Advice on shoes...

[rtc872]

Hi friendly xmarkers,

I don't know how I ever made a decision before finding this forum! haha

I have decided that my plain black shoes that I bought many years ago will not do the task of my wedding. I have thus been searching ebay for a viable alternative.

I will show each of what I have found and a reason why it might be a good idea.

First, the seller that gave me my blackwatch kilt. I know his things are good and I trust this buyer. Plus being made for the army and a dms sole I know that they will last me a good while. This also makes me happy that I could have a more throw around shoe that I could wear when piping whenever; be it rain, hail or shine.



link to product page
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Price: £20 + £35p&h

The other benefit is that I am eyeing a set of surplus pullovers in blue and olive which would make the postage more bearable as the price wont change.

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Next a different seller but a similar shoe. the difference is that the shoe is the officer version with a leather sole. I am craving a leather sole as it is more elegant than a rubber sole, which I feel is more appropriate for my wedding and would be a nice shoe to wear any time suit or kilt.



product page
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=400161016363

Price: £40 + £60p&h!!! NB I haven't contacted the seller to make sure about postage

This is more what I am after but at £100 it really makes me hesitate! they also have a brown brogue that doesn't look too bad.



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Lastly this isn't necessarily the seller I'd go for and I would probably go to the shop for it but if I went for the shoes above at £100 I would probably be better off getting a pair of loakes!



Price: about £120 not including postage...

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As you can probably see my problem is not knowing where to get off the escalator. I know the first pair would be fine enough but I dream of a good pair of shoes. If I go to the next level the cost alone really makes me look at a really decent pair.

I need help. Either a slap and saying stop getting carried away or follow your heart advice is fine but give me your honest opinions.

Thanks

Rob

[artificer]

Personally, I'd shoot for #4 (of the options offered). Shoes are definitely a "get what you pay for" item. A leather sole is very easily repaired or replaced, and is worlds better looking than rubber.

I did notice that you are shopping online for shoes. Is there a particular reason for that? One problem with that is you never know just HOW a shoe will fit you. There are brands that I love that I simply cannot wear for various reasons- Too narrow, odd arch placement, too high-cut across the top of the foot.

Any one of these could turn your 'value' buy into a "BLAST it all, I've got to get dressed up and put on those bloody shoes again" situation.

Remember: before judging a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you say bad stuff about him, you're a mile away AND you've got his shoes.

ith:

[rtc872]

I will definately buy online because tax in both australia and Japan is crazy. If I were to go for the loakes I would check the shoes for fit at a shop before buying. It is all relative to cost. If they are cheaper I am willing take the gamble.

[Lime]

I would second The Artificer's opinion. You really do get what you pay for with shoes; buy the best you can afford (I've heard it recommended that you should invest half your annual clothing budget in a pair), get to know the good brands (this is really the only way you will guarantee good leather unless you happen to be rich enough to visit Mr Cleverley or Mr Vass) and go to a shop to try them on as even with the same brand they will vary from shoe to shoe

Definitely go for leather soles: lighter, more elegant, breathable and repairable. I have pairs of shoes I invested in as a student which I have had repaired over the years and they still look magnificent. You will be saving money in the long run and will look good for years to come. A bad pair of shoes ruins even the best outfit.

If price really is an issue wait until the sales and shop judiciously: a lot of the shoemakers on Jermyn Street will have half price sales so you will get a good pair of shoes for a little bit over your budget. You will often find Loakes, similar to the styles you are looking at, in outlet type places (Clarks oddly enough) for £60 - £100 but someone like Trickers or Churches will give you a much more solid shoe.

[ForresterModern]

If you are okay with buying off the internet consider the website shoebuy.com which has a broad variety of styles and prices, and can be searched and filtered by size, style, and manufacturer, currently has a 20% off sale with free shipping to the US (you have to pay to get them to the UK) and normally has a free shipping return policy (again for the US only) if they don't fit or feel right for some reason.

I just recieved two different pairs of Nunn-Bush Kingsbridge wingtip brogues last night cost a smidgen over $50US each pair. They are a bit stiff like a good quality new shoe should be, but otherwise right up the alley I think you are looking for. They also carry many other lines and styles and price ranges (a search for wingtips yielded over 100 options). They work best if you already know a specific shoe, or at least a brand of shoe that you know fits your foot and is true to size, otherwise it can be a bit of a crapshoot with sizing and widths, feel, arch support, etc... Plus you add the problem of overseas shiping and returns into the equation, but for us colonials it is a great opportunity.

The shoes I ordered:

http://www.shoebuy.com/nunn-bush-kin.../387489/826635

[Lime]

Sorry - didn't realise you weren't in the UK! You could try http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/

[CMcG]

I will definately buy online because tax in both australia and Japan is crazy. If I were to go for the loakes I would check the shoes for fit at a shop before buying. It is all relative to cost. If they are cheaper I am willing take the gamble.

I've also gone into a shop to test the fit of a pair of brand name shoes and then bought them on eBay, BNWT, for half the price. Worked great!

[rtc872]

I am drooling over the church's shoes but I can't afford to spend that much on shoes.

I am probably able to go up to £150 but anything beyond that is pushing it too far.

I notice some loakes for around (even under) the £100 mark but they have rubber heels and half linings. Are these things something to avoid or acceptable?

I really know little about what to look for in shoes.

Thanks so much for the replies so far.

[MacMillans son]

As with Forrester Modern, I have had good luck with Shoebuy.com, but do receive the shipping benefit of living in the US. They would also be a good place to shop for shoes, or shoe styles, that you like, as they literally have hundreds of shoes shown on their web site, then look for examples closer to your location.

As to your specific occasion, I have heard here from those with much experience in formal attire, that brogues are more of a ultilitarian shoe that can be polished up for nice day events, but are not considered "formal wear". I have also heard that the cap toe shoes that you have shown are a nice alternative that can go from day to evening events, when brightly polished.

Being somewhat frugal myself, I can appreciate your desire to get the most bang from you buck (yen?) by buying a shoe, like the first one shown, that you will get the most use out of. However, in this case, I would put a higher priority on the importance of the occasion. Hopefully this will be a once in a lifetime event, and in my opinion, deserves the best you can afford regardless of how often you will wear them in the future.

Best of luck, and congratulations !!

[Spartan Tartan]

I'm a fan of the last pair for a couple reasons. I prefer smooth leather shoes because I can polish them up real nice and keep them looking new much more easily. And, as for the sole...it has to be leather. That's a requirement for me. Echoing others comments, for me those would be well worth the $$$ and likely last as long as you care to keep them.

Just my 2 cents.