- January 6, 2022
- Apparel We Love
Alden Shoes and The Claymore Shop: Partners in Style
Very few brands can claim that they have been handcrafted in the USA – or anywhere for that matter – since 1884. Even less have designs that remain largely unchanged for 75 years and have products that get better-looking with age and wear. Not to mention, that if you care for Alden shoes as they suggest, they will last you for several decades or more.
Alden produces thousands of shoe and boot configurations when you take into account the various lasts, styles, leathers, and colors that they produce. The styles range from rugged work boots to more elegant formal dress oxfords and loafers, but the beauty of Alden shoes lies in their ability to be dressed up or down to suit any occasion. Whether you own one pair or twenty pairs, you’ll be able to find something that will fit the bill for almost any event.
Take for example, a pair of shell cordovan lace-up oxfords. This particular pair is a decade old and has already been re-soled twice. They have taken on a beautiful patina over the years and can be easily shined by running a horse-hair brush over them and rubbing them down with a polishing cloth after each wear.
Suede is more versatile than you think. It can handle the elements if regularly brushed and minimally treated, and looks fantastic with suits, jeans, or anything in-between. This pair of Medallion Tip oxfords in snuff suede from Alden is a perfect example of a shoe that can look good when paired with many different colors and textures.
Maybe you’re more of a minimalist, or you spend a lot of time traveling for work. In that case, a pair of black loafers would be indispensable to your wardrobe. The right pair will look just as good in the boardroom with a conservative suit, as they would at a picnic with a pair of well-worn jeans and a t-shirt. Alden has many different styles of loafers, but their full-strap penny loafers are particularly unique. This pair is in black shell cordovan and will handle whatever you can throw at them.
The Claymore shop carries a number of Alden shoes and can help you with any questions that you may have about sizing, or how to style them. They also collaborate with Alden several times a year to produce limited-edition runs that are specially designed for the shop. This pair of Leisure Handsewn loafers in Dark Brown Regina Grain calfskin, and Ranger Moccasins in Hummus Suede are great examples of shoes that are classic in design, but unique to the Claymore Shop via the Alden “Special Make” program.
