How do you get your Aldens resoled? I think that would make them just a tad smarter, while still being casual enough for jeans etc. I found this pair of Aldens in our archives shortly after I started back at the tannery full time - sometime in early 2009. As too much of any of these, will quickly clump or slough off the shine. I think Ive just been so attracted by the unique look of colour 8 that Ive always gone for more styles in that same colour, instead. You briefly mention white marks that can appear in creases from using cream, but my understanding is that cordovan naturally produces oils that can cause a white film. Bravo. Shell cordovan doesnt take dyes as easily as other leathers and is limited in its range of colors. Hard to tell from the image, but yes I would have thought there would be more black/purple in there. Compared to other leather shoes Ive owned (a pair of Wolverine 1000 Mile shoes in brown Chromexcel leather, another pair of Alden penny loafers in snuff suede, a pair of Herms calfskin leather boots, among others), breaking in this pair of loafers was difficult. Theyre so open anyway, with that low vamp. Dear Simon, Unfortunately Alden is also quite restrictive about international shipments and you cant order from the US to deliver to the UK. Id love a new highly versatile boot at around this formality that could last over a decade. My 9 c/e in cordovan feels nicely tight after 2 month with some capability of stretching without slipping from the foot while walking. Thank you Simon, I would be interested to look into that too. https://viberg.com/products/service-boot-cap-toe-horween-dark-cognac-shell-cordovan. A decent page on this is here https://stridewise.com/is-cordovan-leather/. I think you could get either snuff suede or cordovan in that case. So, let me explain why. NW1) and knitwear though. There is no black/purple look that I see from your pair. Thank you. Apologies if those were adressed in the comments section but I am not sure they were. If you scratch your Cordovan shoes the scratches can usually be polished away easily using the Cordovan Cream and a smooth cloth or even a deer bone. Before it bloom, yes its pretty easy to take care of it, once it starts to bloom takes too much time after a downpour vs. calf. Indeed, some readers thought they were black, when they saw the recent checks post that featured them. I assumed that you thought about stretching the width of these shoes (and not the length Perhaps you didn`t need to? Dear Simon! What about colored cream vs neutral cream? Try to keep the rest a little smart too eg a white oxford and navy or mid-grey crewneck. Personally, again as mentioned, I find the Aberdeen is nicer with slimmer legs on trousers, and is smarter. Prototype meaning that its not available on BHL just yet? Please do let me know what are your thoughts on the last and style of this particular boot and how I intend to style it with the pair of jeans I own mentioned here. (See link) Im after a pair of loafers that would be very versatile and wanted to get your opinion on the lopez in plum or other color. Looking forward to welcoming you to Atlanta one day. Thank you! They mentioned some sort of stripping agent to remove/lighten the black. Im not sure how it works out with cordovan, but its rare that leather like this can sustain farming of animals on its own. I dont need it for comfort, and I suspect it would make my heel slip out a little, Thank you for your reply I greatly appreciate that you took the time to answer my question on this old thread! Thank you. The vamp on the EG is higher than the other two not a lot, but enough to affect the style. How would you compare no 8 to John Lobbs museum plum color? I just buff them to a mirror shine with a section of tights (pantyhose) over the horse brush. Alden certainly do, yes. You can store your shell shoes and boots using a shoe tree and kept inside cloth bags. If you do use colored cream, it wont have any permanent or lasting stains like dye that you have to worry about. Finally, its worth noting that cordovan differs a lot depending on from who you purchase the shoes, and of course from which tannery the cordovan comes from. Lots of details above in the comments sorry, too much to repeat here! Much appreciated. Have a great day, It will adapt a little bit faster, yes. Thanks, nice to know youve found it so helpful. Reach out to Ealdwine in Raleigh NC USA. I quite like the cream sweater you are wearing in one of the photos. Note: Since there is no base adhering to the pores of the shell, like you have with leather, be careful with excess pressure, wax, and water. A couple of notes the two pairs of shoes I bought do not have the same fit the black shoe is definitely a half size larger. Yes, Van is wider so theres a lot more room in there, though I didnt find going a half size down worked for me that made the loafer too short on the toes. I am not sure if there is much variance in the quality of cordovan offered by Horween (as there is, for instance, with European tanneries). For more information, please see our Best Custom Shell Cordovan: Rancourt & Co. Rancourt & Co. Made-to-Order Cordovan Highlights. See above. Thank you. Shell cordovan, that most magical of leathers derived from a horses hindquarters, is also one that stands to benefit most from regular care. Recently Ive been struggling to figure out how to buy a perfect denim shirt. You can minimize the likelihood, but can never 100% prevent it. It also added a layer of love visiting the Horween tannery in Chicago last year (shown below). Works like a charm and that is all they need as regards shoe care products. It has an almost grungey, otherworldly appearance to it, and yet still appears smart. Ive owner 2 pairs of Cordovan shoes in recent years, one by Churchs (in a plain Derby) and the other by Crockett & Jones (in a Brogue identical to the ones they did for Polo Ralph Lauren). Its also a very versatile shoe for dressing up or dressing down. PS.Thanks for the lovely article. I tried them on today in size 8 but had a little heel slippage. For reference, I already have Belgravias in dark oak, black calf, dark brown suede and snuff suede. Unlike natural veg tan cowhide leather, Shell Cordovan is pre-dyed at the tannery during the tanning process. Ah, I see. Correct me if Im wrong, but havent I seen you wear suede shoes with pretty smart suits? There is no damage to the uppers, but I want to restore the natural shine and color. Unless I want to go the MTO route, Ive got 1 rubber soled option from 6 offerings at Edward