Expense Report #27

Last week was shoe week. As part of my goal to upgrade my shoe choices, I went to check out the Allen Edmonds sale. Most of their shoes are made in the United States (a few styles are made in Italy, and a couple in the Dominican Republic). Having never owned any AE shoes, I figured it was a good idea to go to the store so I could try on the shoes and make sure I got the right size.

In Boston we have two AE stores: one on Newbury Street, two doors down from Brooks Brothers, and one on State Street on the corner of Devonshire, across from the northbound entrance to the State T station (for you suburban types, there's also one in the mall in Natick). Both stores are more or less on my way home from work, but I decided it was a bit easier and quicker for me to get off the train at State and get back on when I was finished. This store is a tiny sliver of a space, but that makes me like it more. It's cozy and calm inside.

When's the last time you went to buy shoes and actually had someone measure your foot with a Brannock device? I couldn't even remember. I tend to be a 10.5 in better-quality shoes, and this was confirmed. I impressed on the salesman my need for a wide shoe, which he agreed with--to a point. He said that getting shoes in wide was fine for lace-ups, but that for loafers I should go with medium, because they would be more likely to stretch and mold to my feet. I'm not sure I agree with this--for one thing, I have a pair of Sebago penny loafers in size 11 medium that I wore a few times but can no longer deal with because they're too painful, and I should have gotten wide. For another thing, I tend to wear thicker socks.

I ended up buying a pair of medium brown moc-toe lace-ups with contrast stitching and rubber soles. Most AE shoes are dressier, but they do have styles that work well in business casual settings. The shoes are very comfortable, and they make me feel more grown-up when I'm wearing them. That may be because they set me back $200, and yes, that was the sale price; they're normally almost $250.

I have to look at the purchase as a long-term investment in my feet, and if I'm going to do that, I might as well at least do it when they're on sale. There was more than one style that I liked, and at some point in the next six months or so I'll be looking to get another pair. But when I'm ready to do that, I can at least look for them on eBay or Style Forum, or go up to the AE outlet store in Freeport and see if they have what I want.

One other thing: the next day I looked for Brannock devices on eBay, and found one in excellent condition for $18. I'd been thinking about getting one for a while, primarily because it's a classic piece of American industrial design, and also it's just a cool object. Sometimes I like to have certain things just because they're cool or interesting.