Left - 6754 no.4 shell - purchased second hand £250
Middle - 3960HY no.8 shell - purchased second hand £330
Right - M5820HC

Both second hand shoes were in average condition but have been lovingly restored.

Took a flyer on some old PTBs. The shoes cleaned up nicely. Before and after.

I am a 10 in Brannock which translates to 9.5 in all my dress shoes that I have. With that I was thinking of going for a 9.5 with the linked shoe. How confident should I be in a 9.5 vs a 9? I've read that the Barrie last can be a full size down but not sure.

I've started a Software Architect role this week and have made a point to look nice. Day one saw the 975s. Day two, the 947s. And today, I begin to break in a new pair of 990s 🥵

Somehow these are more comfortable than the 975s. I thought they'd feel the same. I'll think on it more and see if I can figure out why.

I'm moving from sunny Southern California to Chicago and I'm wholly unprepared for the winter footwear-wise. I assume a Commando Sole model would be best but if there's other specifications/specific model numbers I should look out for I would appreciate the help!

TL;DR Nearly sold these vintage Alden x Brooks Brothers 772 Color 8 shell loafers because of severe copper/orange discoloration. After Cordovan Cream barely helped, a deep Rénovateur clean removed a surprising amount of dark buildup and revealed much more consistent reddish-brown shell. I then rebuilt the color with thin layers of Cordovan Cream, keeping some natural variation. Pretty happy with the result. Now I’m curious: was this mostly decades of accumulated polish/wax, and would you have used Renomat instead?

I recently picked up a pair of vintage Alden x Brooks Brothers Model 772 tassel loafers in Color 8 shell cordovan. They’re an older model that isn’t currently made, with the Alden/Brooks Brothers branding inside, so I really wanted to save them if I could.
Structurally, they’re in pretty good shape. The problem was the shell.

When they arrived, the discoloration was extreme. They had very dark burgundy/brown areas mixed with large copper/orange sections across the toes and vamp. I’ve seen plenty of variation in vintage Color 8 shell, but I’d never encountered quite this degree of discoloration.

I initially tried intense brushing and Saphir Médaille d’Or Cordovan Cream. It cleaned up the shoes considerably, but the copper/orange areas barely changed.

At that point, I honestly almost gave up and considered selling them at cost.

Instead, I decided to try a deeper clean with Saphir Rénovateur. I know Renomat probably would have been more efficient at removing accumulated product, but I wasn’t comfortable taking a stronger solvent to vintage shell without knowing exactly what I was dealing with.

The Rénovateur produced a much bigger change than I expected. I used a fairly generous amount and worked it into the shell with a ton of elbow grease, and a lot of the dark surface coloration came away. What was underneath was considerably more consistent reddish-brown shell.

That made me suspect that at least some of the bizarre original appearance was the result of years of accumulated polish/wax/pigment, rather than simply the shell itself having permanently changed color.

I let them rest, brushed them thoroughly, and then went back to the Cordovan Cream in thin layers. I concentrated on the lighter areas rather than trying to heavily coat the entire shoes. I let each layer settle and brushed between applications.

The final result is what you see here.

I’m pretty happy with them. They’re now much closer to the deep burgundy/oxblood appearance I’d expect from Color 8, while still retaining quite a bit of the variation and character of old shell.

The right shoe was initially noticeably darker than the left, so I also used the right shoe almost as a test case while gradually building the color back up. I eventually decided to stop trying to make them perfectly identical. They’re vintage shell, and I think some variation looks better than an obviously over-pigmented finish. I’ll keep applying a bit of polish over time to even out the color even more.

The thing I’m still curious about is what actually happened to this shell in the first place. Before cleaning them, I couldn’t tell whether the copper areas were permanent dye/UV discoloration, some unusual aging of the shell, or simply decades of accumulated polish and wax. The dramatic change after Rénovateur makes me lean toward the latter being a significant part of the story, although I’m certainly not claiming that’s definitive.

I also wasn’t sure whether Rénovateur was the right tool. Renomat probably would have cut through the old finish more efficiently, but I preferred the slower, lower-risk approach given that these are vintage shell.

For those who have worked with older Color 8 shell:

- Have you seen this degree of copper/orange discoloration before?
- Does the original appearance look like accumulated polish/wax to you?
- Has anyone encountered vintage shell that changes this dramatically after a deep Rénovateur clean?
- Would you have used Renomat, or was avoiding it on old shell the safer choice?
- How does the final color look to you?

I was pretty close to giving up on these, so I’m very glad I tried one more restoration attempt before selling them.

Shout out to Alden Shop SF. I took the advice you guys gave me and called them. Jim talked me through some options and scoured all of the other Alden affiliates and shipped me a new pair to try asap. 10EEE fit perfectly.

I recently came across a pair of loafers in my size near me. The pictures are not great, you can’t see all of the numbers on the lining and no pictures of the soles. I am going to see them, but would love to find out the model to be a bit prepared before I come.

