The London Lounge

The various clothing sites on the web are full of pictures of new shoes put up by their proud owners. What is missing is a thread dedicated to shoes that have seen some action, shoes that have been lived in. Its only after a few years wear that one begins to see the beauty and quality of a shoe revealed.

So here is a “lived-in” shoe thread. Please post your pictures.

My first picture is an EG made on last 88 from the mid 1980s:

Vintage Trickers...

A relative rarity, a Paraboot shoe in Horween cordovan circa 1999. The model is a Chasse.

1987 EG Cadogan on 33 last "D" fitting

The oldest are center back row, BallyFrance "prato" 20 some what years stil a nice brogue, resoled once.
Left front and back are Lotusse towcap, 18 & 15 years respectively.
Other front row shoes are: center Moreschi Goldlabel 10years, right Frattelli Rosetti 11 years.
Last shoes are 5years old prada, top right.

This last picture is a more acurate representation of the condition, the first is corrected to get the deatail in the shoes.
Im stil partial to Calf ... Have had some cordovans but found them to stiff for me.

It might be useful to let us you how often you have been wearing these shoes. Are they your favourites which you wear (more than) once a weak or are they disliked and come out of the cupboard once a year?

Paul

If the question was minted at me ...
No shoes are worn more than a day at a time.
The ones that have recived the heaviest use are the Lotusse, Bally and Moreschi.
At the moment I am more fond of brown and tan shoes.
Can do a post at some time of those.
This has made the Bally and Lotusse more cuppboard bound.
The boots are strictly winter use, a coupe of times a week.at the most.
They where originaly whith leather soles, but had a local cobler fit the vibram.

HTH

speedster wrote:If the question was minted at me ...

HTH

No, not specifically. What I meant was that it is rather easy to show mint vintage shoes if you seldom wear them. So the real question is: how 'lived in' are they really.

Your answer was quite helpful: Thanks.

Paul

My first pair of proper brown shoes. A simple undergraduate's shoe: punched toe-cap oxfords from New & Lingwood's Poulsen & Scone range. They were the best that a reasonably impecunious student could afford, and have been a very satisfactory investment.

Good thread old chaps. l say good thread.

Algernon wrote: ...
New & Lingwood's Poulsen & Scone range. ...

May i enquire as how you would rate N&L as compeared to C&J or EG.
Even to a non british brand like Santoni, Morechi, Bally would be an indicator...

Having seen they have a quite atractive wholcutt with medalion online now.

Anny innput is much appreciated.

I thank you in advance, kind regards.

Speed

I couldn't compare with EG, but I'd suggest that N&L at its best is just as good as C&J hand-grade, and as good as Grenson's before they declined. They are certainly very comfortable and (so far) look and feel better every year. I have purchased other pairs and the quality is consistent.

N&L's shoe department is a pleasant place to patronise too: small things like not charging for new laces and the odd tin of their Beeswax polish are refreshing in this day & age. Mr. Colin Austin is a very agreeable and honest man.

Best,
Algernon.

Thank you very much indead.

Unfortunatly patronnising from Scandinavia is not a daily option.
That is also why I enquire here, i will however try to make a call for availability and shipping.
Do you by anny chance have anny experience with Alfred Sargent, I understand they as well as C&J produce for several bespoke "houses". Their wholecut resembeles the N&L wholecut, the medalion is a sligt uppgrade in my book.

You may be aware tha EG is available now on sale at prices tha closly match N&L list.
send a mail to sales@EG with inquiery for your shoesize. I did however not find annything to my liking, and Iam not getting a pair simply because they are EG's

Algernon wrote:I couldn't compare with EG, but I'd suggest that N&L at its best is just as good as C&J hand-grade, and as good as Grenson's before they declined.

New & Lingwood does not manufacture it’s own ready-to-wear shoes. They come from one of the major Northampton manufacturers, which have included (at various times) Edward Green, Crockett & Jones, Grenson.

To me, these particular shoes look very EG.

I had heard something along those lines. I'll try to remember to ask next time I visit.