Comments on Permanent style: Buy good English shoes

Great article and I totally agree. I started my...

2012-02-11T16:49:06.111Z

Great article and I totally agree.

I started my shoe collection with a pair of Loakes for my first job, I soon realised I needed a second pair to rotate and allow each shoe time to dry out after a days wear. I decided to move up the scale and invest in a pair of Cheaney’s, I immediately noticed the quality difference and the interest in shoes began. Since then I have tried to buy the best I can afford, adding Church’s and John Lobb’s to my collection. With every move up the shoes are noticeably better quality, age more gracefully and bring more joy.

Good English shoes are always worth the money you pay for them!

HI JoJo If you walk four miles a day every day yo...

2012-02-11T11:50:39.294Z

HI JoJo

If you walk four miles a day every day you should look into shoes with double leather soles, Danite soles or tougher (Commando soles, etc.) . Crockett & Jones among other make very good shoes with such tougher soles in styles perfectly appropriate for formal work etc. You will also feel better walking in good shoes. And I don't think C&J (or trickers, or Green, or the other good makers) will stop resoling shoes, in fact I believe they will continue to resole and service/repair them as long as you want.

On the other hand, may I suggest getting a nice comfortable, simple and basic (cheap) Dutch bicycle? it makes a 2 mile commute into a pleasure, saves you time, and saves you shoe leather. (In sensible Dutch style you just wear your suit and nice shoes on the bike - no idiotic spandex, clip shoes, or what have you).

Hello Simon, I wholeheartedly agree with your opi...

2012-01-31T09:12:29.105Z

Hello Simon,

I wholeheartedly agree with your opinions. Unfortunately, I am not able to afford shoes from Lobbs or Cleverley and even Church shoes are a wee bit beyond my wallet's ability, however, most of my shoes are Loakes with a few Alden cordovans for good measure. My Loakes range from 14 to 21 yrs old. They have been re-soled countless times. I believe their longevity is due to being polished after each outing and I only wear them once a week. All my shoes look like patent leather due to the many years of care and attention. I also have cedar shoe trees for them.
I have a pair of Oxford toecaps from David Scott (not sure if that shoe maker still exists) which I bought on my first trip to the UK in 1979 - 33 years ago!! Again, they are in mint condition.
My point is this - look after your shoes and they should last for a long time.
Regards,
Ian from way way down there (Melbourne).

Great article. The economics usually stack up well...

2012-01-26T16:54:04.641Z

Great article. The economics usually stack up well and in my case, two pairs of Church, one of Cheaney and some other assorted good quality pairs have done over ten years each with some professional tlc occassionally.

Both Maftei and Allen Edmonds are good is my impre...

2012-01-26T14:01:23.096Z

Both Maftei and Allen Edmonds are good is my impression, but in different ways, and I don't own either so can't give a first-hand recommendation

well said simon. church's are totally overpric...

2012-01-26T12:46:47.057Z

well said simon. church's are totally overpriced. does anyone have any experience with the American brand Alled-Edmonds?

Hi Simon I have read about Maftei shoes http://cla...

2012-01-26T12:09:08.185Z

Hi Simon
I have read about Maftei shoes http://claymoor.blogspot.com/2012/01/in-vizita-la-maftei.html. Are they all right?
Dan

Jojo, it should be pointed out that by your calcul...

2012-01-26T07:37:35.842Z

Jojo, it should be pointed out that by your calculations the cheaper shoes are still more expensive over five years. And of course they look worse for the whole of those five years.

Hi Simon, I saw another reader comment about Loak...

2012-01-26T04:32:45.201Z

Hi Simon,

I saw another reader comment about Loake shoes compared to C&J. What are your thoughts about Loake? The timing of your post was excellent for me as I'm in the market for some new wingtips and was about move forward with Loake. I'd love to get your opinion. Thanks!

Derek

I know they've taken a bit of a knocking in th...

2012-01-26T04:30:55.602Z

I know they've taken a bit of a knocking in the style blogs recently, but I really do like my Church's. I've a pair of black oxfords and some dark brown monks that I adore.

For those on a slightly reduced budget I can also heavily recommend Herring Shoes. For less than £200 they offer superb value I think. I have a pair of burgundy brogues from them that I am always pleased to wear.

Excellent advice all round, although you probably ...

2012-01-25T22:43:20.070Z

Excellent advice all round, although you probably underestimate the longevity of good shoes. If you have 3 or 4 pairs that you can rotate during the week, and you look after them well, you should get much better than 5 years of wear from them - hopefully more like 10 years or more. It makes the value proposition for good shoes even stronger.

Austro-Hungarians? In the 21st century? I like En...

2012-01-25T22:19:40.819Z

Austro-Hungarians? In the 21st century?