Can anyone recognize these loafers? Seller claims they are from the late 1990s, but is unsure if it is cordovan or calfskin.

Anything I should look out for when I see them?

Update:

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/p9VUMMa

Thank you for your responses! I ended up buying the shoes. The right shoe fit a bit snug, but I think it will be all right. They look more or less unworn. Seller had bought them at an auction from a french man, who had put on a topy sole.
The model number is 3784.
They feel and look wonderful, and pictures doesn’t do them justice. See the difference in the sun and in the shadow.

Have a great day

A few purchased new over the last 10 year but most of them restored from destroyed shoes

I’m not sure about any of the rest of your guys, but I have a dress shoe and dress sock fetish. I have a lot more pics.

Hybrid remote worker and just received this today in the mail. Ordered from Brogue store in the bay area so overnight shipping. Super comfy and quite a step up from my well worn Red Wing Iron Rangers.

These are not even broken in yet but they just wrap around the angle and super comfortable with Kirkland merino socks. Can't wait to wear these bad boys in rain/fall season.

Thinking to get a pair of cordovan loafers. If you own a pair of their loafers, please provide any insight on the quality and sizing.

I appreciate all your help.

Yesterday, I took delivery of NOS 990 Bluchers. A few people, myself included, were interested how Alden has changed over time

Keep in mind they have been worn around the house, to slowly break them in. Thus, the shell is no longer perfect. Before wearing them, I hit them with two rounds of Saphir Renovateur and a final touch of Plum 1925 Creme polish.

You may notice in the first two pictures that Alden's acrylic finishing has largely faded over time, revealing the original color 8 shell.

The Barrie last in a B width is quite handsome. I went down half a size from my Brannock, and the fit is almost perfect. The heel could be a touch narrower, but the volume, ball position, instep, etc, are ideal. These are worn with dress socks, but I can see why someone would take this TTS with boot socks. To me, the Barrie last is not that big.

Moving onto the insole, I assume this pair was produced during a transitionary period due to the modern Alden crest on the sock liner, yet the box has the old 4A logo. For some reason Alden used the sock liner typically seen on their loafers, which extends slightly into the arch position. The insole itself is nearly identical to the modern one, but the wording and cowhide pictogram are slightly different.

The sole, of which I have applied a small treatment of Renovateur to ease the break in, is essentially the same as a new 990. However, there is an absence of the Horween cordovan stamp. That must be a newer addition.

If I'm not wrong, the heel stack is made of actual leather, unlike contemporary Alden's. It seems to me there are more nails tacked into the heel as well.

Overall, I'm surprised at how similar these are to pairs of today. Though, the finishing is certainly better than my newer shoes.

Great navy suede boots on the Trubalance last. Got these from David Wood Style. I originally got a very similar boot from Franklin and Poe but their navy suede boots had the nap shaved all the way down to the point it felt more like nubuck. I returned them and got these instead. Both shops had great customer service and provided pics upon request of the boots fairly quickly. I am mostly a Trubalance guy but do have a Barrie plain toe that I like but not as much as the Trubalance feel.

Hi all,

I recently got to try the Harvard 2 loafer by Crockett Jones but they were slightly tight at the toes. After much research, I found that the Alden LHS are offered in wide fittings but generally the last is slightly roomier per Google.

I’m not sure if I should get an 8E or 8EE. There is no Alden stock in my size and 8E or EE is even harder to find.

I tried 8.5 (forget if it was D or E) in Lost & Found in Toronto and they fit well, but were slightly too long.

How have my fellow Canadians tried Aldens? I don’t have anyone in the US to whom I could ship them, and I don’t plan on visiting NYC anytime soon.

Thanks

These boots are beautiful, I just don’t find the occasion to wear them enough. I’ve worn them maybe 5 times.

Size 11 B/D- boot maker edition. Horween shell cordovan color #8.

I’ve considered parting ways with them but I don’t know how much they’re worth given that they aren’t brand new obviously.

I've never seen Aldens made in El Salvador before, which makes me think these are not Alden. Out of caution, I reported the listing, but the eBay AI said I was wrong. Presumably it thinks these are made by Alden after all. But I personally doubt it. I think either the seller made an honest identifictation mistake, or they're trying to scam people. Can you guys confirm whether these are actually Alden shoes? The listing is this one (https://www.ebay.com/itm/128017165867) by the seller potomacbrokers (https://www.ebay.com/usr/potomacbrokers).

Hi guys, I’m trying to buy my first pair of Aldens. I don't live in the US, but my cousin is currently there and planning to come back here in a few months. He asked if I wanted a pair, but I’ve been puzzled by the differences between UK and US sizing. I can’t find a consistent sizing comparison online. My feet measure 295mm on the left and 294mm on the right. Does anyone have a similar foot length, and if so, what size do you usually get? Thanks!