc that would look good.
I may have to break down and just go to a place that knows WTF they are talking about. [/quote]
Yeah, you really have to try these things on to know for sure.
[quote]Dr. Pangloss wrote:
Texas, huh? You looking for a jacket with or without tassels?
If I were you, I’d go to Brooks Brothers or a nicer department store and find a couple sport coats. I assume you’d wear it when visiting clients or prospective clients? I think there’s nothing objectionable about a sportcoat from BB, and it tells your client that you’re trustworthy and can show good business judgment.
If you want to spend a little more, look for an unlined sportcoat. More attention needs to be spent on interior details that would otherwise be covered by a lining, but it would be a blessing in the TX heat.[/quote]
I will save the tassels for the house when wearing my banana hammock.
Yea I have been thinking about it now that I am back doing Business development. I am moving from dealing with just the field guys to the Corp suits again also.
I need a couple of jackets that I can wear in the heat and not be a puddle. But also something to wear in the winter. I dont know what kind of cut, material etc that would look good.
I may have to break down and just go to a place that knows WTF they are talking about. [/quote]
Yeah, you really have to try these things on to know for sure. [/quote]
I know, what sucks is I just do not have time to go.
Fair enough