One thing I could never understand is why, from lower to higher price points, RTW makers dont provide more width options. NF Bootmaker 43.5: Had these modified for a wider waist as the 44 was a bit long. if youre going to write mean spirited attacks on someone you shouldnt be surprised that they defend themselves and reply in kind 2030 last 9.5: Acceptable fit with tongue pad and thin socks. RUI 9: Great fit as I recall from trying in a store over a year ago. Ill be reviewing them separately, as theyre more similar to other shoes weve covered. Viberg 1035 8.5: Its a great looking last, heel is massive. At C&Js benchgrade level, you can choose from black or chestnut calf (both with a leather sole), or brown suede with a rubber sole and youre limited to their 348 last. Wearing socks, stand on a piece of paper with your feet against the wall. * **Gaziano Girling DG70** 8.5FUK comfortable. You know what youre getting. It is relatively easy to find them discounted, Apologies if this question is in the wrong place. Moderate arch. He is, at the moment, offering something special forum readers. Thanks Simon, great work as always. The alternative was to shut out the market of men with wider feet. You may learn more here. and the results for the money where quite good.at a distance, you could mistake them for Berluti, at 1/4 the price. Its a long time since Ive worn shoes at that price level, and I simply have no frame of reference. For someone who was a first time buyer of Northampton shoes, that process was indispensable. Allen Edmonds Sizing to Carmina & Meermin Those that have Allen Edmonds and carmina or meermins, what size do you wear in AE compared to the others? Carminas are really chic, classy, and fashionable. Much better quality than todays Allen Edmonds at comparable prices. In terms of quality, yes Trickers will be better and worth the money I think. Most of our ready to wear production goes from size 6UK to 12UK, but if you happen to wear a smaller or larger size, we can definitely help & specially make any pair from our collection for you. Look our for slightly used or shop worn EG, Lobb and St. Crispins on ebay. Carminas are more expensive than Meermins. To take an example, say youre in the market for an adelaide. Grant Stone Leo 9D: Great fit all around. I guess what I am saying is that depending on where youre, the good value for under certain dollar amount list will really change for you. Spoo coming through with a great thread. Besides a very enthusiastic and engaging chap in the Jermyn Street store, whose name I have forgotten, they could do with taking lessons from the brands mentioned in this post. The choice of quality leather materials makes Meermin shoes very versatile and fitting for many wardrobes. However about 5 years ago they reached some export deals with local retailers here in Canada and is sold here for over 500, where I used to get them shipped from England for 2-300. The English brands at this price level are Loake (1880 range, above) and Barker, both of whom make their uppers in Asia to cut down on costs. I have a pair of MacNeil long wings made in 1977, two years before I was born, that I acquired used and had resoled. But they are still good value for money. Still being worn with same sock thickness as the other Parkhurst last. Yanko 915 3 eyelet derby 9.5UK: Probably more form fitting and snug than tlb or carmina (probably due to sizing down) but near perfect in shape. Many thanks in advance, If you want something that very versatile, I wouldnt go with burgundy. As Im a women who is looking for well made leather shoes, I have even smaller heels than the male feet in comparison to feet length. - 8 (very voluminous, though) Carmina- Robert- 8 Carmina- Rain- 8 Carmina- Forest- 8 Carmina- Soller-8 . Lets not forget also that a bespoke shoe with a fiddle-back waist and angled heels can also have an element of vanity (albeit smaller than a watch). Significantly roomier fit than the 65 last so, even though they don't fit my foot shape well, they're reasonably comfortable. Carminas guidance is down by half for shell or for unlined , in all lasts. No idea what size I'd need to make this last work but I'd guess something like 9.5EE. For a reasonable upcharge, you can select any of their basic designs and pick your own choice of last, leather, and sole options. Makes buying difficult, much like with Vass. Carmina shoes are more fashionable and elegant than the Meermin shoes. I have room for my toes, but my foot isnt rattling around. The question there is how long such value lasts, when the company grows or takes on new costs. Very comfortable throughout the midfoot. * **Thomas George Popes** 7.5UK quite snug, grips heel well but pinches the toes a bit. I think it makes sense for C&J to stick to making shoes and not running shops. I wrote an article about it many years ago on the Swedish version of Shoegazing (before English was launched) which, to summarise, had the conclusion that its down to vanity. Of course manufacturing anything is significantly cheaper in Spain than the UK so the Spanish manufacturers are off to a good start in that regard with labour costs. Meermin Burgundy Oxford Shoe || Men's US 8 UK 7 E. $50.00 + $32.48 shipping. I would agree that some change has happened since Stollenwerk sold the company to an investment fund, they seem to have gone into the greed and certainly for some cost cutting somewhere to make up for the handicap of making in the US. Its Spier and Mackay not Spier McKay. Jason: Thats a real shame. As mentioned in the top comment, we were focusing on shoes under 300. For a RTW offering, without additional charge, that is a massive advantage for anyone wary of shelling out for MTM alternatives, and I would have expected something worth telling readers. Perhaps Alden, which usually has the option for lots of widths? G&G is easy. Although classed as subs, most of the time you would be hard pushed to see why. I would also like to mention that apart from PS, I also read Jesper Ingevaldsson, who was featured in this article, (www.shoegazing.com) and Justin FitzPatrick (www.theshoesnobblog.com). Many people have fallen in love with the Carminas because of how good-looking they are. Spain level 2: Berwick, Sendra and Meermin. Here there the number of brands increases, particularly with start-ups. I think that chukka looks nice. Other brands in this range include Septieme Largeur, Andres Sendra and Janko. Comfortable out of the box and have continued