Seriously? I'm sorry but this poll has absolutely no style; Prada pumps?? Any cross dresser worth their own weight would be wearing Loubies, So Kate's in 120mm, classic Nero to be specific. And Allen Edmonds?? The Costco of dress shoes. Stick with Lobb or Fukuda for true dress shoes, and R.M. Williams for boots that will take you from the factory floor, the boardroom, through QF Chairman's Lounge, the NYSE and dinner at Alinea....and possibly to have a single malt with The Oracle of Omaha, for you, a Diet Coke for him.
No offense to the AE fanboys, but you guys need to broaden your horizons. Anybody who thinks AE are at the top of the heap of quality just demonstrates how little he knows. Spend some time doing some real research: Edward Green, Gaziano & Girling, George Cleverley, John Lobb, Crockett & Jones, Enzo Bonafe, Corthay, JM Westin, Vass , St Crsispin, Paolo Scafora, Berluti, Bontoni, Antonio Meccariello, Norman Vilatla, Kiton, Stefano Bemer, Hiro Yanagimachi, Yohei Fukuda—all in an entirely different league than AE. If you insist on buying American, Alden is better quality, but even more stodgy and Trickers-esque in their designs. That’s fine for a country brogue, but too heavy for a truly dressy shoe.
Although the Park Avenue is considered the business uniform standard, they look outdated and stodgy. The welt is so wide that it looks like a moat around the shoe when you look down on it. Also, $400 for an open-channeled stitch is just overpriced. I have 2 pairs of Park Avs, brown and black, but I only wear them when I think it is expected of me, such as in front of a jury. Most of the time, I much prefer Carmina, Meermin, and especially Enzo Bonafe. I also like Barker handcrafted grade and Crockett and Jones. CJ has better leather than AE, but they are overpriced. Vass and Enzo Bonafé are truly high end shoes for a fair price. They are more expensive than the others, but the push the Lobb, Green, and Gaziano quality for much less.
I voted for the AE's for the simple fact they are Made in the USA. Some shoes may look better, wear better, last longer, but I only buy items made in the country I live.
weilian
USAguy
0
Sarcasm? Because AE's uppers are done in the Dominican Republic.