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.
Just about every shoe that costs more than a few dollars looks great when it comes out of the box. However, no shoe stays pristine forever. We like to take a look at how a shoe looks once it’s actually been used. These Jay Butler Cromwell loafers have really seen it all. Despite their suede upper and leather soles, they’ve been worn in rain, snow, salt and more. How did they hold up? Let’s find out.
Historically, White’s Boots doesn’t really like to change the way they do things. While some others in the Pacific Northwest, most notably Viberg, have very distinct lifestyle and work lines, White’s makes all of their boots to the same standards on the same lines. The difference this makes can probably be seen most clearly on this: The White’s MP Service Boot.
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.
If I told you to picture a Peter Moore-designed shoe that came out to the public in 1985, the Nike Dunk Low is probably not the first one that comes to mind. Of course, the Jordan 1 is likely the first, but the Dunk High and others are more often thought of as the retro sneakers from that year. However, looking at the releases over the past year or so, Nike has sold far more Dunk Lows than just about any other hyped sneaker. And every time they’ve sold out, including this Nike Dunk Low Hyper Cobalt pair.
When you picture a retro Jordan 1 or a non-SB Dunk in your head, they both probably have one thing in common: they are high tops. The 1980’s and high-top Nike basketball shoes are synonymous. However, when both of these shoes launched, the highs dropped next to lows. It’s fair to say the lows have just as much claim to being an OG retro as any high. That being said, the Dunk Low is pretty much at maximum hype right now, and the Jordan 1 sits everywhere. You might be asking: what’s the difference?
It’s true of almost everything you buy. Someone, somewhere, will say that you got taken advantage of because they claim the materials only cost a few cents, and everything else was just pure profit for the company. Of course, if that were true, everyone and their mother would be a shoemaker. So, if doesn’t cost pennies, what does it cost to make a shoe or boot?
We’ve all been there. You’re walking along and either because you’re not paying attention or because you have to, you hear a squish and your shoes are 2 inches deep in mud. Your heart sinks, and you’re wondering what you can do to fix your mistake.
Jordan Brand and Edison Chen’s Clot have quite a lot of history already, so it makes sense that they are continuing this with another history-focused collaboration: the Air Jordan 14 Terracotta. Building on Chen’s Chinese history, these shoes are designed to resemble the Terracotta Army. This was a set of stone soldiers, who would watch over the emperor in death.
When it comes to shoe construction, almost every type has a group that defends it. From the Goodyear Welt’s army of devotees wearing Allen Edmonds, to Vulcanized Rubber’s skaters looking for feel. However, there is one style that is almost universally talked about in a negative way – cemented construction.