Last pair of dress shoes

[promc]

My payless dress shoes have lived to see the last of their days, and I'm looking for a replacement. Given that I'm on track to be working 7-9 more years, I'd like to buy a pair of unadorned black dress shoes that will last at least that length of time. A pair of Vimes Oxfords, if you will.

Does anyone have recommendations on brands that fill this niche? I'm going to check out the DC Alden store shortly, but online reviews vary from 'best shoes in America' to 'good, but you're paying a fair amount for the name.' And aside from the low-hanging maintenance tips about trees, polish, and resoling, is there anything I should know about how to care for shoes so they last this long?

Thanks for reading

[EricL]

I recommend Mephisto shoes.  I bought a pair of Mephisto walking shoes in 1994 and they only wore out last year.  I bought a pair of Mephisto dress shoes last year and since I don't wear them that much I expect they'll bury me in them.

[theSchmett]

Bump. I'm in almost the exact same situation, except I plan on working for at least 10 more years.

I walk a LOT, for transportation, professionally (I'm an urban planner so I like to see stuff on foot), and just cause. Sometimes I'm wearing a suit...

I mostly want something that I can get resoled well, like through Resole America.

Trouble is I really don't like leather bottomed shoes.

[EricL]

I don't think anyone likes leather soled shoes.  They make your feet look nice with a suit but in many cases almost anything is more comfortable.  Even going barefoot.  Mephisto walking shoes are rubber soled black or brown leather shoes that can be shined though they are laced like a sneaker.  I've worn them with suits and people never noticed.  Mephisto dress shoes are conventional leather soled but last a good long time.  If you can't wear walking shoes and you have to walk around in them a lot consult an orthopedist to see what kind of inserts would work best for you.  I forgot to mention Mephistos are expensive - $300-$400.  But you get what you pay for. 

If you don't opt for the shoe leather express enough to justify that Rockport walking shoes are good and cheaper alternatives.

[grantmeaname]

Go to ebay and get a pair of used black Allen Edmonds 5th Avenues or Park Avenues in good condition, somewhere in the $70-150 range. They're beautiful shoes, totally repairable, and they last forever. I don't think I'll ever buy another non-AE pair of dress shoes. (Something like this.)

I don't think anyone likes leather soled shoes.

I like them quite a bit. What does sole material have to do with overall shoe comfort?

Edited to add: Reddit /r/malefashionadvice is phenomenal for things like this, though they tend to be hella spendy on the whole. Just found this gem.

[EricL]

Walking shoes are rubber soled and designed for walking.  Leather soled shoes are just that.  A thick, ridgid, surface with little or no cushion.  Also, walking shoes have traction.  Leather soled dress shoes don't.  Even mildly slick surfaces can help you with an amusing pratfall.  Amusing for witnesses at least.

[grantmeaname]

I don't know what soles you've ever seen to make you think that rubber soles are thinner and more flexible than leather soles, but I've certainly never seen any that meet that generalization. And I walk on "even mildly slick surfaces" daily and manage not to fall so clearly lack of grip isn't a critical issue, though there is some difference.

[EricL]

I meant to say leather soles are "thinner" not "thicker".  Walking shoes do have treads to help with traction while leather soled shoes are just slick.  If you have Ninja like balance and reflexes it doesn't matter.

[dude]

from the title, I thought this was going to be a post about the last pair of dress shoes you'd ever buy because you won't need 'em anymore when you're FIRE'd!  Which incidentally, is my case.  Had the current dress shoes for about 7 years now, and plan to keep wearing them until I retire in another 5.  Of course, I rarely have to actually put them on (like 2-3x/month) because I just wear flip-flops at my desk all day.

[grantmeaname]

I meant to say leather soles are "thinner" not "thicker".  Walking shoes do have treads to help with traction while leather soled shoes are just slick.  If you have Ninja like balance and reflexes it doesn't matter.

Obviously preferences can differ with dress shoes just like anything else, but I've always felt that the difference just wasn't that dramatic.

