Park Avenue Cap Toe Oxford (Men)

These shoes are timeless, classy, and stylish even after being made for decades. For the value, you can't beat these shoes in terms of quality and durability. These are the ultimate business shoes. Period. You could get the same quality, or slightly better, from another shoe maker such as Alden but you'll pay at least $150 more. Allen Edmonds are the best quality shoe for the dollar. Most definitely something Don Draper would've worn. I also just bought the McAllister in "Walnut" color. Gorgeous and classic shoe as well. They are stiff at first as I'm sure other reviewers have posted, but after about 4 days of regular use they fit like a glove now. I can actually tell that my feet have sunk into the shoe due to the heated cork layer. I'm able to feel my foot impression with my hands too. I wear these about 2 to maybe 3 times a week and they have held up beautifully for the first month so far. I've heard stories from others that their Park Avenues have lasted sometimes up to 20 - 25 years if you are diligent about taking care of them. I highly recommend buying the Allen Edmonds Premium Shoe Polish and their Conditioner Cleaner...the cleaner both cleans and moistens the calfskin while the shoe polish uses both cream conditioning and a slight wax layer, providing some water resistance. Allen Edmonds also has a great recrafting service for their shoes as well. I wear a 45 in Ecco (about an 11.5 in US) and wear a size 12 D in the Park Avenues. The Park Avenues are on Allen Edmonds' longest and narrowest last (last #5), so keep that in mind. I find they run a tad narrow, but trying on an E width ended up being way too wide so I stuck with the 12 D. The important thing is that they were never uncomfortable from the moment I tried them on in the right size. They might seem to slip in the heel a bit at first, but once the shoe molds to your foot after a few wears, you'll notice the heel slippage along with the initial stiffness start to disappear. Most of all, I'm proud to be wearing shoes manufactured in the USA with domestic labor. The difference in quality between cheaply foreign made shoes and these are night and day. They are a bit expensive, but with proper care these shoes will almost pay for themselves in the long run. Support US made goods and buy yourself a pair now!

I had to get three pairs of these shoes before I got a pair that did not have an enormous and unsightly bulge in the leather. Even a Nordstrom store associate acknowledged that these bulges made the shoes look "awkward." Be very careful when buying these - make sure that there is no bulge at all. I did not think that I had to exercise this kind of caution with such reputable brands as Nordstrom and Allen Edmonds.