Other brands in this range include Septieme Largeur, Andres Sendra and Janko. Everyone in London should visit John and ask for his advice on shoes. Still fine for the price point, as this piece suggests, but the quality control is miserable. But they belong in a different category, a quality level down., France, Germany, Italy: Loding, Orbans, Velasca, Shoepassion. Meermin Burgundy Oxford Shoe || Men's US 8 UK 7 E. $50.00 + $32.48 shipping. 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. CNES has a larger range of casual shoe styles off the rack but Fugashin is more refined with better hand details and more elegant last shapes. 9.5D heel to ball, just a smidge under 9.5D on heel to toe. Perhaps my favorite, but I'd need more time with the boots to decide. I appreciate that it takes time and skill and thus affects cost, it just doesnt matter a ton to me as it doesnt have a meaningful effect on how the shirt wears or looks. second chance thread), Carmina Green Shell Cordovan Frankenstitch Captoe Jumper Boot 10.5eee(uk) detroit last, RM Williams Comfort Craftsman or Carmina (Rain Last) Chelsea, *SOLD* Carmina Bourbon Shell Cordovan NST boot 8UK Forest last, Alden Color 4 Shell Cordovan Chukkas - Barrie last size 10 D, Alden x Leffot Saddle Shoe - Unglazed Cigar Shell Cordovan and Snuff Suede - 8D Barrie Last. Hard as rock! Topics include a wide range of brands from Crockett & Jones to Guidi. JavaScript is disabled. Although it may be difficult to clearly see from the photos online, could I ask what you think of their the last/design of their chukka boots? US size 8 at the best online prices at eBay! Thats generally why so many people, or at least readers, like shoes from these other brands. Guess it goes to show how individual it all is. Suede. Extraordinary. Also I heard that they are actually trying to improve or change things constantly. No one see this though, its only for yourself. Ive purchased a few Grenson pieces this year. I have to disagree. Ive around 20 pairs of Carmina, 2 of C&J mainline and a dozen of C&J hangrade. I do know and enjoy your blog, lots of useful information! Sizing as 10E and filling in vertical space as needed seems to offer the best fit, without any of the above problems. If you also have small heels and struggle to find well fitting good year welt leather shoes, I wholeheartedly recommend Japanese brands who have leather shoes that are specifically designed for the Japanese feet. Foster & Son get this so much better with their RTW. Carmina shoes are stylish, fashionable, chic, and very good-looking. Ive undergone a career change and offices in the US have become more and more lax about dress standards, even prior to 2020. Quality control for us sticklers has been in question dating back to the aughts. The brand focuses on doing the basics well and I recommend it to every friend of mine that wants to try goodyear welted shoes for the first time. Very hard to break in and stiff leathers. The equivalent shoes are both online currently for 400 each. These would be an excellent fit if the toe box was a bit wider. Simon, I really appreciate the articles lately with a focus on quality at a more approachable price point. I have been wearing several pairs for ~18 years without an issue besides replacement of a couple of degraded rubber heel soles. They are extremely comfortable and very good value in my opinion. Im an Alden fanboy with the exception of longwings. Im keeping an eye open for Skomaker Dagestad Yamagata make-ups in the future. Arch support was a bit painful the first wear but feels great after a few hours. Own a pair of derby shoes in the last now. Last shape feels similar to Parkhurst 10 and Viberg 9.5, except toe is slightly longer and more tapered, heel is snugger, and it's much roomier throughout the instep. The alternative was to shut out the market of men with wider feet. Back to Morjas specifically. Unlined Carmina loafers. I believe shoes like Meermin have a place in Menswear. I dont think it is available outside of Japan though. There is one new Brand Lethato seen on different portals and I saw their boots are attractive and reasonably priced. "Another area where a lot of the English makers fall down, at this price level and below, is the soles, which aren't as good as Spanish brands in general. I live in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam so I know these companies. Heel to ball fits much like Barrie 9.5D, with a tiny bit more volume, but toe box tapers more sharply from both sides. (For a RTW dark brown oxford, although I could stretch my budget a bit more, up to 400 euros). Ive been a big fan of Crockett & Jones, Carmina and Edward Green. Moreover, theres no industry standard in how to name these things so anyone can call anything what they like. The Shell Cordovan, non-Alden Shoe and Boot Thread, Find reviews, recommendations, tips about and appreciation of fine cutlery here. Rancourt 115 9D: Great fit. Unfortunately almost all clothing has diminishing returns as you pay more, and thats certainly the case with shoes. They initially repaired free of charge and when the heels came loose again they replaced for a shoe from their 1880 range. