It all started about 1.5 years ago. The SAS shoes I had been wearing for 5 years up until then had worn out, and looked pretty bad. Looking to replace them, I found a deal on Slickdeals for some Cole Haan dress shoes. For around $80, I ordered a pair. When they arrived, I was appalled at the quality of those shoes, as they looked vastly different from the pictures, and the leather felt like hard plastic. I wore them for about 2 days before taking them to the outlet store nearby, and getting a refund. As the store was kind enough to refund me the money for shoes that I had bought online, I decided to look around the store, for anything I would like to buy instead. I found a pair of shoes of the same style as the ones I had just returned, but felt much better, and so I purchased them for $100. Up until now, this had been the most I've ever paid for shoes.
Not long afterwards, a deal for Allen Edmonds dress shoes popped up on Slickdeals. Having seen how bad shoes could be, I started reading the comments, to see what insights I could acquire. As it turned out, that was the beginning of an addiction. After having tested these shoes for more than a year now (1.5 years to be exact), I wish to share my experience, not that anyone even reads this, anyways.
Allen Edmonds shoes are not cheap. Regularly retailing for around $400, and typically on sale for $200, these shoes are in a range that most people consider expensive. However, people say that "you get what you pay for". Do you get $200 worth of shoe with an Allen Edmonds purchase? On the face of it, these shoes do make a compelling case. They are made in the U.S.A. (where not many shoemakers are left), they are re-craftable (meaning that the soles can be replaced when worn out, for a fee, of course), they can last a long time (with proper maintenance), and they look beautiful. To find out whether this was marketing hype or actual fact, I bought a pair (I paid around $190 for a Nathan shoe from Jos. A. Bank).
When it came in the mail, I was very impressed by the shoe. From all impressions coming from all five senses, this was a luxury product; at least "luxury" in today's world of synthetic materials and corner-cutting. For one, it was a solid shoe - constructed using real leather and wood. It had a nice heft and bulk to it, which I had never experienced in anything prior. For whatever reason, it felt a little out of place in today's world - like something of high quality one would find in his grandparents' home. Online sources stated that the shoe was made using premium calfskin leather and an oak and rubber sole, with a layer of cork functioning as the cushion. While I did not disassemble the shoe to verify these claims, said claims do seem to be true.
After having worn it multiple days per week (alternating with the Cole Haan shoe), for more than a year, I usually only need to condition and polish the shoe to make it look as good as new. Previously, I had tried to stay away from leather shoes, because the leather shoes I had would always start cracking within the first few wears. Afterwards, they would look terrible, and there would be no remedy for it. These shoes look like they will last a lifetime, at the rate at which they show wear and tear. Even scratches can be easily hidden, and don't look that bad. And, the paint does not chip off, like it does on "normal" shoes, or shoes in the price range that most people usually pay.
And so, I was so impressed with them, I bought another pair of Strands for around $190 from Amazon, a month later. Then, last week, I bought three more pairs of Steen shoes ($160 each this time); one for my brother, one for my dad, and one for myself. I admit it. I have a problem. Spending too much money on shoes...
