J Crew Ludlow/Kenton

The one question I often get asked that I don’t answer in reviews is how I pick which shoes to wear. How I style them, when I pick one over the other, etc. With 100wears hitting the one-year mark, I thought it might be worth providing a mini update on the current collection from a personal viewpoint.

The J Crew Kenton Boots line is designed much like their Ludlow line. In other words, offer a more affordable alternative to higher end footwear, while keeping some of the key features such as goodyear welting, higher end leather and more.

Out of the box, these are far better presented than any other J Crew Shoe I’ve received. Each shoe was individually wrapped in plastic, held in place with a plastic strap, and covered with an individual shoe tree. On a suede shoe, this goes a long way in keeping the suede from rubbing in shipping. I guess these shoes are regularly bought and returned after people have taken these items, but it’s certainly a better unboxing experience if you’re the first one in there.

If you had asked me a few months what I thought of the J Crew Ludlow line of shoes, I would have responded with the same way I think about the Ludlow line of clothes. That is, a mall brand that sells affordable options. Great for most people, but not the enthusiast’s choice. However, then rumors began to fly that same factory that makes Grant Stone makes these. With the nearly ubiquitous sales, the possibility of getting Grant Stone quality for mall brand money was too tempting to pass up, and I placed an order for these J Crew Ludlow Tassel Loafers.