Very nice clunky longwings old Horace. l'm a big fan of the longwing.

The American RTW shoos always seem very clunky and not very pretty. AE and Alden seem very solid in construction but very lacking in lots of fine details. American shoos look so ordinary since the old J&M Handmades.

Here's a pair of my Shell Cordovan wingtips by AE. The only pair of AE that l own. They are the old Cambridge model.
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The Shooman.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2006-05-06 04:02:36)

maximus wrote:

That's interesting grass you have in your backyard shooman. What kind is it?

Buffulo and Cooch grass. l remember taking the picture of them on a 110 degree day......today it's really cold and raining hard.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2006-05-07 02:37:46)

Shooey:  you do know that the your AE's aren't long or "wrap-around" wing-tips right?

I gotta side with Miles and go for the substantial American and occasionally British shoes.  I like the Peals (I know someone else makes them but to Brooks specs) and Trickers and a few others.

Here's another wing:



Though that material is truly hideous, eh?  Notice the very tradly no-break trouser.

Last edited by Horace (2006-05-07 05:03:33)

Miles Away wrote:

The_Shooman wrote:

Very nice clunky longwings old Horace. l'm a big fan of the longwing.

The American RTW shoos always seem very clunky and not very pretty. AE and Alden seem very solid in construction but very lacking in lots of fine details. American shoos look so ordinary since the old J&M Handmades.


The Shooman.

This caught my attention - Just becasuse I think the opposite!

I find European shoes too smooth & effete looking for my taste, while American shoes look sturdy & more 'masculine' to me.

It would be a dull old world if we all thought the same, eh?

Miles

Don't get me wrong, l love sturdy clunky gunboat shoes as much as the next guy, but l do prefer a nice well made italian shoe that is elegant.

One from Bass, c. 1974:



The shoo on the right is a bit much, to my tastes, at least.

Another from Sebago, '82.  Until recently Sebago was making their stuff in Maine.  You can still find old stock Sebago here and there.  Including some of the older (2 years ago) Brooks loafers.  They sold them off at fire-sale prices.




the last from "Walk-over", c. 1983:

Don't know if this was a Maine co. or something down south, maybe Tennessee.   (Their address is in Mass., so maybe they were made there).  They made a lot of bucks - dirty and white -- for other companies, such as Cole-Haan, "back in the day" as the kids like to say.  I heard they had a bunch of new old stock on Ebay a while back.  And I _think_ I recall Chris at Bennies mentioning they had some stock left:




At some point, I'd like to do a review of all the remaining Maine shoe companies (small operations conducted by displaced Bean craftsmen and the like).  I've introduced some of these companies, such as Quoddy Trail, over at AA+AAC.  Those remaining companies represent a good value in shoes, and its neat that we've got these old craftsman who still make shoes the way we remember them.  As much as I think "hand-work" can become just a fetish (in the Marxian sense), I still think it worth supporting.

Last edited by Horace (2006-05-17 12:50:27)

Vaclav wrote:

H.,

Who do you think, makes the best camp moccassins?

The ones from LL, were good previous, and that other shoe, the 1 you would roll the laces.

Chuck V,

I don't know the current quality of LL's Camp Mocs (or the Bluchers in which you'd roll the laces), but you might
try http://quoddytrail.com/Styles.htm for some options.  Also -- there's a site that I've misplaced that listed a
few other remaining worker cooperatives (which as you'll agree are important to our new Trad cause) that formed to
make shoes when the Capitalist Bean threw people out of work for the savings of a few measily dollars.

I am fear though, for your safety, with the Nationalists, if you wear the Bluchers with lace rolls.  Perhaps a few of my friends should
accompany you -- off-duty New York Finest.  Please send word if you'd like them to scout out area before you bust a move in the new shoos.

Yours on the barricades,

H.

"So Let's make your own boards, like Buffy
because the rolls being offered don't strike me
as anything a Trad man can use to learn
Burn Cabal Burn!"

Last edited by Horace (2006-05-18 04:35:16)

Horace wrote:

Chuck V,

I don't know the current quality of LL's Camp Mocs (or the Bluchers in which you'd roll the laces), but you might
try http://quoddytrail.com/Styles.htm for some options.   ...
I am fear though, for your safety, with the Nationalists, if you wear the Bluchers with lace rolls.  Perhaps a few of my friends should
accompany you -- off-duty New York Finest.  Please send word if you'd like them to scout out area before you bust a move in the new shoos.

Yours on the barricades,

H.

MCH,

Thank you for the 411, these on the website look as I remember. The double bottom are nice but that blutcher camp mocc is off the hook. Someone should make it in suede, with a natural sole (the type you inquire previous). and drop some new old trad, styly freaky. Let's get the MisterMan, on the horn.

For my problem with these nationalists, thank you for your concern, but with rubber soles, I can walk softly down Ditmars Blvd. and hide down the ally when their crew rolls.

One night I spent, in a garbage trunk.

Vaclav wrote:

Horace wrote:

Here's a Camp Moc from 1970.  The style, has as far as I can tell, not changed for ever.  A New Yorker -- a youngish punker with the blue hair and ripped clothing, quite beautiful, came up to me and seriously admired my camp mocs not too long ago.  It reminded her of her youth.  And she thought my busting the move was rather bold.   


http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2164 … 9zx.th.jpg

H., were you outside CBGBs?

Not at the time.  But I well should've been.  I think at CBGB the Trad would not get beaten as badly as at the BeerGarten by the Nationalists?

Here's some Moc and other goods:


The Bean Camp Moc, c. 1971:




"The Maine Loafer", c. 1953:



And then two more companies which I think are extinct:

c. 1953:



c. 1954 (though not an American firm):

Last edited by Horace (2006-05-25 04:06:29)

V --  I do believe that there are a few USA companies remaining that do the Weejun-style "Maine Loafer" you see above.  Usually (and surprisingly to me) they prices are still pretty good.

I just had my weejuns resoled for the second or third time.  They were paper thin.

This is a great store in LA on Beverly, near Martel.....ReMix Vintage Shoes.....they sell deadstock vintage shoes as well as vintage repros

Good place for black/white or brown/white spectators, as well as 50s repro loafers with crepe soles and bucks.

This is my gf's favorite place to get shoes (other than Lulu Guinness) and probably owns all of the 40s wedges as well as their ballet flats which arent available anymore.

The 2 guys that run the store are really cool (Phil and Paul) as well.

Worth a look if you want reasonably well made shoes at a good price, esp the spectators.

http://remixvintageshoes.com/index3.html

"The new wingtips", c. 1935:

The shaping and edges look like a model that Ralph Lauren did for the "American Collection" in the 80's or 90's.  I will post a pic sometime.

Footjoy.  I know them for golf shoes, but they used to make all sorts of different shoes.  An American company for a long time.