to be excellent. Meermins can be bought at prices between $160 and $210 in the online and offline marketplaces today. I agree they provide an excellent service and are great ambassadors for the brand, which is why I think it is clever of them as a company not to be involved in the complexity of rents, leases, employees etc. Their sole is often thinner compared to the English brands (eg CJ etc), which works fine during the warmer summer months. Jack & White Bros Round Last 9: Probably the best fit now. American brands seem to be better at this (Alden, AE). The problem with the Japanese brands is theyre rarely available outside the country. That would be much less possible for me at higher price points. But the insoles are very comfortable and have molded to my feet nicely. Everything I have is at the level of Crockett & Jones Handgrade or above, and most are Edward Green. Finally, its worth noting that they have a very robust MTO program where customers can customize lasts and detailing, and they also use a lot of crust calf, where other makers on this list (besides possibly the Asian ones) only use aniline. The Shelby boot has a lower instep as a result of the pattern as well. A very useful piece for me as Im slowly getting into the joys of proper shoes. These should fit TTS for people with higher arches but this last is definitely not for me. Orbans (above) is a brand started by Marcos Fernandez, who also started Septieme Largeur and other brands in France. * **Alden Aberdeen** 9D loosened up a bit with wear, * **Alden Van** 8.5D comfortable in shell, * **Antonio Meccariello Aeris Soft Square** 8.5UK excellent fit, * **Antonio Meccariello Chisel II** 8.5UK bit loose all round, I suspect half a size down would have fit better but a become a bit tight at the pinky toe, * **Berwick1707 240** 42EU quite snug all round, perfect for a summer loafer, * **Carlos Santos 1944/r1s** 8UK fantastic loafer fit, * **Carlos Santos 401/s** 8UK forefoot a bit roomy, * **Carmina Pina** 8UK too much heel slip for a loafer, * **Carmina Simpson** 8.5UK instep too low, * **Clematis Ginza unknown oxford last** 8UK (made by Joe Works, also too low an instep), * **Common Projects Achilles Low** 41EU Fits but toe box feels too low, * **Common Projects Achilles Low** 42EU Great fit, * **Crockett & Jones 314** 8EUK snug all round, not much toe room, * **Edward Green 184** 8.5UK fantastic loafer fit. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'footslide_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-footslide_com-medrectangle-4-0');The top-grade Shell Cordovan Leather material used to make Carmina shoes is surely one of the best in the world for dress shoes. Carmina Simpson 8.5UK: Tried for oxfords but had to return, instep was too low for closed lacing. Everyone in London should visit John and ask for his advice on shoes. Unless there is also a considerable increase in quality, Id say this reposition leaves Church as even less of a value for money option. Im going to give Cheaney (great value in the sales) a try instead. Crocketts and Carmina are in there largely for context, as mentioned. Morjas, and the other Swedish brands Myrqvist and Skolyx, all use leather board heel stiffeners. Ie if you spend 500 on a pair of shoes youd probably be looking at circa 2,000 for your suit and 150 for your shirt. Maybe this section could be titled North America rather than United States. Id put them at around Barker/Loake territory, perhaps slightly better. The two brands are roughly the same level of make, with the price difference largely coming down to costs of labour in the UK and Spain. No one wants their sole to wear down quickly, but points like the shaped waist are more aesthetic, and its up to you whether you care about them. The lower tier shoes arent and if C&J or EG are out of reach, go with Alden rather than any of the cheaper Northampton brands. Im thinking of trying something different and the George Cleverley Ready to Wear line has a whole cut I particularly like the look of. Unstructured toe box feels a touch low, * **Yanko 955** 7.5UK fits snug but comfortable with thin socks to start. Good to have it spelt out, Michael is correct when simply paying a US retailer for a Northampton shoe, but Ive purchased over 20 pairs of English shoes and boots over the past 18 months, all directly from a myriad of U.K. retailers and stockists and in some cases, the factory directly. Their MSRP is slightly below C&J and at a certain point theyve been advertised as The finest bespoke shoes outside of England., On par with Shoepassion in Germany Id recommend Prime Shoes. JF main line would definitely be in Spain 1. Although the quality is nothing to write home about, they are incredibly comfortable. Joseph Cheaney are undoubtedly the thinking flaneurs cordonnier. Free shipping for many products! Still would have preferred 9.5E if it were offered. Good arch support, toe box is low, but not too low, and just an all around comfy fit from day 1. I know last shape and design are the most obvious differences. If you are in the market for a pair of elegant footwear, Id recommend for you duly consider buying the Carmina shoes. The main concern for me is finding a last shape that fits my high instep and once I find that last I stick with it. PS Presents 23: Arterton, LEJ, Marrkt, Fox and Rubato, Click on an image to enlarge. Good point about Allen Edmonds. This article, then, is an analysis of the market for mens dress shoes below the Crocketts Handgrade level - all informed by Jesper. Out of the two shoe brands, however, Carmina shoes come forth as the best shoes in this discourse. Reply below with your sizing in any lasts you own/have experience with. Think Ill grab a pair of black calf Trickers first, then see how I go. Carmina Shoes - Definitive Thread (reviews, advice, sizing, etc) - official thread. Unlined Carmina loafers. With its classic and timeless design, this last seems to resist the course of time. I havent covered Allen Edmonds in the past both because I havent had much experience of them, and because they were below the quality level we normally cover on PS hence their inclusion in this article, which was intended to round-up lots of cheaper makers. Yes they do take a while to break in, but once they were, they ended up being just as comfortable as all my other GYW shoes. My right foot always had some heel slip even with the laces pulled very tight and a tongue pad. 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