[Bruinguy]

Try also Johnston & Murphy's Hyde Park II Cap-Toe ($225 new).  You can repair them (~$100 through Johnston Murphy).  I have two pairs and wear one of them daily to work.  I usually need to have them re-soled every 16 months or so.

I have heard good things about the Allen Edmonds discussed above, but by the time I tried them, my feet were broken in to the J&Ms, and they were uncomfortable to me. 

Another data point--I do have one pair of J&M rubber soled dress shoes.  I don't wear them nearly as often, but they are still going strong four or five years after I bought them--no reconditioning required.  I'm curious how they would have held up on the same rotation as my others.

[theSchmett]

Awesome. I have a J&M outlet near me.

[grantmeaname]

Let us know how your adventure goes!

[promc]

The web consensus seems to be that shoes like this are perfectly fine to buy used. The only downside is, after a year or two the previous owner has broken in the sole to fit their foot. Since you're probably resoling relatively soon, that's acceptable. Ebay, or a another used shoe marketplace (http://www.shermanbrothers.com/catalog.php?BrandCode=AL), is the way to go. That means you need to know what you're looking for, and know your sizing on both length and width. You accept a bit of risk on size, since not all shoe lasts (the chassis, essentially) are exactly identical.

Online reviews point to generally low quality in Johnston & Murphy.

I'll stop into Alden probably Thursday. I have my eye on their 'George' chukkas, if I can find them in black and at something like this sale price (http://leffot.com/shop/index.php/shoes/alden/91672-george-boot.html).

Reasons for Alden:
Their shell cordovan (horse leather) and construction are widely praised
They last. Many forum posters had 8-12 year old shoes of this brand, and mentioned resoling every 2-3 years.
They are more functional than fashionable, as dress shoes go
They require less polishing-type maintenance than cow leather shoes

Against:
$500 is still a lot for shoes, even if we're avoiding the $800 Prada

Allen Edmonds is the next brand that comes up, at least in the <$1k price range. If I opt for a cow leather shoe, it will probably be one of theirs. Compared to Alden, you get like -$100 to 150, and -2-4 years of life. Most of this is due to the difference in leather type. Horse leather is essentially waterproof, but harder to come by since it's illegal to slaughter horses just for their leather.

Aside from Chukkas, Park Avenues or Oxfords also fit the style I'm looking for. Personal preference: Bluchers are boring and wingtips are gaudy. YMMV.

[grantmeaname]

Compared to Alden, you get like -$100 to 150, and -2-4 years of life.

It took me a minute to parse this. You think AEs cost $100 to $150 less and last 2-4 years less than Aldens, right? How do Aldens do on the resale market - is the price difference minimized?

Most of this is due to the difference in leather type.

You can get shoes made from cows from Alden (the ones you linked are calfskin), and you can get shoes made from horse leather or shell cordovan (not quite the same) from AE. To speak to your larger point rather than nitpick, though - I'd love a pair of cordovan oxfords someday. Maybe when I make real people money I'll pick up a pair on ebay.

[promc]

1) Yes, that's what I meant. Allen Edmonds are a little cheaper, and won't last quite as long. Relatedly...

2) Allen Edmonds does make shell shoes, and Alden does make shoes with other leather types. From what I can tell, both of those cases are in the minority. And the shell difference seems to account for the majority of the price and quality difference between the two brands.

[grantmeaname]

Looks like Alden only has one line of shell to me. Either way, I'd definitely buy a pair someday (that's the name of my street, it doesn't get cooler than that).

[promc]

After looking at explicit photographs of men's footwear for a while, I still hadn't decided whether or not it was worth it to drop the money on a nice pair of shoes. Turns out, the universe had my back.

I stopped at Goodwill last Saturday on a whim. On the shelf, next some used payless loafers, was what appeared to be a pair of shell oxfords. So I spent the whole $14 to buy them. And it turns out they were Alden style #9016.

Staring at those fashion blogs paid off. They're a touch too large, and I have to try some inserts to see if I can wear them reasonably. But they're very pretty.

[MBot]

Great score!

[grantmeaname]

I have never seen a pair of shoes worth a damn at the thrift store - congrats on the find!