Today's Shoes

Day

Alden punch-cap bals in black calf with single soles (model 901, Hampton last). Yes, black. I actually do own some black shoes. I actually purchased these shoes from Brooks Brothers (on an excellent sale about five years ago), and they bear a Brooks Brothers logo. However, it would be evident that they were made by Alden even if I didn't know it from other sources. Alden makes all of Brooks' American-made shoes. Some are special Brooks-only models. This one isn't -- it's just the standard 901. I went up to Harold's in the Heights this afternoon to wish Harold Wiesenthal -- the founder of the store -- a happy 80th birthday and to take a look at some Gravati samples that the US rep had sent down to Jim Pierce. Jim took one look at my shoes and asked, "Alden?" Johnny Mykoff asked, "701?" A pretty good performance (only off by one digit) considering that Harold's doesn't sell Alden and neither one has looked extensively at the Alden line in years.

(The shoe pictured -- from the Alden Shop in San Francisco -- is actually a 9015, the same punch-cap bal in Color #8 shell cordovan, even though it sure looks black in that picture.)

Evening

Gravati four-eyelet split-toe bluchers in red-brown grained calfskin (Lama Larice) with single leather soles (16532, 655 last).