Soliciting advice on how to "write" an unbiased" review" (but not really a review) on a freebie

I do hope you aren't testing shoes by actually wearing them. Certainly not outside.

Wear them on carpet in home for photos. If you are really irresponsible you might wear them at work on carpet but don't be reckless.

Carry the shoes between work and home in a special leather and canvas Filson shoe carry bag. Make sure you insert custom made cedar shoe trees whilst carrying them to work.

At night take off shoes after taking photos and carefully and gently insert trees over a 10 minute period, don't rush it, and within 15 minutes of taking shoes off feet.

Don't do anything silly; remember these are shoes.
 
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Why shouldn't I wear them. Serious question. I think I'm missing something here.

(not serious question) Can I still use them to hold open elevator doors? Or subway doors? JFM, don't worry, I won't be wearing them if I do this. Instead, I'll hold them out in my hand.
 
On a similar note: anyone recall when Vox advocated using Allen Edmond seconds as shoe trees?

How fucked would it be to write a review of the shoes serving an entirely different purpose than for which they were intended. Perhaps review them as a bowl. I'd include a picture of one full of guacamole, a chip being dipped into it. Another of it being loaded into a dishwasher (and what it looks like afterward).

I may buy a cheap pair of "dress shoes" (10 bucks on the street...this is Asia, after all) for this purpose.
 
Chorn said:
I may buy a cheap pair of "dress shoes" (10 bucks on the street...this is Asia, after all) for this purpose.
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Here you go then:
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You leave my Jalans out of it. They're the best fitting pair of shoes I own. I may need to pick up a few more from Unipair before I leave, just to have them on hand when a hole in the rotation opens (and duck shipping and customs).

Edit: Or maybe just one.
98409-DB-2.jpg
http://unipair.com/product/jalan-sriwijaya-98409-3/


Seems like they're phasing out Jalan Swirijaya in favor of their own, cheaper line made by some Japanese company (42nd Royal Highland?)
 
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On a different note, some pictures of the M Andrew's freebies. A few issues stand out, and should be obvious enough that I should have to point them out to anyone. Though I'd appreciate someone more knowledgeable ( W walker , sorry to keep bugging you, but you do seem to be the resident shoe expert) explaining a the significance of a few things (the stitching/staples under the footpad and the uneveness of the shoes (front view))

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I don't feel bugged. I just have a little hangover and will try to catch up after a nap.
 
clags, are you looking for the needle in the haystack? I have to admit that they look better in flesh than I expected. not the biggest fan of the frankenstitch, but this is a personal preference and nothing else.

the stand and toe spring looks solid and passable. I have seen worse from EG(in pictures) probably the brand that causes the most rant from me, anyway.

however, what really irks me is the insole. if you really deceide to have them dissected I wouldn't put my money on the fact that they can be reassembled. certainly this is based on the pics only. Mr. Resh will have the answer handy.

the finishing is not the best job in the world but this is an easy fix and I expect them to age well. would I spend $ 525 on them. probably not.

finally a picture of the sole would be great.
 
Unfortunately, I take cabs everywhere these days rather than public transportation, so the shoes aren't getting the full Seoul sole treatment. I'll make an effort to walk more outside tomorrow.

 
Did you slip and fall in these piece of shit things? Is that why there hasn't been any progress on this?
 
Have to wear them a bunch. Also, was lucky enough to have a rain day, so I wore them then as well. I'll be taking the pictures tomorrow morning, but took these yesterday because I noticed that the shoes wrinkle unpleasantly as I walk.



 
Not remarkably so, but it's higher than average. Some oxfords can close all the way, others can't. These can, but only because the leather is oddly pliable. I'm also thinking this is at fault for the weird wrinkling as I walk.

I also suspect that those will not so easily settle back into place as the shoe ages.
 
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I'm going to need a side shot, plus a side shot with your foot in it, to determine if its the instep.
 
The instep that's causing the wrinkling? Anyway, will do.

But none of my other shoes wrinkle like that. And none of my other shoes uses leather this soft (it feels like the leather used in a heavy briefcase)
 
Chorn said:
The instep that's causing the wrinkling? Anyway, will do.