Green and 0 from 11 offerings at C&J, which I find puzzling! I myself have never seen a Barrie lasted loafer from them. Problem is, too, that most people cant wait 12 years for the fit to be right! I think those will look great. And its a shade I prefer - you can see the difference in my Vass pair above. Splashes can produce white marks (welts) but the treatments above deal with these. Clutch Cafe could probably order them for you. Personally, the single monkstrap in color 8 is my absolute favorite. Enjoy. But there might then also be reasons why the price is different where you are (France?) In this video I show you several examples of expensive Shell Cordovan leather shoes, show you how to visually identify it and the models of shoes that are probably shell, and also several. For now, Id recommend going for a more comfortable fit with cordovan, if you have the chance. Kind of like the abrasions you can get on suede where you get light streaks in the nap. Ive heard about the pencil trickputting a pencil across the vamp of new shell shoes and then flexing them (without walking) a number of times to get nice straight rolls started. Yes, I think makers that arent used to it will avoid it if they can. 2. Thank you in advance. While other leathers may over-stretch with time, shell cordovan keeps its shape much better, resulting in a better long-term fit. Simon, Im afraid not, no. I generally struggle with CJ loafers (only come in one width standard), as I have to go up in size to accomodate my wide forefoot, which leads to a shoe that is a bit too wide at heal. To clean it up, lightly dampen a rag with a small 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water. That is a great loafer and a versatile colour. Hi Simon is that the rubato jeans your wearing? What I notice (and Ive seen online photos that confirm my experience) is that the two shoes are not aging or developing a patina the same way. Hi, However, I always wear shoes which pinch my toes as my outfit would look proportionally odd if I wore anything that fits my feet well; it would look like I am wearing chunky trainers. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Ensure its the correct sizing. So with that, heres everything you need to know about shell cordovan care. If and when that eventually happens, Id probably end up with another pair of conservative shoes to make the next investment worth it. Alden states that they use oak leather soles (likely meaning oak bark-tanned). Normally I would go 0.5 size up on oxford and derby last in EG. If so, could you provide more details? These characteristics are as follows: 1. Its a nice shoe, but perhaps a little clompy for my style I prefer a split-toe myself. In your article about your Belgravian loafer, you write, that these shoes are your favorite and most versatile shoes. Every 10 - 15 wearings, apply a light haze of neutral Creme Cordovan or Venetian Cream sparingly. Thank you! Once dry, brush. I totally agree that, with most non-designer shoes, you get what you pay for. I had one pair of Alden loafers in #8 years ago when I lived in the States. Its time to balance those out with something much less impressive. Ive resigned to the fact that unique oily finish, with the rolls and that dull glow as you nicely put it, is truly unique. Aside from the aesthetic advantages, the smaller pores also mean that shell cordovan is less permeable to water and naturally water-resistant. Theres so much oil in there already, and you risk getting white lines in the creases. Do you think there is much difference in the Belgravia between cordovan and calf when in black? BTW, Shellac is like a lacquer, used in felt hat making too. Any recommendations regarding color and style would be appreciated. Shell Cordovan is really quite a stellar leather to wear. The colour is, I think a brown/burgundy. The color can always remain more consistent with proper shoe polish, if youd like. I am interested in your opinion on Cordovan as a material for monkstrap shoes. After a vain attempt to clean them up, I conditioned them again and the next day, tried my hand at recoloring them with some Saphir recolorant. A very elegant and distinctive casual shoe. Yes, normal cream is fine. In early June, I left them out when it rained a bit. J&M no longer makes anything worthwhile . Id also seen examples of shell exposed to sun lightening up quite a bit. I do have dark raw indigo jeans,olive and khaki chinos and real mccoys beige chinos and later would add ecru jeans. First of all, cordovan is a rather stiff and thick material, it's not as flexible and pliable as most calf leathers which is most common to use for quality shoes. It benefits hugely from brushing, and from buffing (rubbing). Hi simon, a few questions about cordovan shoes: The search continues for a boot that can go with nice denim and smarter trousers. That Saphir Jucacuir is probably good for color matching, and maybe only for more porous leather. Hi, . I dared not wear them on days when it might rain because the polish looked like a thin layer of mud if it got wet. They do not offer the highest level of finish and that which they do produce is inconsistent. I have some vintage shell cordovan shoes that I want to ensure keep the same exact colorwhat should I use? Both were in a burgundy. Ive seen some people in more casual cities pull off balmorals or derby boots like a Galway with quality denim, but Im a little young to pull off that kind of boot in general. I have an old pair of C&J Harvards (unlined cordovan pennyloafers btw are all cordovan shoes unlined?) Or do you think cordovan is less versatile in boots? Plus, the tanning process involved with shell cordovan is more intense than typical leathers, adding another layer of cost. It is my preferred leather for watch straps. Too little product and you just need to catch up with the next conditioning session. Do you send them back to Aldens factory in the US or do you use a local service? Well, Shoegazing is here to serve you. Black would be best for the suits, and would work with some more casual outfits, but probably not all. Kind of difficult to find a store and compare by myself in my area. Hmm. Yes, I think thats partly the photography. After that, though, the quality of the leather, in particular, its resistance to stretching has meant that theyve molded to my feet without getting too loose. Can you apply normal cream (for calf leather)? But these creases make cordovan look like its 20 years old, almost from the first wear. 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