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'footslide_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_13',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-footslide_com-medrectangle-3-0');Let us see what Carmina shoes and Meermin shoes look like at first glance: One of the most elegant shoes out there today is the Carmina shoes. I have found myself not liking the current 2021+ year make of the 2030 in 8.5 The changes have kind of fudged the instep for me right at the tongue seam. Regarding the soles, the comment was of course a generalisation, and of course British makers use European soles in most cases, that doesnt change anything. I'm looking at a cobbler union in a 312 last they recommended 1.5 down from brannock. Maybe even a philosophical one. Thanks for the informative post. Ill be reviewing them separately, as theyre more similar to other shoes weve covered. Please take a look. They look nice but if I know Ill be in shoes the entire day and might walk a bit I do not wear them. Ive only been reading PS for a few months, and I immediately got hooked to the point that I spend my free time reading past articles in order to catch up. Thanks for the personal comment it is very helpful and interesting, Any thoughts about the German brand Hammerstein? Alden Aberdeen: 9.5E fits me really well with medium socks. Alden Barrie 9D: Slightly snug, still comfortable, but my least favorite Alden last so far. I have gone through years of posts comments where US readers often praised the company and you alleged unawareness about it, sometimes citing Alden as the only US quality shoemaker known to you. Still tapered in in waist and heel for a comfortable lock in, but with more room in the toe box and at the ball. Maybe I experimented with them too early. Feels okay but gets painful in the midfoot as the day progresses. What Id like to know is how much higher quality will the Trickers be over the Myrqvists? You might also care more with a dress oxford than a casual loafer. They are never mentioning it, but the leather is bookbinded. Im surprised not to see JFitzpatrick in the Spain list. My girlfriend values their classic oxfords because they are not Goodyear and have soft insoles making them very comfy. Again, a big thank you to Simon and Jesper for the article. Worn with normal dress socks. Leo 9E/9.5D: Bad fit. I have had to send back two pairs on separate occasions that both had massive construction errors. As someone who has handled or owned several of these brands I thought it would be helpful to offer my experience, anecdotal though it may be. Loake, Barker, Cheaney, etc. 2. Every now and then I got excited by a nice design at a lower price point only to be disappointed by quality issues. Im happy I earn enough now to not care about this market segment any longer. 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 would note that although the shoes I own have tight sole stitching, C&J models without pinking on the soles (for example, the Sydney with rubber soles) are noticeably less sleek. Ended up selling years later. Dont buy both together though do buy one then the other, just to make sure you do like that style and fit etc. Would really appreciate any advice you can give! ), but perhaps that wouldnt be entirely appropriate. Perhaps I need to re-examine what value I place on shoes. This is what separates them from the suit debate. The same is true for the tailors and the small number of shops I use for RTW clothing. Cnes (above), for example, has been exhibiting in various fairs around Europe, looking for retailers, and is very nicely made, with a bevelled waist and otherwise refined make. Cobbler Union (above) is a newer brand, and more similar to TLB or Carmina, while Spier & MacKay is a clothing brand with a line of shoes at 220 which is decent for the price. Cheers Adam, and very pleased thats the case. From my personal experience, there has been a decline in quality in inverse proportion to price increases. May have been fine with thinner socks. Particularly annoying is when they talk about cutting out a middle man, and going straight to consumer. the Meermins have four speedhooks and a pull tab, whereas the Carminas have three and forego the tab. Id put them at around Barker/Loake territory, perhaps slightly better. