I brought the cobbler 2 pairs of boots for stretching:
1) Beckett Simonon tan balmorals
2) J. Fitzpatrick black Columbia Redux
Both are on the dressy side.
It was the same problem for each pair: they were slightly too tight where the lower part of the boot transitions to the shaft, no matter how loosely I laced them up. My feet are supposedly “high volume”- on the upper side of medium width. That, coupled with the combination of
heavier leather and the
slimmer profiles these makers used on these
particular styles meant breaking them in was going to be difficult…or even impossible without assistance.
For the record, I’ve had NO problems with the J. Fitzpatrick monk straps or any of the Beckett Simonon sneakers I’ve bought.
I’ve had my eye on a pair of Whites for yeeeeears but the price tag is just eye watering, and the measuring process just terrifies me lol.
Whites are nice, but they’re definitely high quality.
My personal max price on
dressy boots is around $600, but I haven’t
paid that much yet. I got another pair of J. Fitzpatrick jodhpurs
on clearance that were usually priced over $600. I paid just over $320. But I can’t buckle the top strap- courtesy of my build again.
I’m waiting to discuss it with the cobbler when he gets back from vacation.
For dress casual & more rugged boots like the Whites, I’ve shopped in the $200-450 range. I’ve purchased a couple pairs each of Thursdays, Grant Stones, Allen Edmonds and Parkhursts, as well as one pair of Trumans.
Of those, the Trumans are probably the closest to Whites I’m likely
ever to buy. They’re made with the heaviest leathers. Some are pretty exotic in terms of hide type or color. (Mine are turquoise Rambler suede!) None of theirs are dressy in any way- all are classic, rugged work/heritage/jumper style boots.
Parkhurst has nice leathers and colors, and are clearly well made. But they’re not quite as rugged as the Trumans. They don’t have a lot of different styles although they’re increasing their variety. They also tend to have decent variations within a given style. As I recall, Parkhurst is a small (possibly solo) operation, so production runs are small.
Grant Stone is a good blend of quality and affordability. Their line has a great mix of different styles and colors/hides within a given style. Some are dressy, some are more “work coded”.
Allen Edmonds is probably the biggest name on the list- an honest to goodness American tradition. Most of them are dressy, but some have a more rugged style to them. They’re well made, but not as good as they used to be. Experts say they’re not worth what they ask for full price, but are definitely a good buy on sale. Both of mine were deeply discounted, and I’m quite happy with them.
Thursdays are the cheapest and easiest to break in. They have the widest variety of styles. They’re good looking AND resoleable, but slightly less well made than the others listed above. They also have a generally dressier, sleeker look compared to the others mentioned, even their most rugged styles.
