This is a new Weejun and from what I understand - - there will be a cordovan model coming soon.  I think it's great Bass has done this and hopefully this return to US manufacture will not go unnoticed by LL Bean and others.  I think they've finally figured out how they can get the same obscene profit margins they had off shore just by selling US made quality.

I was thinking the same thing after seeing the limited sizes and realizing why the middle of the strap seemed to have something lodged in it...I am not sure where TinTin got his info. Maybe he could fill us in...

That new loafer is heinous.

The Gilman looks OK but why the crappy, sub-Gucci glove leather? Would it be too much to ask them to produce a US made facsimile of the classic Leavitt Penny in a decent-ish calf leather in the traditional colour?

Thanks for the update tintin..

Mr. Graham Marsh, the great Anglo Ivy-ist, wears the Alden and wears it well I am told by the great John Gall, my generation & location's greatest Ivy evangelist.
In fact such is Mr. Marsh's love that he dresses cats in Aldens in his soon-to-be-published children's book.

Lover as I am of American style, I love the American styled loafer, not the English styled loafer of Alden. But that's just me. I have my quirks. Aesthetically I go for the pie-crust gathering of leather around the toe which marks out the American style.

Alden's quality is undoubtedly fab. Bass' is not. Bills baggy-assed khakis are no doubt good quality too, with their heavy duty zipper and all, whilst Uniqlo's are to be worn and discarded on a whim...
STYLE is what gets me out of bed in the morning and I find that Bass & Uniqlo have 'The Look' for me far more so that Alden & Bills very 'so what?' offerings.

Russell

I think you're being way too harsh on the Alden loafer to describe it as an 'English-style' shoe. The Crockett & Jones Harvard cordovan handsewn is a textbook example of an English take on the American loafer. The Alden shoe couldn't be more American.

The stitching between the top and sides on the Weejun was always the point at which they would break, even the relatively high-quality pairs of twenty-five years ago. As this was not merely a case of stitching coming undone they couldn't be economically repaired and were rendered useless. Fine when there was a seemingly endless production, but disappointing when faced with the non-USA made shoes, which are simply not worth the money no matter how cheaply they are sold.

Once the Alden (particularly the unlined, made for Brooks version) moulds to the shape of the foot it is far superior in every department (particularly in looks) to any Bass loafer, made in USA or not.

I can understand you having reservations about them as they seem to be the very symbol of i-Gent fixation, but if you look beyond that you will discover a beautiful shoe.

Those are nice. I am surprised some of the trads didn't go for those with the price similarity between those and the LHS, all though the Alden worship is strong. For what it's worth I have two pairs of Aldens in Shell. The Plain toed blucher and the Longwing. I think excepting NOS Florsheim it doesn't get any better in these two styles. I am in agreement with RS about the Weejun style loafers though. For me the design is hard to beat. As stated before I prefer the beefroll, that's why the "Jeffrey" caught my eye. I don't think anyone would seriously consider the Dover worthy of being in the conversation. Well maybe that Bass PR person who tried to blow the GQ smoke up The Weejun's (our departed friend with the sorely missed blog) ass about them.

It ain't much, but it's home:

http://men.style.com/images/upgrader/style/products/loafers/bass_h.jpg

I find that I often laugh to prevent myself from crying. 

The Alden LHS is certainly an option when it comes to keeping your feet dry, but the idea that it is some kind of Holy Grail needs to be looked at a little I think.

Well, the Dover is certainly 'in the Amercian style' according to your criteria, Russ. As is a Gucci horsebit, by extension, and indeed the Clarks Wallabee.

We'll never agree on this, so I'd like to move on.

Bottom line is that Bass shoes aren't what they once were. A crying shame.