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Travel Shoes Poll: What shoes do you bring with you on short trips? AE has excellent customer service to this day. Thing is that, not referring to Berluti necessarily now, but we do see a number of very famous bespoke shoemakers, not least in England, who the past years have started to put out shoes that arent properly made and/or have a proper fit. With shoes, up to a certain quite high price point, you get what you pay for and further this is possible to judge objectively. I made the same experience with Bobbies shoes which ended in an oddyssey of sending shoes back and forth. These should fit TTS for people with higher arches but this last is definitely not for me. The Septieme Larguer felt very similar to the Andres Sendra from what I remember. Meermin shoes are classy shoes that are just so unbelievably functional and cost-effective for the price that they come for. RUI 9: Great fit as I recall from trying in a store over a year ago. 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. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. I was very impressed with the integrity of your website after reading IS THIS AN ADVERT? on that curve of diminishing returns. The soles have also had some quality issues my shoes have channeled soles, and the top layer has peeled off repeatedly at the edges. Id also echo other comments that a trip to the factory outlet shops in Northampton is well worth it. I have covered Vass and TLB Artista before. At first glance, you should be able to tell, to an extent, if a pair of shoes would be a good fit for you or not. Its just a selection of brands, and focus were on cheaper shoes than J. FitZpatrick (although he has a new lower-priced range coming). First impressions tell us most of what we need to know about certain products. The new El Salvador ones were too tight and I'd require a 10.5. Its a helpful round up, especially since I find this price bracket to be a sweet spot for my own purposes. heel and instep grips without the toe being too restrictive, * **Edward Green 82** 8.5UK pretty good forefoot with too much heel slip. You talk a lot about nicer shoes on PS and how they are much nicer. There arent many industries where youre so often buying direct from the maker, and having little additional costs along the way. It would be nice to see more posts on the different plateaus (?) Red Wing Postman: 10D, wore for a year but sold due to low volume toebox. For what its worth, Ive purchased more boots in the past 3 years than any other style of footwear (dress/service types of models). ??? Perhaps other readers can. People need to understand that expensive shoes will always give you your best return over time, especially when theyre taken care of properly. These shoes are classily elegant shoes that elevate the fashion style of the shoe wearer. Check Availability Meermin Wingtips Review Berwick uses corrected grain for some of its models (this is what stopped me from buying a pair). Allen Edmonds still made really good shoes twenty years ago, but their attempt at becoming an all around clothing brand with its own shops really harmed the quality of the shoes. Alexander 9E/9.5D: Excellent fit when worn sockless. 1 down the toe could be getting very short. I once dumped a veritable fortune on a pair of bespoke Berluttis that caused me so much physical discomfort I was left with the impression they had been designed by the Gestapo. TLB is from Mallorca, like Carmina, but is only a few years old and is trying to gain a similar reputation. Its a solid fit. These shoes have seen some heavy use and have been worn at least twice as much as the previous pair. Lovely article! Unfortunately they offer less Goodyear welted shoes these days. I dont know anybody who owns a Mont Blanc wallet, but I know plenty of people who own Mont Blanc pens, and I dont see that ever changing. in 9D my feet can slide right out. I absolutely could not go a half-size down. Crockett & Jones, Churchs, John Lobb, Joseph Cheaney etc. Vans Old Skool/Era: 11D, solid out of the box. The customer service is great though! Ive since moved on to other brands because I wanted higher quality. Have been on a Brannock