There are many things that happen in the shoe world that make this snob a bit crazy when I see it occurring. Some of it I feel is done from lack of education so want to list these things here with future posts to go in detail on each one. Two of them, I have already written about so will start with those. Enjoy and if you find yourself doing these things, think about it!
- People scuffing their shoes and then blaming the leather/manufacturer or frankly anyone but themselves. READ MORE.
- People trying on proper dress shoes and not lacing them the way they should be, the shoes falling off their foot and then saying they are too big when they are actually the right size. READ MORE.
- People that insist on trying dress shoes for the first time with athletic socks thinking that it will be fine. And when they then go home and wear thin dress socks realize the shoes are way too big.
- People that think the Brannock device is the holy grail. Feet are 3D. The Brannock measures in 2D. It can’t paint the whole picture and width is not entirely accurate.
- People that can’t fathomtaking a smaller size then “what they have always been”. Shoes and lasts differ. Get used to it
- People that call all oxfords ‘wingtips’
- Wearing off the shelf orthotics when they really aren’t needed but rather doing so because they ‘got sold’! And all they need is a well-made pair of dress shoes that fitproperly. Fun fact to most Americans that fall into this category: Hardly anyone in Europe (or anywhere outside of the US) wears orthotics unless they truly have messed up feet.
- Thinking that Cedar shoe trees are the most superior. Another marketing gimmick. Don’t believe everything the salesman tells you
- Thinking that every shoe that comes out of Italy or England is well made and superior to everything else. There is shit is made in every country.
- People turning their nose up to Romanian made footwear due to the connotations that arise when people say ‘Romania’. That is pure ignorance.
Shoes below have nothing to do with post, just something to look at for those that only wish to see shoes
The slavish Brannock devotion and all the meaningless “true to size” banter definitely annoy me.
Hi Justin, thanks for sharing your pet peeves, very educational.
What model are the Saint Crispins at the top, maybe it’s not love but definitely infatuation.
mod 103
http://www.saintcrispins.com/category/footwear/derby/
Spot on! Those points are sadly real… in more fields than shoes.
Which wood is superior to cedar for shoe trees?
they are all the same as shoe trees are not really meant for absorbing water but rather simply for maintaining shape.
Sorry for meddling… So, is it better to let the shoes dry overnight without the shoe trees in then?
We should also take into account that as we age, our shoe size may change. I’d worn a size 10.5 (US) since high school. Suddenly, in my late 40s my Moreschi’s, Bally’s and other high end shoes became tight. So much so that by the end of the workday, I’d have to take them off and rub my feet. I had to give them all away. That really hurt. My doctor told me that we shrink a bit in height as we age and our feet may flatten a bit. I began to buy 11s and that’s where I am today, in my 60s. Love your shoes. I have the Genesee boot and the butterfly loafer!