I like English shoes. But I'm not convinced by the value argument. It depends on what you use your shoes for. If you're mostly sedentary then sure, they will last for ever and be a good buy. If, like I used to, you commute to work on foot, 2 miles each way, you will need them resoled at least once a year (and that's only wearing each pair once or twice a week). I've only had experience of Churchs but I know they will normally only resole shoes twice. Which means that taking into account the cost of resoling, you're spending upwards of £500 in total for a pair of shoes that will last maybe 3 years. I'm not convinced that that is better value than paying £175 every year for a new pair of lesser (but still pretty good) shoes.

Grenson are great shoes. Good value, as with other...

2012-01-25T21:46:12.389Z

Grenson are great shoes. Good value, as with others.

Edward Green make the shoes in the top photo.

Yes, I know Carmina very well having visited them in Spain. They make great shoes, as do many Italians, French and of course Austro-Hungarians. My point is not that English shoes are superior necessarily.

Hi Simon, I am delighted that your today post is d...

2012-01-25T21:02:28.947Z

Hi Simon, I am delighted that your today post is dedicated to British shoes. I can't thank you enough for having drawn our attention to the importance and value of good shoes. Now it happens that I have received a pair of Black semi-brogues as gift made in Northampton by a very good and well known shoemaker. Yet its type of polish is in my view quintessentially British. Indeed,it is hardly to be found elsewhere, for instance in Italy or in France. Its polish stands between normal black calf and patent. While browsing recently, I have discovered that it is called "Book binder leather", even though in my case the shoemaker names it "Black polished". Please, could you tell me which kinds of proprieties in Britain are attached to the wearing of this kind of shoes? Are there any rules to follow or ... breakable? Are they as good as the others? Do their care requires a specific treatment? Personally, I find them lovely! I mostly wear them at night for diners and parties. Many thanks in advance for your reply.

After years of wearing Loake 1880s, I decided to s...

2012-01-25T20:44:24.984Z

After years of wearing Loake 1880s, I decided to stretch my budget for a pair of C&J Edgwares. The difference in quality and fit is staggering as the C&Js are beyond compare. Worth every extra penny.

Simon, Thank you for this post. Who makes the pai...

2012-01-25T20:10:19.843Z

Simon,

Thank you for this post. Who makes the pair of shoes in the top photograph? They are beautiful.

Gavin

I do agree with the fact that investing in a good ...

2012-01-25T19:46:33.028Z

I do agree with the fact that investing in a good pair of shoes is one of the best things to do. And I also agree with the fact that English shoes are excellent. I personally own two pairs of C&J cordovan shoes and I really love them.

But I think that there are a lot of good shoe makers outside England. Of course, English shoes are much better than Italian (brand) shoes. But you forget other very goog shoemakers. I am from Spain and, in my opinion, we have one of the best shoemakers (with a great relationship cost/quality): Carmina. I have several of these shoes and I could not tell which ones I prefer, C&J or Carmina.

Have you been able to take a close look to Carmina shoes, Simon?

PS. Congratulation for the blog.

I am considering a pair of G&G decos and the f...

2012-01-25T17:38:28.558Z

I am considering a pair of G&G decos and the first time I saw them, it was like I was looking at an Aston or Ferrari! I'm glad you wrote this post because I was considering a pair of Grenson brogues. What is your opinion of this brand with the Goodyear welt and all.

I'd say a black work pair next, unless you nev...

2012-01-25T15:07:22.576Z

I'd say a black work pair next, unless you never ever wear a suit for work. If you don't, perhaps a derby or monk strap in cedar (mid-brown, but not tan) to wear with paler suits, paler trousers or chinos/jeans etc

Definitely wholeheartedly agree with this post. I ...

2012-01-25T15:05:39.457Z

Definitely wholeheartedly agree with this post. I bought C&J’s, I sense the exact same your friend wore at his wedding, from John Rushton last summer and they have been an absolute pleasure. Any suggestions on what type to get next?

Do you think you could afford one to two a year if...

2012-01-25T15:02:42.766Z

Do you think you could afford one to two a year if clothing was a spending priority? Bear in mind you can get hand-cut suits for £850 and mainline bespoke from £1800 and up.

I know it's probably rude to ask, Simon, but f...

2012-01-25T14:47:24.658Z

I know it's probably rude to ask, Simon, but frankly the curiosity is beginning to cause actual pain. Having looked at your online profiles, I can't see much possibility of gigantic bonuses or the like. So... where does all this money come from? Are you lucky enough to be independently wealthy?

Of course I fully understand if you abstain from answering. I suppose the main reason I ask is because I earn what to the average person would be an enviable amount of money, yet I have no hope of achieving a couple of dozen bespoke suits in my lifetime. So I just want to check I'm not doing something wrong!