only once. At Styleforum, youll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis. Think Ill grab a pair of black calf Trickers first, then see how I go. The shoe comes on Meermin's Ama last, which is of a classic and elegant shape. Certainly if I looked at them close up I could tell, and I could also tell if I was wearing them. Snug in the forefoot and toebox but not tight. Meermins have also been fine, especially for suede loafers. I suspect 8UK would have been better, * **Enzo Bonafe 74945** 8UK perfect fit, snug around the heel and ball with a comfortable instep but still toe room, * **Enzo Bonafe 804** 7.5UK fits a bit better than 8UK, 8UK has a lot of heel slip in shell boots, * **Enzo Bonafe 062** 8UK fits similarly to 804 7.5UK. * **Gaziano Girling TG73** 8.5EUK comfortable but slight pinching at pinky toe, * **Grant Stone Leo** 8.5D super comfortable boot last, bit roomy, * **Joe Works JOE-0** 8UK instep too low - v gap in oxford laces, * **Loake Capital** 8UK snug with room at the toe, perfect fit, * **Lof and Tung S** 8UK great fit though instep is perhaps a bit high, * **Mattina N** 42EU Great fit with little to no heel slip, instep is like Loake Capital/Carmina Rain, * **Mattina C** 42EU Great fit with little to no heel slip, instep is like Loake Capital/Carmina Rain. Its hard to say since theyre Chelsea boots, which means breaking in isnt as much of an issue as with lace-up shoes. Id highly recommend it for more detail all of these brands, particularly on the technical side. Its actually something well touch on in our upcoming piece looking at budgets and capsule wardrobes. Most of my shoes are Crockett & Jones because of the great customer service and the consistent quality. #EasyLifeESMenBoots #DopeBoots #Meermin #CarminaBoots #ShellCordovanBoots #EasyLifeES #CasualMenBoots #MereminPlumMuseumCalf #Meerminbelts---ALL UB playlist-. Also, I dont think youve ever written about painted patina on shoes . Way too narrow and painful all around, last too tapered for my taste. meister Stylish Dinosaur Joined Feb 10, 2007 Messages 10,772 Reaction score 2,515 Dec 28, 2011 #9 Very comfortable, great instep for oxfords, * **Trickers W2298** 8UK a bit tight at the toes, perfectly snug everywhere else, * **Trickers 4444** 8UK tiny bit of heel slip, fits like a dream at the ball, * **Thomas George Jackas** 7.5UK a bit roomy. Its a smidge roomy, but I don't believe going an extra half down would have worked and I prefer boots to be worn with boot socks. 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. (And btw, do you know anything about the quality of this Kingsman line they sell on Mr. Unless there is also a considerable increase in quality, Id say this reposition leaves Church as even less of a value for money option. $215 shipped to the US. He is, at the moment, offering something special forum readers. Note: I have pretty weird feet, slim waist, slim heels, slightly high instep, and low volume. Because every Carmina thread is comprised of "what size am I" questions. REGULATION AND US. Jesper concludes by saying: You cant expect to get a really premium shoe for an entry-level price, and you shouldnt get too excited at places that promise that. Roomy toe box, heel is snug and hugs my foot all around. Also I feel the toe space is a bit too narrow. Tanks, if you will. Im a regular customer of both Jermyn Street shops and the customer service Ive consistently experienced over many years has been exceptionally good, significantly better than Ive experienced in some other, more expensive establishments that will be well known to readers of this blog. Thanks for your efforts! Would these look good suits ( navy/grey) and trousers ) blues/grey/green/white etc.) Carmina Simpson Oxford - 10 UK. Moderate arch. I just don't love Rancourt's boot patterns and overall build. The heel stiffener is a piece of the internal structure of the shoe, which sits inside the heel cup. I bought a pair of suede oxfords some months ago and I have found them to be fairly good for their cost. And do you know any retailer in continental Europe who sells Anthony Cleverley? Barrie: 10D (I might be able to pull 9.5 with thin socks), 9.5 E, Tuesday split toe boots (no last name): 9.5, Borneo: 42 EU (snug fit with plenty room for toe to wiggle with medium socks), Kujang: 42.5 EU (snug fit with medium socks), 325: 9.5 UK (had to re-purchase just to recall my size), 365: 9 UK (snug with medium socks, would probably be clown looking if I went 9.5, but who knows), Military: 44 EU (had to throw thick socks for this, but no way I could