But none of my other shoes wrinkle like that. And none of my other shoes uses leather this soft (it feels like the leather used in a heavy briefcase)
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Well, its a design issue relative to the instep height. For instance, most Italian shoes are made with a higher instep relative to standard construction. English shoes, much less so. So if the shoe has a lower instep then what you're traditionally used to wearing, then it could cause the problem. Or, it could just be poorly constructed.

I could also use a side shot with your foot in it of a pair of yours that's well worn but doesn't suffer from this issue.
 
This is one of several reasons why I'm not offering any commentary, positive or negative, as to the quality of the shoes, and hoping that the pictures will provide those who know better than I enough to comment.

So that kind of wrinkling might be the product of construction rather than the leather? Would that be due to the angle the top of my foot declines at when I push off while walking?

W walker ?
 
Rambo said:
Well, its a design issue relative to the instep height. For instance, most Italian shoes are made with a higher instep relative to standard construction. English shoes, much less so.
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first time, I hear this...
 
Chorn said:
Walker, thoughts on what type of leather wrinkles like that?
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soft leather like this. its not unusual for eyetalian kicks. although, the wrinkles are not peculiar, imo. I suspect the kicks are a tad long plus there is a bit of room over your foot and the ratio of the distance of the two frankenstitches. there you go. its more of a slight fit issue than the leather itself. just my two cents.
 
Hrmm, why on earth do the Italians like soft leather? It doesn't seem like it adds any comfort (though that might be because of a fit issue, as you said)
 
Wrinkles are nearly always a fit issue. Usually too long or just too big alround. But also forumites fuss too much about minor blemishes and creases yet pay for some idiot to do a fake patina.
 
From the pics it seems to recover or spring back ok. That wound healing type stitching is fugly for dress shoes though.
 
DWFII has opined that while the leather looks good, it is a poor choice for shoe leather.
 
Rambo said:
Italian style shoes have traditionally always had higher insteps than English or American shoes.
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This is precisely my experience, too.

When I started out wearing "good" shoes (stepping up from Florsheim and Lloyds with cemented soles), I concentrated on English-made shoes and I often had issues with fitting my instep.

I then tried out some Italian shoes from makers such as Ferragamo's Tramezza line, Zegna fatte a mano (which I believe was made in a joint facility owned by Zegna and Ferragamo referred to as "Zefer"), Santoni (both their Goodyear-welted line and their orange-sock FAM line), de Tommasso, Sutor Mantellassi and a couple of others.

The shoes were a revelation. For the first time, when I pulled the laces on my balmorals tight, my feet didn't feel like they were being squeezed in a vice and the "v" of the laces was only open by 1cm or less at the top - as opposed to 2cm or so on my English shoes, and that was only achieved by squashing the top of my feet.

So, whilst I recognise that it's anecdotal, and whilst I know that different lasts from different brands fit differently and that some have more vertical space than others, it's certainly been my experience that Italian shoes, in general, have higher insteps than English or American shoes.
 
Journeyman said:
This is precisely my experience, too.

When I started out wearing "good" shoes (stepping up from Florsheim and Lloyds with cemented soles), I concentrated on English-made shoes and I often had issues with fitting my instep.

I then tried out some Italian shoes from makers such as Ferragamo's Tramezza line, Zegna fatte a mano (which I believe was made in a joint facility owned by Zegna and Ferragamo referred to as "Zefer"), Santoni (both their Goodyear-welted line and their orange-sock FAM line), de Tommasso, Sutor Mantellassi and a couple of others.

The shoes were a revelation. For the first time, when I pulled the laces on my balmorals tight, my feet didn't feel like they were being squeezed in a vice and the "v" of the laces was only open by 1cm or less at the top - as opposed to 2cm or so on my English shoes, and that was only achieved by squashing the top of my feet.

So, whilst I recognise that it's anecdotal, and whilst I know that different lasts from different brands fit differently and that some have more vertical space than others, it's certainly been my experience that Italian shoes, in general, have higher insteps than English or American shoes.
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Welcome Journeyman Journeyman . Interesting post.

I will have to report you to the mods for the overuse of "whilst"

Carry on
 
I can't bring myself yet to go over to the SF thread. Its been a hard few days. But tell me has that old hippy DW been banging on about how he's the only one in the world who knows anything about shoes? I'd like to Topy over his fuckin keyboard to shut him up.
 
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