pull 43, the weirdest fitting last Ive ever had), 4497: 9.5 UK fitting 6 (could probably pull 9 UK or same size but 5 fitting instead), 2020: 9.5 (with medium socks it fit snug). All leather if even sanded a tiny bit to remove flaws in the skin is corrected. Buying a pair of Meermins is not a decision that you are going to regret, trust me. Regarding AE, theres certainly been a change since their most recent acquisition in 2017. So much so, that one of the heels fell off during normal use. I wonder brands you may recommend for a person with a deeper broader foot like mine. Heel is a bit wider than I'd like when new but does break in. Good arch support that's sculpted to he foot instead of the PNW Ladder rung shape. 9.5D heel to toe. Joseph Cheaney are undoubtedly the thinking flaneurs cordonnier. It takes days to sift through the carmina thread to even know relatively what size to buy. Decent fit all around and should break in nicely. My experience with them has been very similar to yours, Felix. Sadly brands like Edward Green, Lobb and Cleverly are now so beyond my price point that I wonder if theyre now in the realm of diminishing returns? They may not be top tier but they certainly are hard wearing. Its a good time to be a consumer in this area.. I have also tried on shoes from Yanko and Septieme Largeur. I wear the same size in rain shell as in xim unlined. A lot of side to side play in the ankle. My issue with C&J is that the range of G fits has been reduced significantly. JF main line would definitely be in Spain 1. Many thanks, 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. I have experienced Cheaney a fair bit, my first two pairs of English shoes were from Cheaney main line (I still have one of them), plus I have worn Cheaneys imperial range as well as C&J mainline shoes. Spain level 2: Berwick, Sendra and Meermin. Porter?). Thanks for taking the time to reply. Red Wing Moc Toe: 10D, narrow in ball of foot. While a bespoke suit might of course feel a bit better in how it fits and how you can move, it isnt really more comfortable and better for the health of your body compared to a midrange full canvas suit, in the same way as bespoke shoes. Snug in thick socks. Leather board can, and top-end shoes use pure leather, which adapts even more. And it seems like, that level of service pervades the company. RM Williams Comfort Craftsman: 9.5G AUS - Great fit. There are some great savings on offer and often the defects are either unnoticeable or very minor. I recommend .5 down and just accepting that it is a wide pattern. Even though mine are lace-ups, breaking in has actually been very easy and I also feel like they are totally worth the money. Loake make some shoes in India, 1880 range is made in UK. I used DT cushioned boot socks at the time. Because of the great leather material of the Carminas, youll get yourself a pair of shoes that are bound to stand you out in the positive way.CARMINA LEATHER, Meermins, on the other hand, are made with premium leather materials ranging from hybrid calfskin leather materials to even Shell Cordovan leather.MEERMIN LEATHER. Though, unsure of sizing, thanks. I think either would be fine. Thanks EL. , yet they settle for shoes at a, relatively speaking, much lower level. I did have a little heel slip in the beginning that went away. I appreciate it doesnt work for everyone geographically, but most of the famous English brands are still manufactured in the Northampton region. Even so, I do believe that the Meermins are the best value-for-money among the shoes mentioned. I bought AS through him when they were the best value for money in higher end shoes then moved to C&J on his advice. I think I could also safely do this last in in 9.5, but I'm not trying to wear my boots as tight as possible. Red Wing 8 last 9D: Decent fit at first, fairly comfortable once broken in. However, a really bright or unsual patina has never really been my style, and is becoming even less so. Worth asking. But the key issue from my point of view is that AE offers 10 widths across all the models in their portfolio, where none of the Northamptoners are able to offer more than 2 and only for very few of their models. There is decent toe room in spite of how tapered the chisel last looks. Interesting ! Forest is a rounded toe, regular instep and more room across the forepart. Everything from the finishing, to the thick upper, to the last shape seemed cheap and unattractive. However, always be careful about brands that give the impression their leather is the same quality as the top makers.